Differentiated Assessment Strategies

Differentiated Assessment Strategies

Reported by: Adora A. Barnachea CE 214 – Evaluative Techniques (Test & Measurement) Ma. Cynthia Alcantara, PhD Miriam College Graduate School


�  Assessment is ongoing. It is done before, during, and after learning.

�  (Ideally) Assessment data drives curriculum planning or lesson planning.

�  There is a blending of informal and formal assessment tools used in planning.


Differentiated assessment is an ongoing process of evaluation where the teacher gathers information and data before, during, and after instruction to better facilitate the learning. This process ensures success for all students in the differentiated class with data provided from a variety of sources assisting in giving an overall view of student achievement. It is essential that when assessing students in the differentiated class, assessment is authentic meaning it offers students a variety of tasks demonstration real-life skills, tells the educator if the student has acquired the skills or concepts, is based on standard criteria to achieve validity, and guides students for roles in adult life (Chapman & King, 2012).


Differentiated assessment means selecting tools and strategies to provide each student with the best opportunity to demonstrate his or her learning. As you get to know your students, and as student differences emerge, assessment naturally becomes more differentiated, because its purpose is to meet students where they are and to coach them to the next step. In this way, assessment and instruction continue to support and inform each other. (http://education.alberta.ca/media/1233985/7_ch4%20differentiated.pdf)


Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated Assessment

leads to informs


Like differentiated instruction, differentiated assessment is based on the reality that the needs of students cannot all be met in the same way. Successfully meeting student needs involves using your understanding of each student to guide your selection of a reasonable range of assessment tools and strategies. The goal is not to have an individualized assessment plan for each student, but to have a manageable class assessment plan that is flexible enough to accommodate a range of student needs.


What assessment for learning strategies you use will depend on your existing knowledge about your students, as well as the specific purpose for the assessment and where in the activity the assessment will occur; e.g., at the beginning, in the middle or at the end.

Position in the learning activity

Beginning Middle/During End

Example of assessment purpose

To find out whether students have retained a skill learned in a previous activity.

To find out if the remainder of the learning activity should be restructured to accommodate differing learning needs.

To find out the extent to which students have overcome a misconception common to the topic.

Example of instructional purpose

To help students recall what they learned in the previous activity and to remind them of an expectation.

To help students remain engaged in the learning, and to take ownership for their own Learning.

To help students bring closure to the activity and to focus on a big idea.

(http://education.alberta.ca/media/1233985/7_ch4%20differentiated.pdf)

Planning for Assessment

Planning for assessments for learning is part of short-range planning, as the strategies are directly related to current learning activities and outcomes.


1.  Determine the purpose

The purpose of collecting assessment for learning information is to help inform decisions about how to teach next. In a differentiated classroom, the decisions that could be influenced include those identified by Dodge (2005):

• setting up groups

• pacing the activities

• framing and phrasing questions

• determining what kind of review will be required

• timing the assessments.

1.  Determine the purpose

Before selecting an strategy, anticipate the results and consider the implications. For example:

• Will you change your plans for the learning activity if it emerges that half your students have not retained a necessary skill from the last activity?

• What will you do if all except two students have retained the skill?

2.  Establish a focus

A busy classroom contains so much potential assessment information that even a full-time observer could not record it all. Decide what assessment information you need to help with your instructional decision making, and then select an assessment strategy that will focus on that in an efficient way.


The following guidelines may be helpful.

• Focus on learning outcomes. Consider what students are expected to know and be able to do related to the specific learning outcome.

For example, asking students the name of the interpreter from yesterday’s social studies field trip does not form the basis of an assessment strategy. A question for ongoing assessment would be, “How is listening to a senior citizen interpret a historic site an example of research?”


The following guidelines may be helpful.

• Focus on sequential learning. Identify any outcomes that act as a critical step in a sequence. In other words, students really should not proceed until they have achieved this outcome, or really need to proceed because they have achieved it. These outcomes should be the focus of an assessment for learning strategy.

3.  Select and use the strategy

Consider the following guidelines when choosing an assessment strategy.

• Choose a strategy that aligns with the purpose and focus for collecting the information. Ensure that the strategy actually assesses what you are aiming to assess.

• Pick a strategy that students enjoy. Students often enjoy informal ongoing assessment strategies because they are quick, engaging and low risk. Varying strategies adds to the novelty and enjoyment.



• Determine when the information is needed. If the information is needed right away, then the strategy must provide student responses that you can use immediately, such as the “response cards” strategy used with one-word answers. If the information is needed for an upcoming learning activity, and if a more complex response is required from students, use the “exit slip” strategy or another strategy that allows you to read and interpret student responses after the activity.



• Decide how much time can be afforded. Assessment strategies do take time, and it is important to allow enough time to make them effective. Completing an “exit slip” may well take five minutes, and so the learning activity must wrap up in time to make it possible.



• Decide how students could demonstrate understanding. Many strategies can be used to tap into either knowledge or application, depending on the questions that are asked of students. For example, asking students to answer questions about a new concept demonstrates knowledge, but giving them an opportunity to apply the knowledge by solving a problem or creating an example provides richer information.



• Vary the strategies used. An ongoing assessment strategy should help each student quickly bring his or her understanding to the forefront, so that it is apparent to the student and to you. The means by which students demonstrate their understanding should not be an obstacle. For example, a student who has weak writing skills may not be able to quickly demonstrate his or her understanding by writing a response. To minimize this effect, rotate through assessment strategies that vary the way in which students respond.


�  FORMATIVE PREASSESSMENT TOOLS:

In a quality class, the teacher performs assessment before the learning takes place. This ensures the teacher plans the lessons to best meet the needs of the students. (Chapman & King, 2012).

http://differentiatedstrategies.wikispaces.com/Differentiated+Strategies+for+Assessment


�  One important aspect of assessing learners is finding out what learners know about a topic. By doing a pre-assessment of knowledge, teachers can plan curriculum and design instruction to meet the needs of the total class as well as individuals.

�  Pre-assess learning one to two weeks out so that the teacher can use the information in planning.


�  FORMATIVE PREASSESSMENT TOOLS:

You can use assessment-before-learning, (sometimes called pre-assessment or diagnostic assessment), to help plan effective instruction at the start of a new term or unit. Instructional decisions can be improved by having early information about student:

*readiness *interests *learning preferences

*background knowledge *existing understandings.


1.  FORMATIVE PREASSESSMENT TOOLS:

u Ponder and Pass On a chart, the students are to write the facts they know on the given concept, information they want to learn, and questions they want to explore. The paper is then passed around the room.



u Signal and Action Response The students perform an action which indicates their level of understanding of a concept, for example:

�  Waving hands = I know it

�  Shrug of shoulders = I have a hunch

�  Thumbs down = I have no idea



u Take a Stand The teacher places numbers around the room and the students move to a number based on their understanding. With their group, the students discuss what they know about the concept or what they want to know.



u Knowledge Base Corners or Squaring Off The students move to a corner based on their understanding of a concept. The teacher predetermines the level of understanding at each corner. The students discuss the topic with their group members. For example the corners could include; Not a clue, I know a little bit, I know a lot, I’ve got it.



u Gallimaufry Gathering This activity should be assigned a week or two prior to the unit of study. The students are to become scavengers, discoverers, and investigators. They then fill a box of “things” related to the unit of study. The students could even be asked to fill out a survey on the items they found relating their connection or importance to the topic. This gathering is often done at home.



u ELO (Evening Learning Opportunities) The students are asked to gather information on the upcoming topic. It is to be completed independently at home. This should not be graded and is not considered homework. For example, be a detective and locate a recipe that uses tablespoons, teaspoons, and a cup to measure ingredients. Bring a copy of the recipe to school to share.


2.  ASSESSMENT DURING THE LEARNING:

To maintain a high quality learning environment, it is necessary the teacher performs assessments during the learning. The ongoing assessment provides essential information which helps to facilitate the learning. The following are differentiated strategies to help support this type of assessment (Chapman & King, 2012).



u Observation The teacher continuously searches for evidence of learning by collecting data on the students. This is one of the most effective formative assessment tools available to the teacher.



u Anecdotal Assessment The teacher gathers notes and records data. The anecdotal record is a documentation written during observations.

�  Clipboard Stickies – attach sticky notes to a clipboard, record information as observed.

�  Card Cruising- the teacher uses index cards to record information about the students.

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u Sketches From the Mind Students make simple sketches to represent key words or as markers to identify facts or concepts

u Analyzing Student Notes Looking at student notes gives the teacher insight into the thought process of the students.



u Checkpoint Tests The teacher uses periodic checkpoint tests after reading or demonstrating a skill. This gives the teacher a quick assessment of the ability level of the students.

u Daily Grades The teacher selects grades from daily assignments, projects, problem-solving opportunities, homework, quizzes, etc. Frequent grades provide a more accurate picture of the student's performance.


3.  FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AFTER THE LEARNING:

It is the process of collecting and interpreting information to judge student achievement against predetermined criteria for the purposes of grading and reporting. Assessment of learning occurs at benchmark points in learning, such as the end of a unit or chunk of learning.



u Effective Questioning Techniques

�  Open-Ended Questions: These questions requires the students to think and choose their answer. Sample questions could be; explain how, describe, tell more about, what is your opinion of, etc.

�  Reflection Questions: These questions will require students to analyse and reflect on their work. Sample questions could be; what discoveries have you made, what is the most important thing you learned, what do you need to learn next, etc.



u Post-Sharing Celebrations

�  Wraparound: Each student writes a piece of important information on a piece of paper, students are then put into groups. They take turns sharing the information they wrote down.




�  Carousel Gala: The teacher hangs chart paper with headings around the room. The students are divided into groups and assigned a paper to begin. The students write what they know about the topic on the paper. The teacher will then have the kids rotate to the next paper and add any information the previous groups had left off.




�  Rhythmic Fanfare: The students are divided into groups, they are required to make a song, poem, jingle, rap, or chant about specific information from the unit of study. They present these to the rest of the class.



u Assessing With Journals The student reflects on their work through journal entries.



u Jazzy Journal Assessment Students may use one of the following examples as their journal entry;

�  design a sequence

�  sketch or draw a picture

�  create a caricature

�  use a graphic organizer

�  make a graffiti list using various fonts and colors

�  create a song, rap, jingle, rhyme, chant, or cheer

�  make metaphors or similes.



u Teacher-Made Tests

�  true-false

�  multiple choice

�  fill in the blank

�  open-ended questions

�  performance tests

�  skills tests

�  problem based



u Portfolios Portfolios are a collection of student work. Often the teacher chooses some of the items for the portfolio and the student chooses other items.

Managing Differentiated Assessment

Consider the following tips to help you make meaningful, manageable decisions about how to differentiate assessment.



�  Be realistic. Assessing differentiated content, process or product places demands on you as the teacher. In general, content differentiation tends to put the highest demand on teachers’ understanding of the subject matter. Process differentiation tends to put the highest demand on teachers’ classroom management skills. Product differentiation tends to put the most demand on teachers’ planning skills because they will need to have choices laid out, materials available and general rubrics ready.


�  Create opportunities for students to experience a variety of ways to demonstrate their learning. Varied experiences give student differences more of an opportunity to come to light. For example, by intentionally rotating students through tasks that focus on different multiple intelligences, you create opportunities for students to demonstrate their strengths and interests, while also revealing areas of need.


�  Consider what types and variety of assessment tools and strategies are best suited to the learning outcomes being addressed. Student achievement of some learning outcomes can only be effectively assessed in a limited number of ways while others may lend themselves to a more diverse range of assessment methods. For example, the mathematics learning outcome, “Describe, orally and in writing, whether or not a number is rational” probably has less potential for differentiated assessment than the learning outcome, “Solve problems, using rational numbers in meaningful contexts.”


�  Ensure students are equipped to deal with the choices they are offered. In order to make sound choices for demonstrating their learning, students need:

− a repertoire of products or strategies from which to choose the critical thinking skills to identify, weigh and choose options

− knowledge of themselves as learners

− the maturity to choose the option that will let them best show what they have learned, not simply the option they think will be quickest.


�  Add to student repertoires of products and strategies. Explicitly teach and then provide structured opportunities to demonstrate their learning in different ways. Include opportunities and tools for self-reflection and self-assessment.


�  Consider your own comfort level with various strategies and tools.

For example, when introducing a new assessment strategy, you may want to use it with the whole class, rather than attempting to deal with more than one strategy at once.


�  Address both strengths and challenges. Sometimes helping a student to become well-rounded is in the student’s best interest. As a result, you may ask students to work in a way that is not their preferred way in order to stretch themselves. At other times, you may decide that students should demonstrate their learning in the way that is most comfortable for them. For example, a student who would not choose to work independently might benefit from completing independent tasks on occasion. At another time, you may decide that it is important to collect the best evidence you can to support the highest claim you can reasonably make about a student’s achievement and, therefore, you allow the student to use a graphic organizer rather than a formal essay to present an overview of a topic.

Documents

Differentiated Assessment Strategies