THE COLLEGE-READY PROMISE
TEACHER TRAINING MODULE
CHECKING FOR STUDENT
UNDERSTANDING
Indicators 1.5B, 3.4A
1
Rationale and Purpose
TCRP Rubric
Defining Teacher and Student Actions
Example Strategies
Incorporating into Lesson Plans
Adjusting Instruction
Checking for students’ understanding
 Engages students
 Provides real-time data on student understanding
 Allows the teacher to determine effectiveness of
lesson/instructions
 Allows the teacher to adjust instruction
 To assess students’ prior understanding
 To gauge students’ understanding of concepts during a
lesson
 To determine whether students understand procedures
 To assess students prior to guided practice or
independent practice
 To delve deeper into students’ understandings and
misconceptions
Frequency/Effect on Student Achievement
Checking for Understanding
Exit Slips
Quizzes
Unit Tests
Benchmark Assessments
Final Exams
CST
High Stakes/Public Perception
1.5 B) Progression of Assessments
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
No assessment or
a single
assessment is
planned at the
conclusion of the
lesson.
Multiple
assessments are
planned.
However, they are
not sequenced in
a way to provide
meaningful
information about
student
progression
towards mastery
of the learning
objective(s).
Multiple
assessments are
planned and build
on each other.
They are
sequenced
throughout the
lesson in order to
provide
meaningful
information about
student
progression
towards mastery
of the learning
objective(s).
All of level 3
and…
Assessments are
sequenced to
ensure student
progression
towards mastery.
Plans provide
opportunities for
student choice in,
or design of,
assessment
methods.
3.4 A) Checking for understanding and adjusting instruction:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
The teacher does
not check for
students’
understanding of
the learning
objectives during
the lesson and/or
does not adjust
instruction.
The teacher has
limited techniques
to accurately
check for
students’
understanding of
the learning
objectives and/or
does not use the
information
gained to make
adjustments in
instruction.
The teacher uses
frequent and
varied techniques
to accurately
monitor students’
progress toward
the learning
objectives and
immediately
adjusts instruction
to meet students’
learning needs
Level 4
All of level3
and…
Students selfassess and
suggest
adjustments in the
instruction to meet
their needs.
 Teacher question is phrased with several options, i.e.
 Multiple choice
 Agree/Disagree
 True/False
 All students respond and provide teacher with feedback
 Teacher should check for student understanding at least
once every 15 minutes
 Teacher utilizes student responses to:
 Probe reasons for student responses
 Determine next steps for instruction
By using
different
techniques
of oral
language
Accountable talk
Value lineups
Retellings
Think-pair-share
Misconception
analysis
Whip around
How can teachers
effectively
increase students’
understanding?
By using
different
types of
questioning
techniques
Response cards
Hand signals
Electronic Response
Systems
ReQuest
Socratic seminar
By using
quizzes and
tests
By using a
variety of
writing
assessments
Interactive writing
Read-write-pair-share
Summary writing
Multiple choice
Short answer
True or False
Essay
Accountable Talk
Students are taught how to be accountable with each other (staying on task,
using accurate and appropriate information for the topic, and thinking deeply
about what their partner says) to forward the conversation and deepen their
understanding of the topic at hand. One way to teach accountable talk is through
reciprocal teaching.
Value Lineups
Students develop in-depth knowledge by enabling them to explore core
concepts and understanding problems by first analyzing their beliefs and then
listening to positions held by others. (See depth and complexity.)
Retellings
Students process large segments of text, think about the sequence of ideas
or events and their importance, and then have students orally summarize
what they understand. Teacher should take notes as students retell.
Think-Pair-Share
Students discuss their responses with a partner before sharing out with the whole
class. Partners can also pair up with another set of partners to discuss in a quad
before sharing out with the class.
Misconception Analysis
Students have an opportunity to discuss, often in small groups, misunderstandings
they have about the topic at hand. Teacher should circulate and take notes on what
the students are saying.
Whip Around
Students make a list of at least three items in response to a question; every student
then stands up and as one student calls out the answer, other students cross that
item off their list. When all items are crossed off their list, that student may sit.
Practice: Whip Around
What is the purpose or the rationale of Checking for Understanding?
Write 3 answers to the question.
Purpose
To assess students’ prior understanding
To gauge students’ understanding of concepts during a lesson
To determine whether students understand procedures
To assess students prior to guided practice or independent practice
To delve deeper into students’ understandings and misconceptions
Rationale
Checking for students’ understanding:
Engages students
Provides real-time data on student understanding
Allows the teacher to determine effectiveness of lesson/instructions
Allows the teacher to adjust instruction
Response Cards
Index cards, signs, dry erase boards, magnetic boards, or other items are
simultaneously held up by all students in class to indicate their responses to a
question or problem.
Hand Signals
Thumbs up, thumbs sideways, and thumbs down to indicate understanding,
confusion, or a misunderstanding.
Electronic Response System
Electronic clickers can display multiple-choice responses in chart form so students and
teacher get immediate feedback on each problem.
Reciprocal Questioning (ReQuest)
Students ask and answer each other’s questions as they read.
Socratic Seminar
A group of learners engages in conversation and a series of questions.
Reciprocal Questioning
Read the TCRP rubric descriptors of practice for Standard 3.4,
Indicator A. With a partner, ask and answer clarifying questions.
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
The teacher does
not check for
students’
understanding of
the learning
objectives during
the lesson and/or
does not adjust
instruction.
The teacher has
limited techniques
to accurately
check for
students’
understanding of
the learning
objectives and/or
does not use the
information
gained to make
adjustments in
instruction.
The teacher uses
frequent and
varied techniques
to accurately
monitor students’
progress toward
the learning
objectives and
immediately
adjusts instruction
to meet students’
learning needs
Level 4
All of level3
and…
Students selfassess and
suggest
adjustments in the
instruction to meet
their needs.
Interactive Writing
Allowing students to share the pen or dry erase marker with the teacher in whole
or small groups.
Read-Write-Pair-Share
Students read the material, write in response to the information, engage in a partner
conversation about they’ve read and written, and then share their ideas with the whole
class.
Quick Write-Pair-Share
Several times throughout the lesson, students are given 1 minute (or 2 minutes) to
write about what they’ve learned. They then engage in a partner conversation about
they’ve written, and then share their ideas with the whole class.
Summary Writing
Students write a summary about what they have read, viewed, done, or learned.
Could be used as an exit slip or as a Do Now.
Practice: Quick Write-Pair-Share
Take one minute to write about what you’ve learned
so far in this presentation.
When the time is up, share your writing with a partner.
Multiple Choice
Gauges students’ understanding fairly quickly.
Short Answer
Measures if students can accurately recall specific information. Can also be used
to measure higher cognitions.
True or False
Determine if students understand the correctness of statements of fact, if they
agree with opinions, if they can define terms, or if they understand a principle.
Essays
Requires students to consolidate their understanding of a topic, organize their
thinking, and present it by providing an opportunity for students to synthesize or
evaluate information.
Practice: Multiple Choice and Short Answer
In indicator 3.4A, at a level 2 practice the teacher uses ______________
techniques to accurately check for students’ understanding.
a) Frequent
b) Varied
c) Limited
The four categories of checking for understanding are writing,
questioning, quizzes and ______________________.
a) Response cards
b) Oral language
c) Quick Write
Practice: Multiple Choice and Short Answer
Teachers should check for understanding at least every ____ minutes.
a) 15
b) 30
c) Only as needed
The type of assessment that has the most direct effect on student
achievement is _______________________________.
 Identify which strategies fit your style
 Determine when during the lesson the checks should
be included
 Write out the questions to ask students
 Over time, as you become comfortable with using
them, the need to plan out your strategies in detail will
decrease.
Checking for
Understanding
oral
language
quizzes
After I present
the Powerpoint
and have given
students the
information about
the topic, I will
have them do a
WHIP AROUND
questioning
techniques
Before students begin
their group work, I will ask
questions and students
will hold up their
RESPONSE CARDS
writing
When students are
finished with their
group work, I will have
them WRITE A
SUMMARY of what
they learned. Students
will share their
summary in a pairshare.
Before students exit
the class, they will
answer 5 MULTIPLE
CHOICE questions.
Plan your checks at strategic points in your lesson, so if you
need to re-teach a few students, the remainder of the class
can continue independent or group work.
Anticipate that not all students will demonstrate understanding.
Budget time in your lesson plan to accommodate re-teaching.
If only a few students don’t understand, immediately bring
them forward for re-teaching. Have at least two more
strategies to use. Try teaching with different modalities.
If half the class doesn’t understand, try having students
who do understand explain it in their own words. If that
doesn’t work, allow the proficient students to continue their
work and you re-teach the students who still need it. Have
at least two more strategies to use. Try teaching to different
modalities.
If most of the class doesn’t understand, group the students
by readiness or common misunderstandings and assign the
few students who do understand to re-teach a group. You
work with the most intensive learners. As students show
understanding, they can continue with their independent work.
Eventually you will have only a few students to call up for
further re-teaching. Have several strategies ready, including
teaching to the students’ learning modalities or to Garner’s
multiple intelligences.
Checking for
Understanding
oral
language
quizzes
After I present
the Powerpoint
and have given
students the
information about
the topic, I will
have them do a
WHIP AROUND
questioning
techniques
Before students begin
their group work, I will ask
questions and students
will hold up their
RESPONSE CARDS
writing
When students are
finished with their
group work, I will have
them WRITE A
SUMMARY of what
they learned. Students
will share their
summary in a pairshare.
Before students exit
the class, they will
answer 5 MULTIPLE
CHOICE questions.
What did I learn?
How could this module be
improved?
What do I still need to know?
What did I learn that I will
use tomorrow?