Unit 4: Differentiating Assessments and Communicating Results
Activity 1: Designing Differentiated Assessments
Activity 1 - Designing Differentiated Assessments
James Sharp
I have chosen two of my own students for this task.
ELL student
Name: Linda
Grade: 5
Language spoken at home: Mandarin
Reading Level: Below grade level
Special Needs student
Name: Logan
Grade: 5
Reading Level: Below grade level
Learning Disability: ADHD (undiagnosed)
Impact on their learning: Logan struggles to sit still for long periods of time. It takes a lot of concentration for him to do so. Because of this, when he does need to sit still for a long time, he is focusing on doing that, and not on the task at hand. Logan struggles to find books interesting as he can’t sit still long enough or read well enough to get into them. The only books he is able to read are for grade 1-2 students, so he obviously finds these boring.
Original assessment: Traffic lights
Explanation: Students read a story individually. Students place the cup on their desk depending on how much help they need. If they display the red cup, it means they are confused and need support. If they display the yellow cup, it means they need a little support. If they display green, it means they understand well and are open to assist classmates.
Below is an excerpt of the original text:
King Canute
There once was a King of England named Canute. Canute accomplished a lot during his reign. He eventually became the king of Denmark and Norway, too.
As the king, Canute was surrounded by people who were constantly flattering him. They would say things like, “Never before have we had a king like you!” “You are the greatest and wisest man on the entire earth!” “Oh, great king, there is nothing that you cannot do!”
One day, Canute’s advisors and aides were praising him as usual, so he asked them, “You say I am the greatest man on earth?” “Yes!” they replied. “And you say that there is nothing that I cannot do? “Of course!” they replied. “Okay,” Canute said, “Then bring my throne to the ocean shore.” They quickly obeyed.
Canute sat on his throne on the ocean shore. The waves lapped at his feet. His advisors and aides watched. “The tide is coming in,” Canute said, “If I tell these waves to stop, will they obey me?” His advisors and aides looked nervously at each other. “If you command it,” they said, “the waves must obey.”
Modified assessment for the ELL student
Changes: Modify the text. Please see the modified text below. I have simplified the text and added pictures to help. I have also recorded the audio to help. Please see it attached.
king
throne
waves
King Canute was the King of England. He was very important, so he became the king of other countries, too.
Canute was powerful, so people always said ‘yes’ to him. They would say things like, “You are the greatest and smartest man!” “Oh, great king, there is nothing that you cannot do!”
One day, King Canute asked them, “You say I am the greatest man?” “Yes!” they said. “And you say that there is nothing that I cannot do? “Of course!” they said. “Okay,” Canute said, “Then bring my throne to the ocean.”
Canute sat on his throne on the beach. His feet got wet. Everybody watched. “The water is coming in,” Canute said, “If I tell these waves to stop, will they listen to me?” Everybody looked at each other. “If you say so,” they said, “the waves must listen.”
Reasons for changes (How they will benefit the student): These changes will benefit Linda by offering her the support she needs in order to read the same story as the other students. The language will be simplified in order for Linda to understand what is happening. Some of the more difficult original language will be kept in order to extend her learning. Images of the words will be added to the text in order to help Linda understand and learn new vocabulary. I also highlighted the key words in bold to help Linda recognise when there is a new vocabulary item for her.
Modified assessment for the student with special needs
Changes: I narrated both the original version of the text and a simplified one. The simplified one is not the same as the ELL simplified one. Please see files attached.
I also made an extra-simplified version of the story for him to practice reading without audio. I made sure to use lots of sight words and CVC words for him to practice.
The third and final modification I made was to include some simple images to help the student where needed.
King Canute
King Canute was important. He was the king of other countries, too.
Canute was strong. People always said ‘yes’ to him. They said things like, “You are a good and smart man!” “You can do everything!”
One day, King Canute said, “Bring my throne to the ocean.”
Canute sat on his throne on the beach. The waves got his feet wet. People watched. “The tide is coming in,” Canute said, “If I tell these waves to stop, will they listen to me?” The people looked at each other. “If you say so,” they said, “the waves must listen.”
King Canute
King Canute was important. He was the king of other countries, too.
Canute was strong. People always said ‘yes’ to him. They said things like, “You are a good
and smart man!” “You can do everything!”
One day, King Canute said, “Bring my throne to the ocean.”
Canute sat on his throne on the beach. The waves got his feet wet. People watched. “The tide
is coming in,” Canute said, “If I tell these waves to stop, will they listen to me?” The people
looked at each other. “If you say so,” they said, “the waves must listen.”
Reasons for changes (How they will benefit the student):
While Logan has trouble reading, his listening skills are high, so he would be able to listen to the unmodified version. It would be too hard for him to read it, but he could understand it by listening. However I also made and narrated a new simplified version (different to Linda’s), as I believe this would help him with his reading. If he were to listen to this while reading, I believe he would pick a lot up. Unlike Linda, Logan has a wide vocabulary so he is able to understand more words, however his reading level is low and attention span short, so adjustments need to be made.
The extra-simplified version will benefit the student by giving him confidence. It will allow him to read the same story as the other students, just a simplified version. I also made sure to use sight words that he is familiar with along with CVC words that he can sound out.
Finally, the reason I used pictures is that he has a good vocabulary, but struggles with reading, so if he sees the picture in context, he’s usually able to say the word.
I believe that these changes will really benefit Logan and also benefit me in being able to accurately assess his progress.
James Sharp
I have chosen two of my own students for this task.
ELL student
Name: Linda
Grade: 5
Language spoken at home: Mandarin
Reading Level: Below grade level
Special Needs student
Name: Logan
Grade: 5
Reading Level: Below grade level
Learning Disability: ADHD (undiagnosed)
Impact on their learning: Logan struggles to sit still for long periods of time. It takes a lot of concentration for him to do so. Because of this, when he does need to sit still for a long time, he is focusing on doing that, and not on the task at hand. Logan struggles to find books interesting as he can’t sit still long enough or read well enough to get into them. The only books he is able to read are for grade 1-2 students, so he obviously finds these boring.
Original assessment: Traffic lights
Explanation: Students read a story individually. Students place the cup on their desk depending on how much help they need. If they display the red cup, it means they are confused and need support. If they display the yellow cup, it means they need a little support. If they display green, it means they understand well and are open to assist classmates.
Below is an excerpt of the original text:
King Canute
There once was a King of England named Canute. Canute accomplished a lot during his reign. He eventually became the king of Denmark and Norway, too.
As the king, Canute was surrounded by people who were constantly flattering him. They would say things like, “Never before have we had a king like you!” “You are the greatest and wisest man on the entire earth!” “Oh, great king, there is nothing that you cannot do!”
One day, Canute’s advisors and aides were praising him as usual, so he asked them, “You say I am the greatest man on earth?” “Yes!” they replied. “And you say that there is nothing that I cannot do? “Of course!” they replied. “Okay,” Canute said, “Then bring my throne to the ocean shore.” They quickly obeyed.
Canute sat on his throne on the ocean shore. The waves lapped at his feet. His advisors and aides watched. “The tide is coming in,” Canute said, “If I tell these waves to stop, will they obey me?” His advisors and aides looked nervously at each other. “If you command it,” they said, “the waves must obey.”
Modified assessment for the ELL student
Changes: Modify the text. Please see the modified text below. I have simplified the text and added pictures to help. I have also recorded the audio to help. Please see it attached.
king
throne
waves
King Canute was the King of England. He was very important, so he became the king of other countries, too.
Canute was powerful, so people always said ‘yes’ to him. They would say things like, “You are the greatest and smartest man!” “Oh, great king, there is nothing that you cannot do!”
One day, King Canute asked them, “You say I am the greatest man?” “Yes!” they said. “And you say that there is nothing that I cannot do? “Of course!” they said. “Okay,” Canute said, “Then bring my throne to the ocean.”
Canute sat on his throne on the beach. His feet got wet. Everybody watched. “The water is coming in,” Canute said, “If I tell these waves to stop, will they listen to me?” Everybody looked at each other. “If you say so,” they said, “the waves must listen.”
Reasons for changes (How they will benefit the student): These changes will benefit Linda by offering her the support she needs in order to read the same story as the other students. The language will be simplified in order for Linda to understand what is happening. Some of the more difficult original language will be kept in order to extend her learning. Images of the words will be added to the text in order to help Linda understand and learn new vocabulary. I also highlighted the key words in bold to help Linda recognise when there is a new vocabulary item for her.
Modified assessment for the student with special needs
Changes: I narrated both the original version of the text and a simplified one. The simplified one is not the same as the ELL simplified one. Please see files attached.
I also made an extra-simplified version of the story for him to practice reading without audio. I made sure to use lots of sight words and CVC words for him to practice.
The third and final modification I made was to include some simple images to help the student where needed.
King Canute
King Canute was important. He was the king of other countries, too.
Canute was strong. People always said ‘yes’ to him. They said things like, “You are a good and smart man!” “You can do everything!”
One day, King Canute said, “Bring my throne to the ocean.”
Canute sat on his throne on the beach. The waves got his feet wet. People watched. “The tide is coming in,” Canute said, “If I tell these waves to stop, will they listen to me?” The people looked at each other. “If you say so,” they said, “the waves must listen.”
King Canute
King Canute was important. He was the king of other countries, too.
Canute was strong. People always said ‘yes’ to him. They said things like, “You are a good
and smart man!” “You can do everything!”
One day, King Canute said, “Bring my throne to the ocean.”
Canute sat on his throne on the beach. The waves got his feet wet. People watched. “The tide
is coming in,” Canute said, “If I tell these waves to stop, will they listen to me?” The people
looked at each other. “If you say so,” they said, “the waves must listen.”
Reasons for changes (How they will benefit the student):
While Logan has trouble reading, his listening skills are high, so he would be able to listen to the unmodified version. It would be too hard for him to read it, but he could understand it by listening. However I also made and narrated a new simplified version (different to Linda’s), as I believe this would help him with his reading. If he were to listen to this while reading, I believe he would pick a lot up. Unlike Linda, Logan has a wide vocabulary so he is able to understand more words, however his reading level is low and attention span short, so adjustments need to be made.
The extra-simplified version will benefit the student by giving him confidence. It will allow him to read the same story as the other students, just a simplified version. I also made sure to use sight words that he is familiar with along with CVC words that he can sound out.
Finally, the reason I used pictures is that he has a good vocabulary, but struggles with reading, so if he sees the picture in context, he’s usually able to say the word.
I believe that these changes will really benefit Logan and also benefit me in being able to accurately assess his progress.
Activity 2: Communicating Results to Parents
Module 5 Week 4 Activity 2
Ryan Steinberg and James Sharp
Discussion Links:
Ryan: https://teachnowprogram.com/forum/index?threadId=125081
James: https://teachnowprogram.com/forum/index?threadId=125164
We chose to address the following scenario: Communicating test score results of a student who is performing below the expected proficiency level
Plan:
Script for conversation between parents and teacher:
Teacher: Good morning
Parent: Good morning
Teacher: Thank you for coming in today.
Parent: Not a problem.
Teacher: Firstly, I want to tell you that your son is great! In the classroom, he is attentive and tries to answer questions. He also is active in group activities, and it seems like everyone really likes him.
Parent: Thank you!
Teacher: However, he is performing below the expected proficiency level. His organization and language skills are the reason why. Let me show you his progress report.
Parent: I can see that he is lacking in his organization and language, and I can see why, but what can he do to improve?
Teacher: In order to improve his organizational skills, I recommend that he continuously refer to the checklist I have given to him. By doing this, and following the checklist sequence, he will be able to ensure he has everything he needs and is flowing in the right way.
Parent: How about his language?
Teacher: Firstly, I recommend that he read. Books will help with his organizational skills, as he will be exposed to how sentences and paragraphs should flow. Furthermore, this will allow him to learn new vocabulary. I also recommend that he do grammatical exercises to improve his language skills.
Parent: Could you recommend a book for him?
Teacher: Of course. I will also provide him with extra exercises for him to practice. If he would like me to check his practice exercises, I am happy to do that for him too.
Parent: Thank you for helping him.
Teacher: It is my pleasure. We both want the same thing for him… to be the best he can be. Do you have any ideas on how to help him?
Parent: I like your ideas. Could we also ask him to keep a journal? I think that having him write every day will help him with his organization and language.
Teacher: That is a great idea! I will ask him to keep a journal. Do you have any further questions or concerns about him or the school?
Parent: No, thank you so much.
Teacher: You are welcome. I just want to say thank you for your support. I look forward to working together with you to help you son. I will email you with weekly updates on how your son is doing. If this plan does not work, we can establish a new one. I would like to thank you again for coming in.
Parent: No, thank you.
Teacher: Please, let me walk you out. Goodbye, and have a great day!
Parent: Thank you, and you too
Presentation:
Part 1: https://www.powtoon.com/ws/b4s4EIhYeoz/1/m
Part 2: https://www.powtoon.com/s/bXooNs1fajH/1/m
Specific Responsibilities during the project
Ryan
James
Planning
Create a plan on how teachers should communicate with parents
Create a Google document
Focus on changes to the plan for online learning.
Analyse task and plan subheadings and layout of report
Write example script between teacher and parent
Editing and proofreading of the plan and script
Final review before submission
Make the powtoon animation file
Ryan Steinberg and James Sharp
Discussion Links:
Ryan: https://teachnowprogram.com/forum/index?threadId=125081
James: https://teachnowprogram.com/forum/index?threadId=125164
We chose to address the following scenario: Communicating test score results of a student who is performing below the expected proficiency level
Plan:
- Share the test results with parents / guardian
- When the parent comes in, the teacher should greet them in a respectful manner, and thank them for coming in
- When beginning the meeting, the teacher will begin with the positives - social, emotional, intellectual, and/or behavioural
- Only once the teacher has established a positive environment, can they proceed to speak about how the learner is performing below the expected proficiency level
- In order to aid the parent in understanding, the teacher can provide the parent with student progress report containing explanatory notes to guide the parent through the various components of the report
- The teacher will then need to provide a way forward - how the learner can increase his/her proficiency level
- At this point, the teacher can show the parent the student goal setting worksheet - This will show the parent the growth potential of their child
- It is important then to allow the parent to ask any questions, or to provide their opinion on the situation - the parents comments may provide insight into why the learner is struggling
- The teacher and parent should establish a means of communication in order to keep in regular contact - email or a software that allows the parent to keep track of the learners progress (managebac)
- At the end of the meeting, it’s imperative the teacher again thanks the parent for coming in, and walks the parent out
- Build a parent-teacher partnership that includes setting high expectations for the student and making appropriate use of positive reinforcement to achieve the mutually decided goals. Consider expectations of parents in remote vs. in-person learning and how you might address student concerns.
- Provide parents with questions that they might ask their children - to explain what they learned, read what they wrote
- Be specific - by being specific in suggestions, the parents can utilize what is being said to help learner achieve the mutually decided goals
- Be prepared to suggest what the parents can do to help
- Provide supplementary materials in order to aid the learner in achieving his/her goal
- Provide the parents with a goal setting sheet - this will help with setting high expectations
- Share success - make every one of the student’s successes a big deal
- Student’s concerns should be addressed in a positive manner with a plan to rectify the concerns
- Build relationships, or meet with parents, in a virtual or remote school setting.
- Explain to parents how you appreciate their support,look forward to working together, and care for their child’s well being
- Communicate often - weekly. These communications should explain what students are learning, what they have accomplished, and offer insight into learning growth
- Make time for parents, and communicate with them in various ways - online through zoom, teacher-parent-student applications like managebac, emails, instant messaging services like wechat, and in-person for serious situations
- Lead with good news - by providing a basis of good news, parents are more inclined to listen to you. It also shows parents that you care about their child
- Ensure that you have a good translator if needed. By having a translator, parents can establish that you care more about just their child, but about your relationship with them.
- Ask questions about the child - parents will see this as you caring about their child, which will in turn build your relationship with them.
- Invite parents to share. By allowing them to share, they feel like you are listening to them, and are truly concerned about their child.
- Include the parents in the decision making process
Script for conversation between parents and teacher:
Teacher: Good morning
Parent: Good morning
Teacher: Thank you for coming in today.
Parent: Not a problem.
Teacher: Firstly, I want to tell you that your son is great! In the classroom, he is attentive and tries to answer questions. He also is active in group activities, and it seems like everyone really likes him.
Parent: Thank you!
Teacher: However, he is performing below the expected proficiency level. His organization and language skills are the reason why. Let me show you his progress report.
Parent: I can see that he is lacking in his organization and language, and I can see why, but what can he do to improve?
Teacher: In order to improve his organizational skills, I recommend that he continuously refer to the checklist I have given to him. By doing this, and following the checklist sequence, he will be able to ensure he has everything he needs and is flowing in the right way.
Parent: How about his language?
Teacher: Firstly, I recommend that he read. Books will help with his organizational skills, as he will be exposed to how sentences and paragraphs should flow. Furthermore, this will allow him to learn new vocabulary. I also recommend that he do grammatical exercises to improve his language skills.
Parent: Could you recommend a book for him?
Teacher: Of course. I will also provide him with extra exercises for him to practice. If he would like me to check his practice exercises, I am happy to do that for him too.
Parent: Thank you for helping him.
Teacher: It is my pleasure. We both want the same thing for him… to be the best he can be. Do you have any ideas on how to help him?
Parent: I like your ideas. Could we also ask him to keep a journal? I think that having him write every day will help him with his organization and language.
Teacher: That is a great idea! I will ask him to keep a journal. Do you have any further questions or concerns about him or the school?
Parent: No, thank you so much.
Teacher: You are welcome. I just want to say thank you for your support. I look forward to working together with you to help you son. I will email you with weekly updates on how your son is doing. If this plan does not work, we can establish a new one. I would like to thank you again for coming in.
Parent: No, thank you.
Teacher: Please, let me walk you out. Goodbye, and have a great day!
Parent: Thank you, and you too
Presentation:
Part 1: https://www.powtoon.com/ws/b4s4EIhYeoz/1/m
Part 2: https://www.powtoon.com/s/bXooNs1fajH/1/m
Specific Responsibilities during the project
Ryan
James
Planning
Create a plan on how teachers should communicate with parents
Create a Google document
Focus on changes to the plan for online learning.
Analyse task and plan subheadings and layout of report
Write example script between teacher and parent
Editing and proofreading of the plan and script
Final review before submission
Make the powtoon animation file
Activity 3: End of Module Survey
I did a survey to give feedback for the end of module five. I am looking forward to what I will learn next week when we begin module four.