Guiding Principles for Classroom Assessment

• A. General

• Student assessment should be humane

• B Responsibility (Who?)

• Student assessment is the responsibility of classroom teachers

C. Standards (How Good?)

• The standards used for interpreting student assessment results should be consistent with the purposes of the evaluation

• D. Purposes (Why?)

• Student assessment should be used for a number of purposes

E. Evaluating What We Value (What?)

• Assessment practices should reflect all the valid outcomes of a unit, course, school or board

• Assessment techniques should measure the learning that they are intended to assess, i.e. they should be valid

F. Variety (How?)

• Student assessment procedures should be varied and consistent with the purpose(s) of the assessment(s)

• More than one assessment method should be used to ensure comprehensive and consistent indicators of student performance, i.e. to enhance reliability

• Take into account the backgrounds and prior experiences of students

G. Frequency (When?)

• Evaluation should occur throughout the teaching/learning process

• H. Modifications

• Alternate assessment procedures should be used with students who have special needs

I. Communication (Grading and Reporting)

• Procedures for “scoring” student performance should be appropriate for the assessment method used and be consistently applied and monitored

• Procedures for summarizing and interpreting assessment results, i.e. grades and reports, should provide accurate and informative representations of student performance

I. Communication (Grading and Reporting)

• Procedures for “scoring” student performance should be appropriate for the assessment method used and be consistently applied and monitored

• Procedures for summarizing and interpreting assessment results, i.e. grades and reports, should provide accurate and informative representations of student performance

I. Communication (Grading and Reporting) continued

• Reports should be clear, accurate and informative for the recipients of such documents

Classroom Assessment in Teacher Decision Making

• Teacher as a mentor to individual students- uses assessment to guide interaction with the student

• Teacher as a guide for the class- uses assessment to oversee

the operation of the classroom

Classroom Assessment in Teacher Decision Making

• Teacher as marks accountant- uses assessment to record day-to-day marks

• Teacher as reporter- uses assessment to report to parents, teachers (report cards)

• Teacher as program director- uses assessment to guide teaching decisions

The ICE Model of Assessment

• Ideas Building blocks of learning, i.e. steps in a process

• Connections- links or relationships students make among the Ideas and between new and prior learning i.e. combining steps

• Extensions- internalization of learning by students so it becomes part of their perspective i.e. using learning in novel ways

Adapting Classroom Assessment for Exceptional Learners

• Adapting learning outcomes

• Preparing students for classroom tests

• Adapting tests during test construction

• Adapted administration of classroom tests

• Adapting marking of classroom tests

• Using adapted performance assessments

• Portfolios as classroom assessments

Handout 8.1 (Hutchinson, 2002)

DESIGNING A QUALITATIVE RUBRIC

ELEMENTS IDEAS CONNECTIONS EXTENSIONS

\      

       

       

       

Testing Accommodations

• Before the test-

• Study guides

• Practice tests

• Teaching test-taking skills

• Modified test construction

• Individual tutoring

Testing Accommodations

• During the test-

• Alternate test format

• Alternate means of response

• Alternative sites

• Direct assistance

• Extra time

Testing Accommodations

• After the test-

• Change letter or number grades

• Change grading criteria

• Use alternatives to number and letter grade

Teaching Students with Low Incidence Exceptionalities

• Description

• Incidence

• Characteristics

• Classroom implications

• Implications for social and career participation

Modified Program for Students with Severe Developmental

Disabilities Includes:• Functional academic skills

• Physical development and personal care

• Communication skills and social interaction skills

• Community living skills

• Career development, work experience and transition planning

Baseline Data

• Recording of the behaviours exhibited by a student prior to the intervention

Event Recording

• Recording of how often a behaviour occurs i.e. frequency

Duration Recording

• Recording of the length of time a student engages in a specific behaviour

Latency Recording

• Recording the time between the presentation of the cue to perform a task and the student’s actual initiation of the task

Scoring by Levels

• Recording of the levels of assistance or intervention necessary to facilitate the student’s performance of a task

Accommodations

• Adapting skill sequences-rearranging the typical order of steps within a task

• Adapting rules-changing certain rules to allow more participation

• Utilizing personal assistance-aids, peer tutors, buddy systems to accomplish tasks

Accommodations

• Fostering social/attitudinal changes-changing assumptions and beliefs of the student, family, professionals and community members

Accommodations

• Creating or using materials and devices to meet specific needs of specific students-microswitches, mechanical devices, calculators, computers, communication devices, special handles, lifts

Selecting Appropriate Integration Opportunities

• Select activities that enhance the student’s abilities and self-image rather than highlight their disabilities

• Emphasize similarities i.e. intervening with the entire group when working with students with and without handicaps-”What do you all need to do next?”

Selecting Appropriate Integration Opportunities

• Facilitate interaction and communication-all students must receive training in the use of adaptive devices/technology

• Provide students with severe handicaps systematic and direct instruction regarding appropriate instruction through naturally occurring interactions, role playing, rehearsing and coaching

Facilitating Interactions

• Facilitate reciprocal rather than helping interactions

• Allow all student varied opportunities to help

• Stress cooperation rather than helping

• Provide opportunities to show off competencies and strengths

Facilitating Interactions

• Encourage maximum participation of all students

• Set up interaction opportunities that are valued activities for all students

• Fade teacher intervention/intrusion as quickly as possible

Facilitating Interactions

• Avoid having non-handicapped peers implement nonfunctional or undignified teaching programs i.e. toileting

• Encourage choice and decision making

• Structure seating arrangements, playground activities, hallway mobility and positioning to facilitate interactions

Facilitating Interactions

• When students are working or playing together in a group, reinforce and intervene with the entire group

• Use opportunities like teasing to teach values and appropriate responses to teasing, and to provide factual information

• Develop a social interaction project for all students

Facilitating Interactions

• Answer students’ questions about disabilities factually without unnecessary detail or additional information. Use positive terminology, focus on abilities and emphasize similarities

• Encourage after-school relationships and activities

Facilitating Interactions

• Conduct evaluations and determine quality of interactions I.e. amount of time, quality/type of interactions, perceptions and attitudes of students, teachers.

• Facilitate interactions, relationships and friendships rather than “programs”.

Social Skills and Friendship

• Displays positive interaction style: a smile

• Gets the message across: augmentative communication

• Is reinforcing to others: express feelings in positive ways

• Initiates thoughtful actions: birthday card

• Is a good listener: listening skills

Social Skills and Friendship

• Shares belongings and feelings: playing in the same sand box

• Has similar likes and dislikes: computer club

• Takes the perspectives of others: simulations

• Is trustworthy and loyal: sitting by a friend who is sad

Instructional Strategies

• Shaping- systematic reinforcement of a desirable behaviour

• Modeling- demonstrating a behaviour for the student to imitate

• Coaching- direct instruction, opportunities to practice the skill(s) with peers and a post review session to review the skill

Fading

• Fade assistance as soon as naturally occurring supports are available

• Too much assistance may hinder the development of friendships

Goal

• The challenge to professionals is to create the optimal environment that encourages individuals with and without handicaps to be friends with one another.