Differentiated

Assessment Strategies
Reported by: Adora A. Barnachea
CE 214 Evaluative Techniques (Test & Measurement)
Ma. Cynthia Alcantara, PhD
Miriam College Graduate School

Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
! Assessment is ongoing. It is done before, during,
and after learning.
! (Ideally) Assessment data drives curriculum
planning or lesson planning.
! There is a blending of informal and formal
assessment tools used in planning.

Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
Differentiated assessment is an ongoing process of
evaluation where the teacher gathers information and
data before, during, and after instruction to better
facilitate the learning. This process ensures success
for all students in the differentiated class with data
provided from a variety of sources assisting in giving
an overall view of student achievement. It is essential
that when assessing students in the differentiated
class, assessment is authentic meaning it offers
students a variety of tasks demonstration real-life
skills, tells the educator if the student has acquired
the skills or concepts, is based on standard criteria to
achieve validity, and guides students for roles in adult
life (Chapman & King, 2012).

Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
Differentiated assessment means selecting tools and
strategies to provide each student with the best
opportunity to demonstrate his or her learning. As
you get to know your students, and as student
differences emerge, assessment naturally becomes
more differentiated, because its purpose is to meet
students where they are and to coach them to the
next step. In this way, assessment and instruction
continue to support and inform each other.

(http://education.alberta.ca/media/1233985/7_ch4%20differentiated.pdf)
Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
Differentiated
Instruction
Differentiated
Assessment
leads to
informs
Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
Like differentiated instruction, differentiated
assessment is based on the reality that the needs of
students cannot all be met in the same way.
Successfully meeting student needs involves using
your understanding of each student to guide your
selection of a reasonable range of assessment tools
and strategies. The goal is not to have an
individualized assessment plan for each student, but
to have a manageable class assessment plan that is
exible enough to accommodate a range of student
needs.
Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
What assessment for learning strategies you use will
depend on your existing knowledge about your
students, as well as the specic purpose for the
assessment and where in the activity the assessment
will occur; e.g., at the beginning, in the middle or at
the end.
Position in the learning activity
Beginning Middle/During End
Example of
assessment
purpose
To nd out
whether
students
have retained
a skill learned
in a previous
activity.
To nd out if the
remainder of
the learning
activity should
be restructured
to accommodate
differing
learning needs.
To nd out the
extent to which
students have
overcome a
misconception
common to the
topic.
Example of
instructional
purpose
To help students
recall what they
learned in the
previous activity
and to remind
them of an
expectation.
To help students
remain engaged
in the learning,
and to take
ownership for
their own
Learning.
To help students
bring closure to
the activity and
to focus on a big
idea.
(http://education.alberta.ca/media/1233985/7_ch4%20differentiated.pdf)
Planning for Assessment
Planning for assessments for learning is part of
short-range planning, as the strategies are directly
related to current learning activities and outcomes.
(http://education.alberta.ca/media/1233985/7_ch4%20differentiated.pdf)
1. Determine the purpose
The purpose of collecting assessment for
learning information is to help inform decisions about
how to teach next. In a differentiated classroom, the
decisions that could be inuenced include those
identied by Dodge (2005):
setting up groups
pacing the activities
framing and phrasing questions
determining what kind of review will be required
timing the assessments.

1. Determine the purpose
Before selecting an strategy, anticipate the
results and consider the implications. For example:
Will you change your plans for the learning activity if
it emerges that half your students have not retained a
necessary skill from the last activity?
What will you do if all except two students have
retained the skill?
2. Establish a focus
A busy classroom contains so much potential
assessment information that even a full-time observer
could not record it all. Decide what assessment
information you need to help with your instructional
decision making, and then select an assessment
strategy that will focus on that in an efcient way.

2. Establish a focus
The following guidelines may be helpful.
Focus on learning outcomes. Consider what students
are expected to know and be able to do related to the
specic learning outcome.
For example, asking students the name of the
interpreter from yesterdays social studies eld trip
does not form the basis of an assessment strategy. A
question for ongoing assessment would be, How is
listening to a senior citizen interpret a historic site an
example of research?
2. Establish a focus
The following guidelines may be helpful.
Focus on sequential learning. Identify any outcomes
that act as a critical step in a sequence. In other
words, students really should not proceed until they
have achieved this outcome, or really need to proceed
because they have achieved it. These outcomes
should be the focus of an assessment for learning
strategy.
3. Select and use the strategy
Consider the following guidelines when choosing an
assessment strategy.
Choose a strategy that aligns with the purpose and
focus for collecting the information. Ensure that the
strategy actually assesses what you are aiming to
assess.
Pick a strategy that students enjoy. Students often
enjoy informal ongoing assessment strategies
because they are quick, engaging and low risk.
Varying strategies adds to the novelty and enjoyment.
3. Select and use the strategy
Consider the following guidelines when choosing an
assessment strategy.
Determine when the information is needed. If the
information is needed right away, then the strategy
must provide student responses that you can use
immediately, such as the response cards strategy
used with one-word answers. If the information is
needed for an upcoming learning activity, and if a
more complex response is required from students,
use the exit slip strategy or another strategy that
allows you to read and interpret student responses
after the activity.
3. Select and use the strategy
Consider the following guidelines when choosing an
assessment strategy.
Decide how much time can be afforded. Assessment
strategies do take time, and it is important to allow
enough time to make them effective. Completing an
exit slip may well take ve minutes, and so the
learning activity must wrap up in time to make it
possible.
3. Select and use the strategy
Consider the following guidelines when choosing an
assessment strategy.
Decide how students could demonstrate
understanding. Many strategies can be used to tap
into either knowledge or application, depending on
the questions that are asked of students. For
example, asking students to answer questions about a
new concept demonstrates knowledge, but giving
them an opportunity to apply the knowledge by
solving a problem or creating an example provides
richer information.
3. Select and use the strategy
Consider the following guidelines when choosing an
assessment strategy.
Vary the strategies used. An ongoing assessment
strategy should help each student quickly bring his or
her understanding to the forefront, so that it is
apparent to the student and to you. The means by
which students demonstrate their understanding
should not be an obstacle. For example, a student
who has weak writing skills may not be able to quickly
demonstrate his or her understanding by writing a
response. To minimize this effect, rotate through
assessment strategies that vary the way in which
students respond.
Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
! FORMATIVE PREASSESSMENT TOOLS:

In a quality class, the teacher performs assessment
before the learning takes place. This ensures the
teacher plans the lessons to best meet the needs of
the students. (Chapman & King, 2012).

http://differentiatedstrategies.wikispaces.com/Differentiated+Strategies+for
+Assessment
Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
! One important aspect of assessing learners is
finding out what learners know about a topic. By
doing a pre-assessment of knowledge, teachers can
plan curriculum and design instruction to meet the
needs of the total class as well as individuals.
! Pre-assess learning one to two weeks out so that
the teacher can use the information in planning.

Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
! FORMATIVE PREASSESSMENT TOOLS:
You can use assessment-before-learning, (sometimes
called pre-assessment or diagnostic assessment), to
help plan effective instruction at the start of a new
term or unit. Instructional decisions can be improved
by having early information about student:
*readiness *interests *learning preferences
*background knowledge *existing understandings.


Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
1. FORMATIVE PREASSESSMENT TOOLS:
! Ponder and Pass
On a chart, the students are to write the facts they
know on the given concept, information they want
to learn, and questions they want to explore. The
paper is then passed around the room.


Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
1. FORMATIVE PREASSESSMENT TOOLS:
! Signal and Action Response
The students perform an action which indicates
their level of understanding of a concept, for
example:
! Waving hands = I know it
! Shrug of shoulders = I have a hunch
! Thumbs down = I have no idea
Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
1. FORMATIVE PREASSESSMENT TOOLS:
! Take a Stand
The teacher places numbers around the room and
the students move to a number based on their
understanding. With their group, the students
discuss what they know about the concept or what
they want to know.


Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
1. FORMATIVE PREASSESSMENT TOOLS:
! Knowledge Base Corners or Squaring Off
The students move to a corner based on their
understanding of a concept. The teacher
predetermines the level of understanding at each
corner. The students discuss the topic with their
group members. For example the corners could
include; Not a clue, I know a little bit, I know a lot,
Ive got it.
Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
1. FORMATIVE PREASSESSMENT TOOLS:
! Gallimaufry Gathering
This activity should be assigned a week or two prior
to the unit of study. The students are to become
scavengers, discoverers, and investigators. They
then fill a box of things related to the unit of
study. The students could even be asked to fill out a
survey on the items they found relating their
connection or importance to the topic. This
gathering is often done at home.

Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
1. FORMATIVE PREASSESSMENT TOOLS:
! ELO (Evening Learning Opportunities)
The students are asked to gather information on
the upcoming topic. It is to be completed
independently at home. This should not be graded
and is not considered homework. For example, be a
detective and locate a recipe that uses tablespoons,
teaspoons, and a cup to measure ingredients. Bring
a copy of the recipe to school to share.

Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
2. ASSESSMENT DURING THE LEARNING:
To maintain a high quality learning environment, it is
necessary the teacher performs assessments during
the learning. The ongoing assessment provides
essential information which helps to facilitate the
learning. The following are differentiated strategies to
help support this type of assessment (Chapman &
King, 2012).

Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
2. ASSESSMENT DURING THE LEARNING:
! Observation
The teacher continuously searches for evidence of
learning by collecting data on the students. This is
one of the most effective formative assessment
tools available to the teacher.
Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
2. ASSESSMENT DURING THE LEARNING:
! Anecdotal Assessment
The teacher gathers notes and records data. The
anecdotal record is a documentation written during
observations.
! Clipboard Stickies attach sticky notes to a
clipboard, record information as observed.
! Card Cruising- the teacher uses index cards to
record information about the students.
!
Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
2. ASSESSMENT DURING THE LEARNING:
! Sketches From the Mind
Students make simple sketches to represent key
words or as markers to identify facts or concepts

! Analyzing Student Notes
Looking at student notes gives the teacher insight
into the thought process of the students.


Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
2. ASSESSMENT DURING THE LEARNING:
! Checkpoint Tests
The teacher uses periodic checkpoint tests after
reading or demonstrating a skill. This gives the
teacher a quick assessment of the ability level of
the students.
! Daily Grades
The teacher selects grades from daily assignments,
projects, problem-solving opportunities, homework,
quizzes, etc. Frequent grades provide a more
accurate picture of the student's performance.
Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
3. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AFTER THE
LEARNING:
It is the process of collecting and interpreting
information to judge student achievement against
predetermined criteria for the purposes of grading
and reporting. Assessment of learning occurs at
benchmark points in learning, such as the end of a
unit or chunk of learning.

Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
3. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AFTER THE
LEARNING:
! Effective Questioning Techniques
! Open-Ended Questions: These questions requires the
students to think and choose their answer. Sample
questions could be; explain how, describe, tell more
about, what is your opinion of, etc.
! Reflection Questions: These questions will require
students to analyse and reflect on their work. Sample
questions could be; what discoveries have you made,
what is the most important thing you learned, what do
you need to learn next, etc.

Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
3. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AFTER THE
LEARNING:
! Post-Sharing Celebrations
! Wraparound: Each student writes a piece of
important information on a piece of paper,
students are then put into groups. They take turns
sharing the information they wrote down.
Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
3. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AFTER THE
LEARNING:
! Post-Sharing Celebrations
! Carousel Gala: The teacher hangs chart paper with
headings around the room. The students are
divided into groups and assigned a paper to begin.
The students write what they know about the topic
on the paper. The teacher will then have the kids
rotate to the next paper and add any information
the previous groups had left off.
Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
3. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AFTER THE
LEARNING:
! Post-Sharing Celebrations
! Rhythmic Fanfare: The students are divided into
groups, they are required to make a song, poem,
jingle, rap, or chant about specific information from
the unit of study. They present these to the rest of
the class.

Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
3. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AFTER THE
LEARNING:
! Assessing With Journals
The student reflects on their work through journal
entries.
Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
3. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AFTER THE LEARNING:
! Jazzy Journal Assessment
Students may use one of the following examples as
their journal entry;
! design a sequence
! sketch or draw a picture
! create a caricature
! use a graphic organizer
! make a graffiti list using various fonts and colors
! create a song, rap, jingle, rhyme, chant, or cheer
! make metaphors or similes.
Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
3. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AFTER THE LEARNING:
! Teacher-Made Tests
! true-false
! multiple choice
! fill in the blank
! open-ended questions
! performance tests
! skills tests
! problem based


Differentiated Assessment
Strategies
3. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AFTER THE LEARNING:
! Portfolios
Portfolios are a collection of student work. Often the
teacher chooses some of the items for the portfolio
and the student chooses other items.
Managing Differentiated
Assessment
Consider the following tips to help you make
meaningful, manageable decisions about how
to differentiate assessment.
(http://education.alberta.ca/media/1233985/7_ch4%20differentiated.pdf)
Managing Differentiated
Assessment
! Be realistic. Assessing differentiated content,
process or product places demands on you as the
teacher. In general, content differentiation tends to
put the highest demand on teachers understanding
of the subject matter. Process differentiation tends
to put the highest demand on teachers classroom
management skills. Product differentiation tends to
put the most demand on teachers planning skills
because they will need to have choices laid out,
materials available and general rubrics ready.
Managing Differentiated
Assessment
! Create opportunities for students to experience a
variety of ways to demonstrate their learning.
Varied experiences give student differences more of
an opportunity to come to light. For example, by
intentionally rotating students through tasks that
focus on different multiple intelligences, you create
opportunities for students to demonstrate their
strengths and interests, while also revealing areas
of need.
Managing Differentiated
Assessment
! Consider what types and variety of assessment
tools and strategies are best suited to the learning
outcomes being addressed. Student achievement
of some learning outcomes can only be effectively
assessed in a limited number of ways while others
may lend themselves to a more diverse range of
assessment methods. For example, the
mathematics learning outcome, Describe, orally
and in writing, whether or not a number is rational
probably has less potential for differentiated
assessment than the learning outcome, Solve
problems, using rational numbers in meaningful
contexts.
Managing Differentiated
Assessment
! Ensure students are equipped to deal with the
choices they are offered. In order to make sound
choices for demonstrating their learning, students
need:
a repertoire of products or strategies from which to
choose the critical thinking skills to identify, weigh
and choose options
knowledge of themselves as learners
the maturity to choose the option that will let them
best show what they have learned, not simply the
option they think will be quickest.
Managing Differentiated
Assessment
! Add to student repertoires of products and
strategies. Explicitly teach and then provide
structured opportunities to demonstrate their
learning in different ways. Include opportunities
and tools for self-reection and self-assessment.
Managing Differentiated
Assessment
! Consider your own comfort level with various
strategies and tools.
For example, when introducing a new assessment
strategy, you may want to use it with the whole class,
rather than attempting to deal with more than one
strategy at once.
Managing Differentiated
Assessment
! Address both strengths and challenges. Sometimes
helping a student to become well-rounded is in the
students best interest. As a result, you may ask
students to work in a way that is not their preferred way
in order to stretch themselves. At other times, you may
decide that students should demonstrate their learning
in the way that is most comfortable for them. For
example, a student who would not choose to work
independently might benet from completing
independent tasks on occasion. At another time, you
may decide that it is important to collect the best
evidence you can to support the highest claim you can
reasonably make about a students achievement and,
therefore, you allow the student to use a graphic
organizer rather than a formal essay to present an
overview of a topic.