Language Arts

Teaching and Assessing
Language Arts
Chapter 2
Assessing Students’ Learning
 Should
resemble real
language use--authentic
 Should be an important part
of teaching and learning
 Teachers should examine
use of language arts and
artifacts or products
(projects, reading logs, etc.)
Authentic Assessment
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Use appropriate assessment tools
Use a variety of assessment tools
Align instruction and assessment
Focus on what children can do
Consider processes and products
Guidelines – p. 53
Authentic Assessment

Five purposes
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To document milestones in students’
language and literacy development
To identify students’ strengths to plan
for instruction
To document students’ language arts
activities and projects
To determine grades
To help teachers learn more about how
students become strategic readers and
writers
Monitoring Students’ Progress
 Classroom
observations
 Anecdotal notes
 Conferences
 Types
of Conferences –
Figure 2-4 – p. 56
 Checklists
Portfolios
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Systematic and meaningful
collections of artifacts documenting
children’s learning and development
over a period of time.
Students usually choose items to
place in their portfolios within the
guidelines the teacher provides.
Portfolios
Not all work in portfolio needs to
be graded
 Types of student work to include
– p. 58
 Showcase portfolios – “Portfolio
Share Days”

Self-Assessment
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Begins by teacher asking students
about their language arts abilities in
terms of contrast (book they liked
the most/least)
Students identify what they do well
in reading and what they need to
improve
Conferences can involve selfassessment
Self-Assessment

Students write notes on items they
choose for their portfolios
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Comments on Index cards
Special comment sheets attached to
portfolio items
Assigning Grades
 Assignment
 Examples
checklists
– p. 61
 Rubrics
 Examples
 General
– pp. 62-63
for any writing project
 Specific to the assignment
 Can also be used for selfassessment
 Rubistar
Assigning Grades

Use triangulation (3 viewpoints)
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Tests
Observations
Anecdotal records
Conferences
Portfolios
Assignment checklists
Rubrics

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