Module 2 - Orientation and Assessment
Assessment
Informal Progress Checks
Many adult learners have goals that will take significant time to achieve based on their current skills. It is important to identify and measure progress by many smaller steps along the way. Instructors should try to help students to see progress each day, as well as any incidental improvements in literacy skills and practices. Informal teacher-made quizzes or performance tasks, as well as short assessments drawn from published study materials, are useful tools in this ongoing assessment process.
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“I want to know how I’m doing every day. I mean, I check my answers in the back, but I want the instructor to tell me how she thinks I’m doing.” |
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“For struggling students, we make out a weekly “plan” – what worksheets they are going to do, how many problems of what type, and then we check it at the end of each week. This way they can see not only their progress, but where they are having difficulty – right away.” |
Take a moment to consider the implications ongoing informal progress checks would have on instruction for adult learners.
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On your worksheet, record your initial thoughts about frequent informal progress checks. |
Informal progress checks also serve as a guide for instruction; they enable an instructor and learner to pinpoint more specific areas of concern, modify instructional and learning strategies, and clarify next steps in the learning process. These informal progress checks can also be used for review, assessing what students remember of material previously mastered. End of chapter activities, short (3-4 question) quizzes and flash cards in pairs can be used as informal checks of understanding or mastery.
Listed below is a real-life adult education scenario. While you are reading, consider Sonja’s needs and concerns and their implications for the tutor. How might the tutor address these concerns?
Real-Life Scenario – Sonja’s Progress:
Sonja was discussing her learning frustrations in a small group of peers:"I don't feel like I'm doing better, so it's hard for me to keep coming to class each day." Bryan, her tutor, said reassuringly, "But you are making progress, I can tell." Still, Sonja replied, "You may think I'm making progress, but I can't see it. I make myself come to class even though I'm not sure I'm improving.” Her peers also felt the same frustration and indicated that it was hard to keep coming to class without seeing any progress. Bryan began to think of ways to give his students feedback at each class or at least weekly.
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On your worksheet, record your thoughts on the students’ frustrations. |
Click the + sign in the box to the right to see ideas from other Adult Education Instructors. | [?] |
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Students like to have a portfolio that contains examples of their work. They can compare written assignments and keep record of their progress on informal tests or end-of-the-chapter tests.
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In a small-group tutoring session, I have students share alound when they notice that another student reads or answers something particularly well.
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I regularly assign students pages in workbooks they have previous used to go back and complete. At first I select the pages, but then I give them a method of randomly picking different pages each day. This helps them take charge of their own review process and gives us both a heads up when a subject or skill area needs to be reviewed.
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At the end of every day, I have all students stand up in class and state something specific they learned that day before they can sit down. Each learner, however, has to think of something unique that the others have not already said. In this way, everyone has a quick review of main points we covered in the day, and a reminder that they accomplished a step towards their goals!
In reviewing these ideas, did you find any similar to your own? Did any of them strike you as particularly interesting? Did they provide any new insights for your instruction of adult learners?
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On your worksheet, make note of any tips, insights, or new ideas gained from the instructors’ suggestions. |
In Summary:
- No single test or assessment can do it all; multiple measures are important.
- Informal teacher-designed quizzes, skill demonstrations, observation, and oral interviews can be implemented as a part of ongoing assessment.
- Materials in published textbooks or workbooks may also be used for informal assessment and review of work that has been previously mastered.
- Ongoing informal checks can assist instructors in fine-tuning instruction and serve as frequent indicators of progress towards goals for adult learners.
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On your worksheet, record any final notes or thoughts, specific ideas you want to remember, plans for further study, etc. |
Click "Next" below or a specific topic on the outline to the left to continue.
