Nguyen Knowledge Rating – Week 5

The method of assessing prior knowledge that I chose to try from Chapter 5 of our text is the
Knowledge Rating strategy. As a math teacher, it is imperative that students have a strong and common
foundation in the vocabulary used. Students tend to perform and retain math processes much better
when they are able to fluidly apply the vocabulary in action to the concept.
In addition, as a SPED teacher, I am regularly creating and administering CFAs (common
formative assessments) for progress monitoring on student IEP goals. My CFAs are typically between
five to ten questions, and apply directly to the new concept I will be teaching. There is a pre-CFA, and
post-CFA, where I am then able to chart and data collect on progress (I use the same test for pre- and
post-CFA).
After having read Chapter 5, I opted to slightly modify one of my Geometry CFAs into a
Knowledge Rating CFA, based upon the vocabulary used in that particular unit. Fortunately, I was able
to administer the KR to the 6th grade Intensive Math class that will be coming to me next year as 7th
graders. The class consisted of 9 students; 6 male and 3 female. At my school, students in an Intensive
Math are at least 2 grade levels below their peer grade level.
Students were given the KR - as a class we read the directions aloud, and I instructed the
students I would be reading each word in the chart aloud to them. We then looked at each column
heading; I had a blank copy projected, where I was able to “pretend” being a student, and modeled how
to rate myself, while monitoring each student was completing it correctly. Students were overall able to
easily rate themselves on the chart (for example, I had to keep an eye on them to ensure they were
reading and rating vertically along the chart).
I did not find modifying the KR to my current CFA to be any more difficult or time-consuming
than any other CFA I create. It was easy to administer, easy to score/chart, and did not take long to read
aloud. There was a bit of pre-teaching and modeling as to how to rate themselves on the chart, but I
believe that will come easier over time, as students become familiar with the rating scale.
Additionally, I opted to modify my initial KR into an alternative CFA that uses images as opposed
to text. I believe I could administer both in the same day (one at the beginning of the class, and the
other at the end), as I typically give monthly AIMS progress monitoring prior to each new math unit.
One could easily use both as a cross-reference, as well, when collecting data.
Overall, this is a method I will definitely continue to use in my classroom, as I feel the early
exposure to math vocabulary will make it “stick” even more. According to the text, building background
knowledge is imperative, and I feel utilizing the vocabulary aspect of the KR is an important strategy I
can improve my own CFAs on. In the future, I would like to expand more on this tool, by then
comparing the text version and the image version of the KR as we learn about each concept.
Below, is the original KR I created, as well as a modified/alternative KR with images.
Name: ______________________________________

Directions: Describe how well you know each of the words below.

3 2 1
WORD CAN DEFINE/USE IT HEARD IT DON’T KNOW

1. adjacent angles

2. congruent

3. perpendicular

4. supplementary angles

5. vertex

6. parallel

7. complementary angles

8. protractor

9. vertical angles

Name: ______________________________________

Directions: Describe how well you know each of the images below.

3 2 1
IMAGE CAN DEFINE/USE IT SEEN IT DON’T KNOW

a.

b.

c.
d.

e.

f.

g.

h.

i.