1. Build it and They Will Come
Classroom structures and settings that support formative assessment
Instructional Services 1

2. Build it and They Will Come
Classroom structures and settings that support formative assessment
Instructional Services 2

3. Student Self Assessment
Involve students in setting and using criteria
Engage students in self-assessment
Increase the sources of specific, descriptive feedback
Assist students to set goals
Have students collect evidence of learning in relation to standards
Have students present evidence of learning in relation to standards
Instructional Services

4. Setting Criteria with Students
What is Important for a Quality Poster?
Brainstorm a list of ideas
Sort and group the ideas
Make and post an anchor chart
Use and revise the anchor chart as you learn more
Instructional Services

5. Instructional Services 2009-2010
Making a Poster
Criteria
Specifics/ Details
Interesting to audience
Interesting information
Descriptive words
Grabs audience’s attention
Easy to Read
Neat
Spelling
Big print
Appearance
Colourful
Well organized
Different fonts
Instructional Services

6. Collecting Evidence of Student Learning
BRAINSTORM – TABLE DISCUSSION: HOW ARE YOU COLLECTING EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING NOW?

7. The Collection of Evidence
Keep the process simple
Involve the students in being responsible for the evidence
Include more than written work as evidence
Help students and parents understand why the evidence is important
Anne Davies says:
The process of students collecting evidence of learning needs to be practical and possible.
Help students undersatnd why they are keeping track of their evidence.
Explain who is going to see the evidence.
Work with students to design a simple system that they can use e.g. folders or magazine files or digital storeage.
Provide students with time to store their evidence.
Instructional Services 7

8. Instructional Services 2009-2010
Reading Portfolio Gr
Teacher tools for collecting evidence.
Instructional Services

9. Triangulation Observaton of Process Conversations
Creating an assessment plan:
Varied sources of evidence
Looking for patterns and trends in student learning
If your evidence is triangulated you are likely to have varied types of assessment information.
Conversations
Collection of Products
Instructional Services 9

10. The Student Portfolio could include the above.

12. Intentional Conversation
The teacher-student conference

13. Instructional Services 2009-2010
Conferences
Conferences are brief, scheduled meetings (three-to five-minute sessions) between the teacher and a student to discuss the student’s progress, work and goals.
Conferences enable teachers to find out about a student’s own perceptions of their learning and achievements and to obtain a deeper understanding of the student’s progress.
- A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction Grades 4 to 6
Instructional Services

14. Thinking About Conferencing
When are you finding time to confer with students?
How do you determine the focus of the conference?
What materials do the participants bring to the conference?
What information can you obtain in a conference?
Table talk discussion.
Instructional Services

15. Before Conducting a Conference
The Teacher:
Determines the time and purpose
Carefully plans the questions to use to prompt the student
Advises students as to what materials they need to bring to the conference
Instructional Services

16. Instructional Services 2009-2010
During the conference
The teacher:
Makes the student feel comfortable and establishes the purpose
Encourages the student to express his or her own views, prompts with questions and records the student’s comments and responses
Helps the student set attainable goals and support the student by suggesting strategies to help obtain the goals
Instructional Services

17. After the Conference
Ask the child to rephrase the feedback for next steps in her or his own words
Older students can record their goal
The teacher records her or his anecdotal notes and their next session ‘look fors’
In the subsequent conferences, the teacher looks for evidence of achievement of the goal
If evidence is not indicated, the teacher adjusts instruction or specificity of feedback

18. Tools for Tracking Student Learning
Comprehension Strategies Checklist for a Reading Conference vol. 2 p. 97
Reading Observation Checklist vol. 2 p. 98
Oral Language and Listening Skills Checklist vol. 2. p. 99
Sample Template for Taking a Record of Reading Behaviour vol. 2 p. 101.
Instructional Services

20. Information Provided by a Conference
Students’ perceptions of their learning and achievements
A deeper understanding of the student’s progress; the problems they encounter; the goals they set; and the strategies they use to improve
Instructional Services

21. The Teacher-Student Conference in Action
HANDOUT- While watching this video clip, record your thoughts on the organizer provided.

22. Instructional Services 2009-2010
Scheduling
How could you organize your instructional blocks to ensure that conferences are happening each day?
Presenters: Provide time for table discussions and then a large group sharing of ideas.
What are the practices you are currently using to facilitate conferences that are proving to be effective?
Instructional Services

23. Self-Assessment Tools
Self-assessment tools in The Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction 4-6 vol. 2:
Self assessment survey
Sentence stems for self-assessment: writing; oral presentation
Exit slips
Reading attitude survey
Instructional Services

26. Student Teacher Conference

27. Reading Conference- Text Features

28. Key Understandings
Timely- formative feedback needs to happen at the time of learning.
Teacher adjusts instruction or feedback if students are not applying feedback.
Instruction is driven by student evidence and our feedback to student learning.