This Power-Up explores three ways to formatively assess academic language needed to achieve standards and objectives in lesson plans. Formative assessments are used to determine if students are effectively comprehending content and achieving the objectives of daily lessons. This informed practice supports all learners and can be used as a valuable tool to determine next steps in instruction.
Essential Questions:
How do I assess academic language and develop formative assessments?
What are reasonable expectations when delivering content that requires students to be proficient in academic language?
How do I know students have a grasp of academic language required to access the content?
Assess student achievement based on the use of the specific academic language function.
Implement one of three ways to assess achievement in a formative way.
Develop a plan for next steps based on the formative assessment implemented.
Create a formative assessment using one of the following:
Checklist, WIDA "Can Do Descriptors", or Oral Language Analysis (OLA).
Teach the lesson with supports, assessment tool, and collect data from the results of the formative assessment.
Reflect on the results/data from the formative assessment and determine next steps. Compose a one page paper in reflection of the formative assessment, the results of the assessment, and next steps as a result of the information gathered.
Select a lesson in a content area that has academic language such as Summarizing, Analyzing, Cause/Effect, etc. See Academic Language Toolkit.
Create a formative assessment using either a teacher made checklist, WIDA "Can Do Descriptors", or OLA.
Teach the lesson using the formative assessment for selected student(s).
Analyze the data as a result of the formative assessment.
Develop a plan for next steps such as re-teaching, providing additional supports, or increasing expectations for the next lesson.
Submit a one page reflection with a brief data analysis, and next steps.
To apply your learning, please complete the following steps:
Select a lesson containing an academic language function such as justify, analyze, summarize, inform, etc. See Academic Language Toolkit.
Use any resources discussed such as teacher made checklists, WIDA "Can Do Descriptors", or OLA for targeting next steps. In addition to the Slide Deck, these resources can also be accessed below in the References section.
Develop a plan and specifically teach academic language, (with supports, if needed) along with the formative assessment to achieve or access standards.
Collaborate with another educator about how to improve academic language using the data you collect.
Submit your reflection of the process of formative assessment, analysis of the data from the assessment and next steps. Recommended length is one page.
Formative Assessment -
Wisconsin's Department of Public Instruction: Wisconsin's Strategic Assessment System (SAS)
Checklists - Using Checklists