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Reading Rockets (n.d.) states that, "a word wall is a collection of words which are displayed in large visible letters on a wall, bulletin board, or other display surface in a classroom". Typically word walls take up a large space in the classroom, and the words are listed alphabetically by letter. For example, the words friend, family and finish would all be under the letter F. The words that go on a word wall can vary from teacher to teacher, however most teachers put sight words or content area words for a particular unit or theme (Echevarria, Vogt & Short, 2014). Reading Rockets gave a list of reasons why teachers should use word walls and they are as followed: In order for a word wall to be effective the teacher needs to revisit the words frequently. Also, Echevarria et al. (2014) mentions that with successful word walls, "...students are encouraged to use them in their writing and discussions" (p.81). Students should be encouraged to use the words on the walls daily in conversations and in writing, and one way to do this is through journalism. Many teachers make the words removable so the student can take a word and bring it back to their desk if they need to. Teachers should avoid using multiple word walls because it can be confusing and difficult to find words. Echevarria et al. (2014), mention that is this is especially difficult for ELLs. However, several teachers in blogs say that their word walls often get so full of words that they remove some words and put them at the back of their door. If teachers decide to do this, an accommodation for an ELL student, is that they could have is a word wall packet. All the words would be in one spot so they are not confused and looking all over the classroom for a word. Click on this link to read one blog about and ESL teacher that uses a word wall and then moves words to her door.

"They provide a permanent model for high frequency words

They help students see patterns and relationship in words, thus building phonics and spelling skills

They provide reference support for children during reading and writing activities"

Vocabulary development is so essential for ELLs, so a word wall can also help students learn various vocabulary words. http://publicschoolteachersodyssey.blogspot.com/2012/04/effective-word-walls-how-to-use-word.html
According to Reading Rockets (n.d.), "word walls are a great support for ELLs, and may be organized around a number of concepts, including the alphabet and phonetic sounds, new vocabulary words, sight words, grammar rules, conversational phrases, and writing structures". ELLs can benefit greatly from repeated exposure to words, and with a word wall the students are getting that exposure. For ELLs that are in level 1 or 2 of English Language Proficiency might really benefit from pictures next to the corresponding words, because they are unable to read ,any words. The English Language Proficiency levels can be found in the textbook, Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners on page 12. This will help students make a visual connection to print.

Here is one example of a word wall. This word wall has a section for each letter, and under each letter are words that begin with a certain letter. There are also pictures next to the word to help students identify what the word is. This is particularity helpful for ELLs.

This a video of a kindergarten teacher explaining how she uses a word wall in her classroom. She actually has two word walls. One that can be seen from everywhere in the classroom, and a traveling word wall. The traveling word wall are Popsicle sticks of each of the words in alphabetical order. If students need to write a word, for example family, they can take the family traveling stick and bring it back to their desk and write it.

This word wall is used on a mathematics classroom probably for upper elementary or middle school. Instead of labeling the word under the first letter, the words are labeled by what the words mean. For example, under the label "Add" the words more, sum and plus are there. These three words mean the same thing as add, so students are able to visually see multiple meanings for a math word.

Above is another example of a word wall. This word wall is done on a magnetic board. The blog where this picture is taken from, says that the teacher creates multiple copies of words and stacks them on top of each other. This way if a student needs help spelling the word, for example, the student takes the word to their desk for them to use. Click on this link to read the blog: https://www.thedailycafe.com/articles/2-different-word-walls

Math- Just like in one of the images above, a word wall can also be used for math. In the image above the teacher wrote common math terms and then words that mean the same thing under those common math terms. The words minus and decrease are under the word subtract because those three words can be used interchangeably. This word wall will help students identify words that have multiple meanings, and this is especially helpful for ELLs because this is often something they may struggle with. A teacher can also create a math word wall just like they would for a literacy word wall by going apathetically.
Science- Reading Rockets (n.d.) says that science is a fairly vocabulary heavy class because students need to learn vocabulary to be successful in making connections between concepts. Reading Rockets also said that, "when science students are given the opportunity to interact with the vocabulary, they are more likely to remember it." In a science classroom or for a science lesson, students could organize the word wall words by placing them in groups. As an example, words that deal with cells could be placed in one group on the word wall, and words that deal with elements can be placed in another group on the word wall.
Music- Similar to other content areas, a word wall can also be used in a music classroom. The music teacher can create the word wall alphabetically by different topics. For teachers that teach multiple grade levels, such as music, it might not be a bad idea to have multiple word walls for each grade. However the word wall should either be labeled by grade or it should be removable after each class such as a moving whiteboard. This way there isn't confusion on which word wall to look at.

Social Studies- This is an image of a word wall used for social studies. This word wall is not separated alphabetically instead it is separated by classification, such as technology and people. Under each vocabulary word, it gives a definition. This will help students because they have repeated exposure to not only the word but to the definition. Knowing that vocabulary development is essential for ELLs using a word wall one in more than just literacy is very beneficial to their learning. To read more about how word walls can be used in a social studies classroom click on the link: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs059/1101655984209/archive/1102452549149.html#LETTER.BLOCK9

Echevarría, J., Vogt, M. E., & Short, D. (2014). Making content comprehensible for Elementary English language learners: The SIOP model. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Hillbrick, A. (2014). Math word wall. Pinterest. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/446349013040585992/

Prentice, T. (2015). The Daily Cafe. 2 different word walls. Retrieved from https://www.thedailycafe.com/articles/2-different-word-walls

Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Word Walls. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/word_walls

Seeingisbelieving. (2012). The word wall: I can learn how to spell that. [Video file] Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6nkKkHqk7o

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Wayground - The world's most engaging learning platform

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Find and create gamified quizzes, lessons, presentations, and flashcards for students, employees, and everyone else. Get started for free!

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(1) See Subject-Specific Pedagogical Skills in Section 2 for reference.

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Framework

2014 English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework (ELA/ELD Framework) (Dated Jul-2015)
The 2014 ELA/ELD Framework has been developed to support and incorporate the California Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy) and the California English Language Development Standards (CA ELD Standards). The SBE (California State Board of Education) adopted the ELA/ELD Framework on July 9, 2014. This is the final digital version of the ELA/ELD Framework.

Executive Summary: English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework (Dated Oct-2015).
The executive summary provides a glimpse into the ELA/ELD Framework and the guidance it provides for educators, including descriptive snapshots and vignettes of grade-level instruction.

Contact the CDE Press at 1-800-995-4099 or visitCDE Press web page.

Video: Overview of the ELA/ELD Framework (Video; 10:40) (Dated 24-Feb-2015)
This video provides an overview of the English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) Framework for California Public Schools, which provides guidance to teachers, administrators, and other educators for implementing the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and the CA ELD Standards.

Implementation Support

Circles of Implementation

The Circles of Implementation figure and corresponding narrative description (which appears in the State Board of Education-Adopted ELA/ELD Framework, Chapter 2, on Page 4) have been translated into Spanish to support the implementation of the ELA/ELD Framework. The English version is provided for reference.
Circles of Implementation (PDF; Posted Jan-2016)
Los Círculos de la Implementación (PDF; Mar-2016)

Implementation Support for the ELA/ELD Framework

Implementation Support for the ELA/ELD Framework (20 Jan-2017)
This select collection of resources connects the content in the ELA/ELD Framework with other resources from the California Department of Education, as well as other reputable sources that address the five key instructional themes: meaning making, effective expression, language development, content knowledge, and foundational skills. The intent of this collection is to provide educators additional resources they can use to expand the scope of the guidance in the ELA/ELD Framework and to inform professional development and instructional decisions at all schools and districts.

Guides for Supporting English Learners and the Five Key Themes in the ELA/ELD Framework

Resources with an English Learner Emphasis

Resources Tracing the Five Key Themes

Additional Resources Supporting the Implementation of the ELA/ELD Framework

Chart of ELA/ELD Framework Snapshots and Vignettes | PDF; Posted Jul-2015)
Brief snapshots and longer vignettes are included throughout the ELA/ELD Framework to provide examples of instruction. This chart lists all the snapshots and vignettes, by chapter, and includes the grade level, page number(s), and indicates the different content areas each snapshot and vignette addresses. (Note: In the items column, "S" stands for a snapshot, and "V" represents vignettes.)

Chart of ELA/ELD Framework Figures (PDF; Jul-2015)
A variety of figures (including charts, definitions, descriptions, explanations) are included throughout the ELA/ELD Framework to provide more detailed support for implementation and instruction. This chart lists all the figures, by chapter, with figure titles and page number (s).

ELA/ELD Figures: Introduction - Chapter 2 (PDF; 8MB; Posted Jul-2015)
All figures (includes charts, diagrams, definitions, descriptions, explanations) for the introduction and chapters 1 and 2 are compiled into this document

ELA/ELD Figures: Chapter 3-7 (PDF; 5MB; Posted Jul-2015)
All figures (includes charts, diagrams, definitions, descriptions, explanations) for the grade-level chapters 3-7 are compiled, by chapter, into this document.

ELA/ELD Figures: Chapters 8-11 (PDF; 11MB; Posted Jul-2015)
All figures (includes charts, diagrams, definitions, descriptions, explanations) for systems of support, such as assessment, access and equity, and 21st century learning are compiled, by chapter, into this document.

California State ELA/ELD Resources for Local Planning (Video; 6:31) In this video, Tom Adams, Deputy Superintendent from the California Department of Education, shares selected State resources that can assist in local planning efforts regarding the implementation of the ELA/ELD Framework.

Highlighting the Needs of English Leaners in the Framework Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) has developed two web pages to provide easy access to resources within the ELA/ELD Framework that specifically highlight practices, programs, and structures that address the needs of English learners. Links connect to Framework Snapshots and Vignettes andFramework Figures .

Secondary Literacy Partnership Webinar Series: ELA/ELD Implementation: Teachers Lead the Way!
Presenters Nancy Brynelson and Jo Ann Isken, lead developers of the ELA/ELD Framework, gave an orientation to the Framework via the new Executive Summary and guided participants in activities exploring the Framework's vignettes, figures, and snapshots. They also shared strategies for collaboration and professional learning. (Presented on October 14, 2015.)

Secondary Literacy Partnership Webinar Series: A Close Encounter, Through the Writers' Eyes, of the New ELA/ELD Framework
The lead writers of the ELA/ELD Framework - Pam Spycher, Hallie Yopp Slowik, and Nancy Brynelson - share important understandings in the framework, including instructional strategies that support the goals of the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and the CA ELD Standards. (Presented on September 17, 2014.)

California's Recently Adopted English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework: Translating the Common Core State Standards to a Coherent and Sequenced Curriculum for All Students (PDF)
Article by Jo Ann Isken, Chair, and Bill Honig, Vice Chair, of the California Instructional Quality Commission and Carol Jago, contributing writer to the ELA/ELD Framework and Associate Director of the California Reading and Literature Project at UCLA.

CCSS English Language Arts Resources
Resources to support the teaching of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English language arts (ELA).

CCSS and CA ELD Standards Resources
Resources to support the teaching of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) with the California English Language Development Standards (CA ELD Standards).

CCSS Literary Resources
Resources to support the teaching of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects.

Integrating the CA ELD Standards into K-12 Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning (DOC)
State Board of Education approved Correspondence Study Report that demonstrates a strong correspondence between the California ELD Standards and the California standards for mathematics and science.

Content Standards
Links to downloads of all Content Standards.

All Curriculum Frameworks
Links to downloads of all Curriculum Frameworks.

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The State Board of Education adopted the English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework (ELA/ELD Framework) on July 9, 2014. Curriculum frameworks provide guidance to educators, parents, and publishers, to support implementing California content standards.

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History-Social Science Framework - History-Social Science Framework (CA Dept of Education)

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The State Board of Education adopted the History-Social Science Framework on July 14, 2016. This is the final digital version of the Framework.

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English Learners (EL) Academic Language Function Toolkit | Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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205 Jefferson St.
Jefferson City, MO 65101Map(link is external)

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I Can Statements are family-friendly guides that can be used to help your family and ensure your students are on track for their grade level. All learning objectives for English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies are provided, written in family-friendly language. I Can Statements help make grade-level learning targets clear for families and they address the standards students of the same grade level learn in all public schools.

Multi-Grade Level Lists

The skills noted in the multi-grade level lists for science and social studies can be learned and applied to the content areas for their respective grade level groupings. These lists should be used in conjunction with the content standards. These skills can be assigned to the lessons in your personalized curriculum to demonstrate the following intellectual, reasoning, reflection, and research skills.

K-8th Grade: Science & Engineering Practices-Crosscutting Concepts

K-8th Grade: Historical & Social Studies Analysis Skills

I Can Checklists

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I Can Statements - Cabrillo Point Academy

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Kahoot! | Learning games | Make learning awesome!

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Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform that brings engagement and fun to 1+ billion players every year at school, at work, and at home.

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Teaching and Learning / English Language Development (ELD)

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Constructing Meaning provides teachers with the process and tools for weaving explicit language instruction into content-area teaching. Lesson planning is driven by the content and academic language demands of discipline-specific learning. Based on backward design and a gradual release of responsibility model, the Constructing Meaning process prompts teachers to:

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A bilingual site for educators and families of English language learners

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What is MTSS? A Helpful Analogy to Help Explain Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

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Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)

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5 Examples of Universal Design for Learning in the Classroom

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach to teaching aimed at meeting the needs of every student in a classroom. It can be helpful for all kids, including kids with learning and attention issues. But UDL takes careful planning by teachers. Here are just a few examples of how UDL can work in a classroom.

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Pear Deck is on a mission to help teachers create powerful learning moments for every student, every day - using the tools you already know and love.

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Thinking Maps - A Shared Visual Language For Learning

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Thinking Maps is a set of 8 visual patterns that correlate to specific cognitive processes across all content areas and are used to build skills necessary for academic success.

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Academic LangFunct Toolkit for ELs 22(1)

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Click to Enlarge

There are so many pieces to the Science of Reading that it can be difficult to know where to start. Here are a few highlights about what the Science of Reading IS and what it IS NOT. This knowledge will help you on your journey to teaching all children, including those with diverse needs and cultural backgrounds, to read.

What it IS

A Collection of Research

Research, over time, from multiple fields of study using methods that confirm and disconfirm theories on how children best learn to read.

Teaching Based on the 5 Big Ideas

Phonemic Awareness - The ability to identify and play with individual sounds in spoken words.

Phonics - Reading instruction on understanding how letters and groups of letters link to sounds to form letter- sound relationships and spelling patterns.

- The ability to read words, phrases, sentences, and stories correctly, with enough speed, and expression.

Vocabulary - Knowing what words mean and how to say and use them correctly.

Comprehension - The ability to understand what you are reading.

Ever Evolving

There is new research and evidence all the time. As populations, communities, and approaches evolve, so should practice.

What it is NOT

A program, an intervention, or a product that you can buy.

The Science of Reading could be considered an approach to teaching reading that is based on decades of research and evidence. It is NOT a specific program.

Phonics-based programs that drill phonics skills.

Phonics is an integral part of teaching reading based on science, but it is just one of the five big ideas that should be taught so all children can learn to read.

Complete and no more study needs to be done.

As with any science, it is never complete. We can always know more. More study happens all the time and researchers, teachers, and families can work together to bring the best research into classrooms.

National Center on Improving Literacy (2022). The Science of Reading: The Basics. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Special Education Programs, National Center on Improving Literacy. Retrieved from http://improvingliteracy.org.

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If you prefer, read the text-version of the infographic. Click to Enlarge There are so many pieces to the Science of Reading that it can be difficult to know where to start. Here are a few highlights about what the Science of Reading IS and what it IS NOT.

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You probably already know that I LOVE teaching writing. And you might think I'm crazy, but nonfiction writing might be my favorite type of writing. It's hard to call favorites, but truthfully - I find it the easiest (personally) than other types of writing. I think that might be because informative writing is about "teaching." And, well, if you're a teacher...it just makes sense, right?

What makes informative writing really fun for your students is that they become "experts on a topic." And becoming an expert on something builds confidence - and that confidence can translate into their writing. So I have 3 big tips for you when it comes to teaching nonfiction/informative writing.

If you don't know where you are going, then how will you know when you get there? When you get ready for a unit of writing, you want to get really clear on what you expect of your students as an end result. You know it's not going to look the same (how boring would that be!), but you know there is a goal and structure to produce something. Between here and there is a process.

On the low end, your goal may be a 3 paragraph essay/article/book/project.

There is a clear beginning, middle, and end. Let's not discredit that - it's better than many adults!

In the middle, it may be a 4 paragraph essay.

An Introduction: States Controlling Idea or Main Idea of the Whole

A Body Paragraph: Main Idea #1

A Body Paragraph: Main Idea #2

A Conclusion: Restates the Controlling Idea, possibly with a Call to Action

On the high end, it may be a 5 paragraph essay.

An Introduction: States Controlling Idea or Main Idea of the Whole

A Body Paragraph: Main Idea #1

A Body Paragraph: Main Idea #2

A Body Paragraph: Main Idea #2

A Conclusion: Restates the Controlling Idea, possibly with a Call to Action

This is a basic structure, but it is a skeleton of what you are trying to do. And it's important to understand that not all writers will be able to pull off even a 3 paragraph essay. And many will struggle with just a paragraph. But you know where you are going.

I'm going to get on my soapbox real quick and then I'll get off to stay on topic. DON'T stress yourself out about what your students can't do. Focus on THEIR growth and progress. I KNOW you are hearing from possibly your admin, testing results, and your internal thoughts about all the things that your students can't do. But you know what, ten years from now- they won't care about their 4th Grade Writing FSA score. They'll be sitting in their high school classroom having some kind of emotional attachment to writing. a) I love it so much - this is no big deal to write an essay on the Lord of the Flies b) I don't really care about writing. I'll do it, but it's not that important. c) any time the word "writing" is mentioned: eyes roll, slump in seat, exasperated.

I'm telling you this because I lived it. I'm telling you this because I care. I'm telling you this because I think EVERYTHING we do in elementary - especially upper elementary has a big impact on our students' ability to communicate via writing.

So, yes, I love writing. But I also know everybody doesn't. And I ALSO know there is a reason for that. Who helped you decide how you feel about writing? And how is it empowering you to impact your students? Don't let that define how you show up as a writing teacher. I KNOW that every teacher thinks writing is important. You think writing is important. That's why you are here. The problem is with our beliefs about writing or US as writers. And I want to help you shift that thinking.

Thanks for that soap box moment. Moving along...

Once you know what your end goal is, then you can map out your teaching points to get you from here to there. I love using a unit calendar to see the unit as a whole. The writing calendar helps you determine what you are teaching and when.

Use the Unit Calendar for Writing Conferences

You can also keep a copy of your unit calendar inside your conferring binder or writing notebook to refer to during conferences and small group. If you aren't sure what to teach your students during a conference, then just go to your calendar to see which teaching points fit with their needs. Your students may need something that is not on the calendar, but this is a great way to gauge determine whether your students are applying the skills taught in the unit.

If you teach in an upper elementary testing grade, then this part might be difficult if you have a set curriculum that you must follow. If that's you, then you might need to be more strategic - more about that in a moment.

Giving students choice in their topic increases engagement. This is because they are invested in the quality of their work. They genuinely care about what they are writing about. If they are reading about their topic, then they are also going to make meaning of the content on their own terms. Hello, reading comprehension benefits!

Giving students choice leads to their voice. When students are writing about a topic they care about, they are going to write in a way that they might speak. They get excited and enthusiastic about the topic. Our job as a writing teacher is to help them translate that excitement and enthusiasm to their writing.

Think about that one student in your classroom that can't stop talking about sharks. He teaches you about the Megalodon and how he thinks it possibly still exists. He reminds you of Ross talking about rocks. (Are you a Friends fan, too? ?) THAT's the writer in that student. Giving that student the power to write about something that he cares about will unlock his writing voice. And it's also going to make him care about his writing far more than any assignment would!

In my 4th Grade classroom, we aligned this unit with our Life Science unit. Students chose an animal for their topic and then we used the things we were learning about in science to figure out the different parts/paragraphs of their writing. For example, learned behaviors vs. instincts, life cycles, and seasonal behaviors. This way students were deepening what they were learning in science by writing about it.

If you teach 2nd or 3rd Grade, you might begin with All About Books. And I'm not saying they aren't appropriate for 4th or 5th either - you just might want to up the rigor by having them do actual research. This was one of my favorite units to teach in 3rd Grade. Let me tell you how much teaching 3rd grade writing teaches YOU about YOURSELF. 🙂 I've got an All About book unit in the works, but for now I'll leave this little throwback teaser for you. I hear you.
What if my students need to write in response to prompts and texts to prepare for a state writing test?
If you don't have time in your teaching progression to have students first write about a topic of choice, then here are some ways you can hack choice. I can't believe I just wrote that - but let's go with it.

1.Students can write about a topic of choice, but they must have 2-3 teacher-approved articles from the internet and/or books from the library. In my classroom, we had access to laptops one day a week. Students were able to find an article online. If you go this route, you might have students copy and paste the link into a Google Doc and share with you OR simply write the website in their notebook.

2. Have a Class List of Topics that Students Choose From. One way that you can give choice is by having specific topics you want students to write about based on a theme, or integrate into your Science or Social Studies content areas. Then, allow students to choose from a list. You can make these around a theme such as animals, endangered animals, state animals, inventors, women inventors, inventions, and the list goes on.

3. Select the texts based on your students' interest. You could have students vote on a topic they write about or as a class, make a list of their interests that they would like to write about. Exude enthusiasm about all topics, but if they are helping you come up with the list, then there is going to be way more engagement.

4. Select high-interest texts. At the end of the day, you may be teaching in a setting where you know giving student choice is best practice, but you also have to get them ready for state testing or writing to deadline. There are a lot of texts out there, but be a critical consumer when it comes to what you put in front of your students. If aren't interested in a text, then that may be a sign that your students most likely won't be either. You won't bring that same energy into teaching how to write in response to the text, so if you find yourself with a lackluster text set in front of you - scrap it and move on.

One of the reasons I created the monthly text sets was to have more options for the topics my students were writing about. You can grab this free Informational Shark Text Set here!

Once you have determined WHAT your students will write about, select a mentor text or two that you will use throughout the unit. Animals are always high-interest with kids, so I tend to go that route because it's a low-hanging fruit. Kids are naturally interested in animals - even - especially with the creepy ones like snakes or spiders. And the majestical ones like butterflies. You also want to choose a text that has the features that you want to teach!

If you have the option - teach your nonfiction reading unit at the same time you are teaching your nonfiction writing unit. This will work wonders! Your teaching will be side by side. If you're teaching students how to identify and use text features as a reader, then you can deepen your teaching by showing them how to do the same thing as a writer. Snakes by Time for Kids is a wonderful way of doing this.

My 3 favorite books for teaching informational writing are:

Butterflies by Kevin J. Holmes

Spiders by Seymour Simon (His books are AMAZING for craft, voice, main idea, and elaboration!!!)

Inside my Informational Writing Unit, I've included Read Aloud plans that identify the specific strategies and teaching points you can pull from the books: Snakes by Time for Kids and Butterflies by Kevin J. Holmes.

Before you teach strategies and techniques about informative writing - study that type of writing. And I don't mean just you. You and your students. Each of my units begin with the same lesson tweaked in the slightest bit - the genre.

Writers study the characteristics of the kind of writing they will do - ______. For this unit, it's informational writing. We spend a full day studying the characteristics of that type of writing. This is important because students see the big picture! They see what their endgame is. As humans, that's important! We want to know what we are working towards. We want to see our end. We are beginning with the end in mind.

1.Read the text once for the gist. Preferably, you have already read this text as part of Reading Workshop to model reading strategies. If you have not already read the text before the lesson, then select a section of the text. I highly recommend first introducing the text to your students during your reading block. I can't stress this enough. You can use this SAME BOOK to teach your Reading teaching points. Don't create more work for yourself. Leverage what you are already using. You could even use a text you have already used in reading and then repurpose it for your writing block.

2. Read the text a second time with a "writer's eye." Slow down and stop to notice what the writer to identify what the writer did to make this writing so amazing. Use the Read Aloud Plans included with this book as a guide.

3. Create a class anchor chart to note the characteristics of informational writing. Use the notebook chart included to guide students thinking, but you want them to come up with some characteristics on their own.

4. Use the notebook chart as a guide. You can then give them the writing notebook chart after the lesson OR hand out the chart before the lesson. They can use highlighters/colored pencils to highlight certain things they notice or key words while you are teaching. The more I use notebook charts, the more I find the value of using them to teach the lesson so that students know how to use them during Independent Practice. Also, they begin to use them as a continuous resource, not just another sheet of paper.
Messy = Learning in Progress
You definitely want to have some ideas in mind for what you expect students to identify as the characteristics. And that's when the notebook chart comes in handy!

This is only the beginning of what's possible when teaching Informational Writing, but I promise you it sets a powerful foundation for you and your students. I've put together a unit sampler of the Informational Writing unit. Inside this sampler, you will get:

teaching point calendar

the first 3 lesson plans in the unit

notebook charts for the first 3 lessons

PowerPoint/Google Slides for the first 3 lessons

I also want to walk you through what is provided for you inside the complete unit.

Each lesson includes a PowerPoint or Google Slide. You can use these during whole group or share with your students using Google Classroom.

If you are looking for more support in teaching Informational Writing, be sure to join the TLL Membership, which and includes ALL of my ELA resources for Grades 3-5 at a low monthly price. You can also purchase the Informational Writing Unit as part of any of the bundles below:

What is your favorite nonfiction mentor text? Let me know in the comments!

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You probably already know that I LOVE teaching writing. And you might think I'm crazy, but nonfiction writing might be my favorite type of writing. It's hard to call favorites, but truthfully - I find it the easiest (personally) than other types of writing. I think that might be because informative writing is about "teaching."

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2nd Grade Informational Writing Lesson Plans | Education.com

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Browse 2nd Grade Informational Writing Lesson Plans. Award winning educational materials designed to help kids succeed. Start for free now!

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Bloom's Taxonomy was developed by Benjamin Bloom in 1956 and revised by Anderson and Krathwohl in 2001 as a framework for classifying learning based on different levels of cognitive rigor and complexity.

The Depth of Knowledge (DOK) was developed in 1997 by Norman Webb, a research scientist from the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, to analyze how deep students think to answer questions and complete activities.
Do we use Bloom's Taxonomy or DOK with our students or can both work together?
Bloom's Taxonomy

Bloom's Taxonomy is about classifying learning at different levels. Teachers can use these levels to write learning objectives and tasks to meet those objectives. The revised Bloom's by Anderson and Krathwohl's Taxonomy in 2001 focuses on the verbs to classify the levels of thinking and various levels of the taxonomy. Both versions classify the levels focusing on the verbs.

Taxonomies of the Cognitive Domain

Bloom's Taxonomy 1956 Anderson & Krathwohl's Taxonomy 2001

1. Knowledge: Remembering or retrieving previously learned material with example verbs.
know, identify, relate, list, define, recall, memorize, repeat, record, name, recognize, acquire

1. Remember
Recognizing or recalling knowledge from memory. Remembering is when memory is used to produce or retrieve definitions, facts, or lists, or to recite previously learned information.

2. Comprehension: The ability to grasp or construct meaning from the material with example verbs.
restate, locate, report, recognize, explain, express, discuss, describe, review, infer, illustrate, interpret, draw, represent, differentiate, conclude

2. Understand
Construct meaning from different types of functions either as written or graphic messages or activities like interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, or explaining.

3. Application: The ability to use learned material, or to implement the material in new and concrete situations with example verbs.
apply, relate, develop, translate, use, operate, organize, employ, restructure, interpret, demonstrate, practice, calculate, show, exhibit, dramatize

Carry out or use a procedure through executing, or implementing. Apply relates to or refers to situations where learned material is used through products like models, presentations, interviews, or simulations.

4. Analysis: The ability to break down or distinguish the parts of material into its components so that its organizational structure may be better understood with example verbs.
analyze, compare, probe, inquire, examine, contrast, categorize, contrast, investigate, detect, survey, classify, deduce, experiment, scrutinize, discover, inspect, dissect, discriminate, separate

4. Analyze
Break materials or concepts into parts to determine how the parts relate to one another or how they interrelate, or how the parts relate to an overall structure or purpose. When learners analyze, they can illustrate a mental function by creating spreadsheets, surveys, charts, or diagrams, or graphic representations.

5. Synthesis: The ability to put parts together to form a coherent or unique new whole with example verbs.
compose, produce, design, assemble, create, prepare, predict, modify, tell, plan, invent, formulate, collect, set up, generalize, document, combine, relate, propose, develop, arrange, construct, organize, originate, derive, write, propose

5. Evaluate
Evaluate is about making judgments based on criteria and standards through checking and critiquing to demonstrate the processes of evaluation. The revised taxonomy puts evaluate before create to be a necessary action before one creates anything.

6. Evaluation: The ability to judge, check, and even critique the value of material for a given purpose with example verbs.
judge, assess, compare, evaluate, conclude, measure, deduce, argue, decide, choose, rate, select, estimate, validate, consider, appraise, value, criticize, infer

6. Create
Create is about reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure through generating, planning, or producing. Create requires users to put parts together in a new way, or synthesize parts into something new and different creating a new form or product.

Bloom vs. Anderson/Krathwohl [source: The Second Principle]

Webb's Depth of Knowledge (DOK)

DOK is the degree of depth or complexity of knowledge standards and assessments require; this criterion is met if the assessment is as demanding cognitively as the standards of the expectations are set for students. DOK refers to the complexity of thinking skills that a task requires.
DOK is about...

what FOLLOWS the verb. What comes after the verb is more important than the verb itself.

the complexity of mental processing that must occur to complete a task.

DOK is NOT about...

verbs. The verbs are a valuable guide, but they can sometimes be used at more than one level.

the difficulty of what they are learning. All levels of DOK have a place in a rigorous curriculum.

Completely aligned standards and assessments require an assessment system designed to measure in some way the full range of cognitive complexity within each specified content standard. Norman Webb identified four levels for assessing the DOK of content standards and assessment items.

Image source: Francis, Erik. ASCD book Now That's a Good Question!
http://www.tinyurl.com/nowthatsagq

DOK implies the interaction of how deeply a student needs to understand the content with different ways of responding and interacting with the content. [ Chart source]

DOK levels are not related to the score points. DOK levels are a ceiling, not a target. Why is this distinction between "ceiling" and "target" important?

If assessed only at the "target," all learners with a Level 3 as their highest demand would only be assessed at Level 3. This would potentially have two negative impacts on the assessment:

1. The assessment as a whole could be too difficult; and

2. important information about student learning along the achievement continuum would be lost.

How do you determine the DOK ceiling?

The level of a DOK item is determined by the task (defined by complex thinking and reasoning skills), not grade level or the ability of the student.

Therefore, the DOK of the task does not change with the grade or ability of the student.

Verbs alone do not determine the DOK's level of an assessment task. DOK's focus is on how deeply students need to know content for a given response.

Multiple-choice questions can be written at a DOK 3 or 4 level; however, to design a question in this format is difficult. An Item at DOK level 3 or 4 requires complex reasoning, strategic and extended thinking about the concepts of the content and a real-world context, and especially at a level 4 that requires research, investigation, and application often over an extended period of time.

A comparison of Webb's DOK vs Bloom's Taxonomy:

Consider reviewing both Bloom's and DOK when designing activities especially project-based or passion-based learning activities. You can use Bloom's in designing and guiding activities that scaffold learning about the content. Ask yourself these questions:

what prior knowledge do they have about the content?

do you have to review the information or can you offer multiple ways to provide the content?

how do you know they understand the concepts? Will you have to repeat the information for some students while others move on?

how will you measure their understanding before moving on to the next content area?

After learning about who your students are and how they learn best, you can use DOK to go deeper into how they think about their learning. Ask yourself some of these questions:

do your students have the skills and dispositions to work independently and collaboratively?

can they find and use the appropriate tools and resources to do research without your support?

how will you know that your students have developed a plan for learning the concepts and can demonstrate the process?

You can use Bloom's as a guide for teaching and designing instruction and Depth of Knowledge as a guide for developing skills and encouraging deeper thinking and learning.

How do you see both either working together or separately to support your
teaching practice and the different needs of your learners?

Resources

Webb DOK Guide: This pamphlet begins with an overview of the different levels in Webb's taxonomy, then devotes several pages to each level. There are many suggested activities for each level of DOK which can help you develop activities in your class.

Francis, Erik. (2016) Now That's a Good Question! ASCD/
http://www.tinyurl.com/nowthatsagq

Miller, K. Bloom's Taxonomy and Webb's Dep of Knowledge. Retrieved. Nov. 2018. https://www.synergiseducation.com/blooms-taxonomy-and-webbs-depth-of-knowledge/

YouTube Video - DOK - Rose Marsh, NYC DOE Promising Practice Plus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMqKN7edRcU

Karen Hess' Cognitive Rigor Matrix comparing Bloom's and DOK (PDF chart)

About the author

Barbara Bray is a Creative Learning Strategist and owner/founder of Computer Strategies, LLC with its divisions My eCoach (my-ecoach.com) and Rethinking Learning where she shares her resources, stories, and more about learning and life. Barbara is the host of the Rethinking Learning Podcast where she has conversations on learning and reflections with inspirational educators, thought leaders, and influencers! She is the co-author of Make Learning Personal and How to Personalize Learning. Barbara recently launched her new book, Define Your WHY, that is all about owning your story so you live and learn on purpose.

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Bloom's Taxonomy and Depth of Knowledge (DOK)

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Bloom's Taxonomy was developed by Benjamin Bloom in 1956 and revised by Anderson and Krathwohl in 2001 as a framework for classifying learning based on different levels of cognitive rigor and complexity. The Depth of Knowledge (DOK) was developed in 1997 by Norman Webb, a research scientist from the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, to analyze how deep students think to answer questions and complete activities.

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Bloom’s Taxonomy and Webb’s Depth of Knowledge

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Have you ever wondered about the difference between Webb’s Depth of Knowledge and Bloom’s Taxonomy?

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Grammar is a very important English language skill for children to master at elementary school level. Building English grammar knowledge will assist your child in the development of other reading and writing skills, such as spelling and punctuation, which together form a strong foundation that'll set your young learner up for success.

This section of our website explains all you need to know about the grammar standards expected of elementary students at different grade levels, and how you can help your child develop them. Our guide includes lots of activities that will keep your child engaged and interested in working on their grammar skills, including practice tips from experts, free language arts resources, and suggestions on useful grammar lessons, quizzes, games, and challenges.

Keep reading for more information about elementary grammar, or select your child's grade level above to start learning!

What is grammar?

Grammar, at its most basic level, is a set of rules about the types of words we use and what they do. It also tells us how words work together in sentences.

Grammar at any grade level can be overwhelming for children as there are many rules to learn, and they tend to come thick and fast. For example in first grade, children focus on learning the basics on common and proper nouns, verbs, sentence structure, capital letters, and tenses. In second grade, children are expected to build on grammar skills acquired in their first elementary school year, including their knowledge of superlative and comparative adjectives, and irregular verbs. At mid-elementary level ( third grade and fourth grade), children start learning more complex grammar rules, including furthering their understanding of superlative adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, pronouns, and parts of speech. Finally, as learners reach late elementary school ( fifth grade and sixth grade), they're expected to use all the grammar skills learned in previous grades to build even more new knowledge. This includes how to correctly use prepositions, interjections, and more.

How do you teach elementary grammar?

There are many ways to successfully teach elementary grammar, but due to its intricate rules it can be a challenging area of language arts to teach on your own!

Our language arts program for kids includes thousands of elementary grammar activities, which have been created by experts to boost your child's skills in a fantastically fun way! It uses gamification to teach English language arts, which ensures children remain engaged, focused, and entertained as they develop reading and writing skills. Nightzookeper.com offers thousands of word games, grammar challenges, lessons on reading comprehension to explain context clues, printable worksheets for offline learning, and much more!

Night Zookeeper is a fully adjustable education program, which means that you can adapt the content your child has access to based on grade level, age, or current learning ability! You can also decide the type of content your child has access to, to ensure that they get exactly what they need out of the program. For example, you can search for specific assignments that target grammar if you'd like your child to focus on that! For more information on the program features, please visit our user guide.

These features also help to make our program very inclusive and accessible for as many learners as possible. Night Zookeeper has been proven to work well for SEN schooling, including many success stories from children with dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, amongst many other special educational needs (SEN).

About the guide

This grammar guide is here to help you throughout each elementary school year, as your child progresses through different topics and the content becomes more challenging. Our aim is to provide a strong outline of how to equip your child with a firm grasp of the grammar rules and principles covered across elementary school and early-middle school.

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Analytic Rubrics

An analytic rubric resembles a grid with the criteria for a student product listed in the leftmost column and with levels of performance listed across the top row often using numbers and/or descriptive tags. The cells within the center of the rubric may be left blank or may contain descriptions of what the specified criteria look like for each level of performance. When scoring with an analytic rubric each of the criteria is scored individually.

Example Analytic Rubric

Articulating Thoughts Through Written Communication-Final Paper

Advantages of Analytic Rubrics

Provide useful feedback on areas of strength and weakness.

Criterion can be weighted to reflect the relative importance of each dimension.

Disadvantages of Analytic Rubrics

Takes more time to create and use than a holistic rubric.

Unless each point for each criterion is well-defined raters may not arrive at the same score

Developmental Rubrics

Developmental rubrics are a subset of analytic trait rubrics.

The main distinction between developmental rubrics and other analytic trait rubrics is that the purpose of developmental rubrics is not to evaluate an end product or performance. Instead, developmental rubrics are designed to answer the question, "to what extent are students who engage in our programs/services developing this skill/ability/value/etc.?"

Generally, this type of rubric would be based on a theory of development.

Example Developmental Rubric

Intercultural Maturity

King, P.M. & Baxter Magolda, M.B. (2005). A developmental model of intercultural maturity, Journal of College Student Development, 46(2), 571-592.

Advantages of Developmental Rubrics

Useful when the goal of evaluation is to determine level of development rather than the quality of a final product.
Especially when there is no expectation that students should or could fully develop a skill or ability during the course of their education or potentially ever (such as in "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs," there is no expectation people can or will become "self-actualized").

Rubric can be based on relevant developmental theory.

Disadvantages of Developmental Rubrics

Conceptually, this type of rubric is more difficult to design.

Developing a developmental rubric requires a close tie between assessment criteria and the theory of development.

Holistic Rubrics

A holistic rubric consists of a single scale with all criteria to be included in the evaluation being considered together (e.g., clarity, organization, and mechanics). With a holistic rubric the rater assigns a single score (usually on a 1 to 4 or 1 to 6 point scale) based on an overall judgment of the student work. The rater matches an entire piece of student work to a single description on the scale.

Example Holistic Rubric

Articulating thoughts through written communication- final paper/project.

1. Above Average: The audience is able to easily identify the focus of the work and is engaged by its clear focus and relevant details. Information is presented logically and naturally. There are no more than two mechanical errors or misspelled words to distract the reader.

2. Sufficient: The audience is easily able to identify the focus of the student work which is supported by relevant ideas and supporting details. Information is presented in a logical manner that is easily followed. There is minimal interruption to the work due to misspellings and/or mechanical errors.

3. Developing: The audience can identify the central purpose of the student work without little difficulty and supporting ideas are present and clear. The information is presented in an orderly fashion that can be followed with little difficulty. There are some misspellings and/or mechanical errors, but they do not seriously distract from the work.

4. Needs Improvement: The audience cannot clearly or easily identify the central ideas or purpose of the student work. Information is presented in a disorganized fashion causing the audience to have difficulty following the author's ideas. There are many misspellings and/or mechanical errors that negatively affect the audience's ability to read the work.

Advantages of Holistic Rubrics

Emphasis on what the learner is able to demonstrate, rather than what s/he cannot do.

Saves time by minimizing the number of decisions raters make.

Can be applied consistently by trained raters increasing reliability.

Disadvantages of Holistic Rubrics

Does not provide specific feedback for improvement.

When student work is at varying levels spanning the criteria points it can be difficult to select the single best description.

Criteria cannot be weighted.

Checklists

Checklists are a distinct type of rubric - where there are only two performance levels possible. Checklists tend to be longer than other types of rubrics since each aspect of performance you are looking for in students' work/performances essentially becomes its own criterion. When you are using a checklist, every decision is binary (yes/no, present/absent, pass/fail, etc.). Most rubrics can be converted rather directly into a checklist. For example, here is a rubric for grading journal entries:

Here is the same rubric converted into a checklist:

Advantages of Checklists

Checklists are generally a simpler and faster way to grade than using a more traditional rubric since you are making discrete decisions for each individual performance criterion rather than trying to determine where students' work fall into performance criteria that generally encompass a range of difference performance expectations. This also makes the grading clearer to students. Using checklists may result in less arbitrary (and more consistent) grading decisions. For example, most instructors are clear on what the top performances look like and what the bottom performances look like, but the middle gets fuzzier. When students understand that their grades will be based on all or nothing decisions, checklists also have the potential to raise the rigor of and students' performances on our assignments.

Disadvantages of Checklists

Creating checklists for your assignments might be a slightly onerous process. This is both because checklists are longer than a traditional rubric and because identifying each of the discrete elements of "clearly written" or "well organized" might be difficult. You may find that cannot easily convert every performance element you are looking for into a checklist format. Performance criteria that are difficult to operationalize will also be difficult to convert into a checklist. It may also be difficult to decide on the exact level of granularity that might be appropriate for each assignment. For example, "uses good grammar" might be appropriate for most classes, but would be far too broad if you are teaching a course on grammar. Checklists also lose the middle so there is not a way to award credit to students who get most of the way toward achieving a criterion.

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An analytic rubric resembles a grid with the criteria for a student product listed in the leftmost column and with levels of performance listed across the top row often using numbers and/or descriptive tags. The cells within the center of the rubric may be left blank or may contain descriptions of what the specified criteria look like for each level of performance.

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Introducing Rubrics to Students | Exemplars

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Distinguishing formal evaluation from informal assessment can be challenging. For one, both methods use similar tools like quizzes and surveys. But how they apply these tools to specific questions separates one from the other.

In this article, we will consider 15 key similarities and differences between formal and informal assessments.

What is a Formal Assessment?

Depending on the context, formal assessments can be norm-referenced or criterion-referenced. For example, if you want to know how a learner's score compares to the average class score, then a norm-referenced is your best bet.

What is Informal Assessment?

Informal assessment is an intuitive evaluation method, where the teacher assesses students without measuring their performance against some rubric or metric. The structure of informal evaluation methods allows teachers to observe the student's progress at different points in the learning period.

The instructor can also ask students to take part in group quizzes or brief presentations about a particular subject. Informal assessments allow instructors to provide immediate feedback to students and address any learning gaps in time.
Read: Motivation Assessment: Definitions, Types, Tools + [Questionnaire Examples]
Differences Between Formal and Informal Assessments

Definitions

A formal assessment is an evaluation method that uses a grading system to score a student's level of knowledge. Typically, students respond to the same questions under the same conditions, and the instructor grades them based on the extent to which they satisfied pre-defined requirements.

An informal assessment measures students' progress and performance with no standard grading criteria. The instructor uses different methods that allow students to show their knowledge while providing feedback on learning gaps.

Types

Common types of informal assessment include quizzes, writing samples, and project-based assignments. In informal assessment, quizzes are used to improve class engagement and participation. So, you'd find the instructor splitting the class into groups while every student has a go at the questions.

Project-based assignments and writing samples are intertwined. For example, the teacher can ask students to create a science project and write a summary of their ideas for the project.

Examples

Common examples of formal assessment include tests, quizzes, surveys, and questionnaires. Exit surveys, observation, and oral presentations are examples of informal assessment.

In some sense, formal and informal assessments can use the same methods. What matters is how the instructor applies these methods to achieve specific objectives. For example, the structure of a quiz for formal assessment significantly differs from a quiz for informal evaluation.

When to Use

Teachers use formal assessments when they want to determine students' knowledge based on specific standards and criteria. Instructors use traditional assessment methods when they need factual data that qualifies a student for the best learning phase, for example, moving from high school to college.

Advantages of Formal Assessment Over Informal Assessment

Since formal assessments have standard evaluation criteria, there's little or no opportunity for examiner bias. This differs significantly from informal evaluations, where the instructor's subjectivity determines how they rate the student and the type of feedback given.

Another advantage of formal assessment over informal evaluation is it spurs students to pay keener attention during classes. Since a formal assessment is high stakes, it motivates students to perform better to get higher grades.

Also, formal evaluation determines whether a student moves to the next phase in the learning process. An individual who wants to gain admission into college needs to ace the required promotional examination.

Advantages of Informal Assessment Over Formal Assessments

Also, informal assessment gives room for improvement, unlike one-off tests. Since there's little or nothing at stake, students can make mistakes and improve their knowledge without undue pressure. Informal evaluation methods allow students to explore different angles of a particular subject.

Use of a Grading System

The significant difference between both forms of assessment is while formal evaluation uses a rubric or standard assessment criteria, the other doesn't. A rubric is an assessment tool used for judging a particular type of work. More than stating different grade levels, a rubric provides details on the requirements for each grade.

During informal assessments, the instructor doesn't use a set of predetermined criteria for grading. Instead, they compare a student's performance with their past presentations to know if they've made any progress.

Purpose of Assessment

The formal evaluation aims to assess a student's overall knowledge, usually at the end of a learning experience. Sometimes, formal assessments allow the instructor to compare a student's performance with others in the same age group or class.

Informal assessment is used to track learners' progress and identify any challenges they might face with the subject.

Scope

Formal assessments provide a broad view of a student's knowledge, while informal assessments provide detailed information. In formal evaluation, the instructor measures a student's performance at the surface level. The aim is to have enough evidence for assigning a specific score and grade to the learner.

Informal assessments are different. It allows the instructor to do a thorough analysis of the specific experiences of individual students. The teacher can make adjustments to instructional methods based on the specialized needs of each learner.

Flexibility

The instructor can adjust informal assessments based on context and the specific needs or set of students. For example, if a student cannot communicate their thoughts via summary writing, the teacher might ask them to give an oral presentation.

A formal assessment uses well-defined criteria for performance evaluation. So, the instructor cannot deviate from the grading system, even if this system doesn't work for some students.

Score Comparison

Depending on the type of formal assessment, the instructor might compare students' performances in the same class or age group. However, for informal evaluation, the instructor assesses students individually. While the instructor might compare a student's present performance with their past ones, there's no room for student-to-student comparison.

Tools

For formal assessments, an essential tool is a rubric or some other well-defined grading system. Formal assessments also use online quiz platforms, surveys, questionnaires, or presentation tools like Google Slides and PowerPoint. Teachers use straw polls, exit surveys, and observation methods for informal assessment on the flip side.

Similarities Between Informal and Formal Assessment

Feedback

Another thing to note here is feedback is always personalized in informal assessment, while formal assessment can provide generic feedback to students at different grades. For example, the instructor can send a general feedback email to everyone who scored a "B" in a test.

Educational Assessment

Instructional Needs

Teachers use formal and informal assessments to improve their instructional methods. Based on results and feedback from both forms of educational assessment, educational stakeholders can change the subject curriculum, grading system, and instructional design for the classes.

How to Use Formplus as an Online Assessment Tool

Formplus allows you to create quizzes, polls, surveys, and questionnaires for formal and informal evaluation as an online assessment tool. Here is a simple step-by-step guide on how to do this.

Step 1: Log into your Formplus account.

Step 2: On the dashboard, choose the "create new form" button. This takes you to the form builder.

Step 3: On the left side of the builder, you'd find different form field options like rating scales, text fields, and other advanced fields like signature and payment fields.

Step 4: Click any field you'd want to add to your form. Alternatively, you can drag-and-drop fields into the work area from the builder's inputs section.

Step 5: After adding the fields, click on the edit icon beside each to access the editing tab. Here, you can add the specific questions to each field and make other changes like setting fields as "compulsory" or "read-only."

Step 6: Click on the "save" icon, so you don't lose all the changes you've made. This also takes you to the builder's customization section automatically.

Step 7: Use the different options in the customization section to change the appearance of your form. Since you're using this for assessments, it's a great idea to add your school's logo to the survey or questionnaire. You can also create a custom theme from scratch for your form.

Step 8: Go to the "share" section and choose your preferred form sharing option. You can copy the form link or share it via email invitations.
Conclusion
When it's time to choose one form of educational assessment over the other, the most important thing teachers should consider is context. Ask questions like, "what do I want to achieve with this?" and "how does this fit into the existing learning system?"

In many cases, teachers combine formal and informal assessment methods for evaluation. During the learning process, informal evaluation methods like concept mapping and straw polls help the instructor track each student's progress. At the end of the learning period, the instructor uses formal evaluations like end-of-term examinations to assess each student's knowledge and make high-stakes decisions.

Create Assessments with Formplus for Free

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Formal vs. Informal Assessment: 15 Key Differences & Similarities

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Distinguishing formal evaluation from informal assessment can be challenging. For one, both methods use similar tools like quizzes and surveys. But how they apply these tools to specific questions separates one from the other. In this article, we will consider 15 key similarities and differences between formal and informal assessments.

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