Crenshaw Elementary
Assessments
Assessment tools vary depending on the age of the student and the need for the assessment. Formative assessments guide instruction and summative assessments evaluate achievement. Assessments must be balanced for effective instruction to take place.
Observation Kid watching- looking at children in a systematic way. It enables teachers to identify children's behaviors, document performance, and make decisions.
Anecdotal Record - gives a brief written description of student behavior at one time and provides insight into a particular behavior and a basis for planning a specific teaching strategy. The teacher record only what is observed or heard; should deal with the facts and should include the setting (e.g., where the behavior occurs) and what was said and done.
Running Record - focuses on a sequence of events that occurs over time. This type of assessment helps obtain a more detailed insight into reading behaviors over a period of time and can identify specific areas that need to be addressed.
The Purpose and Benefits
Research provides evidence that specific early literacy concepts can predict young students' later reading achievement (DeBruinParecki, 2004). These reading concepts include letter knowledge, phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency, and comprehension.
An effective reading program includes assessments of all of these concepts for several purposes.
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One purpose is to identify skills that need review. Assessment provides teachers with information on what skills students have and have not mastered. It is needed to help teachers know the skill levels of their students, since students have varying experiences and knowledge.
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A second purpose is to monitor student progress. A teacher can learn which students need review before covering additional content and which students are ready to move forward.
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A third purpose is to guide teacher instruction. Through consistent assessment, a teacher can make informed decisions about what instruction is appropriate for each student.
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A fourth purpose is to demonstrate the effectiveness of instruction. The information gained from assessment allows teachers to know if all students are mastering the content covered. It is important for teachers to use instructional time effectively, and this can be done when teachers are knowledgeable about what their students are ready to learn and what they already know. Therefore, the information gained from assessment allows a teacher to create appropriate instruction for their students.
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A fifth purpose of assessment is to provide teachers with information on how instruction can be improved.
