For the Test Critique Assignment I choose the Bench Mark Assessment Test for fourth grade. I think it is a great asset to know how my bilingual students are performing against other fourth graders or even to compare them with the national and state scores. The Bench Mark Assessment test is not an option, all students in grades third through eight who take the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) must take the Bench Mark assessments test. The Bench Mark Assessment test primary purpose of the Mathematics and Reading Benchmark Assessments test is instructional improvement and not accountability The Bench Mark assessment test was developed to help teachers to measure students’ strengths and weaknesses at the end of each academic year. The Bench Mark Assessment provides teachers with feedback on the students progressing toward state standards. Also it provides schools with information about strengths and weaknesses on each grade level on the standards for math, reading, and science. The Bench Mark Assessments are based on each individual state’s standards. It is important for schools to know how students measure up against national and state standardize grade level tests. The Bench Mark Assessments can also provide valuable information for making the right decisions. For example, it provides teachers and school administrators with valid information about the students’ actual knowledge. It also examines the classroom performance and teacher instruction. In addition, The Bench Mark Assessments’ scores show how they might be used to improve academic instruction. However, it has not being helpful in my fourth grade classroom, because there are different academic levels. It varies from second grade to third grade none of my stude... ... middle of paper ... ... with curriculum an appropriate bilingual standards. For example the native language is used for minimum 50 percent of the time and it has to be use the entire academic year. These scenarios make very challenging to satisfy the expectations of the standards measured in the Bench Mark Assessment test because traditional bilingual programs have to divide the language instruction by percentages either Spanish or English. Then the validity and reliability of Bench Mark Assessment is affected, and the data is used to track the progress of failure of the bilingual groups. In conclusion, the Bench Mark Assessment testing affects programs of language learner or school that deals with population where students are learning a new language. For the Bilingual Program it is challenging to satisfy the expectations of learning standards measured in Bench Mark Assessment test.
Before teachers are able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of students, they need to assess them formally and informally. Teachers need to be aware of the tools being used to measure progress. After using an instrument to measure students’ progress and development, teachers need to analyze the data obtained to see of it correlates with the performance they observe in class. In a case study performed with preschoolers by Guiberson and Rodriguez (2011), they observed many difficulties that are present when teachers try to assess language and literacy development in bilingual children. They found out that teachers need to use multiple methods of assessments in order to accurately measure student progress. Teachers need to get to know their students and their performance, so when they analyze data they are able to understand it. They need to analyze the different assessments to find and utilize the ones that more accurately measure the students’
The United States of America has placed low on the educational ladder throughout the years. The cause of such a low ranking is due to such heavy emphasis on standardized testing and not individual student achievement. Although the United States uses standardized testing as a crutch, it is not an effective measure of a student’s ability, a teacher’s competency, or a school’s proficiency.
One of the most controversial topics in education today is the use of Provincial Achievement Testing, also know as PAT. PATs’ are used to assess and assist in improving programs, maintain standards and improve student achievement. These tests are standard tests that are at the same academic level for all students and focus on the same curriculum topics. All students write these tests at roughly the same time during the school in the same grade. In most provinces, students write PATs’ in grades three and six in elementary school. These tests feature sections from the core subject areas; math, literacy, science and social studies. Schools with french immersion have tests written in french with a french language sections as well. These tests are used to provide additional information regarding the students’ and school’s achievement. However, some organizations use this to compare schools and districts. Some teachers lack an understanding of these assessments and change their teaching practices to fit this perception. Teachers are focus to much on the basic information being covered by the test, and both all the curriculum that is listed. Teachers need to look at the difference between the assessment of learning over the assessment for learning. The view of assessing of learning has given external testing a lower view by teachers. External testing is used for checking the quality of education. There are three issues regarding assessing student learning with achievement testing, they are: the weak understanding of fair assessment, the perception of external accountability initiatives and the inappropriate assessment of at-risk students.
In Arizona, high schools require their students to take the AIMS (Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards) tests and pass them in order in progress out of high school. Arizonan students must now pass reading, writing, and math and science tests. Many schools have integrated an extra class for students to prepare for taking the tests. Students in these classes can receive either a pass or fail for the course. The original reason and importance for having these tests was to ensure that all students are meeting the standards of education in those tested subjects by the time they graduate. Having more research done about statistics and percentages on opposition and stances on proficiency testing would make an impact in the way schools would continue standardized testing, not only in high schools, but elementary schools as well. Since there is little investigation and research that has been done, there is not a strong voice from the teachers, parents, or students on this subject.
Two major classifications of standardized testing are norm-referenced and criterion-referenced testing. These two tests are the most frequently used and well known method of testing in the United States as well as numerous other countries in the world. The paper will go in detail about the history of standardized tests along with views from the testing companies, school administration, teachers, researchers, students, and parents.
The current tool used to determine individual student ability, and the effectiveness of schools and school districts, consists of a singular measurement assessment process. Though relatively easy to administer and evaluate, this singular assessment in my opinion does not provide an accurate representation of student knowledge and more importantly ability. Many of the current means of assessment are comprised solely of multiple-choice questions utilizing a pencil and a bubble-sheet; a method that favors students who possess strong reading comprehension skills. While I believe that reading comprehension is an important skill, it is only one of several multiple intelligences that students use in learning. Therefore assessments and accountability need to be based on valid and reliable information from multiple data sources.
Throughout the history of standardized testing in the United States of America, citizens have viewed the test as an effective tool to build a society on excellence and success. Furthermore, standardized tests have developed and spread in various public schools as an unproblematic way to test a large amount of students quickly. Educators use test scores to evaluate student performance, teacher proficiency, and school effectiveness. However, standardized tests are not the best way to te...
Up until the 20th century, little has been mentioned about educational expectations (Miller, J. 2014). For over two decades, standardized testing has been a controversial subject. Not only does it affect the student that is being tested, but it also effects teachers, schools, and administrators due to the accountability expected from the test results. Schools, school systems, and states are evaluated based on the academic achievement of their students. Academic achievement is determined by a how well a student succeeds through academic standards. Academic standards are knowledge and skills students are expected to learn in a subject in each grade. The result of academic standards in 2010, was greater control over the school curriculum and
Did you know that standardized testing can be doing more harm than good. Throughout time the United States have use standardized testing as a tool to measure a student's success. In recent studies, has found that relying on one test score does not fully measure a student's ability. Although many people believe that it is the only effective way to measure what a student has learned, how well a teacher has taught, and how prepared a student is to succeed in the real world. The recent studies show that the ACT does not measure real learning, there are disadvantages, and stress that is caused by one test.
Popham, W. James. “Standardized Achievement Tests: Misnamed and Misleading.” Education Week. September 2001. Web. 28 June 2015.
This section focuses on the affect of Bilingual Education programs on student achievement, offering definitions of key terms and analyzing the effectiveness of such courses. The author uses support from research to explain that Bilingual Education programs have experienced much success, but also points out the problems of the system. Additionally, there is some discussion of the recent movements to abandon Bilingual Education, followed by a brief discussion of their effect.
Standardized testing has long been a controversial method of assessment in our schools. Such tests are important indicators of student achievement and aptitude. However, some standardized test scores have been misused as a manner in which to track students, allocate school funds, and even determine teacher pay. Standardized tests, when used appropriately and for the right reasons, can adequately determine a student's present level of strengths and weaknesses and his or her aptitude for certain abilities.
In today’s world assessments are of unescapable importance in creating accountability for teachers and students. In a society with an increased changing demographic face proper assessments must be accessible for every student. Thus, the selection of proper assessments for English language learners is a fundamental part of effective instructions. Assessments are an essential part to help determine which goals have been met and which goals still need to be worked on. Amongst the many options for assessments there are sociocultural assessments that can aid to effectively assess English language learners. Since assessments can help guide teacher instruction and planning. Through the implementation English language learner teachers should employ
The practice of standardized test has long been in hot debate. Many people today hold one-sided opinions about it. Some deem it as the only way to access the ability of students, while others believe it should be abandoned due to the stress it put on test takers. The nature of standardized test, however, is not so simple that can belonged to either direction. Both its advantages and disadvantages have profound impacts.
It is very common to hear that standardized tests measure students hability to test and not how much they have learned . A standardize test can’t determine student’s skills properly, because they are not tailored to different learning styles, they do not measure overall studen capacity for aplication and use of knowledge.