...Formal and Informal Assessments Diane Suzuki Western Governor’s University June 22, 2014 There are several ways to assess students in the c lassroom, these include Formal and Informal assessments. Every teacher needs methods to unders tand whether the students are grasping the concepts they are being taught. To determine this the teacher uses several types of assessments. In some cases, formal assessments are most beneficial in determining understanding and in other cases the teacher can use informal methods in understandi ng the students’ learning. Formal assessments are, according to the website education-portal.com, “are systematic, preplanned methods of testing students that are used to determine how well studen ts have learned the material that is being taught i n the classroom.” (Flanagan, D., Mascolo, J., Hardy-B raz, S., 12/2009, NP), They are standardized tests, essay exams, and final exams. While formal assessm ents show overall achievement in a subject or subjects, informal assessments are used to inform i nstruction, they help the teacher understand where changes in a lesson plan or instructional method mi ght need to occur to help student learning. (Weaver , Brenda, ND, NP) One form of Formal assessment are the standardized achievement tests given to students during the year. These assessments shows the stude nts’ developed skills or knowledge in particular subjects. They can be compared...
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...Formal and informal assessments have their advantages and disadvantages. Formal assessments are standardized tests that are designed by test specialists. There are given and scored under a standard condition. Informal assessments are tests designed by teachers for use in their classroom. Standardized tests are a type of formal assessments. Standardized tests are formal assessments because the tests are given in the same manner every time. They are fixed choice tests. It is a published achievement test. These are assessments that have been made to allow students to answer a vast amount of questions in a short time period. Since these tests are standardized they will all be the same unless there are different versions of the same test with the questions in different order. By using the same tests the answers can be machine scored. There will not be any mistakes due to grading error. They are convenient to assess student’s knowledge. These are the advantages of using standardized tests. With any given test there are some disadvantages to them, even those designed to be the best. Since standardized tests are fixed choices tests, they can exaggerate accurate information and minimal level skills at the sacrifice of advanced order problem solving and conceptual skills. They also take away from teaching time. These tests usually last a few hours, and during this time students are not learning. Standardized tests also do not assess the same curriculum. Every state has...
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...create an informal assessment regarding fluency and comprehension for my eighth grade class. I chose a lesson found online through www.havefunteaching.com. This lesson consists of a reading passage consisting of 506 words. At the end of the passage there are five questions that have been created to assess the student’s comprehension of that passage. For this assessment I plan to individually pull aside each student and explain to them the purpose of this assessment. I will explain that this will be an ongoing assessment that I will use to measure and set goals to make them more effective readers. I will tell them that they should not focus on being timed because as they become more fluent, they will become metacognitive readers. I will use the following form that I have created to keep a record of their progress for future reference. Reading Comprehension Log Student Name:__________________________________ Date:_____________ Grade Level | Passage Level | Fluency | Comprehension | Notes | Goals for next time | | | | | | | Student Name:__________________________________ Date:_____________ Grade Level | Passage Level | Fluency | Comprehension | Notes | Goals for next time | | | | | | | Student Name:__________________________________ Date:_____________ Grade Level | Passage Level | Fluency | Comprehension | Notes | Goals for next time | | | | | | | I feel that there are many characteristics of informal assessment...
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...Cheryl Robinson ECH-435 7-28-2015 Karen Hutter Assessments in the Classroom Understanding what children know is important for teachers to plan instruction that meets the needs of all students. Formative Assessments are used to guide daily instruction and help teachers to determine whether students understand the concept being taught and how to move them to the next level. . Teachers use these assessments to see how the student is progressing as well as the understanding of new concepts and skills. The assessment provides information needed for teachers to adjust their instruction and way of teaching if necessary. There are several ways in which the assessment can help teachers gain the necessary information in the classroom. 1. Observations- Gather information of student learning through direct play and classroom involvement. This can also help teachers with instructional planning. 2. Questioning Strategies- Used for teachers to get the depth of student understanding and develop deeper thinking skills in students. 3.Goal Setting and Student Involvement- Students understanding og the goal at hand and whats needed to reach it. Summative Assessments are used at the end of a unit to see how well students understand the overall concepts of an unit . It may be use in the form of essays, short answer exams, or multiple choice questions to check for understanding. It may also be used for part of the...
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...teaching and assessment experience This assignment is a written account of a learning, teaching and assessment experience within a clinical setting. It considers how the mentorship of a student can be influenced by the learning experience. It also discusses the learning, teaching and mentorship theories and considers the principles of an assessment. It will look at the reliability, validity and different factors that may influence the learner’s needs. It will reflect on the responsibilities and boundaries of the mentor and discuss the legal, ethical and professional accountability. The clinical setting as a learning environment will be analysed and the effectiveness of the roles and responsibilities of a mentor will be discussed. Finally, the importance of effective teamwork within a clinical setting environment will be examined. To comply with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2008) all confidential information will be withheld and names changed. According to the NMC (2006) students on an NMC approved pre-registration nursing course must be supported and assessed by a mentor. The mentor must be registered on a local register and must demonstrate their knowledge, skills and competences on an ongoing basis. As a qualified nurse the NMC (2008) also states “you must facilitate students and others to develop their competences”. Student nurses in their final year of study are allocated placements within the community setting every six months. Most students look for a role...
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...Assessment is a valuable tool to measure students learning and achievement. It is an essential element for teacher to reflect on what and how they teach. To assess students is to collect evidence of their learning. Teachers use the information to modify their lesson plans and adjust their instructional methods; students need feedback on their performance to concentrate on their vulnerable areas. Assessment is necessary for parents to reinforce their children strength and assist them where extra attention is required. The data collected will inform school administration the parts of improvement that both teachers and students needed and for the state and federal levels, as is important to determine if additional funding is necessary to assist students in their learning and achievement. To provide the suitable service and achieve optimal result, teachers and administrators must identify their ELL students and place them in classroom that best fit with their abilities. In an interview conducted with Miss Fabiaschi, an academic dean at a charter school in my district, she said that at her school parents are providing information on home language on the application. Then they use the CELDT (California English Language Development Test) to determine which level of English proficiency for their students. She added, there are two types of ELLs, the new enrollments, which are kindergartens who enroll in school for the first time or students of higher grade levels who transferred from...
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...standards are used in education to make sure the students learn the basics in each course, as well as to make sure the content is adequate for the grade level that is learning the information. | Picture B: Cooperative Learning | Cooperative learning is a teaching strategy where small groups work or study together with a difference in levels of abilities. In this picture it shows a small group working together without confrontation. | In the educational process it helps for the students to be able to work together because they may be able to understand and work with each other. The difference in their ability levels can bring the group together to help those who may not understand the teacher, but may understand the way another student explains the material. | Picture C: Inquiry Instruction | Inquiry instruction is a technique that teachers use by creating a situation where students use their problem solving skills, like the puzzle the child is working. | Inquiry instruction works well in the educational process for those who are active, hands on learners. It helps the students to seek out information to gain a better understanding of material and create new knowledge by using problem-solving and critical thinking techniques. | Picture D: Informal assessment | Informal assessments are evaluations of a student’s understanding and knowledge where there is no formal score as a result, such as by children raising their hands. | Informal...
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...above, students will use key vocabulary they may or may not have used before such as stage direction, script, and monologues to write their comparison paper. The students will also need the discourse that will take place about the play and live performance for the comparison paper. For discourse, the students will use the guided reading questions to guide the discussions the next day. As students end the lessons each day, the Ticket Out the Door will require the students to also utilize the vocabulary learned to receive full credit.] [Each lesson has different types of learning and instructional supports. Lesson 1 requires students to complete on online tutorial (Instructional Material 1.2)...
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...Assessments are a very valuable tool in measuring a student’s learning abilities and achievements. They are a crucial in that they are used for teachers to look back on how and what they are teaching. Assessing a student means to prove that they are in fact learning. Teachers use this evidence to determine whether they need to change their lesson plans or the manner in which they are instructing, and the students use this feedback to find out their weak areas so that they can concentrate more on them, which is much the same use for the parents. The parents take the information provided by these assessments so that they can pursue their child’s strengths and help them with the weaknesses. The data that these assessments provide is also used by the school administrators. It shows them the improvement of not only the students but also the teachers that is needed for state and federal levels, which determine if more funding is needed to aide students with their learning and achievements. The majority of students born and raised in the United States can easily understand the English language. However, there are the select few that do not speak English because it is not their dominate language that they use at home, so these students require assessments that will enable them to pick up the English language. Getting these students to pick up the language can be an extremely hard task for teachers. In 2001 the No Child Left Behind Act states that students should be tested...
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...Deborah Macias ELL Placement Assessments Essay A student’s education is a critical time in their lives to learn and comprehend as much as possible. It is an even more critical time for ELL student’s to learn and comprehend the complexity and variety of vocabulary and phrases that may come with a new language. Schools and educators need to make sure that the right tests and assessments are in place to help determine where ELL students may or will need the most help in learning and comprehending a new language. By having the right placement tests for ELL students to take schools and educators will ensure that the ELL students get most benefit and success from their education. Two ELL instructors that were interviewed stated that the STAR test is used to assess students’ skills and abilities and the test is computerized. STAR testing aligns with the state standards and tests students to see if they are below, at, or above the states standard. Those students below the standard are referred to receive extra instruction to help them reach the state standards. Fountas and Pinnell is another assessment that is used by the instructors to assess students abilities and determine what areas they extra instruction in advance their learning and comprehension. A formal version of the Fountas and Pinnell assessment is used at the start of the school year to assess which areas students may need to meet with specialized instructors to help those students advance educationally. The...
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...CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT CHAPTER 10 l Classroom Assessment LE ARNI NG OUTCOMES After studying this chapter, you should be able to: 1. Define assessment; 2. Explain the basic concepts in assessment; 3. Explain how to plan for assessment; 4. Describe types of assessment in the classroom; 5. Explain what is teacher-made tests; 6. Describe what is standardized tests; and 7. Explain what is authentic assessment. 254 CHAPTER 10 CHAPTER 10 l CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT INTRODUCTION One of the most basic and difficult task that teachers face in their work is the process of assessment. Classroom assessment includes all the process involved in making decisions about students learning progress. It includes the observation of students’ written work, their answers to questions in class, and performance on teacher-made and standardized tests. According to (Koyalik, 2002 as cited in Eggen & Kauchak, 2004): i. It facilitates teachers in decision making about learning progress through systematic information gathering. Besides that, assessment also accomplishes two other important goals; increasing learning and increasing motivation. The relationship between learning and assessment is very strong. Students learn more in classes where assessment is an integral part of instruction than in those where it isn’t. Brief assessment that provides frequent feedback about learning progress is more effective than long, infrequent ones, like once-a-term tests. 255 255 CLASSROOM...
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...Assessment Why do we assess? Petty describes assessment ‘in the right hands, assessment can inspire, motivate and provide the feedback which is essential for targeting prompt corrective help’ Petty G, (2001) When an assessment is given it’s purpose is to assess either the students understanding of the subject matter or their application of the knowledge they have acquired. Rowntree further describes the framework of assessment under five headings or dimensions. Namely: Why assess? Deciding why assessment is to be carried out; what effects or outcomes it is expected to produce. What to assess? Deciding, realising or otherwise coming to an awareness of what one is looking for, or remarking upon, in the people one is assessing. How to assess? Selecting, from among all the means we have at our disposal for learning about people, those we regard as being most truthful and fair for various sorts of valued knowledge. How to interpret? Making sense of the outcomes of whatever observations or measurements or impressions we gather through whatever means we employ; explaining, appreciating, and attaching meaning to the raw ‘events’ of assessment. How to respond? Finding appropriate ways of expressing our response to whatever has been assessed and of communicating it to the person concerned (and other people). Rowntree D, (1991) These headings as provided by Rowntree will be used to critically analyse the assignment used for the...
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...1) Formative Assessment: Assessment that provides feedback that can be used by both teachers and students to improve on their teaching and learning during learning process. This helps both teachers and students to identify areas of weakness that need to be work on. (Black and Williams, 1998) 2) Summative Assessment: It is the process of evaluating the learning of students and summarizes their learning development at a particular time. It is cumulative in nature, concentrates on learner outcomes and is usually implemented to enable administrative decisions to be made. (Griffin and Nix, 1991) 3) High-stakes testing: It is a type of test by which the results will cause life affecting consequences that will affect the educational future of the test takers. Such tests are used in assessing performances and in deciding whether targets have been achieved. (Stobart and Eggen, 2012) 4) Diagnostic: Assessment used before instruction to recognise specific learning difficulties of students and to find out where they are academically. This provides educators with information about each student’s weaknesses and strengths so that lesson can be develop to meet students’ needs. (The Highland Council, 2010, Griffin and Nix, 1991) 5) Authentic: Assessments that require students to apply essential knowledge and skills effectively and creatively to perform tasks that are replicas of those faced in real world. This helps students to acquire skills that are useful in the real world...
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...8. belk belt blet 9. iese eyse eyes 10. cadr card kard Formal vs. informal, formative vs. summative, these are different types of assessment. In the field of education, an assessment refers to “the wide variety of methods that educators use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning progress, and skill acquisition of students from preschool through college and adulthood. It is an integral part of instruction, as it determines whether or not the goals of education are being met. Assessment affects decisions about grades, placement, advancement, instructional needs, curriculum, and, in some cases, funding” (Pellegrino, J. W. (2014). for an educator, an assessment is a way that they are asking the student to show what it is that they are understanding the subject. it also helps them to see if the educational goals and standards are being met. assessments are not being done just because the teacher enjoys it or wants to stress the students. there are characteristics that make the student assessment reliable, as well as motivational factors that assessments have to encourage students to do well. Some of the characteristics that make assessments reliable are, “validity, reliability, practicability, fairness, and its usefulness to students” (Clark, I. (2012). each characteristic plays an important part when it comes to assessment. “A valid assessment procedure is one which actually tests what it sets out to test, one which accurately measures...
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...the students learning. Reading comprehension is one of the largest problems most students face and cause them to fall behind in school. I have taught general education and special education; and many students struggle to comprehend what they have read. Also many teachers work on fluency and once a student is reading fluently, they assume that their comprehension is there. Also just completing a running record does not determine the student’s ability to comprehend. This last year, I worked in the 6th grade teaching language arts. I worked with two other general education teachers and they were using fluency sheets to determine the students reading level and comprehension. What is reading comprehension? “Reading comprehension assessments are the most common type of published reading test that is available. The typical type of reading comprehension assessment involves asking a child to read a passage of text that is leveled appropriately for the child's age or grade, and then asking explicit, detailed questions about the content of the text. An example of a common reading comprehension assessment is the Informal Reading Inventory (IRI), also known as the Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI)”. (Reading Rockets, http://www.readingrockets.org/article/3412/) There are several different types of reading comprehension assessments. The student can be asked explicit questions about the text directly. Another is an inferential question, which is implied from the text. The student can also...
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