Competency 007 Informal and Formal Assessment Procedures and Instruments

Question 1

Assessment Purpose

Answer 1

Assessment is an integral part of instruction as it determines whether or not the goals of education are being met. It affects decisions about grades, placement, advancement, instructional needs, curriculum, and in some cases, funding.

Question 2

Assessment

Answer 2

determines as accurately as possible, what students should know, understand, and be able to do; and helps teachers make wise, informed decisions about the needs of their students and the direction their instruction should take.

Question 3

The Two Main Type of Assessments

Answer 3

Formative and Summative

Question 4

Summative Assessment

Answer 4

Occurs at the end of the learning process and is typically graded, it assesses the lesson as a whole. The purpose is to provide evidence of the degree to which a student has mastered the knowledge, understanding, and skills of the teaching cycle (unit, quarter, year, etc.)

Question 5

Formative Assessment

Answer 5

it’s an ongoing process that involves the compilation and analysis of the evidence obtained from the daily evaluation happening during each lesson with the purpose of monitoring the student’s progress during the course, or determining when and how to adjust instructional activities or learning tactics to achieve learning objectives. Feedback is immediate or very rapid.

Question 6

What does Formative Assessment is divided into?

Answer 6

Formative Assessment is divided into Pre-assessment and On-going assessment.

Question 7

Pre-assessment or Diagnostic Assessment

Answer 7

occurs before a unit of study begins. Whether formal or informal, pre-assessments are never graded. They are purely diagnostic in nature to find out what students already know about a certain topic or unit of study. The purpose is to help educators understand their students’ strengths, weaknesses, knowledge level, gaps, and skillset prior to beginning instruction.

Question 8

On-going Assessment

Answer 8

Occurs throughout the learning process. Its purpose is to find out the degree students are in terms of meeting the learning goals, so classroom content, process, and products can be adjusted to better facilitate student growth. On-going assessments, which may be formal or informal, include homework, quizzes, exit cards, journal prompts, classroom discussions, etc.

Question 9

Formal Assessment

Answer 9

It’s a standardized and individually administered test that is used to identify special learning needs, usually with well-defined grading parameters that are used to evaluate student’s level of learning. The formal test must be valid (the degree to which a certain inference from a test is appropriate and meaningful) and reliable (The degree to which a measure yields consistent results).

Question 10

Informal Assessment

Answer 10

It is an intuitive assessment method that uses observation as a tool that allows teachers to determine the progress of students at different points in the learning process. Also, helps teachers through the use of informal assessment data, to create and adjust a learning experience that is flexible for the student’s learning style. It does not involve standard grading procedures.

Question 11

Program Evaluation

Answer 11

The primary purpose of program assessment is to improve the quality of educational programs by improving student learning, and to determine the effectiveness of the intervention.

Question 12

Proficiency

Answer 12

Proficiency-based learning refers to systems of instruction, assessment, grading, and academic reporting that are based on students demonstrating that they have learned the knowledge and skills they are expected to learn as they progress through their education.

Question 13

Instructional Guides

Answer 13

Instructional guides in education are designed to help teachers align their teaching with the curriculum and classroom realities. They aim at helping teachers adapt their pedagogy and have a directive line in what they teach and how they teach it.

Question 14

Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL)

Answer 14

is a standardized test that measures a test-taker’s mastery of the English language.

Question 15

The Iowa Test for Basic Skills (ITBS)

Answer 15

is a nationally standardized achievement test for K-12 students. Parents and teachers can compare child’s scores to children across the country in Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. Assess child’s knowledge of what he has learned in school and is not cognitive or IQ test.

Question 16

Iowa Assessment

Answer 16

Is an achievement assessment which main function is to help identify ELL students. The Iowa Assessments are aligned with Common Core standards, but the ITBS is not.

Question 17

Aptitude Test

Answer 17

is designed to assess what a person is capable of doing or able to learn or do, given the right education and instruction. It also measures whether you have the potential to develop skills in the future in specific areas.

Question 18

Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS)

Answer 18

is an assessment program for students in Texas public schools who are learning the English language. Texas annually assesses the English language proficiency of students who have been identified as ELs in four language domains—listening, speaking, reading, and writing. iT evaluates the progress that each EL makes in becoming proficient in the use of academic English.

Question 19

Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC)

Answer 19

It is a committee that is responsible for making assessment decisions on an individual student basis. The committee is designed to provide information and resources about the policies, processes, programs, and supports to help emergent bilingual students improve their academic achievement

Question 20

Standardized Test Used in Texas

Answer 20

The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) is a series of standardized tests used in Texas public primary and secondary schools to assess a student’s achievements and knowledge learned in the grade level.

Question 21

Alternative Assessment (Authentic or Informal)

Answer 21

teacher-made tests, checklists, anecdotal observations, and student work samples. The assessment must be clear and concise.

Question 22

Alternative Assessment Clarity:

Answer 22

Clear: set to objectives, outcomes, and learner expectations for the unit or lesson.

Question 23

Alternative Assessment Concision

Answer 23

Concise: has easily understood directions, an appropriate readability level, includes higher-order thinking, covers important concepts, and is not too long.