Assessment for Comprehension
Teachers often feel that their strengths lie in lesson planning rather than planning assessment strategies, but it is undoubtedly a highly important aspect of teaching, particularly as Australia moves towards a model of ‘accountability’ similar to what has been seen in the United States. By forward planning assessment tasks to meet the curriculum, teachers can feel more confident and organised, and will be able to ensure that the assessment is fulfilled by all students in a timely fashion.
It is important to remember to structure assessment tasks to suit the children you are teaching. A multifaceted approach to assessment allows you to meet the needs of your students (Wooley, 2008). Utilize the examples below to design your assessment so that it caters for the range of needs in your classroom. "Educators may need a range of assessment strategies and instruments that robustly reflect the dynamic, developmental nature of comprehension within the reader and with his or her interactions with other external dimensions such as activity, text and context," (Duke & Pearson, 2002; Gillet & Temple, 1994; Snow, 2003; as cited in Wooley, 2008, para. 3).
Try to stop thinking of 'assessment tasks' being the same thing as 'tests'. Often regular classroom activities work really well as assessment pieces. Here are some ideas of assessment tasks to get you started:
It is important to remember to structure assessment tasks to suit the children you are teaching. A multifaceted approach to assessment allows you to meet the needs of your students (Wooley, 2008). Utilize the examples below to design your assessment so that it caters for the range of needs in your classroom. "Educators may need a range of assessment strategies and instruments that robustly reflect the dynamic, developmental nature of comprehension within the reader and with his or her interactions with other external dimensions such as activity, text and context," (Duke & Pearson, 2002; Gillet & Temple, 1994; Snow, 2003; as cited in Wooley, 2008, para. 3).
Try to stop thinking of 'assessment tasks' being the same thing as 'tests'. Often regular classroom activities work really well as assessment pieces. Here are some ideas of assessment tasks to get you started:
- Students make a booklet explaining the characters, setting, problem and solution of the literature.
- Students construct a paragraph that fits in to a portion of the story but tells an unseen part of the plot (i.e. from a different character perspective)
- Students write profiles of the main characters and their motivations
- Use of Running Records or PROBE to assess and monitor students capabilities
- Reading a story with a class/group/individual student and asking them comprehension questions throughout the story to see their understanding
- Students to have a go at 'tracking their thinking' using post it notes in their novel/take home reader