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Informal
Assessments
Assessment is a vital part of any special education program. Formal assessments are crucial for measurable, normative data that teachers of special education students can use. Also as important are informal assessment tools. Learning Team D will take a look at several of these informal assessment strategies, and how they assist educators in identifying the strengths and needs of students.
Classroom observation is one example of informal assessment. Observations can be used as a thorough means of documenting a student’s progress or regression as they pertain to academic goals. They can give insight into specific components of learning that need reinforcement. Classroom observations allow teachers to highlight classroom interventions, accommodations or adaptations that have the largest influence students. Often with no additional cost to the district, multiple team members can complete student observations with minimal effort or disruption to the routine, making classroom observations an ideal informal assessment to gauge strengths and needs of a student at any stage of the special education process.
Portfolio assessments can also be used informally to evaluate students. Portfolios are an organized compilation of a student’s work over a period of time. A good portfolio tells the story of the student’s progress and achievements. It can include many different types of work such as writing samples, journal entries, art work, teacher comments, test results or any other item, (or artifact), the teacher feels demonstrates the student’s skills. They can be especially useful for demonstrating the skills and knowledge of students who do not test well due to language barriers, test anxiety, or other communications problems. Evaluating portfolios takes considerable time and effort by the teacher, but for some students, the worthwhile effort can yield more accurate assessment results.
Teachers can also use writing samples as an accurate way to assess students’ comprehension of a lesson or skill set. Using journaling, free writing or writing assignments gives the teacher insight into the students’ classroom progress. They can be used to meet the needs of several types of learners; allowing shy students to express concerns or ask question, calculated students the opportunity to develop responses, and creative students the chance to explore their imagination. For teachers, writing samples provide information to help informally assess the students’ progress and achievements. Teachers can evaluate one sample to assess an individuals’ progress or several to detect patters depicting a lack of comprehension. With the information provided by writing samples, teachers can better decide how to individualize and tailor lessons for each student.
Informal inventories and quizzes provide an opportunity for teachers to assess a student’s comprehension and performance in a particular skill area. They are often used as screening devices as they assist in providing the instructor with an opportunity to identify the general level of a student’s ability within the curricular area. Inventories and quizzes are not intended to identify the mastery of every area of a particular domain, but rather allow the teacher insight into the student level of comprehension based on the delivery of lesson plans. Accordingly, quizzes provide the teacher with an ability to focus tailored instructional strategies based on feedback provided from these informal assessments to assist students in particular areas of need and review.
Assessment, whether it is formal or informal, is an integral part of teaching. It provides valuable information about each student’s progress and forms a basis for further instruction. Informal assessments provide the teacher with the opportunity to evaluate students’ skills and knowledge without the added pressure of a formal assessment. This paper has covered only a few of the many types of informal assessments commonly used. It is the teacher’s responsibility to decide which type of assessment best suits the needs of a particular student. However, whichever type of assessment is used should be valid, reliable, and fair. Assessment should also serve its main purpose; to provide all students with an equal opportunity to learn and demonstrate their skills and knowledge.
Assessment is a vital part of any special education program. Formal assessments are crucial for measurable, normative data that teachers of special education students can use. Also as important are informal assessment tools. Learning Team D will take a look at several of these informal assessment strategies, and how they assist educators in identifying the strengths and needs of students.
Classroom observation is one example of informal assessment. Observations can be used as a thorough means of documenting a student’s progress or regression as they pertain to academic goals. They can give insight into specific components of learning that need reinforcement. Classroom observations allow teachers to highlight classroom interventions, accommodations or adaptations that have the largest influence students. Often with no additional cost to the district, multiple team members can complete student observations with minimal effort or disruption to the routine, making classroom observations an ideal informal assessment to gauge strengths and needs of a student at any stage of the special education process.
Portfolio assessments can also be used informally to evaluate students. Portfolios are an organized compilation of a student’s work over a period of time. A good portfolio tells the story of the student’s progress and achievements. It can include many different types of work such as writing samples, journal entries, art work, teacher comments, test results or any other item, (or artifact), the teacher feels demonstrates the student’s skills. They can be especially useful for demonstrating the skills and knowledge of students who do not test well due to language barriers, test anxiety, or other communications problems. Evaluating portfolios takes considerable time and effort by the teacher, but for some students, the worthwhile effort can yield more accurate assessment results.
Teachers can also use writing samples as an accurate way to assess students’ comprehension of a lesson or skill set. Using journaling, free writing or writing assignments gives the teacher insight into the students’ classroom progress. They can be used to meet the needs of several types of learners; allowing shy students to express concerns or ask question, calculated students the opportunity to develop responses, and creative students the chance to explore their imagination. For teachers, writing samples provide information to help informally assess the students’ progress and achievements. Teachers can evaluate one sample to assess an individuals’ progress or several to detect patters depicting a lack of comprehension. With the information provided by writing samples, teachers can better decide how to individualize and tailor lessons for each student.
Informal inventories and quizzes provide an opportunity for teachers to assess a student’s comprehension and performance in a particular skill area. They are often used as screening devices as they assist in providing the instructor with an opportunity to identify the general level of a student’s ability within the curricular area. Inventories and quizzes are not intended to identify the mastery of every area of a particular domain, but rather allow the teacher insight into the student level of comprehension based on the delivery of lesson plans. Accordingly, quizzes provide the teacher with an ability to focus tailored instructional strategies based on feedback provided from these informal assessments to assist students in particular areas of need and review.
Assessment, whether it is formal or informal, is an integral part of teaching. It provides valuable information about each student’s progress and forms a basis for further instruction. Informal assessments provide the teacher with the opportunity to evaluate students’ skills and knowledge without the added pressure of a formal assessment. This paper has covered only a few of the many types of informal assessments commonly used. It is the teacher’s responsibility to decide which type of assessment best suits the needs of a particular student. However, whichever type of assessment is used should be valid, reliable, and fair. Assessment should also serve its main purpose; to provide all students with an equal opportunity to learn and demonstrate their skills and knowledge.