'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure' also applies to reading. Carefully selected tests can detect difficulties early on. Then you can prescribe the needed ounce of prevention.
Monitoring Progress: Meeting instructional needs in the classroom requires the use of different types of assessments: formal and informal, group and individual. It also requires assessing children at different times of the year: at the beginning of the school year, periodically and regularly throughout the year, and at year's end. By checking children's progress in an ongoing fashion, you can adjust your instruction to meet their needs. Both formal assessments and informal assessments may be used at different times of the year to collect essential information.
Ongoing Informal Monitoring: The following informal monitoring opportunities can be integrated into every unit of study and into every daily plan:
- Observation
- Student-teacher conferences
- Portfolio assessment
- Children's self-assessment
- Checklists
- Performance rubrics
Setting Goals: The key to a successful assessment program is a well thought-out plan. As you develop your plan for assessment, think about the following.
- Your Goals: What are the goals for the students in your class this year? How will they show you they're learning? How will you monitor their progress?
- Audience and Reporting: Who needs to know how the students are doing? How will you report to them?
- When to Assess: How often do you want to check on the students' progress?
Monitoring Uses: Use the resulting information to plan or adjust small- or large-group instruction, to make referrals, and to initiate tutoring and at-home follow-up. |
