Engaging in the Language Arts:
Exploring the Power of Language
Donna Ogle and James W. Beers
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Copyright © 2009 Pearson Allyn & Bacon
Engaging in the Language Arts:
Exploring the Power of Language
Donna Ogle and James W. Beers
Chapter 5: Assessing
Language Arts
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Allyn & Bacon
Why Is Language Arts
Assessment Important?
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
Legislation (2001)
 Reading First Initiatives (2001)
 School Accreditation at the School
District Level

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What Are Different Perspectives
on Language Arts Assessment?
National Language Arts Standards
and Assessment
 State Language Arts Standards
School District Language Arts
 Standards and Assessment and
Assessment

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What Are Principles to Follow in
Language Arts Assessment?

Cooper’s Principles for Effective Language Arts
Assessment
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Assessment is an ongoing process that occurs whenever a
child speaks, listens, reads, writes, or views something and
informs you.
Assessment is part of instruction.
Assessment is authentic.
Assessment is a collaborative, reflective process.
Assessment is multidimensional.
Assessment considers cultural, developmental, and learners
factors.
Assessment identifies students’ strengths as well as needs.
Assessment reflects an understanding of how students learn
to read, write, and use language.
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How Can You Assess
Language Arts?

Five-part Language
Arts Assessment
Cycle
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Identify the language arts
standard or learning
objective from the language
arts curriculum
Develop and implement
instruction to meet the
language arts standard or
objective
Assess student learning
based on the instruction
Evaluate student
performance and the
language arts instruction
Identify new learning
objective(s) based on
teacher evaluation
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How Can You Assess
Language Arts?
General
Language Arts
Assessment
Techniques

Standardized
Norm-Referenced
Tests
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Allyn & Bacon
How Can You Assess
Language Arts?

General
Language Arts
Assessment
Techniques
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StandardsBased Criterion
Referenced
Tests
Observations
and Anecdotal
Records
Checklists
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How Can You Assess
Language Arts?

General Language Arts Assessment
Techniques

Attitudes, Interests, and Motivation
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How Can You Assess
Language Arts?

General
Language
Arts
Assessment
Techniques


Conferences
Portfolios
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How Can You Assess
Language Arts?

General
Language
Arts
Assessment
Techniques
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Rubrics
SelfReflections
(Formative or
Summative)
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Allyn & Bacon
How Can You Assess
Language Arts?

Oral Language Assessment
Recognize the Variability of Language
 Recognize Dialectic Variations
 Assess Language Production and Use
 Assess Listening Skills

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Copyright © 2009 Pearson Allyn & Bacon
How Can You Assess
Language Arts?

Reading Assessment

Running Records
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How Can You Assess
Language Arts?

Reading Assessment

Informal Reading Inventories

Read and Retell
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How Can You Assess
Language Arts?

Writing Assessment
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Writing Samples
Holistic Assessment
1. Review the writing requirements for students’ final drafts.
2. Read the final drafts quickly to see whether they meet the
requirements.
3. Place in a pile the papers that successfully meet the requirements.
4. Place in another pile the papers that somewhat successfully meet
the requirements.
5. Place in a third pile the papers that less successfully meet the
requirements.
6. Place in a fourth pile the papers that clearly did not meet the
requirements.
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
Analytic Assessment
Spelling Assessment
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Allyn & Bacon
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Allyn & Bacon
When Do You Assess
Language Arts?

Beginning-of-the-Year
Assessment
 Continuous Monitoring of
Student Performance
 End-of-the-Year
Assessment
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