Assessing EL/EB Students

1. What is authentic assessment?
1. A form of assessment that asks students to perform real world activities
  1. Engaging and worthy questions/task with purpose
    1. Mirrors/Replicates the problems/situations seen by adults in the real world
2. What does authentic assessment look like?
1. Generally, authentic assessment consists of a task for students to complete in relation to a real world problem.
  1. Authentic assessment should include a rubric for grading student performance
    1. Rubrics should be presented to the students before beginning, and also during/after the task.
      1. Powerful authentic assessment includes both student self AND teacher assessment
        Authentic assessment should provide MULTIPLE opportunities for success/demonstration of skills/knowledge
        For Example: After teaching a lesson on multiplication of one digit by two digit numbers, the teacher might give students several real- world problems such as buying multiple items of the same price at the grocery store. Students could then solve the problem by any number of multiplication techniques such as making an array, drawing a model, using base ten blocks, using the distributive property, partial products, or standard multiplication. The teacher would circulate the room (or small group table) with a rubric to check student work/products. By offering multiple ways to work problems, students can demonstrate their knowledge in a way that THEY are most comfortable.
3. Authentic Assessment (AA) vs. Traditional Assessment (TA)
1. Traditional Assessment: Multiple Choice, True/False, Fill-in-the-blank etc. Students are asked to select and answer/ recall information to complete the assessment.
  1. In TA, curriculum drives the assessment. The "neccessary" body of knowledge is determined first, which then becomes the curriculum that is delievered, which is then subsequently assessed to see if acquistion has occurred.
    1. In TA, students are llimited to showing proficiency the way in which the assessment was written.
2. Authentic Assessment (AA): Students must be productive citizens that are capable of performing meaningful tasks in the real world.
  1. In order to assess students' real-world readiness, schools must assess them performing similar real-life scenarios/tasks
    1. The school must help students become proficient at tasks that they will face after graduation
      1. In AA, assessment drives the curriculum. Teachers should plan "backwards" so that students are able to learn useful information/important skills while performing a meaninful task.
        AA focuses on application of knowledge whereas TA is focuses on acquistion and retention of knowledge and skills.
        AA allows more student choice/creativity in how they choose to present/show proficiency.
        AA offers more direct evidence of application and construction of knowledge because it is assessed in such a way that students cannot simply "guess" a right answer. A good "test taker" can't necessarily apply skills in a real life situation.
3. Teachers do not have to choose between AA and TA, a mix of both will likely serve each classroom best!
4. Why use Authentic Assessment?
1. AA is direct. It allows you to see students synthesize and apply knowledge in a meaningful way.
  1. AA is a "vehicle" for construction of meaning. Students learn while actively participating.
    1. AA provides multiple pathways for demonstrating proficiency
      1. Students have both good and bad examples of performance to refer to when performing the set task .Students can use this to self assess.
        Having a rubric and good/bad examples sets clear expectations early
      2. All students are not gifted in the same way. AA allows students of all ability levels to show proficiency in a way that suits their strengths
5. How can I create an Authentic Assessment?
1. Step 1 Identify the standards. What should students know or be able to do?
  1. Step 2 Select and authentic task. What should students be able to do to show that they have met the standards?
    1. Step 3 Identify the criteria for the task. What does good performance of this task look like and how well did the students perform?
      1. Step 4 Create the rubric. What level should most students be performing at? What is the minimal level that students should be able to perform at?
        Students will use this rubric to self-assess as they progress through the task. Teachers will use the rubric to assess student level of proficiency. Rubrics will be used as a formative assessment to help adjust instruction.
6. Considerations for creating authentic assessment
1. When writing standards, consider asking questions, our school wants to graduate students that can ____________. What part of this task is going to be the skill that benefits this student as a future citizen? Do my standards portray the characteristics of a productive citizen? Do these standards clearly display positive high expectations for acquisition and application of skills and knowledge?
  1. Reflect often. Don't lose sight of the whole forest for one tree. AA is supposed to be a meaningful task. If it doesn't matter, don't write it in! Why is this knowledge/ skill important to being a productive citizen? Where and when will my student need this skill/knowledge in real life?
    1. Avoid unclear verbiage such as "students will understand" ____________. You can't observe or measure understanding.
      1. AA is open to student choice of how to present/demonstrate, so don't write expected performance in the standards. For example, you should not state that students will multiply two digit by one digit numbers using an area model. By mentioning an area model, you limit students ability to choose the way in which they show proficiency.
        Are there multiple pathways that allow the strengths of each student to be displayed?
        Does this skill have real world significance?

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Assessing EL/EB Students

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	Created by Dustin Quinn almost 7 years ago