Assessments are key!

During module 5 my cohorts and I learned about assessments. They are the collation of data from different activities, assignments, and tests that check students' understanding. The data gathered helps gauge student progress, obstacles and strengths. They give insight into the reasons why students may face problems and help the teacher to bridge the gap.

While the general notion is that assessments are the big, final exams that take place at the end of a unit or school year, it's not always the case. Maybe back when I was in school but not anymore. Now, even a small discussion or a Kahoot game can work as a quick, informal assessment. Assessments can come at the beginning of a new unit, in the middle and at the end.

Assessments are important to teaching as they help to understand what worked and what didn't and helps the teacher to change the way the content was taught and/or reteach in a new way. They also highlight if only a few students are in need of support and in this way teachers can plan remedial activities before moving on.

And, assessments serve the students too. They let them know where they made errors and how to correct them just as they tell students where they excel at. With the proper feedback, they help motivate students to improve.

This padlet mapping highlights the four major types of assessment that was completed as a group project with my cohort; it outlines their importance, uses and provides examples too. 

It was very cool to then design my own formative assessments! Here is an example of an exit ticket... simple yet informative:

Assessment Title	Exit Ticket
Grade Level	6
Subject Area	English Language Acquisition
Skills or Content Knowledge: What information or ideas will be evaluated with this formative assessment? In other words, what data are you aiming to gather?
After a couple of lessons on writing paragraphs - teaching the different parts of what makes up a paragraph and practicing with paragraphs by highlighting and labelling the different parts - the exit ticket will let me gauge if students are comfortable with and understand how to build a paragraph. This short assessment can give a quick look if the class is ready for the next step - writing their paragraphs.
Assessment Description/Link: What activity or technology (app, tool, etc.) will students use to demonstrate their knowledge or skills? In other words, how will students provide data?
Yes/No Chart At the end of the lesson, the teacher gives out a piece of paper to each student.  Students create a T-chart, where on one side, they title it “Do” or “Get it!” and list the items they do understand about building a paragraph. On the other side they title it “Don’t” or “No Clue” and list the items they don’t still understand about building a sentence.
Modifications & Adjustments: How will you administer this formative assessment in an online, hybrid, and physical learning environment? How will you make this accessible to students with language barriers and those with special needs?
Online / Online in the Classroom Create a Kahoot poll to get a sense of how students are feeling with building paragraphs. For example, the instruction could simply state, “Respond with yes or no to the following:” Then, list the paragraph components, for example: I understand what a topic sentence is. I understand that a paragraph must only have one idea. I know when I have given enough supporting details. Students create a graphic organizer using Padlet or Coddle (click here for example).  Accessibility  Scaffolding could include providing the students with a predetermined list of paragraph components, for example: Topic sentence Number of sentences One idea per paragraph A concluding sentence Number of supporting details Revising a paragraph   ELL students, include a visual like a labelled paragraph to help them understand the task Provide the exit ticket online so they can easily translate it Use an online graphic organizer rather than paper and pen
Data Collection: How will you gather and record data from this formative assessment? How will you use the data to inform instruction?
The data collected can easily and quickly be evaluated to help me plan the next lesson by grouping students according to their readiness to write paragraphs. It will also allow me to reteach the components that they find confusing or difficult; this can be done as a whole class or in smaller groups. I could use the data to make stations for the next class, for example, students who want to know more about how to write a topic sentence would go to station 1 where there would be resources and examples, and prompts to help write topic sentences.
Student-Centered Learning: How will this formative assessment promote a student-centered learning environment in your classroom?
Reflecting is an important part of learning. This handy assessment makes students think about where they are struggling. Overtime, incorporating regular reflective assessments such as the yes/no chart, students become self-aware enough to gauge their own understanding. This assessment can be given again later in the unit so students can see the growth they made in understanding how to build paragraphs, which can help increase self-efficacy.