When working in any classroom, there is always a variety of learners. During my student teaching placement in an Autistic Support classroom, I had students on all different levels. When crafting an assessment at the end of a unit, I had a lot to consider. I had to consider each students' ability level, what adaptations and modifications each student needed, and how I was going to present the test to each student. Some of my students could complete a short test on their own without any assistance, while other students did better at communicating their thoughts aloud to me at my desk. Some of my students needed word banks, while others were confused by word banks and needed three multiple choice options. At first this task seemed daunting. Throughout this experience, I learned what testing environments and adaptations worked best for all of my students. Instead of writing eight different tests, I was able to create one test that could be presented in multiple formats. For some students I would give them answer choices, others had to tell me verbally without choices. Some students received word banks for certain sections, while others filled in the blanks without a word bank. Some students had their test chunked into smaller sections, while others did not. It really depended on the student and their needs. This was a great learning experience for me because it taught me to think critically about how I was assessing my students. Especially in special education, teachers must get creative with how they assess their students. I tried to make my assessments more like a game than a test whenever possible. This not only motivated students to work hard while being assessed, but also made it more fun for them to participate in.
Finally, I found that not every assessment has to be a formal test. Project-based learning is another great way for students to demonstrate what they know. For the end of my novel unit plan, I gave my students a Tic-Tac-Toe board of book projects they could complete. There were a variety of types of projects for students to choose from. They could sing a song, create a cartoon, or act out a scene from the book. They simply had to choose three projects to complete and then turn them in to me. This allowed for students to pick projects that highlighted their strengths and talents. Two of my students performed on scene from the novel using puppets they created on their own. The level to creativity my students brought to this assignment would have been limited if I had given all of my students a one-size-fits-all end of the unit assessment. Every learner is different, so as educators we must make our assessments meet each student where they are at.
Finally, I found that not every assessment has to be a formal test. Project-based learning is another great way for students to demonstrate what they know. For the end of my novel unit plan, I gave my students a Tic-Tac-Toe board of book projects they could complete. There were a variety of types of projects for students to choose from. They could sing a song, create a cartoon, or act out a scene from the book. They simply had to choose three projects to complete and then turn them in to me. This allowed for students to pick projects that highlighted their strengths and talents. Two of my students performed on scene from the novel using puppets they created on their own. The level to creativity my students brought to this assignment would have been limited if I had given all of my students a one-size-fits-all end of the unit assessment. Every learner is different, so as educators we must make our assessments meet each student where they are at.
food_chains_test.docx | |
File Size: | 556 kb |
File Type: | docx |
chapter_test__verbal_.docx | |
File Size: | 818 kb |
File Type: | docx |
vocab_quiz.docx | |
File Size: | 16 kb |
File Type: | docx |
tic-tac-toe_rubric.docx | |
File Size: | 14 kb |
File Type: | docx |
tic-tac-toe_rubric.docx | |
File Size: | 14 kb |
File Type: | docx |