The information below is designed to help parents and other adults responsible for preK-12 students, familiarize you with English literacy assessments and make an informed choice about which one(s) are best for your child.
WHAT IS ENGLISH LITERACY?
If you’re reading this, you probably don’t need to be convinced about the importance of English literacy. However, it’s not always so easy to define just what “literacy” means. Whether as a parent or other stakeholder in a preK-12 student's education, a clear understanding of what literacy actually means is really the first step to achieving any learning goals.
To keep it simple, literacy is the ability to communicate in a language. It includes the ability to express one's self and to understand the expressions of others. Literacy standards define what is considered an acceptable or effective ability to communicate in a language, in this case English. English literacy is based on four broad abilities and skills:
- listening
- speaking
Note: Because of the digital technology revolution, literacy today is about much more than simply reading “books” or writing on paper. Today, literacy includes information literacy. This includes, and requires, abilities and skills to engage with information on a range of screens, coming through headphones, and the ability to make decisions about which information to trust. It also includes a broader meaning of "text". A text can be anything can interpreted for meaning. This includes pictures, images such as emoji's and icons, and more. Most educational institutions are working to catch up with information literacy, but some parts of it are included in
school curriculum.
HOW ARE ENGLISH LITERACY (ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS) STANDARDS ASSESSED?
Assessments are done in different ways. A quiz, book report, or chapter exam are examples of common assessments given by classroom teachers with which many parents may be familiar. However, these are very limited when we want "big picture" feedback about a student's learning. They do not assess learning across multiple grade levels or, often, even an entire academic year. Moreover, English Language Arts is not only an academic subject, but includes a set of skill that are foundational to learning itself across all academic subjects and beyond school into everyday life. Unlike social studies or science, English literacy (along with math) is sequential. This means that what is learned in earlier years is required and relied upon for learning in each new grade. For this reason, English literacy is frequently assessed beginning in the primary grades (K-2 or K-3).
The assessments offered through Sustainable Joy can be standardized or Common Core-aligned but not standardized. Standardized assessments measure what the student has learned in comparison to an established standard with high level of scientifically verified accuracy when administered according to requirements. The score can include both the level of content mastery (a criteria-based assessment) and a ranking that compares how a student scores in comparison to other students who took the same test (performance-based assessment). While standardized test are not the only measure of learning, they are a critical tool to determine how a student's learning measures up to the learning standards established for them. When a student is in a school that does not use Common Core, there are a few standardized assessment that are widely recognized to be effective assessment tools of grade-level learning proficiency. These assessments, such as the Iowa Assessment, measure different skills based on grade level and also include math, science, and social studies. While they are comprehensive, there are still a few skill sets that even they do not assess.
HOW TO GET AN ASSESSMENT
There are many factors that go into an assessment. You can research them on your own and, in some instances, administer them to your own child. However, to maintain the validity of these assessment, there are many restrictions and requirements regarding who can administer the assessment. Through Sustainable Joy, you can receive a consultation that may include:
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, some services may be unavailable or modified..
WHAT ARE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS ?
The United States does have a national standard for English and math literacy called Common Core State Standards. While these standards are available, not every school has opted to use them. Among those that use Common Core, not all use the same assessments to measure achievement of Common Core standards. As a result, parents can be both unfamiliar with what assessments are available and confused about which assessment(s) to choose. The assessments I offer are based on the Common Core standards. Read below and click the green words (links) to learn more about specific standards.
The state of Maryland has a Common Core standard for pre-kindergarten (pre-K) students. Not all states have this. Even if your child is in a state that has not adopted the Common Core standards, or your child is in a private or home school where the standards have not been required, you can use these standards as a very helpful guide for what your child should be learning and when. Finally, the standards have currently been hyperlinked up through 6th grade. However, you can find the other grade-level standards by clicking any green link to the Common Core website and then locating your child's grade.
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ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ASSESSMENTS
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- reading (for comprehension)
- writing (and typing)
FOUNDATIONAL SECOND-LEVEL STANDARDS
STANDARDS
K Grade 7 Speaking & Listening Informational Literacy Literature Language Writing
Grade 8 Speaking & Listening Informational Literacy Literature Language Writing
Grade 9 Speaking & Listening Informational Literacy Literature Language Writing
Grade 10 Speaking & Listening Informational Literacy Literature Language Writing
Grade 11 Speaking & Listening Informational Literacy Literature Language Writing
Grade 12 Speaking & Listening Informational Literacy Literature Language Writing
WHAT ARE ASSESSMENTS?
An assessment is a test, a method of examining acquired knowledge, skills, and/or abilities. For our purposes an assessment is a test that uses scores to generate a statement about the behavior that can be expected of a student who receives a given score.
WHY ARE LITERACY ASSESSMENTS NEEDED?
Literacy assessments can help parents, students, and other educational stakeholders to:
1.
have an objective, measurable understanding of a student’s current skill level compared to established learning standards
have an objective, measurable understanding of a student’s current skill level compared to established learning standards 2.identify any gaps in learning that were expected to be acquired in earlier years
identify any gaps in learning that were expected to be acquired in earlier years 3.plan and/or modify instruction and learning based on a student’s specific needs and goals
plan and/or modify instruction and learning based on a student’s specific needs and goalsAssessment should be administered anytime there is a need to:
Most English literacy assessments focus on early literacy skills and are given in preK-2nd or 3rd grade. This is because language abilities begin at an early age—even before birth. It’s, therefore, very important to assess and address literacy skills as soon as possible. English literacy assessments are often done three times a year: at the beginning of the academic year (BOY), middle of the academic year (MOY), and the end of the academic year (EOY). Certain assessments can also be done more frequently to monitor progress over time. Whether your child is meeting grade-level standards, not meeting them, or exceeding them, an assessment is central to determining the best instructional methods, whether a more challenging curriculum is needed, and/or whether your child needs additional support, such as accommodations. NOTE: The test offered and discussed through this site are not the ones designed to assess cognitive, behavioral, or social-emotional challenges that can support eligibility for accommodations. If you are seeking accommodations, you should start by contacting your child's school.
Public schools usually administer standardized assessments for reading, writing and math such as the MAP-R (for reading) and MAP-M (for math). If a student does not receive these kinds of standardized assessments, the student can continue moving up (matriculating) through each grade whether foundational literacy skills have been mastered or not. This makes it increasingly difficult for students to meet or exceed their current grade-level English Language Arts standards. Because listening, speaking, reading, and writing are foundational skills, being behind in any of these skills tends to make learning any subject that requires them (including science, math, and social studies) more difficult. Others may be learning below their skill level which can result in lower grades due to boredom and lack of motivation. For example, there are students who perform exceptionally well on a standardized test (an assessment) because they feel this “counts”, but who have poor grades because they are not consistently motivated in class. I recommend that parents request a formal assessment from your child’s school, especially if one has never been done.
- assessment administration
- sharing and explanation of scoring
- post-assessment next steps regarding instruction and learning
- measure what a student has learned;
- assess whether a student meets one or more established learning standards; and/or
- guide and target instruction and learning practices after the assessment
