Presented to:

Dr.Shafiq-ur-Rehman Presented by:

Ayesha Rashid MP/2015-S-12Umm-e-Rubab MP/2015-S-16

CHAPTER 15

GRADING AND REPORTINGGrading and reporting students progress is one of the more frustrating aspects of teaching, there are so many factors to consider and so many decisions to be made. This chapter removes some of the complexity by describing the various types of grading and reporting systems and providing guidelines for their effective use.

FUNCTIONS OF GRADING AND REPORTING SYSTEMS

School grading and reporting systems are designed to serve a variety of functions in the school. These include Instructional use Reports to parents Administrative and guidance uses

The focus of grading and reporting system should be the improvement of student learning and development. This is most likely to occur when the report

a) Clarifies the instructional objectives.b) Indicates the student’s strengths and weaknesses in

learning.c) Provides information concerning the student’s

personal-social development.d) Contributes to the student’s motivation.

Instructional Use

Informing parents of their children’s school progress is a basic function of a grading and reporting system. These reports should help parents understand the objectives of the school and how well their children are achieving the intended learning outcomes of their particular program.

Reports to parents

Grades and progress reports serve a number of administrative functions. They are used for Determining promotion. Awarding honors. Determining athletic eligibility. Reporting to other schools and prospective employers.Counselors use reports on student achievement and development, along with other information, to help students make realistic educational and vocational plans.

Administrative and Guidance uses

Traditional Letter-Grade SystemPass-Fail SystemChecklist of ObjectivesLetters to ParentsPortfolios of Student WorkParent Teacher Conferences

TYPES OF GRADING AND REPORTING SYSTEMS

The traditional use of letter grade system is to assign a single letter grade (e.g, A, B, C, D, E, F) for each subject. In some cases a single number (5, 4, 3, 2, 1 or 100, 95, 90) is used instead of a letter, but the grading system is essentially the same. This system is concise and convenient, the grades are easily averaged, and they are useful in predicting future achievement, but they have the following short-comings when used as the sole method of reporting.

Traditional Letter-Grade System

They typically are a combination of achievement, effort, work habits and good behavior.

The proportion of students assigned each letter grade varies from teacher to teacher.

They do not indicate the student’s specific strengths and weaknesses in learning.

Short Comings of Traditional Letter-Grade System

A two category system (e.g, satisfactory-unsatisfactory, pass-fail) has been used in some elementary schools for many years. More recently, it has also been used in some high schools and colleges. At these levels, it typically serves as an option to the traditional letter grades in a limited number of courses. It permits students to take some courses, usually elective courses, under a pass-fail option that is not included in their grade point average.

Pass-Fail System

To provide more informative progress reports, some schools have replaced or supplemented the traditional grading system with a list of objectives to be checked or rated. These reports typically include ratings of progress toward the major objectives in each subject matter area.

Checklists of Objectives

For Example:Reading Reads with understanding Workout meaning and use of new words Read well to others Read independently for pleasure

Some schools have turned to the use of letters to provide for greater flexibility in reporting student progress to parents. Letters make it possible to report on the unique strengths, weaknesses, and learning needs of each student and to suggest specific plans for improvement.

Letters to parents

Comprehensive and thoughtful written reports require an excessive amount of time and skill.

Descriptions of student’s learning weaknesses are easily misinterpreted by parents.

Letters fail to provide a systematic and cumulative record of student progress toward the objectives of the school.

Shortcomings of Letters to Parents

An effective portfolio is more than simply a file into which student work products are placed. It is purposefully selected collection of work that often contains commentary on the entries by both students and teachers.

Portfolios of Student Work

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Some schools use regularly scheduled parent-teacher conferences. This reporting method is flexible that provides for two way communication between home and school.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

It requires a substantial amount of time and skill.

It does not provide a systematic record of student progress.

Some parents are unwilling or unable to come for conferences.

Shortcomings of Parent-Teacher Conferences

Some schools use multiple grading and reporting systems. The typical multiple reporting system retains the use of traditional grading and supplements the grades with checklists of objectives. In some cases, two grades are assigned to each subject, one for achievement and the other for the effort, improvement or growth.

MULTIPLE GRADING AND REPORTING SYSTEMS

The development of the grading and reporting system should be guided by the functions to be served.

The grading and reporting system should be developed cooperatively by parents, students, and school personnel.

The grading and reporting system should be based on a clear statement of educational objectives.

The grading and reporting system should be consistent with school standards.

Guidelines for Developing a Multiple Grading and Reporting System

The grading and reporting system should be based on adequate assessment.

The grading and reporting system should be detailed enough to be diagnostic and yet compact enough to be practical.

The grading and reporting system should provide for parent-teacher conferences.

Most of the schools use the A, B, C, D, F grading system, most teachers will be faced with the problem of assigning letter grades. This involves questions such as the following: What should be included in a letter grade? How should achievement data be combined in

assigning letter grades? What frame of reference should be used in grading? How should the distribution of letter grades be

determined?

ASSIGNING LETTER GRADES

Only achievement. Avoid temptation to include effort for less able

students, because:(a) Difficult to assess effort or potential.(b) Difficult to distinguish ability from achievement.

What should be included in a letter grade?

Properly weight each component to create a composite Must put all components on same scale to weight

properly:(a) equate ranges of scores(b)convert all to T-scores or other standard scores.

How should achievement data be combined in assigning letter grades?

Relative grading: score compared to other students(where you rank)

(a)grade (like a class rank) depends on what group you are in, not just your own performance

(b)typical grade may be shifted up or down, depending on group’s ability

(c)widely used because much classroom testing is norm-referenced

What frame of reference should be used in grading?

For Example:Now beauty of this is, it hides your score. Say you get 35

in Math and you are the highest you get an A. It is always better to tell your parents that you got A, rather than telling you got 35 . Relative grading is a continuous assessment of your performance.

Absolute grading: score compared to specified performance standards (what you can do)

(a) grade does NOT depend on what group you are in, but only on your own performance compared to a set of performance standards

(b)complex task, because must clearly define and justify the performance standards do criterion-referenced assessment

For Example:This is how absolute grading works. >75% you get an A. 60-75 it’s B. 50-60 it’s C .

Relative :distribution is a big issue(a)normal curve defensible only when have large group.(b)when “grading on the curve,” school staff should set

fair ranges of grades for different groups and courses.(c)when “grading on the curve,” any pass-fail decision

should be based on an absolute standard (i.e., failed the minimum essentials).

(d)standards and ranges should be understood and followed by all teachers.

Determining the distribution of grades

For Example:A= 10% to 20% of the studentsB=20% to 30 % of studentsC=30% to 50 % of students D=10% to 20 % of studentsF=0% to 10% of students

Absolute :distribution is not an issue.(a) system seldom uses letter grades alone(b) often includes checklists of what has been

mastered.(c) distribution of grades is not predetermined.

For Example:A=95% to 100% correct (Outstanding)B= 85% to 94 % correct (Very good)C=75% to 84% correct (Satisfactory)D= 65% to 74 % correct (Very weak)F= below 65% correct (Unsatisfactory)

1:Make plansReview your goals.Organize the information to present.Make list of points to cover and questions to

ask.If bring portfolios, select and review

carefully.

Guidelines for effective parent teacher conferences

2:Begin the conference in positive mannere.g. Ali really enjoys helping others. Maria is always helping.3:Present student’s strong points firstHelpful to have example of work to show

strengths and needsCompare early vs. later work to show

improvement

4:Encourage parents to participate and share information Be willing to listen Be willing to answer questions5:Plan actions cooperatively What steps you can each take Summarize at the end6:End with positive comment Should not be a vague generality Should be truee.g. Ali has a good sense of humor, and I enjoy having him in the class.7:Use good human relations skills

Aim: Present test results in understandable language, not

jargon. Put test results in context of total pattern of

information(in all domains) about the student. Keep it brief and simple.

Reporting Standardized Test Results to Parents

1:Describe what the test measures Use a general statement: e.g., “this test measures skills

and abilities that are useful in school learning” Avoid misunderstandings by:(a) not referring to learning ability tests as “intelligence”

tests.(b)not describing aptitudes and abilities test as measure

of fixed abilities.(c)not saying that “these test scores predict how well

your child will do in school”.

Actions related to communication of test results to parents

2:Explain meaning of test scoresFor norm-referenced explain norm group explain score type (percentile, stanine, etc.) stay with one type of score, if possible.For criterion-referenced more easily understood than

norm-referenced describe the standard of mastery may need to distinguish percentile from percent correct

that what the child learn and need to learn yet.

3:Clarify accuracy of scores Say all tests have error.For example:if we had scores such as these.Mathematics 8Reading 6Science 5We could interpret as “Performance is higher in

mathematics than reading and science, but there is no real difference in performance between reading and science”.

4:Discuss use of test results Coordinate all information related to the student’s

learning to plan further actions for children .

School grades and progress reports serve various functions in the school. They provide information that is helpful to, students , parents and school personnel.

Parents, teachers and counselors use the information in guiding learning and development and in helping students make realistic future plans.

Summary