Differentiation ASSESSMENT in Differentiation
Accurate and ongoing assessment guides the differentiation process. Assessment means knowing where students are in relation to the curriculum. Do they already know the concepts? Do they know some of the information in the particular unit or topic, or is the information/unit/topic new to them? In addition, assessments also provide key information about whether or not students have successfully completed specific learning tasks. Ongoing assessment is key in determining the content, the process, and also the product that needs to be differentiated for high-ability students.
According to VanTassel-Baska (2011, pp. 394-395), the following are important to consider when planning assessments:
- Effective practice in assessment requires attention to technical details of reliability, validity, test fairness, and test ceiling. Test ceiling is a particularly important consideration in the development of assessments for high-ability learners.
- Expectations for student performance on assessments for high-ability learners should be at a high level, requiring the employment of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation skills; these expectations should be conveyed to students through both the questions asked and the rubrics employed for scoring.
- A combination of formative and summative, standardized and performance-based assessments should be employed to develop a clear understanding of student progress and learning needs in each area of the curriculum.
As teachers move towards differentiating their curriculum for high-ability learners, the steps to differentiation can serve as a guide to help ensure success.
Differentiating curriculum for high-ability learners is often a journey of “trial and error”, but it is a journey that is well worth taking. As teachers become more familiar with how to differentiate their curriculum, they feel empowered to make decisions that can optimize learning for their students. As high-ability students become engaged in learning activities that are more rigorous and challenging, as they are encouraged and nurtured while experiencing learning that is more difficult; they have an opportunity to grow, learn and feel valued in the classroom.
Differentiating Curriculum for High Ability Learners (20mb PDF)
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