In the elementary grades, children learn new concepts at a brisk clip, and might not deeply understand the material, or might feel uncertain how to apply the learning to the next level of material. Standardized tests, a common form of elementary grade assessment, do not present a complete picture of what students learn. Whether in the classroom, in extracurricular activities or at home, parents and teachers can employ specific methods for tracking children's learning.
Step 1
Identify goals. Parents and teachers should understand the goals of instruction before determining methods for assessing those goals, Vanderbilt University's Center for Teaching explains. Known as "backward design," this method helps adults keep focused on ultimate learning objectives, such as mastering double-digit multiplication or reading a grade-level book with fluency.
Step 2
Align assessments with goals. If you set a goal for a primary-grade child to read a grade-level page of text with fluency, your assessments should feature running records that have a child reading 100 words of text with less than 10 decoding errors. If you set a goal of a child understanding the scientific method, assessments should entail him doing a simple experiment that shows him utilizing each step of the scientific method.
Step 3
Use multiple forms of assessment. A test score is a reductive method of analyzing a child's learning progress. Baltimore County (Maryland) Public Schools list a variety of assessment tools, such as children's assignments, classroom tests, classroom observational notes, rubrics from projects, recordings of oral presentations, bulletin board displays, graphic organizers and writing.
Step 4
Integrate authentic assessment tools into your evaluation of student learning. The Prince George's County (Maryland) Public School district outlines the key function of portfolio assessment in the classroom and at home. A portfolio may contain a student's best work over a span of time, or it may show several drafts and a final result. Many portfolios feature student-selected samples, which encourages children to reflect upon their learning.
Step 5
Set goals based on assessments. If you see a child faltering with single-digit multiplication, focus on mastery before moving to double-digit multiplication.
Tips and Warnings
- While tracking student learning, focus on the positive so children feel successful and motivated.
Things You'll Need
- Assignments
- Assessments
- Portfolio
