1. WELCOME
How do we
define assessment?

2. Differentiated Classroom
Ongoing Assessment:
The Key to A
Differentiated Classroom

3. Take a moment to think about the reasons you assess students.
Why Do You Assess?
Take a moment to think about the reasons you assess students.

4. LEARNING GRADES ONGOING ASSESSMENT Some teachers Some teachers
talk about---
LEARNING
Some teachers
talk about---
GRADES
VS.
Can these two coexist peacefully?
Should one receive emphasis over the other?

5. “Assessment is today’s means of
understanding how to modify
tomorrow’s instruction.”
Carol Tomlinson

6. How Do You Assess? Think about some ways you typically assess
students in your classroom.

7. WHAT CAN BE ASSESSED? READINESS LEARNING PROFILE INTEREST Content
Areas of Strength
and Weakness
Work Preferences
Self Awareness
Interest Surveys
Interest Centers
Self-Selection
Content
Knowledge
Skills
Concepts

8. “Assessment should always have
more to do with helping students
grow than with cataloging their
mistakes.”
Carol Tomlinson

9. When Do You Assess? Most teachers assess students at the
end of an instructional unit or sequence.
When assessment and instruction are
interwoven, both the students and the
teacher benefit. The next slide suggests
a diagnostic continuum for
ongoing assessment.

10. On-going Assessment: A Diagnostic Continuum
Preassessment
(Finding Out)
Formative Assessment
(Keeping Track & Checking -up)
Summative Assessment
(Making sure)

11. On-going Assessment: A Diagnostic Continuum
Feedback and Goal Setting
Preassessment
(Finding Out)
Formative Assessment
(Keeping Track & Checking -up)
Summative Assessment
(Making sure)
Pre-test
Graphing for Greatness
Inventory
KWL
Checklist
Observation
Self-evaluation
Questioning
Conference Exit Card
Peer evaluation Portfolio Check
3-minute pause Quiz
Observation Journal Entry
Talkaround Self-evaluation
Questioning
Unit Test
Performance Task
Product/Exhibit
Demonstration
Portfolio Review

12. Preassessment Is...
Any method, strategy or process used to determine a
student’s current level of readiness or interest in order to
plan for appropriate instruction.
Preassessment:
provides data that can determine options for students to
to take in information, construct meaning, and to
demonstrate understanding of new information
helps teachers anticipate differences before planning
challenging and respectful learning experiences
allows teachers to meet students where they are

13. Formative Assessment Is...
A process of accumulating information about a student’s
progress to help make instructional decisions that will
improve his/her understandings and achievement levels.
Formative Assessment:
depicts student’s life as a learner
used to make instructional adjustments
alerts the teacher about student misconceptions
“early warning signal”
allows students to build on previous experiences
provides regular feedback
provides evidence of progress
aligns with instructional/curricular outcomes

14. Summative Assessment Is...
A means to determine a student’s mastery and
understanding of information, skills, concepts, or
processes.
Summative Assessment:
should reflect formative assessments that precede it
should match material taught
may determine student’s exit achievement
may be tied to a final decision, grade or report
should align with instructional/curricular outcomes
may be a form of alternative assessment

15. SOME THOUGHTS ON ASSESSMENT
Assessment refers to what happens on a daily basis in the classroom.
“…ways to use instruction to inform next steps”
…continual feedback that helps students progress over time.
“Assessment-Instruction Cycle”
used to be instruct, instruct, instruct, then assess
now assessment and instruction are interwoven
Students should be learning to self-assess, make adjustments, and
improve performance.
Not helping students gauge their performance can be costly
to them.
We need to give students models for what we are asking
them to do.