Good Spirit School Division Module 2: Using Pre-Assessment and Formative Assessment to Continually Assess Student Learning Module Two looks at how teachers can use pre-assessment and formative assessment strategies to continually assess student learning. Good Spirit School Division

Module Outcomes To further develop and refine our concept of pre-assessment and formative assessment. To expand our ‘toolkits’ of pre-assessment and formative assessment strategies. To link the assessment processes to the Division UbD Unit Plan Template. There are three outcomes for Module One. Outcome One is to further develop and refine out concept of pre-assessment and formative assessment. Outcome Two is to expand out ‘toolkits’ of assessment strategies. Outcome three is to link the pre-assessment and formative assessment processes to the Division UbD Unit Plan template.

Give One Get One (Activating Prior Knowledge Activity) List five of your favourite pre-assessments and formative assessments that you use on a regular basis. Circulate throughout the room and share one of your ideas with a colleague (Give). After giving an idea, ask your colleague to share one of his/her ideas (Get). Find another colleague. “Give” that colleague an assessment and “get” one in return. Feel free to share ideas that you “get” in addition to your own list of assessments. Give each teacher a copy of the Give One, Get One template. Explain the process to teachers. On the first line of the template teachers write five pre-assessment or formative assessment processes they use in the first row of squares. Everyone then circulates throughout the room and shares one of their ideas with a colleague. After sharing (giving) an idea, teachers ‘get’ an idea back. Continue this activity for ten to fifteen minutes.

Assessment Processes Pre-Assessment: Before a lesson or unit to determine student learning and inform instruction. Formative Assessment: During lesson or unit to determine student learning and make changes to teaching or learning. Summative Assessment: At the end of lesson or unit to determine student learning and report level of achievement. There are three types of assessment in a differentiated classroom. They are pre-assessment, formative assessment, and summative assessment. Pre-assessment is given to students before a lesson or unit of study to determine what students know and help teachers to plan instruction. Formative assessment is given to students throughout a lesson or unit to determine what students are learning and what they knowledge and skills they still need to learn. Information from the formative assessment can be used to plan instruction. Summative assessment is given to students at the end of a unit of study to determine what students have learned. Information from summative assessment is provided to various stakeholders (students, parents, teachers, division office, etc.).

Pre-Assessment given at the start of a lesson or unit provides information on student learning use to plan instruction use to create instructional groups by readiness should not be marked or graded formal/informal strategies whole class or individual link to activating prior knowledge activities

Formative Assessment given during a unit of study provides information on student learning use to gather information about student progress use to make change to current instruction practices use to support students to make change to current learning processes should not be marked or graded (if returned to students use descriptive feedback) formal/informal strategies whole class or individual link to instructional activities

Assessment Strategies Consider the following when choosing a pre-assessment or formative assessment strategy: Type of Assessment (pre-assessment or formative) Purpose of Assessment (gather information on student learning, use to track student progress, or inform instruction) Target of Assessment (individual or small group) Learning Style (visual, auditory, and/or kinesthetic) There are a number of different considerations to think about when planning to assess student learning. Think about the type of assessment, purpose of assessment, target of assessment, and the learning style you want to focus on for your assessment.

Assessment Strategies Assessment strategies can often be used for a number of different purposes. Many pre-assessment strategies can be used for formative and summative assessment as well.

Descriptions of the various strategies are found in the module two handout. Use the chart to find an assessment strategy that meets your assessment needs.

Identify the pre-assessment and formative assessment strategies in the stage two section of the Good Spirit School Division UbD Unit Plan template.

The assignment for this module is to choose three pre-assessment or formative assessment strategies to implement into your classroom. After the completion of the three strategies, choose one strategy to complete the reflection guide.

Use the Pre-Assessment and Formative Assessment Planning Guide to plan the three strategies you will implement for this module.

After implementing the three strategies, use the Assessment Strategies Reflection Guide to reflect on one of the strategies you used in your classroom.

Administrators will be visiting each teacher’s classroom during the implementation of a new pre-assessment or formative assessment strategy. Let the administrator know when a good time would be to visit your classroom.

Three Minute Pause (Formative Assessment Strategy) Divide into groups of 3 to 5. Discuss information presented during assessment module. First - summarize main points Second - make connections to personal experiences Third - ask questions for further understanding Present two or three highlights from discussion to the rest of the group. Divide into groups of 3 to 5 teachers. Assign one teacher to be the recorder and one teacher to be the reporter. The recorder summarizes the main points of the module and teachers make connections to the presentation. The group identifies any questions they still have or need answered to understand the module. Finally, the group comes to a consensus on the two or three highlights from their discussion. The reporter shares these highlights with the rest of the group.

Module 2 Expectations TEACHERS: Implement three pre-assessment or formative assessment into instruction. Reflect on one strategy using the “Module Two Assessment Strategies Reflection Guide.” Reflections to be completed and handed in to administrators by: May 31, 2014 ADMINISTRATORS: Complete a three-minute walk-through in each teacher’s classroom when they are implementing a pre-assessment or formative assessment strategy. These are the expectations of the module 2 expectations for both teachers and administrators. Any questions?