+ Adapted, with permission: Akay Tuncak, NYC DOE Amy Hoffman, NYC DOE Hal Melnick, Bank Street College Faculty Marvin Cohen, Bank Street College Faculty ECAM Paul Perskin CFN 204

+ Today’s agenda Become more fully acquainted with the Early Childhood Assessment in Mathematics (ECAM) Observe video of teachers interviewing the counting strand What do we want teachers to be able to know and do with ECAM? Discuss how to help teachers use the data collected from ECAM View tasks (for differentiated learning groups) Discuss challenges that may lie ahead

+ Warm Up – SKIP COUNTING Materials: Numeral cards and/or Dice, number grids 1. Roll a Number Cube. This is your starting number. 1a. Roll two number cubes and add them 2. Count on by 2’s for the next 5 numbers in the sequence. Record. 3. Using the same starting number count on by 5’s for the next 5 numbers in the sequence. Record. 4. Using the same starting number count on by 10’s for the next 5 numbers in the sequence. Record. 5. Repeat with another starting number

+ Purpose of this Tool Identify what a child CAN do Provide a snapshot of a child’s mathematical thinking Align a child’s strengths against a developmental learning line Inform whole class instruction Inform appropriate groupings and align activities to specific groups Not an end but a means to more focused instruction

+ Central ECAM Concepts Learning Lines/Developmental Trajectories 1. Counting 2. Numeration 3. Operations 4. Geometry 5. Meausurement 6. Time Functional vs. Instructional Level What do children need to know in order to move on to the next level of math learning?

+ The tool is NOT meant to: Evaluate Provide grades Determine a grade level Assess a whole class in one sitting

+ Aspects of the Tool Dealing with Number Assesses Four Strands Counting Numeration Addition and Subtraction Multiplication and Division Strands ought to be assessed individually Interview questions cover a range of tasks on a developmental continuum

+ Before the Interview The Student Booklet Questions to ask the student, accompanied by prompts, teacher notes, and space for recording responses Preparation Refer to the materials list in The Student Booklet Make yourself a kit

+ The Interview Observe and listen Start at the section indicated by the child’s grade level* Ask all questions in section, unless child is struggling, then go to the previous section Ask students to explain thinking or talk aloud their thinking Record answers and relevant observations (i.e. Use fingers to count) Questions may be re-worded

+ Notes about Prompting… Use suggested prompts You may rephrase the question in a way that will assist the child to continue DO NOT, coach or teach Incorrect answers Stop when student cannot answer several consecutive questions

+ The Counting Learning Line Reflects development, not grade level

+ Counting Counting is the first section

+ Counting Notice how the questions in the counting section mesh with the stages of the Learning Line? (p. 7)

+ The Counting Learning Line

+ A ‘taste’ of ECAM? Let’s watch interviews Of Orlando and then Melissa

+ Video - Orlando What can we learn about Orlando? How far has he progressed along the Counting Learning Line?

+ Where would you place Orlando?

+ Video - Melissa What can we learn about Melissa? How far has she progressed along the Counting Learning Line?

+ Where would you place Melissa?

+ Discussion What does a child have to know and be able to do to successfully count?

+ Teachers will need help learning about the paper work Entering notes on the interview pages for each child Understanding the mathematics of the assessment Recording on the “Counting Development Checklist” (p.29) Entering all the children ( Melissa and Orlando today) on the “Class Summary Page for Early Counting” (p.22)

+ How can we use the data? To assess individuals To give them practice (at functional level) To group for differentiated instruction (at instructional levels)

+ …and to develop a class profile chart. Write names of students in the most advanced stage they have fully completed on the interview. Note : New version adds column g “Facility with hundreds”

+ Then map the groups into the next level they are ready for Note : New version adds column g “Facility with hundreds”

+ Then what? Tasks Packet Available online Additional tasks are available at

+ Preparing for next session Select three students to assess You might want to assess a typical student, a struggling student, and an advanced student Please be prepared to discuss the experiences and outcomes at our next meeting.

+ Next Math Meeting Wednesday, February 15, :30am-11:30am Location: PS 153 Content: to be determined