Week 7: Let’s Think-Role Play

Nina Godette
Foundation and Methods of English Language/Literacy Development and Content
Instruction
EDUC X 426.3

Formal assessments are preplanned forms of testing students that can determine
how well students learned the content taught. Formal assessments can be used at the
beginning, middle, and end of year to measure mastery of a grade levels standards,
such as the NWEA MAP, DIBELS, and diagnostic assessments within computer based
programs (Lexia, Happy Numbers, Amplify Boost, Math Whiz, etc.) Information can be
gathered to inform a teacher of holes in learning and where a student lies in comparison
to meeting grade levels benchmarks throughout the year. This information can be used
to inform small groups to fill gaps. Challenges of formal assessments are that they are
time consuming, can cause fear or anxiety in students, and not really knowing what is
going to be on the assessment.
Informal assessments are done throughout the school year and provide
information based on students’ weaknesses and strengths. Informal assessments can
be used by teacher observations, exit tickets, graphic organizers, thumbs up/down, and
white board responses to name a few. Information can be gathered from informal
assessments to inform weaknesses and strengths in certain content areas and gives
teachers a chance to dig deeper into what students know.
Formative assessments are quick checks to understand students levels of
learning as a unit is covered. Formative assessments that can be used are exit tickets,
graphic organizers, thumbs up/down, white board responses, and comprehension
questions. Information can be gathered from formative assessments to monitor student
learning and provide feedback so teachers can improve teaching to meet the needs of
all learners.
Summative assessments are done at the end of a unit. Examples of using
summative assessments would be an assessment given at the end of learning for a
specific unit. Information can be gathered from summative assessments to evaluate
students' learning at the end of the unit and compare a student's performance to
standards to be mastered. Challenges with summative assessments are time, students
understanding the format of the test, and anxiety or fear experienced during test taking.
At the beginning, middle, and end of a school year I would suggest doing a
diagnostic assessment to compare students' achievement to benchmark standards of
the students current grade level. Teachers could also at the beginning of the year give a
summative assessment of the previous grade’s standards to find levels of mastery or
holes in learning from the previous grade. Formal assessments like the NWEA MAP
assessments are another type of assessment to be given at the beginning, middle, and
end of the year.
Any of the previously stated assessments can support teachers in helping ELD
students because of the various forms of data they present. Assessments can tell
teachers at what grade level students are proficient, where gaps in knowledge are, what
strengths ELD students possess, and what knowledge students are mastering from the
current content being taught. Learning this information can help a teacher craft whole
group and small group lessons to meet the needs of ELD learners. It can also give
teachers an opportunity to reflect on how current lessons are being taught and if ELD
students are able to access the curriculum.