Assessment 5
When is homework most effective?
All homework should have a clearly defined purpose. The homework can vary in design and complexity. Students will make good use of homework if they feel it is useful.
Which of the following is an example of a modification?
Altering a test to account for 3 out of the 5 TEKS is a modification because it changes what the student is expected to learn.
Which of the following is an example of a performance assessment in a music class?
A performance assessment is based on observation and judgment of the quality of student work. Completing a multiple choice exam or writing an essay is a traditional form of assessment.
Which of the following terms is closely associated with informal assessment?
Informal assessment is considered assessment for learning because it is intended to promote further student learning.
Ms. Chang has a very welcoming classroom environment. Her desks are in pods to elicit conversation with a word wall and several manufactured posters hanging around the room. Which of the following should Ms. Chang change to help improve the learning environment?
Replacing manufactures posters with anchor charts that are created by the class will help students remember what they have been taught.
What is the primary benefit to asking "robust" questions?
Robust questions help elicit a deeper understanding concepts such as helping the teacher determine what students know, how they use information, and the need students might have for clarification
What is the purpose of STAAR/EOC assessments?
The STAAR test and EOC assessments are designed to identify the proficiency level and instructional needs of individual students, schools, and districts. It also helps determine growth over time.
Which of the following best describes the type of assessment of the State of Texas (STAAR) test?
The STAAR test is both summative (it assesses the student's learning to determine whether or not the student has met the criteria for mastery) and criterion referenced (it compares the student's performance to a specific proficiency level).)
When creating a summative assessment, what should the teacher consider FIRST?
The TEKS provide the objective and the rigor with which the objective is assessed. This should be used to guide the objectives assessed on the summative assessment.
Vi is a new student Ms. Ta's eighth grade English Language Arts and Reading class. According to Freeman, Freeman, and Ramirez (2008), what should Ms. Ta do first?
The best place to start is by acquiring knowledge about the student. It can be as simple of asking questions about family and home country.
Rather than simply correcting a student that responds incorrectly to a question, which of the following strategy would be best for a teacher to use?
The correct answer is cuing
What is the primary objective of the English Language Proficiency Standards?
The goal of the English Language Proficiency Standards is to develop English language skills in students for whom English is not their first language.
According to Fisher and Frey, what type of "robust" question is provided below?Can you show me where you found that information?
Clarification question requires extending thinking by asking a student to provide evidence
In addition to meeting the criterion for one of the thirteen disabilities, what other criteria must a child meet to become eligible for special education services?
Educational need is required to become eligible for special education services
Ms. Gonzalez, a sixth grade science teacher, is looking for a way to bring closure to her lesson over weather. Which of the following activities would you suggest for Ms. Gonzalez?
Engaging in a metacognitive activity will allow students to evaluate and reflect on their learning for the unit
According to research, how long should a teacher wait after asking a question?
3 seconds or more
A recent assessment was given to 100 students. On the first question, 57 student answered "A" the correct answer. What is the difficulty index?
57 divided by 100 is .57 (or 57 percent).
Which of the following statements is true regarding data and best practices?
A quality assessment will produce purposeful data that will drive instructional practices.
What is the best way to prevent giving a subjective assessment?
A rubric sets a standard for scoring.
Which of the following scenarios would be best for an ELL student?
A class that has interactive groups with Kagan's cooperative structures embedded elicits purposeful participation.
Why are teaching cognates important for English Language Learners?
A cognate is a word that is similar to the words learned in English. Teaching cognates allow a student to bridge his first language with his second language. This can help support vocabulary and content.
Which of the following is true regarding academic conversations?
Academic conversations take time to build and should be modeled by the teacher because it leads to critical thinking and then critical writing.
Why is creating a blueprint for a test helpful?
Creating a blueprint ensures that the objective are covered at the appropriate rigor level and weighted accordingly.
What is criterion validity?
Criterion validity refers to the extent to which scores on the test agree with or predict an external criterion.
Why is it important to increase the wait time for English Language Learners?
ELLs traditionally need additional wait time during questioning to process the question and their answer and translate both into English.
Mr. Braden is an eighth grade social studies teacher with seven English Language Learners in his class. His upcoming unit is over the California Gold Rush. Which of the following would help assist ELL learners throughout this unit?
Posing a question that connects to prior knowledge will allow the ELL learners to connect the subject. Also, pre-teaching academic vocabulary will help students acquire the language needed to understand the lesson. A written quiz to determine student's prior knowledge on the topic might misrepresent their understanding, especially if the student is at a beginner or intermediate proficiency level.
With regards to testing, which of the following is best defines reliability?
Reliability is the extent to which the results are consistent. Validity is the accuracy of the assessment.
How does organizing and managing a classroom benefit students?
Organizing and managing a classroom benefits students by defining clear rules and expectation, developing student skills, and building responsibility and accountability for learning.
Mr. Jackson teaches third grade math. His students are currently struggling with multiplication problems. Which of the following would be the best way to efficiently check for understanding after teaching a lesson?
Solving problems on a personalized white board would allow the teacher to quickly scan the room to determine who answered the problem correctly.
Which of the following is a good example of a true/false question?
The setting of Romeo and Juliet is in Verona, Italy is a good example of a true/false question because it avoids using a double negative and absolutes.
Ms. McKend, a fifth grade math teacher, gave a quiz to assess students' ability to round decimals to the nearest tenths. However, Ms. McKend became discouraged when only two out of her 25 students passed the exam. What should Ms. McKend consider first?
Because so few students passed the exam, it is important to consider if the assessment was appropriately aligned to the learning standards.
Which type of questions elicit higher thinking skills?
Constructed responses require students to recall or construct the answer.
How does academic and conversational English differ?
Conversational English has the context embedded which helps increase comprehension.
According to research, when does formative assessment have the biggest impact on student achievement?
Formative assessments should yield accurate information and give effective feedback.
What does modeling allow students to better understand?
Modeling allows students the opportunity to observe the demonstration of a skill or problem solving strategy by an expert and develop inner dialogue when deconstructing a question or problem.
Mrs. Romney, a first grade teacher, notices that her student Kezia if falling behind learning the required TEKS. Additionally, Kezia has been acting out by hitting her peers and verbally attacking them. When Mrs. Romney attempts to correct Kezia's behavior, Kezia becomes emotional and shuts down. Mrs. Romney has already contacted and met with Kezia's parents. What is the next step Mrs. Romney should take?
Mrs. Romney should initiate the screening process using response to intervention.
Which strategy is used when a teacher models his process of thinking for students to hear?
A think aloud is a strategy in which the teacher models his process of thinking for the students to hear.
What is a primary benefit to using constructed responses?
Constructed responses allow students to improve their writing skills in the content area if feedback is given
Ms. Bray, a high school teacher, is part of a data team that is analyzing the scores from the most recent End of Course administration for US History. The team has noted remarkable improvement in the scores of African American students. Which of the following would be an appropriate and purposeful response?
Identifying the interventions that have been offered will help the group correlate success to the subgroup.
Which of the following can help motivate students involved in an inclusion program?
Peer tutors or mentors and leadership opportunities can be a great motivator and help improve a student's self-esteem
What is one of the benefits of a "two-way bilingual" (Dual Language) program?
Two-way bilingual allows both English and Spanish speakers to become fluent in another language. This program embraces bilingualism and promotes biliteracy.
Mr. Smith, a tenth grade English Language Arts teacher, wants to conference with students during class about a recent writing assignment. What does he need to consider?
When conferencing with students, it is important to design an activity that aligns to the TEKS that students can complete independently.
Which of the following is not one of the four domains of the T-TESS rubric?
While assessment is included in the dimensions, it is not one of the domains.
Which of the following is the best way to order questions in a test?
While you want to start the test with a couple of easy questions, it is best to vary the difficulty of the questions.
Which of the following strategies will help an ELL acquire academic vocabulary?
Word walls and visual representation of words are beneficial for teaching vocabulary explicitly.
What does checking for understanding allow a teacher to assess?
it allows the teacher to know if they need to further scaffold instruction, the skills the students have masters, and insight as to why a student is thinking a particular way.
Jesse is struggling to write an expository essay in English class. Which of the following formative assessment would Jesse benefit from?
A student-teacher conference would allow the teacher to give specific and valuable feedback of the learning target.
Which of the following explains why a teacher might ask an elicitation question as opposed to a heuristic question?
An elicitation would allow a teacher to better understand a student's prior knowledge.
Mr. Le, a special education teacher at Rydell High, has noticed that other staff members seem resistant to "dealing" with special education students. He has overheard teachers complaining that they have to "water down curriculum" for students, or that the "special education teacher is the only one that should have to work with those students." In order to create a quality inclusion program, what should Mr. Le emphasize?
Because the implementation of inclusion is often controversial and challenging, it is important that the campus fosters a collaborative working environment between special education teachers, general education teachers, and related service providers. Providing ongoing staff development on differentiated instruction will help teachers meet the needs of all the student. Finally, a campus wide positive behavior support system will assist in creating an inviting learning environment.
Which of the following is considered a best practice for assessment?
Best practices involve giving a review of the concepts that will be on the assessment. The rigor of the class activity should correlate with the rigor of the test. Giving the students an exact copy of the test doesn't truly assess the mastery of the skills and content.
Which of the following reflects a SMART goal?
By May 2012 (timely), all AP Biology students will demonstrate growth in analyzing data and sources of error (relevant) by improving at least one rank level (achievable) from the pre-assessment given in the fall to the official AP Biology exam given in the spring (measureable through an Ipsative standard).
What is the difference between cognitive prompts and metacognitive prompts?
Cognitive prompts trigger academic knowledge, and are based on either background knowledge. Metacognitive prompts are based on student reflection which comes from Heuristic questioning.
How does formative assessment differ from summative assessment?
Formative assessments are assessments for learning, while summative assessments are assessments of learning.
In order for a student to exit an ESL program, which of the following criteria must be met?
In order for a student to exit an ESL program, he needs a fluent score on English OLPT and a proficient score on a norm-referenced standardized test, such as the STAAR test. Both criteria must be met.
Which of the following statements best summarizes the characteristics of effective feedback?
In order to give effective feedback, the teacher and student need to understand a clearly defined goal, evidence of the student's present work, and a way to close the gap between the curriculum goals and the current work
In order to ensure an appropriate assessment is given, what needs to be considered?
Teachers should consider the learning target to determine the appropriate assessment and needs to be clearly communicated to students
Mr. Razo is working on building academic vocabulary with his students. To help students retain, comprehend, and apply vocabulary, he begins by describing the words using photographs and stories. After, he has the students restate the definition or description of the word. Once these steps are completed, students engage with activities that help students add to their understanding of the terminology. Occasionally, if time permits, he will play a jeopardy game to test students understanding of the words. According to Marzano, how could Mr. Razo revise his plans to reflect best practices for building academic vocabulary?
According to Marzano, creating a visual or symbol for the word and holding small groups of discussions which elicit responses using new vocabulary will allow students to connect to the vocabulary using different modes of learning. Simply copying the word doesn't allow students to use the word in context. Also, a norm-referenced quiz would be ineffective if it is given too often.
What is needed in order to make accurate and effective decisions about individuals?
Multiple sources of purposeful information about students should be gathered and used to inform instruction
Why might a teacher choose to use a non-traditional form of assessment?
Non-traditional assessments such as projects, performances, portfolios, journals, and interview provide insight to a student's thinking and problem solving skills.
Which of the following type of formal assessment is easy to design, mark, and assess?
Written questions or exercises with short, extended, or multiple-choice answers are widely used because they are easy to design, mark, and assess
Why should learning objectives be clearly posted for ELL students?
Learning objectives posted using student-friendly vocabulary will help ELL students build a connection between language objectives and content objectives. Well-stated objectives should not just list the activities for the class period, but rather the skill and content expected to be mastered.
Evaluate the scenario below: Mrs. Anderson teaches World Geography to a diverse group of ninth grade students. She asked the students to list the seven continents. Geraldo quickly raises his hand (as he always does) and Mrs. Anderson immediately calls on him. After correctly listing the seven continents, Mrs. Anderson continues to the next question. On the next unit assessment, she realizes that 50% of her students are not mastering the basic skills. What advice can you provide to Mrs. Anderson?
Increasing the wait time will allow more time for all students (including ELL and students will processing difficulties) to formulate an answer to the question. By doing so, it will increase the accountability of all students, as the expectation is that all students participate. Additionally, if Mrs. Anderson had asked probing questions, it would allow her to identify the gaps in learning. Creating a less rigorous test is not the solution if the test is aligned with the standards. However, implementing the above "best practices" would help increase student success.
What is the difference between readiness standards and supporting standards?
Readiness standards are considered essential for success in the current grade or course while supporting standard may be introduced in the current grade, emphasize in future years, or emphasize in previous years.
Which of the following is an early intervention process for children at-risk for not meeting their grade level standards?
Response to intervention (RtI) is an early intervention process used for children who are at-risk for not meeting their grade-level standards.
What is one of the benefits to using portfolio assessments?
Student portfolios are curriculum based and ask students to construct responses on real-world tasks.
Which of the following is the LPAC (Language Proficiency Assessment Committee) responsible for?
The LPAC committee is responsible for identifying ELL students, program placement, instructional needs, assessment, and reclassification.
Juan is a student in Ms. Waltman's third grade class. When Ms. Waltman was explaining directions, Juan looked interested and engaged. However, Ms. Waltman noticed that when she told the students to "get to work" Juan just sat in his seat. According to the TELPAS Proficiency Level Descriptors, how should Ms. Waltman evaluate Juan's listening level?
The student would be at the beginning proficiency because he is unable to seek clarification over the simple directions.
Ms. Phillips is trying to create a print-rich environment for her students. Which of the following should she consider utilizing in the classroom?
Word walls, word banks, labels, and anchor charts remind students of the print associated with the object. Involving students in the process of creating these ideas is important.
Which of the following outlines the four types of decisions assessment helps educators make?
screening, progress, diagnostic, or outcome
Read the TEK from the eighth grade Language Arts and Reading curriculum. Read the questions that follow. Which of the following question stems would help the teacher determine if the student has met the standard?(7) Comprehension of Literary Text/Literary Nonfiction. Students understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the varied structural patterns and features of literary nonfiction and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected to analyze passages in well-known speeches for the author's use of literary devices and word and phrase choice (e.g., aphorisms, epigraphs) to appeal to the audience.
"How does the author's use of an aphorism contribute to the overall meaning of the text" requires students to identify the aphorism, understand the aphorism, and explain how it contributes to the author's purpose. "Who wrote the following speech" only elicits a response in which students have to identify the rhetorical situation. "Having nothing, nothing can he lose" only elicits a response in which the student has to identify the literary device.
What is the purpose if having a diverse continuum of special education services?
A diverse continuum of special education services ensures that the student is placed in the least restrictive environment. It important that students have access to the curriculum to the greatest extent possible. This allows a student with disabilities to be educated with non-disabled peers to the maximum extent possible.
Which environment would be best for a student who needs specific and intensive instruction related to their specific area of disability?
A general education classroom and special education resource classroom allows student to receive specific and intensive instruction related to a specific area of disability.
Which of the following describes a Long Term English Learner?
A long term English learner is a student who has attended schools in the United States for a long period of time.
Which of the following teacher prompts would be appropriate for a student with 1-3 years of language acquisition?
A student with 1-3 years of language acquisition should have good comprehension and produce simple sentences. Additionally, speech is emerging, so it would be appropriate to ask questions such as why, how, explain.
Which of the following is (are) considered Supplementary Aids and Services?
A supplementary aids and service includes any special education service that the student may meet to meet his unique needs. Speech therapy, assistive technology, adaptive equipment, and occupational therapy are all forms of Supplementary Aids and Services.
What do the ipsative standards compare?
Ipsative standards compare a student's prior performance to his current performance.
Joey, a tenth grade student, is struggling to pass his English I End of Course exam. Which of the following should Joey's teacher use to determine current level of performance and growth?
Ipsative standards would be best because it will allow the teacher to monitor his prior performance to his current performance.
Joey is a fifth grade student with a visual impairment. Which of the following reflects an appropriate accommodation for this student?
Providing an enlarged copy of print and text is an appropriate accommodation because the teacher is not modifying (or changing) the content. This accommodation appropriately matches the educational need. Exempting the student from state testing, receiving occupational therapy, and using a dictionary do not meet the student's educational need, so they are considered inappropriate.
Diana is struggling to answer simple science questions because she struggles with starting a sentence. Which of the following accommodations would best help Diana participate in class discussions?
Sentence stems will give model appropriate language and syntax to help Diana structure her response and contribute to class discussion.
In addition to the summative data, what else should be considered when disaggegating the data to draw an informed conclusion?
Student mobility rate, professional development, parental involvement, student attendance are all factors that affect student learning.
Which of the following standardized test is a student with a significant cognitive disability who accesses and participates in grade level TEKS required to take
Students with a cognitive disability who access and participate in grade level TEKS are required to take STAAR-ALT2. The STAAR-A is for a student that requires accommodation to classroom instruction to demonstrate progress.
Why is the "No Child Left Behind" act of 2001 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 important in education?
The "No Child Left Behind" Act of 2001 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 are important because both stress the need in providing high quality instruction, both hold schools accountable for progress of all student, and both support educational initiatives. Students are only evaluated as defined by Response to Intervention.
Who makes educational decisions for the student receiving special services?
The ARD Committee (Admission, Review, and Dismissal Committee) meets annually to make educational decisions for the student receiving the special services. The committee consists of the general education teacher, a special education teacher, a parent, a representative from the district, and a diagnostician or licensed school psychologist.
According to Krashen, which of the following hypotheses states that the learner will progress with language acquisition if the input level is one step beyond his or her stage of competence?
The Input Hypothesis focuses on acquisition, not learning. The learner will progress with language acquisition if the input is one step beyond his stage of competence. The Monitor Hypothesis states that the use of correct, formal language is the focus when the learner takes the time to remember the rules of language. Focusing on the rules, which is a function of internal communication "monitor" forms that bases of this hypothesis. The Affective Filter Hypothesis proposes that there are countless variables that influence language acquisition.
What is TELPAS?
The TELPAS, Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System, is a statewide, summative assessment that measures the progress that second language learners make toward meeting the standards set by the ELPS. Just like STAAR, it is mandatory summative assessment.
When preparing for an interview, what will the Texas Academic Performance Report help you better understand?
The Texas Academic Performance Report provides the results of the previous two years of state assessment, by grade level and by student group.
Formative assessment plays a critical role in student learning and achievement. When planning lessons, what should the teacher consider?
The correct answer is that formative assessment is beneficial if the teacher asks well-designed questions, provides wait time, increases the number of opportunities to respond to higher order questions, and gives quality feedback.
According to Chapter 74.4b, what are the responsibilities of the district?
The district is responsible for identifying each student's proficiency level and provide linguistically accommodated instruction. Teachers should participate in ongoing professional development to meet the needs of these students, but there is no mandated requirement. Additionally, the ELPS should be embedded into content instruction. All teachers play a role in language acquisition for English Language Learners.
How might a teacher increase a student's intrinsic motivation?
The following measures increase a student's intrinsic motivation: providing a sense of self-control and choice, increasing frequency and specificity of feedback, providing a challenge without a threat, encouraging self-assessment.
All of the following can negatively influence a student's intrinsic motivation EXCEPT—
The following measures negatively influence intrinsic motivation: coercion, intimidation, rewards and punishment, comparing one student to another, vague and infrequent feedback, limits on personal control, and responsibility without authority.
Prior to going on an interview Ann looked up and read the following data provided on the TARP for Star High School. Ann was able to obtain the following data: The student had a high at-risk population. 84% of the students are economically-disadvantaged. 5% Pacific Islander, 20% of the school population is Hispanic, 35% African American, 40% Caucasian. The passing rate for the Algebra I End of Course Exam is 33%. How should Ann use this information to her advantage during an interview?
The information provided on the TARP is invaluable when preparing for an interview, as it helps you understand student population, as well as identify the school's strengths and weaknesses. Looking at this data, Ann would be able to highlight past experience working with economically-disadvantaged students. It would also be beneficial to inquire about interventions the school is providing for students who have met and failed the assessment. Doing this would allow Ann to determine if her philosophy about working with this student population aligns with the school's expectations and philosophy of best practices.
Tai is a fourth grade English Language Learner. His teacher, Mr. Newkirk, asked him to write about the water cycle. This was his response:Water starts in clouds. Clouds creates high in sky. Rain comes down and makes it wet. Heat makes water evaporate. Evaporate means gas. Water is liquid a gas and Solid.Based on the response, which of the following describes his proficiency level for writing?
The student is at the intermediate level because he is able to reproduce high frequency content vocabulary, but is limited in his ability to develop or demonstrate elements of grade-appropriate writing.
What should the teacher explicitly state during direct instruction?
The teacher needs to explicitly state the objective (what is being taught) and the purpose (how and when it will be used.)
What is the first component a teacher needs to consider for effective differentiated instruction?
The teacher needs to first consider student learner characteristics when differentiating instruction
Which of the following skills should a teacher have to ensure data is used to positively influence student achievement?
The teacher should have all of the skills listed.
What are the three ways in which validity can be measured?
There are three types of validity: content, criterion, construct.
According to Fisher and Frey, what type of "robust" question is provided below?If you could give Romeo and Juliet advice, what would you tell them?
This is an inventive question
A data team recently met to discuss the following ninth grade test scores from a district benchmark in English. The team noticed that students 85% of students did not meet the standard for the English I, objective (TEK) 5A (analyze non-linear plot development e.g. flashbacks, foreshadowing, sub-plots, parallel plot structures and compare it to linear plot development). With this data in mind, how should the data team proceed?
With a failure rate of 85% the team should form that hypothesis that the majority of students would benefit from reteaching how to analyze non-linear plot development.
Which of the following describes the three phases for making data part of the ongoing cycle of instructional improvement?
he three phases for making data a part of an ongoing cycle of instruction improvement are collecting and preparing data, interpreting data, and testing hypothesis
