Topics
In Assessment for English Language Learners
Notes: August 29, 2002
Resources:
Julia will send the National Clearinghouse for
English Language Acquisition (NCELA, formerly NCBE) electronic newsletter
to the group and suggestions of possible readings.
Their web site is: http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/
Kristin told us about a neat web site for rubrics:
http://www.rubristar.4teachers.org/
San Jose Elementary Group -
We gained three new participants this week from East
San José:
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Liz Chavez
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Erica Garcia
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Rachel Baucom
Goal setting:
Taking the questions from last week, we split
them up into categories. The first categories that emerged were:
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How do we assess a diverse population - with particular
needs, individual kids, learning styles, disabilities, cultural differences,
and language differences - in a way that is student friendly, valid, and
show the students’ best performance?
-
How do we validly assess second language learners?
-
How do we collect, manage, analyze, and use assessment
data?
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How can assessment drive our instruction?
-
What kinds of assessments are available and how do
we pick the right ones for our purposes?
Next week, we will decide on a project or activity
that we want to tackle that will lead to these learning objectives. So,
be thinking about it!
Joint Discussion
As a whole group we picked the following topics
and people responsible for leading the discussion on the following days.
Tentative Class Schedule
9-5: Math Exemplars - Diana and Sue (rubric
reading)
9-12: Math Exemplars - Diana and Sue (Gwen
will bring some assessments to Julia to copy)
9-19: Concepts about Print & DRA -
Kristin
9-26: Design for Literacy Guided Reading
- Gwen
10-3: brainstorm classroom-based assessment
for guided reading: Rachel and Lupe (bring graphic organizers)
10-17: continue to brainstorm classroom-based
assessment
10-24: ways to assess writing - rubrics
(Julia)
10-31: independent work on rubrics - no
class meeting tonight
11-7: sharing rubrics for writing - Julia
11-14: to be determined
11-21: to be determined
12-5: to be determined
Off-campus Group
These are the big questions that Gwen, Joyce and
Kristin had:
· What different assessments are out there?
· What’s really gonna be beneficial, not
just there to do?
· How do we use assessments to demonstrate
strengths, not just weaknesses?
· How do we make it meaningful?
· How do we all put this together?
Brainstorm Activity: When do you want
to be with your teaching in December?
Gwen: I want to be able to implement the testing
tools we are given with confidence in my ability in acquiring accurate
data for my students to show the greatest amount of growth by the end of
the year by using that data.
Joyce: To know what to do, in terms of teaching,
based on different kinds of assessments, like observations.
Kristin: To be able to use assessments effectively,
not just because I am supposed to use them. This goes along with making
assessment meaningful.
Based on the brainstorm activity and the group’s
questions, we decided to start our work on assessment by looking at the
published curriculum that each of the group is supposed to be working towards.
Each week, one person will bring her curriculum (i.e standards, scope and
sequence, program, etc.) and we will working on it, trying to identify:
1. What are the big goals that you are working
toward?
2. How will you know that you have reached those
goals?
3. What are some smaller objectives that will
help you reach those goals?
4. What are some different activities that would
be appropriate ways to work toward your goals?
Tentative Schedule:
9-5: Joyce - bring APS kindergarten standards
9-12: Gwen - bring curriculum and added
material
9-19: Kristin - bring standards and themes
9-26: Joyce
10-3: Gwen
10-17: Kristin
10-24: Joyce
10-31: library night
11-7: Gwen
11-14: Kristin
11-21: to be determined
12-5: to be determined
Don’t forget!
Joyce wants readings on centers - Kristin will
bring a book for her on that.
Gwen has a bunch of graphic organizers to share.
She will bring those next week.