"process of gathering data in order to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of student learning, as by observation, testing, interviews, etc." (Harris & Hodges, 1995)

Formative assessments (every day, frequent) and summative assessments (unit tests, assesses a unit)

Formal are standardized tests, and informal are not standardized (observations)

Challenge to go beyond paper and pencil so teachers can measure isolated skills

Challenge to go beyond paper and pencil so teachers can measure isolated skills

Validity= test measures what it claims to measure

Reliability= it does so consistently

Two downfalls:

• Students can guess the answer

• Students might be able to answer the question without comprehending the passage

Achievement Tests

• Measure the current level of a student's performance in a variety of areas

• Two types of tests:

  • Norm-References Tests: assessment instruments used to measure where a student is compared to peers. Results are reported in the form of grade equivalent scores, stanine scores, percentile ranks, and standard scores

  • Criterion-References Tests: allow teachers to compare a student's performance to a predetermined goal and assess the degree to which the student has achieved mastery of that goal

State-Designed Criterion-Referenced Tests for English Learners

• Students must be given tests when instructions that they can understand. States are required

Diagnostic Tests

• Determine a student's strengths and weaknesses

Oral Reading Tests

• Assess an individual student's rate, accuracy, fluency, and comprehension

Diagnostic Tests that Assess Foundational Reading Skills

• Tests k-5 students to see what they know about print, phonological awareness, phonics, word recognition, and fluency

• Students are expected to master print and phonological awareness by the end of first grade, so 2-5 include the other 3

• Dsylexia can affect kids

Not standardized or normed

Don't compare students

Informal literacy assessment begins with young children

Screen reading (students coming to class with background knowledge) can be helpful

Informal reading inventories are individual tests given by a classroom teacher

Include lists of leveled words or sentences and sets of graded reading passages with accompanying questions

Miscue Analysis

• Substitutions- toad instead of frog

• Mispronunciations- specific as pecific

• Repetitions/insertions- words for effect

• Omissions- student drops words from the test

Preparing and Administering a Miscue Analysis

Quantitative Scoring: calculates the number of words read correctly

Qualitative Analysis: helps a teacher determine the student's instructional reading level

• The main reason is to assess and evaluate a student's miscue

Retrospective Miscue Analysis:

• Determines if the student can find his/her miscues and determine what they are

Running Records

• Record the student's oral reading

• Examine error

• Determine what level the student's passage is

• Goal is to:

  • Determine student's instructional level

  • Analyze cues used and cues neglected during oral reading

  • Analyze the student's strategic processing of a text through the teacher's interpretation of the strategies used during oral reading

  • Use the results to guide individual instruction

• Quantitative analysis:

  • check mark for each word used correctly

• Qualitative identifies reading level

Closze test is for informal assessment and for instruction

Maze test allows younger students to demonstrate what context clues and background knowledge they use when they encounter unknown words

Anecdotal records: notes a teacher makes about student behavior

Checklists allow teachers to track students throughout the year

Personal interest surveys:

• helps us see what our kids are into so we can prepare books and reading around their interests

Attitude surveys

• Check to see how your class is feeling about something and why

Self-assessment

• encourages self-esteem and the motivation to read and write

• Ideas to incorporate into the classroom:

  • Book logs

  • Reflection logs

Lots of good apps to use with students to encourage students to read and get practice with other literacy components