1. Assessing Literacy in the Content Areas
Dr. Jamie Colwell &
Dr. Judith Dunkerly-Bean
Old Dominion University

2. Opening with Discussion
Why do we assess our students?
* Think-Pair-Share

3. Assessment Purposes Assessment FOR Learning [formative] Assessment OF
[summative]
Assessment AS
Affective:
Interests
Attitudes
Self-concept
Interactive:
Content Literacy
Student
understanding
Self-assessment
Goal setting

4. Assessment for Learning: Affective
What’s easy about [English/math/science/social studies/art, P.E./music/technology] and why?
What’s hard about this subject area and why?
MODEL FOR STUDENTS AND SHARE
Engage in a T-Chart for your most difficult content area:
For me, it’s MATH.
What’s Easy?
(Reading, writing, learning)
There’s only one answer.
Formulas are straightforward.
What’s Hard?
Looks like a foreign language.
Application decisions.

5. Assessment for Learning: Cognitive
Students’ understandings of concepts
Prompts “first or next steps” in planning
Indicates students’ skill levels
Provides students’ self-perceptions of understanding

6. Strategic Content Literacy Assessment (SCLA)
Provides information about:
How students have learned
Why they didn’t learn
What teachers can do to help them learn
SCLAs are based on clearly articulated curriculum targets and provide descriptive feedback on what and how students learn.

7. SCLA Activity Read the medical text you’ve been provided.
Circle any unfamiliar words as you read.
Then answer the questions on the back of the sheet.

8. Scoring SCLAs
Provides a whole-class snapshot of what students understand prior to beginning a lesson or unit.
Let’s score together by dividing into groups of 3-4.

9. Authentic Assessment of Learning
Focus on: Vocabulary

10. Each content area has its own vocabulary…
___________
metaphor
allusion
irony
paradox
symbolism
simile
imagery
____________
octagon
decagon
bisect
equilateral
quadrilateral
sine
cosine
____________
a cappella
measure
key
meter
octave
tempo
refrain
Each content area has it’s own set of technical vocabulary – being able to “speak the language” means one knows the vocabulary – and owns it.
Being able to “speak the language” means that one knows and owns it!

11. VOCABULARY Vocabulary is a vital part of disciplinary knowledge.
In many classrooms, it is the “missing piece”
When you teach vocabulary – you teach your content!

12. Overlapping and interconnected
Types of Vocabulary
Receptive
reading
listening
Expressive
writing
speaking
The listening and speaking vocabularies tend to be larger than the reading and writing vocabularies. The listening vocabulary is largest – writing vocabulary is smallest in terms of number of words. Teachers need to have a goal of moving vocabulary words from the listening vocabulary to the writing vocabulary – moving through the speaking and writing vocabularies to do so.
Overlapping and interconnected 2

13. Overlapping but separate vocabularies
facade
façade
an artificial or deceptive front

14. Levels of Vocabulary Comprehension
Application
Use of vocabulary in extended discourse
Use Word
Interpretive -
relational knowledge
Own Word
Levels of comprehension can be applied to vocabulary as they can be applied to questions. Modern language teachers work on the word perception level many times because they are teaching a NEW language – but students in other content areas need to work at higher levels -
Literal -
definitional knowledge
Rent Word
Word Perception -
word configuration knowledge
Recognize word 4

15. Concept of Definition Map (Graphic Organizer)

16. Concept of Definition Map - Example
What is it like? [properties or characteristics]
Category: Government Structure
Oppressive
Tyranny
Cruel
COMPARISON
Democracy
Absolute power
What are some examples?
Dictatorship
Totalitarianism
Autocracy
Remember: Graphic organizers do not have to contain words!!!

17. Frayer Model - Example Coal Oil Natural gas Water Wind Solar
ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS
Formed from dead plants and animals
Formed by exposure to heat or pressure in Earth’s crust over hundreds of millions of years
Sometimes known as mineral
fuels
NON-ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS
Companies that mine these resources
Coal
Oil
Natural gas
EXAMPLES
Water
Wind
Solar
NON-EXAMPLES
Fossil fuels

18. Frayer Model - Example

19. Semantic Feature Analysis
SFA is a strategy for helping students see relationships among key concepts and vocabulary as well as helping teachers assess students learning both prior to and after a content lesson or unit.
See handout example of a SFA for the Branches of Government.

20. Your Turn . . . Select a vocabulary word(s) you often teach
Create a Semantic Feature Analysis for multiple terms OR
Create a Concept of Definition Map or Frayer Model for one term

21. Vocabulary Reflection
Interpretive Activity: Create a Concept Circle to represent relationships among three of your vocabulary words
Application Activity: Select one word/concept and outline a RAFT² that would engage students in using the word or concept

22. Reinforcing Vocabulary
INCREASING
COGNITIVE
ENGAGEMENT
Levels of vocabulary reinforcement
Application:
Use of any of the interpretive activities in writing or discourse --
Interpretive:
List-Group-Label
Word sorts/Categories
Frayer model/Four square
Analogies
Graphic organizers - student generated
Word Perception:
Word scrambles
Word finds
Literal
Cross word puzzles •Magic square
Dictionary activities •Fill in the blanks

23. Break for Lunch

24. Application to Your Classroom
Working with a partner, create a lesson plan for how you may use one of the following strategies discussed today:
What’s Easy/What’s Hard
SCLA
Concept of Definition Map
Semantic Feature Analysis
Frayer Model
Concept Circle