Planning Assessments

The use of these assessments are for the learning objective of my writing lesson plan for Spanish second grade.

I use formative assessments because it helps evaluate directly at the student level measuring how a particular student is progressing or where he needs support; you get immediate feedback on the progress of each one. Sometimes it helps me to identify if they are having difficulty with my planned activities.

The most common procedures of formative assessment I use in my class include the following.

Observation

I observe and record a student's level of engagement, and academic behavior, especially if it is a special learner. I develop a plan of action to support that student; implements the plan; and continues to record observations to determine its effectiveness.

Rationale

I use classroom observation as another form of ongoing assessment. A lot of times I can "read" my students; observing when they are bored, frustrated, excited, motivated, etc. I pick up these cues, so I can adjust my instruction more accordingly. The notes I take serve to document and describe student learning relative to concept development, reading, social interaction, communication skills, etc.   

Drawing

Drawing what the student understands. Drawing a picture or diagram provides students an alternative to writing, especially in KG 5, and 1st grade, sometimes in 2ndd grade.

Rationale

A lot of times it is easier to show ideas or characters in a picture than in writing, when writing is in the first stages. Some students are more motivated to demonstrate their knowledge or understanding through drawings than writing.

Portfolios.

I have a portfolio for each student that its used to create a record of student growth in their writing skills. I like to revise the progress of a student at the end of each grading period to assess the improvement in structure and vocabulary.

Rationale

In this assessment I like the student involvement because is very important in the portfolio process. Portfolios show the cumulative efforts and learning of a particular student over time. They offer important data about student improvement and skills.