Choosing the Appropriate Assessment Type

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How do you know that the assessment chosen is appropriate?

Decide on what you need to know and what type of standard do you want to measure against. Then, select either a formal or informal assessment to indicate to you what you want to know. Let's look at a couple of examples:

a. The teacher wants to know if the student understands the economic vocabulary she just taught. The teacher would use an informal measure or teacher developed test that asks the student to define or use these terms.

b. The teacher wants to know if the student understands the economic vocabulary she just taught and how does the student compare to students in the nation on vocabulary development. The teacher would administer a vocabulary test that was standardized on a national population or a formal test.

Brenda Weaver is the K-5 Language Arts/Social Studies Coordinator for Skaneateles Central Schools in Skaneateles, New York. She has been a classroom teacher, reading teacher, assistant principal, principal, curriculum coordinator, and college instructor. She has published articles and books on the topic of literacy and leveling books. The Skaneateles Language Arts Program, which was developed under her supervision, has won two International Reading Association Exemplary Reading Awards and is a top scorer on the new New York State Grade 4 English/Language Arts Test. Her first book for Scholastic, Ready-To-Use Reading Assessments & Intervention Strategies for K-2, is available in the Teacher Store.

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