Effective Teacher Practices Supporting
High Quality Supportive Environments and
Nurturing & Responsive Relationships
2015
Module 2: Formative Assessment
NC EARLY LEARNING NETWORK IS A JOINT PROJECT OF THE NC DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, OFFICE OF EARLY LEARNING
AND UNC FRANK PORTER GRAHAM CHILD DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
Review of Pre-learning Assignment
At your table:
• Discuss formative assessment.
• Brainstorm ways to gather information
about children and their learning.
• What does formative assessment look like
in your classroom/setting?
• How do you use formative assessment?
What do you do with the information?
• Summarize one or two key points to share
out.
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Objectives
• To understand what formative assessment is and
how it is used to inform instruction
• To identify effective early childhood evidence-based
instructional practices that support formative
assessment
• To understand how to use formative assessment data
for different data purposes
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Introduction
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What is Formative Assessment?
On a note card write:
• ‘Formative
Assessment is…’
• Complete the
sentence with your
definition of
formative
assessment
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Tying Shoes
6
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“Formative assessment is a process used
by teachers and students during instruction that
provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching
and learning to improve student’s achievement
of intended instructional outcomes.”
(Council of Chief State School Officers, Oct 2006)
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Formative Assessment is:
• a process used by teachers and children during play
and learning activities,
• that provides feedback to the teachers and children,
• so that teachers can adjust their teaching to meet
the needs and interests of children, and
• so that children can understand what is expected of
them.
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Steps in the Formative Assessment Process
• Determine clear learning targets
• Define criteria for success
• Collect/document and analyze
evidence
• Provide clear, descriptive
feedback
• Change or adjust instruction
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Formative Assessment
Where
Am I
Going
Formative
Assessment
How Do I
Close the
Gap?
Where Am I
Now?
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Formative Assessment
Where Am
I Going
How Do I
Close the
Gap?
Formative
Assessment
Where
Am I
Now?
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Formative Assessment
Where Am
I Going
How Do I
Close the
Gap?
Formative
Assessment
Where Am I
Now?
13
Classroom Teacher Interview
Embed the video from Cabarrus of Jessica
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Classroom Teacher Interview
Embed the video of Amy from Cabarrus
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Observations
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Video
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Observation: Interpreting
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Objective versus Subjective
Objective:
• observable behavior
• not influenced by
opinion or emotions
Subjective:
• cannot be verified
• based on opinion
and emotion
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Objective and Specific
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General or Specific?
• Underline
words that are
subjective and
general.
• Re-word the
sentence so that
it is more
objective and
specific.
21
Video Review
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Early Childhood Instructional Practices that
Support Formative Assessment
• Which of the
practices do
you see or use
often in the
classroom?
• Which of the
practices would
you like to see
or use more
often in the
classroom?
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Play Scenarios
• Read the scenarios
• Identify the
instructional
practices that the
teachers use in the
scenarios.
• Discuss how the
teacher might use
the instructional
practice for
formative
assessment.
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Putting It All Together
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Video
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Understanding How to Use Formative Assessment Data
for Different Data Collection Purposes
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Using Technology to Document Child
Performance
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Documenting Child Work Samples
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Oral Language Samples
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Providing Feedback to Children
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Sorting the Data into Domains:
Emotional-Social
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Sorting the Data into Domains:
Using Family Input
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Sorting the Data into Domains:
Using Classroom Observational Data
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Sorting the Data into Domains:
Using Classroom Observational Data
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Sorting the Data into DomainsApproaches to Play and Learning:
Using Classroom Observational Data
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What’s that Domain?
• Review the
anecdotal notes
together.
• Post each of them
on the chart your
group thinks most
represents the
developmental
domain that the
anecdotal note
informs.
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Understanding How to Use Formative
Assessment Data for Different Purposes
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Family Conference Form
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Individual Child Profile
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Creative Curriculum Class Summary
Worksheet
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Child Outcome Summary Form (COSF)
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What’s that Assessment Type?
• Formative
• Benchmark
• Summative
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Wrap-up
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Post-learning Activity
• Determine two new strategies to gather formative
assessment data.
• Compare the portfolio of a child in your
classroom with Foundations and assign an age
level(s).
• Reflect on the process.
– Were you able to make an accurate statement
about the age level of the child’s skills?
– Did you have enough data to inform your
assignment of age levels to skills?
– Did you have enough data to inform all the
areas of emotional-social development
described in Foundations?
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Questions?
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References
Billman, J. & Sherman, J. (2003). Observation and participation in early childhood settings: A practicum guide (2nd ed.). Boston, MA. : Allyn & Bacon, Inc.
Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes. (2014). CEELO/ECTA formative assessment peer learning community. Retrieved from http://ceelo.org/plc-formativeassessment-1/
Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/
Chappuis, J. (2009). Formative assessment and assessment for learning. In Seven strategies for learning: A study guide from Pearson assessment training institute. Retrieved
from http://ati.pearson.com/downloads/chapters/7%20Strats%20Ch%201.pdf
Heritage, M. (2010). Formative assessment and next-generation assessment systems: Are we losing an opportunity? Washington, DC: Council of Chief State School Officers.
Retrieved from http://www.ccsso.org/Documents/2010/Formative_Assessment_Next_Generation_2010.pdf
Heritage, M. (2013). Formative assessment in practice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
Heroman, C., Burts, D.C., Berke, K., & Bickart, T.S. (2010). Teaching Strategies GOLD objectives for development & learning: Birth through kindergarten. Bethesda, MD:
Teaching Strategies, LLC. Retrieved from http://teachingstrategies.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/NC-GOLD-Alignment-PS-2014.pdf
HighScope Educational Research Foundation. (2005). Child Observation Record (COR) information for decision makers. Detroit, MI: Author. Retrieved from
http://www.highscope.org/file/Assessment/cor_decision_maker.pdf
Honey, M. (2007, September). The role of formative assessment in pre-k through second grade classrooms: White paper. Retrieved from http://www.amplify.com/pdf/whitepapers/DIBELS_Research_FormativeAssessment_WhitePaper_2007_01.pdf
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. (n.d.). A vision for 21st Century assessment. Retrieved from
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/educators/vision/
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. (n.d.) Early childhood outcomes systems (COS). Retrieved from
http://modules.nceln.fpg.unc.edu/sites/modules.nceln.fpg.unc.edu/files/foundations/supporting/NC%20Early%20Childhood%20Outcomes%20System%20brochure_0.pdf
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References
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (n.d.). K-12 standards, curriculum and instruction. Retrieved from http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. (2012). North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Process. Raleigh: Author. Retrieved from
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/effectiveness-model/ncees/instruments/teach-eval-manual.pdf
North Carolina Foundations Task Force. (2013). North Carolina foundations for early learning and development. Raleigh: Author. Retrieved from
http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/pdf_forms/NC_foundations.pdf
NC Division of Child Development and Early Education. (2013). North Carolina approved early childhood formative assessment tools 2013. Retrieved from
http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/pdf_forms/NC_Approved_Early_Childhood_Formative_Assessments.pdf
NC FALCON. (n.d.). North Carolina’s formative assessment learning community’s online network. Retrieved from https://center.ncsu.edu/ncfalcon/
Ritchie, S. & Gutmann, L. (Eds.). (2014). First School: Transforming PreK-3rd grade for African American, Latino, and low-income children. New York, NY: Teachers College
Press.
Teaching Strategies. (2012). The importance of the assessment cycle in the creative curriculum for preschool. Retrieved from
http://teachingstrategies.com/content/pageDocs/Theory-Paper-Assessment-Creative-Curriculum-Preschool-10-2012.pdf
Teaching Strategies, LLC. (2010). The Creative Curriculum for preschool. Washington, DC: Author.
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