Introduction
Content area teachers can assess students in various ways to check for understanding. The problematic thing is being able also to assess literacy while assessing content. How can you get your students critically thinking, reading, writing, and speaking about your content area? How can you assess them when they do so? In this Discussion Board, you will explore some of those assessment ideas.
Resources
Read
- Alber, R. (2010, August 4). How Important Is Teaching Literacy in All Content Areas? Edutopia. Highlight elementary school students, but still relevant.
- Meaningful Assessment of Content-Area Literacy for Youth with and without Disabilities (10 page article)
- The Relationship Between Formative and Summative Assessment—In the Classroom and Beyond (19 page article)
Watch
ELL Reading Instruction: Classroom Videos
Answering Questions with Middle School ELLs (9:10)
Direct link: Answering Questions with Middle School ELLs
Reading Non-Fiction Text with High School ELLs (7:46)
Direct link: Reading Non-Fiction Text with High School ELLs
Prompt
Identify 2 formative and 2 summative content area literacy assessment strategies that you can utilize to support student comprehension and proficiency in your content area. Describe each assessment strategy in detail, describe what it measures, and what the data from the assessment will tell you as the teacher about the student.
Formative Assessment Strategies
- Exit Tickets:
- Description: At the end of a lesson, students are given a brief questionnaire or problem to solve that reflects the day’s learning. This could be a mathematical problem, a concept explanation, or a reflection question.
- What it Measures: Exit tickets measure students’ immediate understanding of the lesson’s objectives. They assess whether students can apply what they’ve learned in a new context.
- Data Interpretation: The teacher can gauge if the majority of the class has grasped the concept. If many students struggle, it indicates a need for reteaching or additional support. It also helps in identifying specific students who may need individual attention.
- Think-Pair-Share in Problem Solving:
- Description: Students first work on a math problem individually (Think), then discuss their approach with a partner (Pair), and finally, some pairs share their solutions with the class (Share).
- What it Measures: This strategy assesses students’ problem-solving skills, their ability to articulate mathematical concepts, and their collaborative skills.
- Data Interpretation: The teacher can observe the variety of problem-solving methods used by students, their communication skills in mathematics, and how they build upon each other’s ideas. Misconceptions can be identified and addressed promptly.
Summative Assessment Strategies
- Standardized Test Performance:
- Description: Students take a standardized test that covers a wide range of content from the curriculum. These tests are often multiple-choice and are designed to assess cumulative knowledge and skills.
- What it Measures: Standardized tests measure students’ proficiency in various mathematical areas, comparing them to broader benchmarks or standards.
- Data Interpretation: Scores from these tests give a broad view of student achievement and can highlight areas of the curriculum where students excel or struggle. This data can inform curriculum adjustments and identify trends over time.
- Project-Based Assessment:
- Description: Students complete a comprehensive project, such as a research paper or a practical application project (like designing a budget or a simple architectural model) that incorporates multiple mathematical concepts.
- What it Measures: This assesses students’ ability to integrate and apply various mathematical concepts in a real-world context. It also measures skills like research, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
- Data Interpretation: The teacher can assess the mathematical understanding and the students’ abilities in applying their knowledge creatively and practically. It can show how well students can transfer their math skills beyond the classroom.
Each of these strategies provides different insights into student learning and can be used in conjunction to get a comprehensive understanding of student proficiency in high school math. Formative assessments are key in guiding instruction and providing immediate feedback, while summative assessments evaluate cumulative knowledge and skills, helping in making long-term educational decisions.
