Literacy Assessment Research Paper

Types of Literacy Assessments

Most schools systems have a Literacy Assessment that is given at the beginning of the year. The types of Literacy Assessments include: Map Testing; Star Reading; and PALS (Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening). However, “Universal literacy screenings such as DIBELS Next and AIMSweb are often characterized as fluency assessments because they measure both accuracy and efficiency in completing tasks,” (Munger, n.d.). While these assessments assist core-content teachers in determining where a student stands in the fluency of reading, teachers in other non-core content areas, such as Business Education might not be privy to test score results.

Issues become a problem with the authenticity of literacy is excessively

shortened by assessments that are not multidimensional such as the constant usage of the same types of question such as multiple choice. Instructors will see the lack of validity of the assessments unsatisfying because the final outcomes do not reflect the students’ knowledge, comprehension, or their capabilities.
Formal and Informal Assessments: Purpose; Their Pros and Cons
Assessments have a lot of benefits and downsides as well. While instructors like the benefits of informal assessments. It gives the teacher an idea of how much progress the student has made in the class or in the subject area. It also gives the teacher an insight as to what the student needs to work on. Assignments in reinforcement or enrichment can be given to assist the student in the comprehension of the subject area. The downside of informal assessments may not be documented, or be used in planning assignments. Mostly its impromptu and most of the time, it might not require the use of technology.
Most formal testing requires the use of technology, those tests include, “standardized reading readiness tests, used in a diagnostic manner are known to drive the curriculum.

These tests which assess skills such as auditory discrimination, letter identification, letter-sound association, following directions and copying letters result in a readiness program designed to master these skills,” (Harlin & Lipa,1990). The pros of formal assessments- its provides data for certain subjects but mostly core content area. School administrators are able to take the data that is given and compare it to previous data from years past, or compare to other schools in the county, other counties within the state, or on a national level. While the pros have benefits, there are cons to formal assessments. Cons can possibly include failure in technology- computers can shut down or fail to operate properly during testing, internet fails to transmit data, or student is not computer literate. Other cons can include student performance, whereas the student is not a good test taker and struck with anxiety or nervousness. A student’s non-performance or poor performance on a formal assessment can be a disadvantage in when it comes to the data. Especially if the content on the test has not been covered during the course of the school year. Most students complain at the end of the test that certain information they did not know because the concepts or content information was never introduced in the class.

Content area such as business education, culinary arts do not have formal assessments at the end of each school term. However, CTAE (Career, Technology, and Agricultural Education) have a pathway assessment at the completion of the pathway. While the CTAE is not literacy geared, however there is a lot of literacy-involved reading in the

classes.
Literacy Tools Aiding with Instruction
One literacy tool that has been introduced to students, and has been a success in the classroom is Newsela. This resource is actually used as additional resources pertaining to any content area. This resource can keep the class engaged for group discussions or individual reading. Teachers can set up the account so students can access it at school or at home.
Another useful literacy tool is TrackStar. This “allows teachers to collect a series of websites and annotate them so that students can follow an online journey. With a little work, teachers can create a visual vocabulary field trip for students. Teachers determine topics which support units of study,” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015).
Supporting Technological Resources for Literacy Assessments
Teachers are faced with a plethora of challenges, and literacy is one of them. Teachers are faced with an undaunting task of introducing new literacy in the classroom in addition to be being underprepared when using technology. (Kajder, 2005). Being underprepared include issues such as lack of resources, skills, as well as lack of comprehension using technology for assessments. In the book, Contextualizing the New Literacies of Information and Communication Technologies in Theory, Research, and Practice., the authors acknowledged vital ideas instructors can use in the classroom to introduce students to new literacies:
• “Simply using software programs on computers does not prepare students for new literacies' expectations.
• New literacies are deictic in that they constantly change and require teachers to embrace these changes.
• New literacies are essential in classrooms so that equal opportunities are offered to all students,” (Leu, et.al., 2005).
Assessment websites such as USATest Prep has made their website mobile friendly. This is helpful for teachers, especially since school computer labs might be in use. Teachers can allow the students to use the smartphone to complete the assignment on the cellphone versus waiting for students to get a lab day.
Conclusion
To be an efficient educator in the twenty-first century, one must be able to work with students that are technology savvy, be up-to date on educator-preparedness programs and attend professional development sessions offered by the school district. As technology continues to evolve, it has an important use in the classroom. “There can be infinite uses of the computer and the new age of technology, but if teachers themselves are not able to bring it into the classroom and make it work, then it fails.” (Parker, personal communication, 2018). The beauty of technology, includes the an educator’s ability to introduce a variety of new literacies to students in their classes.