Assessment: On Track for Reading Success

Program description

We've all heard the line 'I taught them, but they didn't learn.' How can teachers make sure that each student is not only being taught, but is actually learning? Dr. Roland Good of the University of Oregon and Dr. Mary Ruth Coleman, President of the Council for Exceptional Children, and Dr. Michael C. McKenna of the University of Virginia will address how assessment can be used to lead students to reading success.

Discussion questions

1. How have you used assessments to better understand what to teach your students? What enabled that assessment-to-instruction link?
2. Poll other teachers and specialists in your school. What assessment instruments are used for screening? Diagnostic purposes? Progress monitoring purposes? Outcome measures? Share how each assessment contributes to your knowledge base about your students.
3. Share your experiences testing students in timed versus untimed situations. What types of information can be gathered under each condition? How can teachers use this information to plan instruction?
4. What are some obstacles to using regular progress monitoring techniques in the classroom? What steps can you take to make this more feasible? What could your school system do differently that would make this task easier for teachers?
5. Is your school equipped to work with students who are not proficient in English? What are some ways you could improve your assessment system for English language learners?