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Informing Writing: The Benefits of Formative Assessment
This publication focuses on the effectiveness of formative writing (teacher feedback, student assessment, and ongoing monitoring) and offers best practices for assessment (allow paper/pencil or word processing, mask student names when scoring, and use multiple samples). Like "Writing Next" and "Writing to Read" - both available in this resource library - it is a meta-analysis of large-scale research studies. Read More
Assessment – Example
This example of course objectives and the assessments used to measure them comes from a job preparation course for personal care assistant jobs. Note the variety of assessment methods used and how each method matches the objective. Read More
Quick and Easy Adult Reading Assessments
Quick and Easy Adult Reading Assessments test oral fluency, or the ability to read text accurately and smoothly, with grade-leveled passages. Quick and Easy Adult Reading Assessments… Read More
Modified Phonics Assessment and Testing Copies
A modified Minnesota version of Sylvia Greene's Informal Word Analysis Inventory, Levels I and II. It includes processes for conducting as an individual reading test or group spelling test, a Teacher Copy for scoring, and six Student Copies for testing knowledge of sequential phonics patterns. Read More
Diagnostic Reading Assessment – Challenges & Possible Solutions
Common diagnostic reading assessment challenges and solutions developed by Minnesota STARs and Trainers. Read More
Picture Yourself as a Stereotypical Male
How do race, gender, exposure to stereotypes, and classroom demographics impact student performance? Can test anxiety be a result of the experience of bias, and unrelated to actual ability? Can helping students see themselves as "complex, intelligent, talented, individual human selves" impact their academic performance? Read More
Designing Systems of Teacher Learning Around Student Work
Description of this recorded webinar: "How do we develop sustained growth in teacher practice in a department? One way is to design a system of teacher learning based on student artifacts. Join Geoff Krall... as he shares experiences and models of student work analysis that lead to better instructional choices and departmental coherence." Read More
Making It Real: Teaching Pre-Literate Adult Refugee Students
This book is a great place reference for both new and experienced teachers. It covers a variety of effective practices for teaching low-literate adult refugees, and describes techniques and activities that support these practices. Read More
Listening and Speaking Activities for Adult ESL Learners
This packet of listening and speaking activities contains a number of activities that can be used in the ESL classroom. The activities are organized by the three skills of language scored in the BEST Plus assessment: Listening Comprehension, Language Complexity, and Communication. Read More