assessing students' literacy development
How Effective Teachers Assess Students' Literacy Development
- Teachers determine students’ independent, instructional and frustration reading levels.
- Teaches informally monitor students’ progress in reading and writing.
- Teachers use diagnostic assessments to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses and then provide instruction to address problem areas.
- Teachers have students document their learning in portfolios.
- Teachers prepare students for high-stakes tests without sacrificing their instructional programs.
PALS
Early literacy screening the a key to providing effective literacy instruction and preventing future reading problems. The Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS) provides a comprehensive assessment of young children’s knowledge of the important literacy fundamentals that are predictive of future reading success. PALS is the state-provided screening tool for Virginia’s Early Intervention Reading Initiative (EIRI) and is used by 99% of school divisions in the state on a voluntary basis.
PALS consists of three instruments, PALS-PreK (for preschool students), PALS-K (for kindergartners), and PALS 1-3 (for students in Grades 1-3). PALS assessments are designed to identify students in need of additional reading instruction beyond that provided to typically developing readers. PALS also informs teachers’ instruction by providing them with explicit information about their students’ knowledge of literacy fundamentals. Mid-year assessment and PALS Quick Checks allow for ongoing student progress monitoring throughout the year.
You will find video clips of the various assessments, a list of activities, as well as information relating to RTI.
PALS consists of three instruments, PALS-PreK (for preschool students), PALS-K (for kindergartners), and PALS 1-3 (for students in Grades 1-3). PALS assessments are designed to identify students in need of additional reading instruction beyond that provided to typically developing readers. PALS also informs teachers’ instruction by providing them with explicit information about their students’ knowledge of literacy fundamentals. Mid-year assessment and PALS Quick Checks allow for ongoing student progress monitoring throughout the year.
You will find video clips of the various assessments, a list of activities, as well as information relating to RTI.
e-Workshop
Welcome to the online resource developed for elementary teachers by the Ontario Ministry of Education and TFO. It includes modules on Literacy and Numeracy with videos of teachers in action, activity sheets, lesson plans and more. You'll also find modules on Daily Physical Activity (DPA) from the government's Healthy Schools program, and on Anaphylaxis, for the protection of students with life-threatening allergies.
Mills Teacher scholars
Mills Teacher Scholars supports ongoing learning for teachers through facilitating teacher-led investigations of teaching and learning. Contrary to popular belief, most teachers are not provided opportunities in their work day to carefully consider their students’ learning. Mills Teacher Scholars responds to this by creating a much-needed thinking space for teachers to better understand the complexities of their work and to implement changes to their teaching based on these considerations.
Participants include over 50 K-12 urban public school teachers who are investigating an aspect of their teaching or of their students’ learning that they feel is crucial to improving student learning outcomes. Teachers meet monthly to discuss their questions with their colleagues and to systematically study the data that they collect to answer their questions, including classroom video data, student work, student interview data, and observational data. Mills Teacher Scholars staff provides facilitation and inquiry coaching to help move teachers in their thinking and to support them as they document the changes they make in their teaching and how these changes impact student learning. At the end of the year, Scholars present their findings to their colleagues.
Participants include over 50 K-12 urban public school teachers who are investigating an aspect of their teaching or of their students’ learning that they feel is crucial to improving student learning outcomes. Teachers meet monthly to discuss their questions with their colleagues and to systematically study the data that they collect to answer their questions, including classroom video data, student work, student interview data, and observational data. Mills Teacher Scholars staff provides facilitation and inquiry coaching to help move teachers in their thinking and to support them as they document the changes they make in their teaching and how these changes impact student learning. At the end of the year, Scholars present their findings to their colleagues.