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Structuring Formative Assessments of Language within the Curriculum

Don BouchardMaine Department of Education ESL/Bilingual Programs

Professional development online webinar

March 16, 2010

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Agenda

I. Brief review

II. Formative assessment -framework -tasks & tools

III. Formative assessment delivery procedure

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The LandscapeContent

- Unit summary- Unit rationale

- Related cultural content statements

- Unit essential questions- Unit enduring understandings

- Unit learning targets & evidence of learning

- Content objective- Instructional delivery

Language1. ACCESS for ELLs®

2. Performance Definitions 3. CAN Dos

4. Model Performance Indicators

5. Language objective6. Tasks/activities

7. Formative assessments of language

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Re: Landscape of Language – A Visual Metaphor

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I. BRIEF REVIEW

A. Lesson Planning & Differentiation - ACCESS test data- variables to acad. Success

- performance definitions/indicators & lang. objectives

B. Enacting the lesson - language domains- content- information processing

C. Gradual Release of Responsibility- focused lesson- guided instruction- collaborative learning- independent learning

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A. Lesson Planning & Differentiation

ACCESS for ELLs®

Teacher Report(+ background information)

LESSON PLANNING

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Lesson Planning Process . . . Content StandardContent Objective

Performance Definitions (General linguistic parameters)

Performance Indicators (PIs)(Differentiated Domain & Content-related linguistic

parameters)

Language Objective(Measurable, observable language focus that is the

intentionality of formative assessment)

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Language Objective

The language objective can provide the basis of linguistic focus targeted to meet the appropriate language demands of

the content requirements of the curriculum for an ELL. The language

objective describes the intentionality of language assessment of an ELL’s performance in a content lesson.

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A language objective formula. . .

A language objective can contain the following elements:

FunctionTopic

General Domain (oral or print)Language Outcome

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Examples of language outcomes related to WIDA performance definitions – language features

Aspects of linguistic complexity:- sentence types

- transition signals- active vs. passive voice

- paragraph cohesionAspects of vocabulary usage:

- common, high frequency words- content specific words

-technical wordsAspects of linguistic control:

- phonological components- semantic components- syntactic components

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Other examples of language outcomes

Aspects of vocabulary Text/literacy features Parts of speech Visual / graphic clues Affixation Table of contents / index / glossary Content-specific words Titles / headings / subheadings Polysemic characteristics Tables / timeline / maps / diagrams Antonyms/synonyms Genre characteristics Context clues (characteristics of recount or Connotative differences narrative / report / processes Word families & procedures / discussions & Figurative/metaphorical arguments) Cognates Pronunciation

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Performance Indicator

PI = Language Function

(Resource Guide has examples scattered throughout the MPI strands)

+Topic

(Topics are derived from the state content standards)+

Support(See WIDA Resource Guide RG 21 for list of supports)

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Model MPIs

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Performance Indicators + Language Objective

I: Name the parts of the water cycle using a diagram.II: Describe the water cycle with pictures.III: Describe the changes in the water cycle using a

diagram. IV. Explain the importance of the water cycle with a

partner.V: Determine the impact on the water cycle without

rain or snow with a partner.

SWABAT describe the stages of the water cycle orally using increasingly complex sentences.

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B. Enacting the Lesson with Activities

Gradual Release of Responsibility Model

Content Specific

Domain Specific Info. Processing

Specific

Performance Level Criteria

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Domain Specific Activities

Listening Speaking Reading Writing

What are the activities specific to each or a combination of the language domains?

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Domain-Specific Activities

Listening. . . (what can we have our students listen to)?

Speaking . . . (what can we have our students talk about)?

Reading . . . (what can we have our students read?)

Writing . . . (what can we have our students write about?

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Content -Specific Activities

Language Arts Mathematics Science Social

Studies

What are the activities specific to each of the content areas?

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Content Specific Activities

Language arts . . . (what do students normally engage in at grade level?)

Mathematics . . . (what do students normally engage in at grade level?)

Science . . . (what do students normally engage in at grade level?)

Social Studies . . . (what do students normally engage in at grade level?

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Information Processing-Specific ActivitiesCopying Describing Restructuring EvaluatingReproducing Processing Rearranging & ComparingInformation information restructuring the informationwithout in the same information providedprocessing structure provided w/info for as it was providedcomprehension presented in another

text or

source

What are the activities specific to information processing?

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Information Processing-Specific Strategies Copying Describing Restructuring Evaluating charting acting out classifying analyzing arguing

for/against completing arranging categorizing assessing blending highlighting defining composing clarifying combining mapping illustrating constructing comparing contrasting matching listing graphing defending evaluating replicating reporting justifying expanding identifying representing retelling modifying interpreting justifying tracing planning inventing hypothesizing

predicting producing ranking relating

editing

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C. The Gradual Release of Responsibility Model

The Gradual Release of Responsibility Model is the scaffolded delivery of instruction following a progression in which teachers gradually do less work and students gradually assume more and more responsibility for their learning through four stages:

1. Focused lesson2. Guided instruction3. Collaboration4. Independent Learning

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1. Focused Lesson

1. Modeling the language to be used in the content

2. Direct but scaffolded explanation of the content with demonstrations

3. Think-alouds, write-alouds, shared reading focusing on language

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2. Guided Instruction

Guided reading

Guided writing

Student think-alouds

Misconception analysis

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3. Collaborative LearningReciprocal teaching

Listening/viewing stations

Visual displays

Book circles, labs, & simulations

Jigsaw

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4. Independent Tasks

Independent Learning Centers

Independent Reading

Writing-to prompts

Conferring

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Reflection

Do you have any comments or questions about:

Lesson Planning & Differentiation

Enacting a lesson

Gradual Release of Responsibility Model

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II. Formative Assessment• AssessmentAssessment: a sampling of student behavior for the purpose of

making an inference

• Formative AssessmentFormative Assessment: an ongoing assessment process that provides students and teachers with feedback on progress toward instructional goals

• Interim AssessmentInterim Assessment: a periodic assessment that provides students, parents and educators with information on unit attainment or progress across units. (e.g.: tests & quizzes)

• Summative AssessmentSummative Assessment: an occasional (often annual) assessment that provides parents, educators, and policymakers with information on course / standard attainment or progress (e.g.: ACCESS for ELLs®)

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Types of Assessments

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A Balanced System

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Dimensions of Formative Assessment

Proxemics

Temporality

Independence

Feedback(Johnston, 1992)

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ELL Formative Assessment

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Formative Assessments

. . . but we do know it involves

Tasks

&

Tools

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Tasks for Formative Assessment

• Uses AUTHENTIC, MEANINGFUL tasks• Provides SCAFFOLDING• Provides MODELING & EXAMPLES• Provides SPECIFIC FEEDBACK

The tasks must be linguistically appropriate for ELLs.

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Tools for Formative Assessment

• Scoring Rubrics• Teacher Observation Checklists• Rating Scales• Performance-Based Assessments

– Oral & Poster Presentations– Written Reports, Portfolios– Artwork, Demonstrations, Etc., etc.

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In summary . . .

The irony of summative and interim assessments is that the more we do NOT

teach to the test (assessment OF Learning), but rather assessing FOR learning (formative

assessments), the more we prepare our students for tests.

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SpeakingTasks/measures Tools

• Oral Summaries• Oral Reports• Oral Labeling• Debates• Role Playing• Group Discussions• Oral Questions• Describing pictures, scenes, • processes• Oral Retelling• Oral Cloze

• Rubrics• Checklists• Inventories

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LISTENING Tasks/measures Tools

• Role Play• Drawing• Retelling• Matching aural

prompts to pictures • Listening to stories or

lectures

• Checklists• Rubrics• Multiple Choice • Note taking frames or

graphic organizers

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READINGTasks/measures Tools

• Retelling• Summaries• Comprehension Questions• Reading Strategy Tasks• Reading Logs• Cloze passages• Word Lists• Vocabulary Assessments• Written or Oral Responses• Response Journals• Fluency assessment• Literature Circles• Complete Note taking • Frames/organizers

• Running Records• Miscue Analysis• Inventories• Checklists• Rubrics• Multiple Choice

Assessments

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WRITING Tasks/measures Tools

• Word Spelling• Labeling• Drawing• Dictation• Mechanics assessment• Fluency assessment• Picture Prompts• Journal Writing• Retelling• Summarizing• Reports• Descriptive Paragraphs• Essays• Poems

• Teacher Rubrics• Checklists and Inventories• Peer Editing Checklist

and/or Rubric• Student Rubrics• Multiple choice assessment

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Formative Assessment of Academic Language

GOALS INSTRUCTION ACADEMIC SCORING FEEDBACK

TASKS LANGUAGE TOOLSMEASURE

_______________________________________________________________

Describe Participate in Oral summary Checklist Oralprocedure an electricity with key Speaking feedbackfor a science science lab vocabulary rubric to eachlab. with a partner and student

and state the picture using asteps to support rubricexperiment and

checklist(content- (content & PI (language related) related) objective &

formative assessment- related)

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REFLECTION

What has been your experience with formative assessments?

What are the challenges?

How can you fit in formative assessments of language?

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III. Formative Assessment Delivery Procedure

Observing and measuring language behavior

can be accomplished through the “prism” of the Gradual Release of Responsibility

Model.

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Formative assessments are ways to check for understanding; with ELLs this must include checking for proficiency-level appropriate

use of academic language. This can be accomplished by using WIDA ELP level performance criteria ‘distilled’ through

structured teaching embodied by the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model.

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Focused Lesson Assessments

Partner talkThinking slipsReview guide

Dialogue Journal Self-assessment

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Guided Instruction Assessments

RetellingStudent think-aloud

Running record Misconception analysis

Informal Reading InventoryGuided writing

Anecdotal Records

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Collaborative Learning Assessments

ProjectsPeer feedback

Anecdotal recordsDialogue journalsSelf-assessments

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Independent Task Assessments

ProjectsSustained Silent reading

Portfolios (collection/showcase/pivotal)Self-assessments

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REFLECTION (distillation of slides 37-40)

SPEAKING LISTENING READING WRITING

Oral Summaries Role play Retelling Word spellingOral Reports Drawing Summaries LabelingOral Labeling Retelling Comp. questions DrawingDebates Matching aural Reading strategy DictationRole Playing prompts to tasks Mechanics assessmentsGroup Discussions pictures Reading logs Fluency assessmentsOral Questions Listening to Cloze passage Picture promptsDescribing pictures, stories or Word lists Journal writing scenes, processes lectures Vocab. Assess. RetellingOral Retelling Written or oral SummarizingOral Cloze responses Reports

Response journal Descriptive paragraphs Fluency Assessments Essays Literature Circles Poems

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Bibliography

Fisher, Douglas and Nancy Frey (2008). Better Learning through Structured Teaching. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

WIDA Consortium English Language Proficiency Standards and Resource Guide (2007). Madison, WI: The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents.

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NEXT WEBINAR

“Two are Better than One: Collaborative Instruction for

ELLs”

Thursday, May 6, 20104:00 – 5:30 p.m.

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Thank you!