ASSESSMENT FOR

LEARNING
DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT
- SONIYA JAYARAMAN
 DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT….
PURPOSE
• seeking and interpreting
evidence for learners and
teachers to decide……
• where the learners are in their
learning,
• where they need to go, and
• how best to get there.
NATURE OF
ASSESSMENT
• occurs before instruction
begins
• teachers can determine
students’ readiness to learn
new knowledge and skills,
• obtain information about
their interests and learning
preferences.
USE OF INFORMATION
• is used by teachers and students to
determine what students already
know and can do with respect to the
knowledge and skills identified in the
overall and specific expectations,
• teachers can plan instruction and
assessment that are differentiated and
personalized and work with students
to set appropriate learning goals.
THREE KEY ELEMENTS – CRITICAL TO THE
PROCESS.

• Personalization – the learner is at the centre, providing assessment and

instruction that are tailored to students’ particular learning and motivational
needs.
• Precision – provide instruction that is precise to the level of readiness and
the learning needs of the individual student.
• Professional learning – Focused, ongoing learning to link new conceptions
of instructional practice with assessment of student learning.
SOURCES TO GATHER INFORMATION……..

• Diagnostic assessment helps identify what the student brings to his or her learning, in
general or with respect to a specific subject…..
• from the student,
• the student’s previous teachers, and
• the student’s parents,
• from formal sources, such as the Ontario Student Record.
• The information gathered provides a baseline that informs further assessment, the results of
which can be used in developing a student profile and/or a class profile.
 TOOLS AND MEASURES
• Review of recent report cards.
• Consult with previous teachers, parents and special education teachers.
• Classroom Observation (eg: Anecdotal notes).
• Classroom assessments(pre-tests for assessment of students prior knowledge)
• Commonly used school board assessment(eg oral language screening and
reading comprehension tools),assessment of achievements of alternative
learning expectations(relating to daily living and social skills).
• Professional assessments (if needed)
• Review of any existing transition plans.
 CHECK LIST SERVES AS A GUIDE…
• ❏ Break and/or combine curriculum expectations to create appropriate learning goals.
• ❏ Collaborate with students to construct learning goals and success criteria.
• ❏ Apply assessment strategies that are closely tied to the learning goals of each lesson and that can accurately reflect student
progress and achievement.
• ❏ Provide students with timely descriptive feedback, modelling the thinking processes that will help them become more
independent in assessing their own progress.
• ❏ Monitor students’ progress, gather evidence in a variety of forms, illustrate students’ learning and growth through ongoing
documentation, and help students understand their personal learning process through dialogue, reflection, and analysis.
• ❏ Adjust instruction – and, if appropriate, learning goals – on the basis of assessment data in the context of a cyclical,
integrated process of assessment and responsive, precise, personalized instruction.
• ❏ Engage students as partners in the learning process by encouraging them to take responsibility for their learning; to
celebrate and take pride in their achievements; to communicate with their peers, teachers, and parents about their learning;
and, in general, to develop their sense of efficacy with respect to improving their achievement.
CONFERENCING

• The teacher and student meet to exchange information, to explore the students thinking
and suggest next steps ;assess the students level of understanding of a particular concept or
procedure and review, clarify and extend what the student has already completed. Example
• Teacher asks the student to- name all the organ systems (circulatory system…..)
• Name the organ involved in circulatory system( heart)
• Size of the heart(Fist)
• Location of the heart…..
PLACE MAT

• This cooperative learning strategy allows students to think about, record

(usually around the outside area of a large piece of paper), and then share
their ideas. Afterwards, they may compare what each group member has
written, and compile the common items in the centre of the paper.
• What happens to the food that we eat ? Can you name the organs in the
digestive system?
• Compare the functions of large intestine from small intestine?
MIND MAP

• Students place the central topic in the center of a page.

• Student write one word or short phrases that relate to main topic
• Teacher can assess how much students know that particular topic.
• Topic- Brain, different parts of brain and its functions.
ANTICIPATION GUIDE
• It activates students prior knowledge and builds curiosity about a new topic..
• It stimulates students interest in a topic and set a purpose for reading
• Read several statements about key concepts like…..
• CEREBRUM: This is the largest brain structure in humans
• BRAIN STEM: The brain stem controls functions basic to the survival of all
animals, such as heart rate, breathing, digesting foods, and sleeping.
• The Temporal Lobe controls memory storage area, emotion, hearing, and,
on the left side, language.
WORD SPLASH

• Students are given key words from the unit of study prior to learning.(four chambers-
heart beat, Auricles and Ventricles, Small Intestines and Large Intestines )
• Students are to write about their understanding
• What the word means?
• How the words are related?
• Understanding about the words?
ASSESSMENT BY DRAWING

• Students draw what they know about the topic.

• Example – digestive system
• Brain
• Heart
• Lungs
• KWL CHART
STUDENTS ARE GIVEN THE POTENTIAL TOPIC .(RESPIRATORY SYSTEM)
STUDENTS ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT…….

WHAT I WANT TO WHAT HAVE I

WHAT I KNOW KNOW LEARNED
OTHER DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS TO
INCLUDE BASED ON TOPIC, STUDENT INTEREST
AND CHANGES IN UNIT PLAN
• Brainstorming
• Observation of learning skills
• Pretests
• Journal entries
• Quiz
• Think- pair share
TASKS TO INCLUDE PARENTS IN
DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT
• Parent note- can provide feedback to teachers about their child’s learning and
development as part of his/her daily interactions with them.
• Parent-Teacher Conference- Parents can provide insights about their child’s learning and
give valuable suggestions/clues/ideas of areas of improvement, strengths and
weaknesses.
• Agendas - give parents opportunities to share information about their child’s learning
and development.
• All the above can be obtained on teacher’s request.
REFERENCE

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/spece
d/learningforall2013.pdf