Using Formative Assessment to Differentiate Instruction & Meet the Needs of Second Language Learners

Presented by: Judy Dodge

Educational Consultant and Author
Differentiation in Action (Scholastic, 2005) 25 Quick Formative Assessments in a Differentiated Classroom (Scholastic, 2009) www.judydodge.com November 1, 2013
2012 Judy Dodge

Challenges Faced in Our English Classrooms Today

Todays students read less Students may struggle in their first language (Spanish) There is deep-seated ambivalence and resistance to learning English coming from the home Mixed-ability classrooms--wider range Greater diversity in every way

Essential Questions to Consider:

What is differentiated instruction? What isnt it? What is the research to support DI? How do we use formative assessment to meet the needs of second language learners How do we address the needs of our struggling/advanced students? What does differentiation LOOK LIKE??

That students differ may be inconvenient, but it is inescapable.

Grant Wiggins

Turn to a colleague and discuss: How do our students differ from one another?

ALL Students Deserve a Just Right Challenge

To treat everyone the same way ignores current brain research, cognitive psychology, and best practice in the field of teaching and learning (Our brains are uniquely wired) Frustrates both the teacher and the learner

What is Differentiated Instruction?

Differentiated instruction is responsive teaching.
(Responding to the learner; responding to his readiness, his interest, his learning profile.)

Differentiated instruction is not a curriculum:

its a belief/philosophy that it is our job to meet the learner where she is, not where wed like her to be.

2012 Judy Dodge

Differentiated instruction is NOT a response to failure.

It is NOT the dumbing-down of curriculum Its teaching up while scaffolding struggling learners

Differentiation in NOT
Dominated by whole class instruction Creating 3 different lessons
(Provide support/*on-grade level/provide a challenge)

Individualized instruction Just giving more work to advanced learners ***Trying to do different things with everyone every day

The mantra of a differentiated classroom

Fair is not equal. Fair is getting what you need.

 Lets recap: the need for differentiated instruction

The Research to Support Differentiation of Instruction

Lev Vygotsky(1978, 1986)

In regard to readiness for a given task, Vygotsky proposed that an individual learns in his or her zone of proximal development (ZPD). This term refers to a point of required mastery where a child cannot successfully function alone, but can succeed with scaffolding to support. In that range, new learning will take place.

The teachers job is to coach for success with a task slightly more complex than the child can manage alone, and thus, push forward the area of independence.

-Carol Ann Tomlinson and Cindy Strickland

The National Research Council

Tasks must be at the proper level of difficulty to be and to remain motivating: tasks that are too easy become boring; tasks that are too difficult cause frustration
(Bransford, Brown, and Cocking, 1999 & 2000).
-Carol Ann Tomlinson and Cindy Strickland

Admit and Exit Cards

Please take 2-3 minutes to write everything that you know about Formative Assessment

2010 Judy Dodge

A Formative Assessment System

Formative assessment is a process for improving student achievement It must answer three questions: Feed-up Where am I going? Feedback How am I doing? Feed-forward Where am I going next?
John Hattie and Helen Timperley (2007)

What is Formative Assessment?

Frequent and on-going reflective practice of a learners understanding Provides feedback to the student and the teacher and helps them both to set future goals around the students strengths and weaknesses Usually, not graded
2012 Judy Dodge

What is Summative Assessment?

An assessment that comes at the END of an instructional unit and evaluates the students learning by comparing it to some benchmark or standard Usually graded

Examples: mid-term exam, final exam, research paper, etc.

2012 Judy Dodge

Formative Assessment: Frequent & On-going Assessment

Oral questioning Observing students Writing samples Written journal responses Pre-tests Homework QuickWrites Quizzes Admit/Exit Cards

Use Data to Drive Differentiated Instruction

Who needs more support?

Who needs more of a challenge?

Checks for Understanding

Stop and Process Activities:
COVERAGE UNDERSTANDING Memorization does not lead to transference

Provide time for student reflection

Students write individually

Students talk in pairs
2010 Judy Dodge

Whoever explains learns

David Sousa

Provide multiple opportunities for students to explain what they are learning

Guide assigned Learning Partners to interact through a daily (TurnnTalk). Hold partners accountable for staying on task by requiring a
written task to be completed by each student
Trabaja con su companero. En parejas, describen esta foto. Date una vuelta y habla con su amigo

2010 Judy Dodge

Have students Make a Connection!

After a mini-lecture, class discussion, text reading, video, or PowerPoint Have students make their own connections and share with the class Compare two characters, two books, two authors styles Note a sequence of events/a process Predict a future outcome Recognize a cause or effect Make a text-to-self, text-to-text, text-to-world connection Suggest a characters motivation Describe and internal or external conflict of a character Explain a problem and the solution

2010 Judy Dodge

 Lets recap: the need for formative assessment

Classroom Instruction

Specific ways to help second language learners

Identify a Content Goal as well as a Language Goal -- Example 1

Reading a story Retelling the story Content Goal:
Identify the beginning/middle/end of a story

Language Goal:
To use transition words for sequence: First, Next, Then, Finally,

Identify a Content Goal as well as a Language Goal Example 2

Read two pieces of informational text -or View a video and read an article of informational text Compare the two

Content Goal:
Compare two ideas, processes, customs, places, etc.

Language Goal:
Use the language of comparison: both, same, similar, on the one hand, however, different, neither, etc.

Provide Academic Language to Scaffold

Speaking/Writing About Connections in English
_____ and _____ are both_____.

(compare/contrast)

First, _____. Next, ____. Then, ____. Finally, ____.

(sequence steps)

This reminds me of ____. This is like _____.

(text-self/text-text-/text-world connections)

This happened because ____.

(argue/cite evidence)

(cause-effect)

I know that ____ because on page 2 the author says ____.

Explanatory Writing/Speaking Frame

I want to explain why ___________________. There are several reasons for this. The first reason is ______________________. Another reason is ______________________. In addition, ___________________________. Now, you can understand why ____________.

Sequence Writing/Speaking Frame

I want to explain how ____________. First of all/To begin with __________. Then, _________________________. After that, _____________________. Finally/As a result_______________.

Comparison-Contrast Writing/Speaking Frame

____ and ____ share common attributes. They are similar in that ____________________. Another thing they have in common is _______. However, whats different is that ____________. Another difference is _____________________.

Helping Students Understand Text

Word level-inquiry Sentence level-inquiry
Text-level-inquiry

 Lets recap: specific ways to help Second Language Learners during instruction

Lets Review: What is Differentiation of Instruction?

Its a philosophy, not a program Its the belief that learning can take place in more than one way Its the recognition that all students do not have to do the same work in the same way Its the understanding that there are multiple pathways to reaching the same goal or objective

Lets Review: Differentiation is NOT

Dominated by whole-class instruction
Individualized instruction Modification based on quantity

Trying to do different things with everyone every day

Stop and Jot!

???????????????????????????????????

Frequent & On-Going Assessments

How do you know what they know? Formative Assessments-When?? Checks for Understanding Stop and Process Activities: TurnnTalk! QuickWrites StopnJot! Stop Box Jot-Pair-Share Admit/Exit Cards

Flexible Grouping: In addition to

whole-group instruction
Individual Work

Study Partners

Small Group

Same-ability groups Mixed-ability groups Needs-ability groups

Multi-Modality Learning/Learning Styles/ Multiple Intelligences

Accommodating different learning styles by varying your presentation Providing students with visuals and encouraging them to create their own Encouraging the use of Multiple Intelligence-Based activities for students to show-what-they-know

Choice Opportunities
Based on student interest, learning styles, MI Provide a variety of options: content (what to read and
study), learning activities (read, write, speak, research, work alone, work in a group), show-what-you-know products

Awaken intrinsic motivation (less apathy)

Offer empowerment (All students bring baggage from
homechoice provides them more freedom)

Choice Homeworkprovides variety and

engages the learner

Tiered Lessons
Providing appropriate challenge to 2-3 levels of students at the same time All students work on the same concept, but at different
levels of complexity, abstractness, and independence

The meat and potatoes of a differentiated classroom. (Carol Ann Tomlinson)

TurnnTalk

 Lets recap: What differentiation looks like in the classroom

More About

Zones of Proximal Development Lev Vygotsky

Students learning zone

Students learning zone

Students learning zone

Judy Dodge

Charting My Strengths

Im great! Im good
Im okay

ListeningSpeakingReadingWritingPronunciation--Homework

Tiering Your Instruction By Student Readiness

Appropriate level of challenge for 2-3 levels
Informed by data (on-going formative
assessments)

Not every day, not every week, but whenever you have an important concept and a wide range of understanding among students

Laying the Foundation for Success With Tiered Lessons

Charting My Strengths Fair is not equal. Fair is getting what you need. Practice Flexible Grouping
Study PartnersSmall GroupsSame/Different Readiness

Have Anchor Activities in Place (Early finishers

activity)

What About Grading???

Differentiation of Instruction doesnt mean different tests for different readiness levels Same test: include differentiated elements Draw a picture to show your understanding of
Choose one of these 3 pictures/characters and describe Respond to one of these three prompts/questions. Write a summary or draw a graphic organizer to show

Differentiated Assessments
Occasionally offer a choice of options to show-what-you-know about a topic (Choice HW Options/End-of-Unit Projects) Alternative Assessments

Judy Dodges Web Site

www.judydodge.com Click on Judys eBoardscroll to the bottom Click on PRTESOL Differentiating Instruction

Click on PPt. Presentation: Differentiating Instruction

Then and Now

Before today I thought that differentiating instruction But, now I know

I want to learn more about

Question & Answer Session

Questions and Answers