Katie+K+Journal+3

Katelyn Kelly Assessment Journal # 3 February 23, 2009 EDC 452 The assessment I viewed was through observation. The students performed the assessment in small groups. Each student is assigned to a reading group based on their reading ability. There is above level, on level, and below level for the reading groups. The students are placed in the reading group through their reading assessments that are performed in every grade throughout the year. In the on level group, I was observing a reading comprehension assessment. The teacher works with one of the reading groups at a time. The other two are still reading and answering questions based on the reading while the teacher is occupied with the one reading group. Through observation I just overlooked what kind of questions the teacher was asking the students and how the students understood the material. Observation is harder to assess because usually the students are responding through answers they are being asked. The teacher looks to see if the student comprehends the material and understand what is going on in the text. The students do not view this as an assessment. The students just see this as the teacher asking questions when they read the story. The students above level and on level do a great job through observational assessment. The below level group teacher needs to work with them more and ask lower level questions, so they understand. The teacher will have a student read a page and either asks them about vocabulary, the picture on the page, what is going on, or why something is happening. If the student struggles with trying to answer the question the teacher first tries to rephrase the question. If the student is still having trouble, then the teacher will start the answer, but not finish it. The teacher might also look for another group member to answer that question and then go back for another question later in the text. The questions being asked are oral when reading and then after reading there is a worksheet that is worked on individually. The results I viewed were through the students responses. Since I was observing an on-level reading group, the students knew the answers to the questions and then could go beyond to relate to their lives. I did observe the teacher rephrasing the question for a student and hint to the student to go back and look in their text for their answer. When reading the students all seem to not have any trouble with responding. After reading, when the students were given a worksheet about the text’s vocabulary and a skill, like fact and opinion, the students then needed help. I am not sure if they needed help because it went from group to individual, or if they were really in need of assistance. The teacher would explain the directions in whole group then branch them off. In every classroom observation is being used. Observation tests the students through their oral communication and lets them think then give a response. In this particular assessment reading comprehension was being assessed through observation. The students were being asked questions about the reading that they have to think about what was being read. Reading comprehension is the purpose for reading, so this assessment is very important. I would use this assessment in my classroom as a teacher. A lot of times this is within a reading group, but a teacher could do this individually by having the students read and walk around asking them questions. Students can’t just read words; they need to understand what they are reading.
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