Assessment and Diverse Profiles

In this microcourse, we will explore how assessment is essential in the Science of Reading. It serves as a guide to literacy proficiency. By assessing students' reading abilities, educators can identify their strengths and weaknesses, and then differentiate instruction to build on their strengths and meet their needs. This differentiation ensures that teachers meet students’ needs and provide students with literacy instruction to help them become proficient readers. Diagnostic assessments identify students’ baseline reading skills and difficulties, formative assessments inform teaching strategies and provide feedback, and summative assessments measure the overall progress.  Assessment in the science of reading guides educators, enabling them to provide effective instruction for all students. It is our guide to reading proficiency.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of requirements for this badge, the learner will be able to:

1. Evaluate the importance of assessment in the Science of Reading.
2. Describe the essential elements of quality assessments.
3. Explain how cultural biases can impact the use and interpretation of assessments.
4. Create a digital portfolio to showcase their knowledge of the Science of Reading.

This microcourse will explore how educators use a variety of assessments to comprehensively evaluate and support students' reading development. These assessments range from diagnostic evaluations that identify specific skill deficits to formative assessments that inform ongoing instruction to summative assessments that measure overall progress over time. Additionally, these assessments evaluate multiple skills, including phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency. The variety and range of assessments enable educators to accommodate individual differences in their students and tailor instruction to meet their students’ needs, helping them become proficient readers.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of requirements for this badge, the learner will be able to:

1. Evaluate the importance of selecting appropriate assessments in the Science of Reading.
2. Describe the key elements of formative and summative assessments and their role in the Science of Reading.
3. Describe the elements of authentic assessments and the role they play in the Science of Reading.
4. Create a catalog of literacy assessments.

In this microcourse, you will learn why formative assessment is a critical tool for educators. Formative assessment provides educators with the information they need to plan instruction for students. Formative assessment occurs before and during instruction, providing ongoing feedback. Formative assessment enables teachers to identify students' instructional needs, monitor their progress, and make necessary adjustments throughout the instructional cycle. Assessment should drive instruction. Formative assessment occurs before and during the instructional cycle, enabling educators to tailor instruction to their students’ needs and create a successful learning experience.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of requirements for this badge, the learner will be able to:

1. Explain the importance of formative assessments in the Science of Reading.
2. Identify key components of progress monitoring and its role in building proficient readers.
3. Identify formative assessments to use with each pillar in the Science of Reading.
4. Describe the characteristics of quality educational assessments.

We will learn how summative evaluation plays a crucial role in the assessment process in this microcourse. Summative evaluation assesses the overall effectiveness, outcomes, and achievements of students, programs, and organizations at a defined conclusion. The purpose of summative evaluation is to determine how well objectives and goals have been met. Summative evaluation provides a view of the program's success, holds educators accountable for their actions, and provides stakeholders with the data they need to make decisions about future programs and improvement efforts.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of requirements for this badge, the learner will be able to:

1. Explain the impact of the Science of Reading on the individual.
2. Reflect on the use of statistics in the Science of Reading.
3. Create a list of feedback prompts to use to provide effective feedback.
4. Describe summative assessments and how they can be used in the classroom.

This microcourse explores how standards provide a framework for consistent and high-quality education by offering clarity, consistency, accountability, and equity. Standards outline what students should know and be able to do. They ensure that stakeholders have a common understanding of expectations. They establish accountability and hold stakeholders responsible for outcomes. They set expectations for all students, address achievement gaps in education, and promote equity and fairness. Standards provide a foundation for quality education, facilitate accountability, and ensure that all students have access to a rigorous and equitable learning experience.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of requirements for this badge, the learner will be able to:

1. Explain how the statewide assessments improve reading outcomes for students.
2. Describe the purpose and components of iREAD.
3. Complete a school plan to successfully implement the Science of Reading.
4. Identify strategies to use statewide data to improve literacy at your school.

Assessment is essential in the Science of Reading approach, serving as a diagnostic tool and a guide for effective instruction. In this microcourse, we will learn how assessment provides educators with the knowledge about students' literacy skills they need to provide targeted interventions to address students’ needs. Assessment facilitates data-driven decision-making, enabling teachers to adapt instructional strategies and materials as students progress. Assessment also helps teachers identify students at risk of reading difficulties early so that they can provide timely interventions and improve students’ outcomes. Assessment in the Science of Reading is a proactive tool to help educators build strong literacy skills essential for lifelong reading success.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of requirements for this badge, the learner will be able to:

1. Evaluate the importance of using effective assessment strategies in the Science of Reading.
2. Describe the difference between diagnostic assessment, formative assessment, and summative assessment.
3. Create a digital portfolio to showcase their knowledge of the Science of Reading.
4. Describe the understanding of the role of assessment in the Science of Reading.