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Tests

As we work with assessing our children, our tests look different. We work to assess how children use reading strategies so that we know what to teach. By asking about strategies, the teacher will find out how much content the child has processed. For example, if we ask the child to explain a question she had while reading and what she did to find the answer, we assess 2 things: (1) the child's ability to use the questioning strategy and (2) her understanding of the text.

None of the teachers [in the study] relied on the increasingly popular commercial test-preparation materials. Instead these teachers believed that sound instruction would lead to enhanced test performance. The data bore out their beliefs.

Richard Allington, "What I've Learned About Effective Reading Instruction from a Decade of Studying Exemplary Elementary Classroom Teachers,"Phi Delta Kappan, June, 2002.

Sample Nonfiction Test

1. What does it mean to put your research "in your own words"?
2. What do you have to know before you can figure out a headline or a title of an article?
3. What is a source?
4. If you were going to do research on a topic, which sources would be the best and why?
5. Explain what these sources are best used for:
   • Encyclopedia
   • Almanac
   • Atlas
   • Dictionary
   • Internet
   • Interview
6. What did you learn about doing research that you didn’t know before you did this project?
7. What did you learn about reading nonfiction that you didn’t know before doing this project?
8. List some new vocabulary words you learned from doing this project and what they mean.
9. What will you do better next time? In other words, what will be your goal?

...traditional assessments can become metacognitive assessments when a few reflective questions that explore student thinking are added.

Israel, Bauserman, and Block, "Metacognitive Assessment Strategies," Thinking Classroom: A Journal of the IRA,Volume 6, Number 2, April 2005.

"BOOK REPORT" Reading Strategy Book Quiz

Each question is worth 10 points. Write neatly. Spell correctly. Use punctuation, capitalization and periods. Use complete thoughts. Explain clearly. Proofread your written answers! Explain your answers carefully.

(1) I just read a book entitled . . . by . . .

(2) When I read this story there was a part that reminded me of . . . The connection helped me understand the book by . . .

(3) While I was reading this book, I remember wondering . . . I figured out that . . .

(4) I think parts of this story are more important than others. I think one of the most important parts is . . . because . . .

(5) I think the author thought the most important character in this book was . . . because . . .

(6) Let me tell you everything about this one part that I could see clearly in my mind.

(7) If I had to tell someone about this story in just one sentence, that sentence would be . . .

(8) After reading this book, I understand . . . which I didn’t understand before reading this book.

(9) After reading this book, I believe . . .

(10) I think the author had a purpose for writing this book and it was . . .

10th Grade Final Reflection for Reading- Choice Contract (15 pts)

I. Think about the choices you made during reading periods.
(1) Explain whether you think you read a reasonable amount during the contract period and give evidence to back up your answer. Be sure to mention the titles of the novels you read during the contract period.
(2) Explain why you picked the novels you did.
(3) Evaluate whether they were good choices for you. (3 points)

II. Spread out your exit sheets in order by date. Look them over.
(1) Comment on their quality and length.
(2) Point out evidence that shows that you maintained a high standard for each exit sheet OR that you improved over time.
(3) Tell what you learned about reading by writing exit sheets. (3 points)

III. Write about what you learned from daily focused sustained reading time. We are especially interested in whether you were able to get in the "reading zone" and how you went about it. Comment on your ability to
(1) get started quickly.
(2) work on reading in the time provided.
Talk about
(3) how you went about building the amount of your sustained reading time.
(4) how you got in the reading zone.
(5) what new reading strategies you tried and how they worked. (5 points)

IV. Write about your focused and sustained partner discussions. Comment on your ability to (1) get into discussion quickly. (2) bring interesting questions, observations or comments to the discussion. (3) sustain a discussion the full length of time. (3 points)

V. Comment on your individual reading session. What did you learn about yourself from reading one-on-one? What still needs work? (1 point)