Seven Strategies

of Assessment for Learning

A STUDY GUIDE from

Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Jan Chappuis

Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Portland, Oregon
Conditions for Approved Use of Pearson ATI Materials
Upon completion of the Pearson ATI seminar, you will be prepared to provide introductory
presentations using the Pearson ATI materials provided and lead and manage the learning team
process.

Pearson ATI training materials are the proprietary information of Pearson. Pearson retains
ownership of all proprietary rights, including patent, copyright, and trademark.

Permission is granted for use in training of the Pearson ATI materials provided in this seminar. In
doing so, Pearson requires that:
• All Pearson ATI materials used be properly cited/referenced when used in training or
distributed to others. This includes PowerPoint slides, handouts, and other related
training documents.
• Any Pearson ATI documents or slides that are altered or adapted in any way for use in
presentations also need to contain the original Pearson ATI source note, and adapted
versions of any slide/document should be faxed or e-mailed to Pearson ATI (503-228-
3014 or assessmentinst.com). Adaptations that Pearson ATI deems material will require
written permission.
• Permission for use of the Pearson ATI materials in presentation/training is limited to
non-commercial use. Organizations or individuals offering training for profit need prior
written permission to use Pearson ATI materials.
• Permission to use Pearson ATI materials is not granted if the above conditions are not
satisfied.

No Pearson ATI materials may be posted on an intranet or other website without prior written
approval from Pearson ATI. Requests may be submitted to assessmentinst.com for consideration.

This policy applies to all materials received from Pearson ATI or obtained from the Pearson ATI
website.
 Table of Contents

Learning Goals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Connection to Other Pearson ATI Books. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Mode of Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Overview of Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

The ATI Model of Collaborative Learning Teams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Setting Up a Learning Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

How to Use the Study Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Learning Team Schedule of Readings, Discussions, and Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Chapter 1 Key Ideas, Questions, and Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Chapter 2 Key Ideas, Questions, and Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Chapter 3 Key Ideas, Questions, and Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Chapter 4 Key Ideas, Questions, and Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Chapter 5 Key Ideas, Questions, and Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Chapter 6 Key Ideas, Questions, and Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Learning Goals
The book, Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning, organizes research-based recommendations about
formative assessment practices into an instructional framework that can improve student achievement.
Through its study you will learn the following:

• How to help students develop a clear vision of the content standards they are responsible for
learning
• How to offer effective feedback related to your content standards
• How to teach students to self-assess, peer-assess, and set goals for further learning
• How to offer focused practice and revision opportunities
• How to engage students in tracking, reflecting on, and sharing their progress

Connection to Other Pearson ATI Books

The book is designed as a stand-alone product—you do not need to have read other books about classroom
assessment to understand it. However, doing assessment for learning well depends on a solid understanding
of assessment accuracy. Prerequisite knowledge, when needed, is identified and explained. Specific chapters
in two other Pearson ATI books are referenced at those points, if you want to pursue further study. The books
referenced are Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing It Right—Using It Well by R. Stiggins, J.
Arter, J. Chappuis, and S. Chappuis and Creating and Recognizing Quality Rubrics by J. Arter and J. Chap-
puis. Both are available through our website, www.assessmentinst.com.

Mode of Study
Whether you will engage in this study independently, with a partner, or with a team, we recommend that you
read each chapter yourself and try the suggestions out in your own classroom, if you have one. We also recom-
mend that, if possible, you team with at least one other person to discuss the ideas presented, the actions you
have taken, and effects on student motivation and achievement. Throughout the study guide you will find sug-
gestions related to working through the book with a team, but you can use or modify most of the activities to
suit your learning if you are working alone or with a partner.

1
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Overview of Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Strategy(ies)
Chapter Key Ideas
Addressed

Chapter 1: “Formative Introduces all seven • Defining formative assessment

Assessment and Assess- strategies • Understanding key research on formative assessment’s
ment for Learning”
power
pp. 1–14
• Understanding what the seven strategies are and how
they connect to research findings
Chapter 2: “Where Am I Strategy 1: Provide • Developing learning goals in students
Going? Clear Targets” students with a clear and • Clarifying learning targets
pp. 15–51 understandable vision of
the learning target. • Communicating targets to students
Strategy 2: Use examples
and models of strong and
weak work.
Chapter 3: “Where Am Strategy 3: Offer regular • Understanding the characteristics of effective
I Now? Effective Feed- descriptive feedback. feedback
back”
• Selecting feedback options suited to students’ grade
pp. 53–92 level and kind of learning to be addressed
• Preparing students to give each other feedback
Chapter 4: “Where Am Strategy 4: Teach stu- • Understanding the impact of self-assessment on
I Now? Self-assessment dents to self-assess and student achievement
and Goal Setting” set goals.
• Teaching students to self-assess with a focus on
pp. 93–127 learning targets
• Teaching students to create specific and challenging
goals
Chapter 5: “How Can I Strategy 5: Design les- • Identifying typical misconceptions, reasoning errors,
Close the Gap? Focused sons to focus on one and learning gaps for focused instruction
Teaching and Revision” learning target or aspect
• Creating short practice assignments to scaffold the
pp. 129–148 of quality at a time.
learning and make it more manageable
Strategy 6: Teach stu-
dents focused revision. • Giving students opportunities to practice and act on
feedback before the summative event
Chapter 6: “How Can I Strategy 7: Engage stu- • Keeping students in touch with their growth
Close the Gap? Tracking, dents in self-reflection • Providing time and structure for students to reflect on
Reflecting on, and Shar- and let them keep track
their learning
ing Learning” of and share their learn-
ing. • Offering opportunities for students to share their
pp. 149–174
progress
Appendix A: Student-friendly Scoring Rubrics, pp. 175–197

Appendix B: Reproducible Forms, pp. 201–254

2
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

The ATI Model of Collaborative Learning Teams

A major staff development challenge all school districts face is providing the right conditions so that teachers
can translate new information into effective classroom practice. Our learning team approach to developing
classroom assessment expertise is based on best practice as reflected in professional development literature
and research: adults learn most productively when the experience is collaborative, provides active learn-
ing opportunities right in the classroom, and focuses on student learning. In addition, the positive impact of
structured reflection for both students and adults is well-documented; few activities are more powerful for
professional learning than reflection on practice. Our learning team approach allows participants time to work
individually, to try out new ideas in the classroom, and to reflect on their learning with colleagues in small
groups.

Learning team participants engage in a combination of independent study and ongoing small group collabora-
tion with a commitment to helping all group members develop classroom assessment expertise. The process
begins with an infusion of new ideas that can come from several sources: attending workshops, reading books
and articles, watching videos, and observing other teachers at work. It continues with ongoing opportunities
to discuss and work through the cognitive consonance and dissonance that arise when practice and beliefs
conflict. But most importantly, it requires that each team member transform new assessment ideas into actual
classroom practices. In this way, they and their students learn valuable lessons about what works for them and
why. When the experiences of such hands-on learning are shared among teammates in regular team meetings,
all members benefit from the lessons of each participant. When teams commit to shaping the ideas into new
classroom practice, reflecting on the results, and sharing the benefits with each other, professional growth
deepens. Teams reach their ultimate goal of changing classroom assessment practices in specific ways that
benefit students.

All Assessment Training Institute materials have been developed for use in learning teams—a professional
development model that combines independent and collaborative learning. A learning team approach to profes-
sional development succeeds because it has the following characteristics:
• Job-embedded
• Flexible in structure, content, and time
• Ongoing
• Provides the support necessary to initiate and sustain change
• Develops internal expertise
• Cost-effective use of staff development resources

For further explanation of the learning team concept and rationale, refer to the article “Supporting Teacher
Learning Teams” published in the February 2009 issue of Educational Leadership and available on our web-
site at http://www.assessmentinst.com/publication/supporting-teacher-learning-teams.

Source: Adapted with permission from J. Chappuis, Learning Team Facilitator Handbook: A Resource for Collaborative
Study of Classroom Assessment for Student Learning (Portland, OR: Pearson Assessment Training Institute, 2007), pp. 18–22.

3
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Setting Up a Learning Team

Learning Team Formation

When putting together a learning team, look for individuals who are interested in studying how formative
assessment practices can be implemented in the classroom. Effective learning teams can be comprised of any
individuals involved in education—teachers, administrators, counselors, learning specialists, professional de-
velopment specialists, assistants—in short, anyone who wants to know more about assessment-related practic-
es that increase student motivation and achievement. We encourage you to keep team size between three and
six members to maximize participation in meetings.

Learning Team Process

Learning teams first meet to establish working agreements and a schedule of readings and activities. Then,
between meetings, each member completes the agreed-upon assignment. Teams meet regularly—every two
to three weeks—to discuss what they read, what they tried, and what they noticed as a result. Teams may also
engage in one or more partner or whole-group activities to further their learning or to create resources for use
in the classroom. The main section of this study guide offers suggestions for discussion questions as well as
individual and team activities.

Learning Team Facilitation

Learning teams benefit when one person takes on the role of facilitator. The facilitator acts for the good of the
team to organize and manage the process. The facilitator does not take on the role of “expert”—this program is
structured so that the materials, activities, and team members’ expertise all come together to create the learn-
ing experience, without requiring content-related instruction from one person. So, the facilitator is the team’s
manager, not the team’s teacher.

Recommended facilitator tasks include:

• Posting a schedule of team meetings
• Bringing materials needed for the meeting
• Monitoring meeting time so all members have opportunity to participate
• Reviewing the next assignment at the end of each meeting
• Completing and posting a team meeting log after each meeting

Planning forms and a sample team meeting log form are located in the appendix of this study guide.

One member of a learning team can serve as facilitator, the role can rotate among team members, or a facilita-
tor may be assigned to a group, as when a professional development specialist manages the learning experi-
ence. In all cases, it is preferable that the facilitator does the work along with the team.

Team Member Responsibilities

We suggest that learning teams set group operating principles (norms) to foster responsible participation. We
have found that learning teams function best if they agree as a group to some version of the following:
• To make team time a priority and to honor the time commitment

4
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

• To do the agreed-upon reading and activities between meetings, for personal benefit, for the benefit
of students, and for the benefit of other team members
• To offer differences of opinion respectfully
• To come prepared to the meetings
• To help each other notice success

Compensation
When learning team participation requires work beyond the school day, it is helpful to seek out compensation
options such as a stipend, credit applied toward advancement on the local salary schedule, or college credit.
You may also want to connect this study to professional recognition options available in your school, district, or
region.

Tracking Learning and Sharing Results

We encourage you to establish a portfolio to keep track of, reflect on, and share your work. Artifacts may
include any of the activities you complete as a part of your study, as well as examples of student work showing
the impact of one or more strategies on their motivation and/or achievement.

Source: Adapted with permission from J. Chappuis, Learning Team Facilitator Handbook: A Resource for Collaborative
Study of Classroom Assessment for Student Learning (Portland, OR: Pearson Assessment Training Institute, 2007), pp. 33–62.

5
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

How to Use the Study Guide

Contents of Each Chapter’s Study Guide

The study guide to each chapter is organized the same way, with the following five features:
• Key Ideas—summarizing the chapter’s main points (the chapter’s learning targets)
• Prereading Questions—accessing your prior knowledge and leading into the chapter’s main concepts
• During- or After-reading Questions—processing key ideas
• Closure Questions—reflecting on your learning from the chapter
• Activities—applying key ideas to your classroom

Independent Work: Read, Respond, Try

Regardless of your mode of study (independent, partner-, or team-based) we encourage you to read and re-
spond individually to the ideas in each chapter. To that end, the study guide includes questions that follow the
progression of ideas through each chapter. We also encourage you to try ideas from each strategy in your class-
room and so the study guide includes activities to help you apply the content of each chapter to your context.

Collaborative Work: Discuss, Share, Do

If you are working with a partner or a team, in addition to the independent work, we suggest that your col-
laboration center on a combination of discussing the ideas in the text to deepen your understanding of key
points, sharing what you tried in the classroom and your observations about how it worked, and doing one or
more activities that help you prepare materials or activities to use with students. You and your partner or team
together can determine how much of each of the three (discuss, share, do) will be most helpful to you for each
chapter, but consider making the sharing part a feature of each meeting. Discussing how you each are using
these ideas with students in your classrooms may be the most valuable part of the collaborative process to both
you and your colleagues.

Tracking Your Learning

You may find it helpful to keep track of your thoughts, questions, activities, and revisions as you read. If so, you
can select one or more of the following options:
• Copy the Reflective Journal form in the appendix of this study guide (or modify it) and complete
one copy for each reading that you do.
• Keep a collection of your written responses to any Study Guide discussion questions or activities
you may have completed.
• Keep a collection of the forms and protocols you reproduce, modify, and/or create for student use,
along with some examples of students’ use of the forms or protocols.
• Collect some samples of student work from the beginning of your study of Seven Strategies of
Assessment for Learning, some from the midpoint of your study and some from the conclusion of
your study. Collect the samples from the same students—some who are struggling, some who are in
the mid-range of achievement and some who are high achievers.

6
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Learning Team Schedule for

Readings, Meetings, and Activities
The schedule below is intended as a suggestion for how a team might pace its learning. Adjust the pacing and
the assignments to suit your team’s learning needs.

Session Prior to Meeting During Meeting

Session 1: • Order books. • Review goals of this study.

Introduction • Copy relevant Study Guide pages. • Set reading and meeting schedule.
Organizing • Copy course materials if offering for • Establish working agreements.
the learning credit. • Determine how you will handle facilitation
experience responsibilities, if you haven’t yet done so.
• Distribute course materials if offering for
credit.
• Review Chapter 1 Key Ideas and discuss
Chapter 1 Study Guide questions 1–4 as
anticipatory set for Chapter 1 reading.
Session 2: • Read pages 1–14. • Discuss Study Guide questions 5–8 and
Chapter 1 • Complete Study Guide Activity 1.2. other questions, insights, and issues raised
(pp. 1–14) by the reading.
• Complete Study Guide Activity 1.1.
Assessment for
Learning • Review Chapter 2 Key Ideas and discuss
Chapter 2 Study Guide questions 1 and 2 as
anticipatory set for Chapter 2 readings.
Session 3: • Read pages 15–42. • Discuss Study Guide questions 3–8 and
Chapter 2 • Complete Study Guide Activities 2.1–2.5 other questions, insights, and issues raised
(pp. 15–42) by the reading.
if it makes sense to do them individually
Strategy 1 or with a partner before the next team • Complete Study Guide Activities 2.1–2.5 if
meeting. not done prior to the team meeting.
Session 4: • Read pages 42–51. • Discuss Study Guide questions 9–11 and
Chapter 2 • Read through Study Guide Activities 2.6 other questions, insights, and issues raised
(pp. 42–51) by the reading.
and 2.7. Gather required materials to
Strategy 2 bring to the next team meeting. • Complete Study Guide Activities 2.6 and
2.7.
• Review Chapter 3 Key Ideas and discuss
Chapter 3 Study Guide questions 1–3 as
anticipatory set for Chapter 3 readings.
Session 5: • Read pages 53–83. • Discuss Study Guide questions 4 and 5 and
Chapter 3 • Read through Study Guide Activities 3.1 other questions, insights, and issues raised
(pp. 53–83) by the reading.
and 3.2. Gather required materials to
Strategy 3 bring to the next team meeting. • Complete Study Guide Activities 3.1 and
• Complete Study Guide Activity 3.3 if it 3.2.
makes sense to do it individually or with • Complete Study Guide Activity 3.3 if not
a partner before the next team meeting. done prior to the team meeting.

7
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Session 6: • Read pages 83–92. • Discuss Study Guide questions 6–8 and
Chapter 3 • Complete Study Guide Activity 3.4. other questions, insights, and issues raised
(pp. 83–92) by the reading.
Strategy 3 • Discuss results of Study Guide Activity 3.4.
• Review Chapter 4 Key Ideas and discuss
Chapter 4 Study Guide questions 1–3 as
anticipatory set for Chapter 4 readings.
Session 7: • Read pages 93–117. • Discuss Study Guide questions 4–6 and
Chapter 4 • Complete Study Guide Activity 4.1. other questions, insights, and issues raised
(pp. 93–117) by the reading.
• Complete Study Guide Activity 4.2 if it
Strategy 4 makes sense to do it individually or with • Discuss results of Study Guide Activities
a partner before the next team meeting. 4.1 and 4.2 if completed prior to the team
meeting.
• Complete Study Guide Activity 4.2 if not
done prior to the team meeting.
Session 8: • Read pages 117–127. • Discuss Study Guide questions 7–9 and
Chapter 4 • Complete Study Guide Activity 4.3 if it other questions, insights, and issues raised
(pp. 117–127) by the reading.
makes sense to do it individually or with
Strategy 4 a partner before the next team meeting. • Discuss results of Study Guide Activity 4.3
if completed prior to the team meeting.
• Complete Study Guide Activity 4.3 if not
done prior to the team meeting.
• Review Chapter 5 Key Ideas and discuss
Chapter 5 Study Guide questions 1 and 2 as
anticipatory set for Chapter 5 readings.
Session 9: • Read pages 129–140. • Discuss Study Guide questions 3–5 and
Chapter 5 • Complete Study Guide Activity 5.1. other questions, insights, and issues raised
(pp. 129–140) by the reading.
• Complete Study Guide Activities 5.2
Strategies 5 & 6 and 5.3 if it makes sense to do them • Discuss results of Study Guide Activity 5.1.
individually or with a partner before the • Discuss results of Study Guide Activities
next team meeting. 5.2 and 5.3 if completed prior to the team
meeting.
• Complete Study Guide Activities 5.2 and 5.3
if not done prior to the team meeting.
Session 10: • Read pages 141–148. • Discuss Study Guide questions 6–7 and
Chapter 5 • Complete Study Guide Activity 5.4 if it other questions, insights, and issues raised
(pp. 141–148) by the reading.
makes sense to do it individually or with
Strategies 5 & 6 a partner before the next team meeting. • Discuss results of Study Guide Activity 5.4
if completed prior to the team meeting.
• Complete Study Guide Activity 5.4 if not
done prior to the team meeting.
• Review Chapter 6 Key Ideas and discuss
Chapter 6 Study Guide questions 1 and 2 as
anticipatory set for Chapter 6 readings.

8
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Session 11: • Read pages 149–167. • Discuss Study Guide questions 3–5 and
Chapter 6 • Complete Study Guide Activities 6.1 other questions, insights, and issues raised
(pp. 149–167) by the reading.
and 6.2 if it makes sense to do them
Strategy 7 individually or with a partner before the • Discuss results of Study Guide Activities
next team meeting. 6.1 and 6.2 if completed prior to the team
meeting.
• Complete Study Guide Activities 6.1 and 6.2
if not done prior to the team meeting.
Session 12: • Read pages 167–174. • Discuss Study Guide questions 6–7 and
Chapter 6 • Complete Study Guide Activity 6.3 if it other questions, insights, and issues raised
(pp. 167–174) by the reading.
makes sense to do it individually or with
Strategy 7 a partner before the next team meeting. • Discuss results of Study Guide Activity 6.3
if completed prior to the team meeting.
• Complete Study Guide Activity 6.3 if not
done prior to the team meeting.
Session 13: • Complete one of the options listed in • Share your work from Study Guide Activity
Study Guide Activity 6.4. 6.4.
Reflecting and
Sharing
Session 14: • Read through Study Guide Activity 6.5. • Complete the planning steps of either
Gather materials you will need to bring to Option 1 or Option 2 of Study Guide
Planning to the next team meeting. Activity 6.5.
Share
Session 15: • Set up. • Share.

Share Fair

9
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Chapter 1 (pages 1–14):

Key Ideas, Questions, and Activities

Key Ideas
• Defining formative assessment
• Understanding key research on formative assessment’s power
• Understanding what the seven strategies are and how they connect to research findings

Prereading Questions
1. How would you define the term formative assessment?
2. What forms does assessment information take in your classroom? (grade, symbol, comment, raw score,
number, other?)
3. What do you want students to do with assessment information?
4. When students act on assessment information, what do they do?

Questions to Consider During or After Reading

5. After reading pages 3–7, revisit your definition of formative assessment. Would you make any changes
to it now?
6. Which formative assessment practices led to significant achievement gains, according to reports of
research studies? (pp. 7–9)

Closure Questions
7. Which ideas from this chapter were most significant to you?
8. What one action might you take based on your reading and discussion of Chapter 1?

Activities
1.1 Formative and Summative Uses
1.2 What Do You Already Do?

10
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Activity 1.1 Formative and Summative Uses

1. After reading through the section titled “Formative or Summative?” on pages 6–7, review Figure 1.3 on
page 8 with your learning team. Identify which assessment uses are present in your school and district.
2. Discuss: Are formative and summative uses in balance? If not, what modifications might you
recommend? With whom might you share your recommendations? What rationale might you give for
your recommendations?

Recommended Modification Rationale

11
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Activity 1.2 What Do You Already Do?

This is set up as an independent activity. If you choose to do it, you may want to discuss the results with
your learning team.

1. After reading through the section titled “What Gives Formative Assessment Its Power?” on pages
7–11, make an inventory of practices and activities you currently use that fall under the umbrella of
assessment for learning. Then after reading the section titled “Seven Strategies of Assessment for
Learning” on pages 11–13, match up your inventory of practices and activities with the seven strategies.

Strategy My Practice/Activity

1: Provide students with a

clear and understandable
vision of the learning
target.

2: Use examples and models

of strong and weak work.

3: Offer regular descriptive

feedback.

4: Teach students to self-

assess and set goals.

5: Design lessons to focus

on one learning target or
aspect of quality at a time.

6: Teach students focused

revision.

7: Engage students in self-

reflection and let them
keep track of and share
their learning.

2. Discuss with a partner or your learning team: Which strategies do you currently use most often? Least
often?

12
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Chapter 2 (pages 15–51):

Key Ideas, Questions, and Activities

Key Ideas
• Developing learning goals in students
• Clarifying learning targets
• Communicating targets to students

Prereading Questions
1. How do you communicate the intended learning of a lesson, activity, task, project, or unit to students?
2. When does this occur?

Questions to Consider During or After Reading

3. How would you explain the difference between a learning goal and a performance goal? How can you
help students adopt learning goals rather than performance goals? (pp. 17–18)
4. Are your learning targets clear to you as written? If not, what do they need? Unpacking? Clarification
from the author? (pp. 18–21)
5. Which of your learning targets will be clear to students? Which may need to be rephrased?
(pp. 22–28)
6. Of the rubrics you use, which might you convert to student-friendly language? (pp. 28–30)
7. How might you introduce the concepts of quality as defined in your rubrics to students?
(pp. 30–40)
8. How will you make sure that students know which learning target(s) each assignment addresses? (pp.
41–42)
9. Which of your learning targets would benefit from a Strategy 2 activity? Where might you find strong and
weak examples? (pp. 42–50)
10. How will you engage students in analyzing samples? How much class time might you devote to this? (pp.
44–50)

Closure Questions
11. What activities from Chapter 2 did you try in the classroom? How did they work? What successes did you
notice? What modifications might you make?

Activities
2.1 Clarifying Learning Targets
2.2 Sharing Learning Targets
2.3 Converting Learning Targets to Student-friendly Language
2.4 Prerequisite: A Suitable Rubric
2.5 Developing a Student-friendly Version of a Scoring Rubric
2.6 Assembling Samples of Student Work
2.7 Practicing with the Table Protocol for Analyzing Sample Papers

13
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Activity 2.1 Clarifying Learning Targets

This is set up as an independent activity. If you do it independently, you may want to discuss the re-
sults with your learning team.

After reading through the Chapter 2 introduction on pages 17–21, list each learning target for a given unit or
marking period. Then decide for each: Clear as is? Need to clarify/get clarification? Need to unpack?

Learning Need to Clarify/

Clear as Is? Need to Unpack?
Target Get Clarification?

14
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Activity 2.2 Sharing Learning Targets

This is set up as an independent activity. If you do it independently, you may want to discuss the re-
sults with your learning team.

After reading pages 22–30, list each clear learning target for a given unit or marking period. Then decide for
each: Share as is? Rewrite in student-friendly language? Define with student-friendly rubric?

Create Student- Use Student-

Learning Target Share as Is?
friendly Definition? friendly Rubric?

15
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Activity 2.3 Converting Learning Targets to Student-friendly Language

Working with a partner or your learning team, select one or more learning targets that would benefit from be-
ing rephrased for students. Then follow the process described on page 23 in the book.

Learning target:

Word(s) to be defined:

Working definition(s):

Student-friendly language:

Optional preface (select one):

I am learning to

We are learning to

I can

16
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Activity 2.4 Prerequisite: A Suitable Rubric

Collect the scoring rubric or rubrics you will use for a given unit or marking period. Working with a partner or
your learning team, compare each to the prerequisites described on pages 38–40. Note any changes needed to
make your rubrics function well as assessment for learning tools. Then revise the rubrics so that their content
and structure will support formative assessment use.

For help in restructuring your rubrics, refer to the Rubric for Rubrics in the book, Creating and Recogniz-
ing Quality Rubrics (Arter and Chappuis, 2006). Or, you could use the Metarubric (an earlier version of the
Rubric for Rubrics) described in Chapter 7 of Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing It Right—
Using It Well (Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, and Chappuis, 2004) and located on that book’s CD.

Rubric Name:
Changes Needed:

Rubric Name:
Changes Needed:

Rubric Name:
Changes Needed:

17
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Activity 2.5 Developing a Student-friendly Version of a Scoring Rubric

Once you have found or created a rubric suited to assessment for learning applications, work with a partner
or a team to follow the steps for developing a student-friendly version described on pages 29–30 of the book.
You may want to read through the examples of student-friendly rubrics in Appendix A to get a sense of what
student-friendly rubrics can sound like. Other examples of student-friendly rubric language are found on pages
49, 120, 121, and 122.

Rubric Name: Criterion

Leave Leave Convert?

Current Phrase
Out? as Is? Student-friendly Phrase:

18
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Activity 2.6 Assembling Samples of Student Work

After reading the section titled “Selecting Samples” on page 43, work with a partner or team to make a collec-
tion of numbered anonymous samples that illustrate one or more strengths and problems as defined by your
rubric. Make sure the strengths and problems link directly to phrases on your rubric. If your samples relate to
a rubric with more than one scale (i.e., it has two or more criteria or traits evaluated separately), identify the
criterion that the sample illustrates. Use the chart below to keep track of your selections. As explained on page
43, if you are including your own students’ work, ask for written permission for their work to be shown as an
anonymous teaching example and then make sure not to use it with their class.

Grade Level: Subject:

Learning Target or Rubric Criterion:

Sample # Strength(s) Problem(s) Notes

19
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Activity 2.7 Practicing with the Table Protocol for Analyzing Sample Papers
This activity will work best if all team members are familiar with the scoring rubric used.

1. After reading pages 28–45, prepare for using the table protocol described on page 46 by doing the
following:
• Select two or three samples of student work and make copies of each for each learning team
member.
• Make a copy of the scoring rubric for each team member. If it is a multi-trait rubric, select one
criterion to focus on. You only need to make copies of that criterion, but it is a good idea to have one
copy of the complete rubric to refer to in case people have questions about other features of the
samples that are not addressed in the criterion you are focusing on.

Variations:
• One or more team members can provide samples all relating to the same scoring rubric
• Different team members can bring samples relating to different rubrics

2. As a team, review the section titled “A Protocol for Using Anonymous Samples with Students” on pages
44–45.
3. Follow the protocol described on page 46. Allow a different person to act as table moderator for each
sample of student work. You can use the form to track your responses.

Sample S/W Score Rationale: Rubric Phrases That Describe the Sample

4. Discuss how you might use the whole-class protocol described on pages 44–45 and the small-group
protocol described on page 46 with your students. Or, if you have already used one or both, discuss what
you did and what you noticed happening with students as a result.

20
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Chapter 3 (pages 53–92):

Key Ideas, Questions, and Activities

Key Ideas
• Understanding the characteristics of effective feedback
• Selecting feedback options suited to students’ grade level and kind of learning to be addressed
• Preparing students to give each other feedback

Prereading Questions
1. When do students in your class receive feedback on their progress?
2. What forms does feedback take in your classroom?
3. What do you expect students to do with feedback information?

Questions to Consider During or After Reading

4. How do you give success feedback to your students? What forms of intervention feedback do you give?
(pp. 55–68)
5. Could any of your marked/graded assignments or quizzes be turned into purely feedback events? If
so, what actions do you want students to take on the basis of the feedback they receive? (pp. 68–69)
What changes would you have to make to the assignment or quiz to make the results serve the intended
actions?
6. Which feedback options (described on pp. 75–92) will work best in your context (grade, subject, and
learning goals)?
7. What preparation will your students need to give effective (accurate and useful) feedback to each other?

Closure Questions
8. What activities from Chapter 3 did you try in the classroom? How did they work? What successes did you
notice? What modifications might you make?

Activities
3.1 Responding to Student Work
3.2 Three-minute Conference
3.3 Selecting and Modifying Feedback Forms
3.4 Peer Feedback Discussion

21
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Activity 3.1 Responding to Student Work

1. After reading pages 55–83, bring a collection of student work to your next team meeting. Also bring a
description of the pertinent learning target(s) or the scoring rubric.
2. Number the student work samples. If more than one person brings student work, number the samples
consecutively.
3. Working alone or with a partner, identify each sample’s strengths and areas needing additional work. You
may want to refer back to pages 57–63 for suggestions on options for success and intervention feedback.
You can use the form below to record your comments.
4. Compare your judgments to those of others in your group, one sample at a time. Discuss and attempt
to resolve discrepancies by referring to the definition of quality (description of the learning target or
scoring rubric).

Work
Success Feedback Intervention Feedback
Sample #

5. Alternatively, assign a different color of index cards to each team member (one index card per person
per sample). Each of you numbers your cards to correspond to the sample numbers and then writes
your feedback for each sample on your colored index cards, using the star symbol on one side for
success feedback and the stair step symbol on the other side for intervention feedback. After everyone
has completed their cards, assign one sample and its pile of index cards to each member and let that
person read aloud all of the success comments and then all of the intervention comments. Discuss and
attempt to resolve discrepancies for each sample by referring to the definition of quality (description of
the learning target or scoring rubric) before moving on to the next one.
6. Have your students do either version of this activity (using only samples not from their class). Share
with your colleagues your observations about the effects of this activity on your students’ motivation and
understanding of quality.

22
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Activity 3.2 Three-minute Conference

1. After reading the section titled “Assessment Dialogues” on pages 78–83, find an example of student work
(product or performance) that demonstrates partial mastery. This is a partner activity, so you will need
to bring the following to your team meeting:
• Two copies of the example
• Two copies of the scoring rubric that you use to define quality for the example
• One copy of the Assessment Dialogue form (either Form A or Form B) from Appendix B, pages
207–208

2. Find a partner and decide who will be “Partner A” (the student) and who will be “Partner B” (the
teacher).
3. Begin with the work sample Partner A brought. Partner A and Partner B should each have their own
copy of the student work and the scoring guide.
4. Take about five minutes independent from your partner to determine what the sample’s strengths and
needs are, using the language and/or concepts from the scoring rubric. If possible, focus your comments
on one or two aspects of quality.
Partner A, you are the student who created this work sample. Write your thoughts about its strengths
and needs on your Assessment Dialogue form.

Partner B, you are Partner A’s teacher. Write your thoughts here:

Sample’s strengths:

Sample’s problems or areas needing work:

5. Conduct a three-minute conference with your partner (as described on page 82). Let the student
speak first and do all of the writing on the Assessment Dialogue form. Partner B, when it is your turn to
speak, try to follow the suggestions for effective success and intervention feedback as you make your
comments.
6. Switch roles: Partner B becomes the student and Partner A becomes the teacher. Follow the same
protocol using the work sample that Partner B brought.
7. Discuss with your partner: What does this protocol do for the student? For the teacher?
8. Discuss with your team: How might you use the three-minute conference in your classroom? What
modifications might you make?

23
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Activity 3.3 Selecting and Modifying Feedback Forms

1. After reading the section titled “Suggestions for Offering Feedback” on pages 75–83, look over the
feedback forms on pages 204–209 in Appendix B with a partner or your team. Identify those that could
be used in your context (grade, subject, learning targets) to help students understand and act on
feedback. Select or modify one and make a plan to use it by deciding the following:
• Which unit of study you will use it with
• What learning target(s) will be the focus of the feedback
• At what point(s) in the instruction you will offer feedback

Form Title: Page: Use As Is Modify

Unit:

Learning Target(s):

When to offer feedback:

2. Use the form to offer feedback. Bring a few samples of your feedback to your next team meeting to
share. If some students were more successful than others in acting on the feedback, bring a sample of
successful and unsuccessful student attempts. Discuss possible revisions to the process or the form
to make it work well for all students. You can also use the following checklist to determine students’
readiness to understand and act on feedback.

Feedback Readiness Checklist

 Does the student have a clear vision of quality (what’s expected)?
 Can the student describe the intended learning?
 Can the student differentiate between strong and weak examples and/or levels of quality?
 Has the student practiced using the language of quality to describe attributes of strong and weak
examples?

3. If the answer to one or more of the questions on the Feedback Readiness Checklist is “no,” then you may
want to revisit some of the activities described in Chapter 2 before offering further feedback.

24
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Activity 3.4 Peer Feedback Discussion

1. Try one of the peer feedback options with your students: peer feedback (partner) conference (pages
84–87), peer editing (page 87), or peer response groups (pages 87–90).
2. As students are engaged in offering and receiving feedback, walk around the room to look and listen for
successes and problems they encounter.
3. Record your observations.
4. Meet with your team to share the option you tried, the successes you noticed, and any problems or
glitches your students encountered.
5. Discuss ways to solve the problems or remedy the glitches. If some students had trouble giving effective
feedback, you may want to spend more time with Strategy 2 activities, or engage them in the three-
minute conference simulation described in Activity 3.2. If the process created some glitches, discuss how
you can modify it to make the experience flow more smoothly.

Option Tried:
Successes:

Problems with students giving effective feedback:

Possible reasons for the problems:

Possible solutions:

Glitches with the process:

Possible reasons for the glitches:

Possible modifications to the process:

25
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Chapter 4 (pages 93–127):

Key Ideas, Questions, and Activities

Key Ideas
• Understanding the impact of self-assessment on student achievement
• Teaching students to self-assess with a focus on learning targets
• Teaching students to create specific and challenging goals

Prereading Questions
1. Self-assessment takes time—why might you ask students to do it?
2. What do students need to know and be able to do in order to self-assess accurately?
3. What problems do students have with setting goals that are likely to help them improve?

Questions to Consider During or After Reading

4. What do you think causes self-assessment to improve achievement? (pp. 95–98)
5. Which of the quick self-assessment options might you use? At what points in the unit/marking period?
(pp. 99–103)
6. Which of the self-assessment ideas for use with selected response and constructed response tasks might
you try? At what points in the unit/marking period? (pp. 103–117)
7. Which of the self-assessment ideas for use with rubrics might you try? At what points in the unit/marking
period? (pp. 117–123)
8. Which of the goal setting options might you try? At what points in the unit/marking period? (pp. 123–
127)

Closure Questions
9. What activities from Chapter 4 did you try in the classroom? How did they work? What successes did you
notice? What modifications might you make?

Activities
4.1 Determining Readiness to Self-assess
4.2 Self-assessment with a Selected Response Quiz or Practice Test
4.3 Selecting and Modifying Self-assessment and Goal Setting Forms

26
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Activity 4.1 Determining Readiness to Self-assess

This is set up as an independent activity. If you choose to do it, you may want to discuss the results with
your learning team.

1. You can use this simple checklist before engaging students in attempts at self-assessment to determine
whether they are ready to take on the challenge.

Self-assessment Readiness Checklist A

Does the student have a clear vision of quality (what’s expected)?
 Can the student describe the intended learning?
 Can the student differentiate between strong and weak examples and/or levels of quality?
 Has the student practiced using the language of quality to describe attributes of strong and weak
examples?

Self-assessment Readiness Checklist B

Has the student had experience giving and offering feedback?
 Has the student received descriptive feedback using the language of quality, with opportunity to act
on it?
 Has the student practiced offering peer feedback using the language of quality?

2. If the answer to one or more of the questions on the Self-assessment Readiness Checklist A is “no,”
then you may want to revisit some of the activities described in Chapter 2 before proceeding with self-
assessment and goal setting activities.
3. If the answer to one or more of the questions on the Self-assessment Readiness Checklist B is “no,”
then you may want to revisit some of the activities described in Chapter 3 before proceeding with self-
assessment and goal setting activities.
4. Once you have asked students to try self-assessing, if some of them have trouble knowing what to write,
you can use the checklist above as a guide to determining what intervention is most likely to help them.

27
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Activity 4.2 Self-assessment with a Selected Response Quiz or Practice Test

This is set up as an independent activity. If your learning team teaches the same subjects and grades,
you may want to do this activity with a partner or as a team.

1. After reading through the section titled “Self-assessment and Goal Setting with Selected Response and
Constructed Response Tasks” on pages 103–117, find a selected response or constructed response (short
answer) task—an assignment, quiz, or test—that you have used or will use.
2. Identify the learning target that each item on the task addresses. Make a chart like the one below to
record your analysis.

Item Learning Target

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

3. Determine when you want students to use the results to self-assess and set goals: before the learning,
during the learning, or as a review prior to a summative test. Check the items on the task to be sure you
have an adequate representative sample for your intended purpose. For more information on ensuring
an adequate sample, see R. Stiggins, J. Arter, J. Chappuis, and S. Chappuis, Classroom Assessment
for Student Learning: Doing It Right—Using It Well (Portland, OR: Pearson Assessment Training
Institute, 2004) pp. 113–114, 129–130, 173–174, and 197–199.
4. Decide whether you want to leave the items on the task in their current order or to regroup them
according to the learning target each addresses. Discuss with your partner/team the relative advantages
and disadvantages of each option.
5. Create a form for students to use to review and analyze their assignment/quiz/practice test results. Look
through the examples on pages 104, 106, 107, 110, and 112–116. Select one of these to use or modify, or
make your own.
6. Have students use the form to interpret the assignment/quiz/practice test results and set goals for their
next steps, following the guidelines on pages 124–126.
7. Bring a few samples of completed forms to your next team meeting to share. If some students were more
successful than others with this activity, bring a sample of successful and unsuccessful student attempts.
Discuss possible revisions to the process or the form to make it work well for all students. Also consider
the questions on the Self-assessment Readiness Checklist A in Activity 4.1 to determine if more work
with Chapter 2 activities might help.

28
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Activity 4.3 Selecting and Modifying Self-assessment

and Goal Setting Forms
1. After reading the section titled “Three Parts: Self-assessment, Justification, and Goal Setting” on pages
99–123, look over the self-assessment forms on pages 210–220 in Appendix B. With a partner or your
learning team, identify those that could be used in your context (grade, subject, learning targets) to help
students self-assess. Select or modify one and make a plan to use it by deciding the following:
• Which unit of study you will use it with
• What learning target(s) will be the focus of students’ self-assessment
• When they will self-assess—before, during, or after instruction

Form Title: Page: Use As Is Modify

Unit:

Learning Target(s):

Used When? Before instruction During instruction Before summative assessment

2. After reading pages 123–127, look over the goal setting forms on pages 221–228 in Appendix B. With a
partner or your team, identify those that could be used in your context (grade, subject, learning targets) to
help students set workable goals. Select or modify one and make a plan to use it by deciding the following:
• Which unit of study you will use it with
• What learning target(s) will be the focus of students’ goal setting
• When they will set goals—before, during, or after instruction

Form Title: Page: Use As Is Modify

Unit:

Learning Target(s):

Used When? Before instruction During instruction Before summative assessment

3. Have students use the forms. Bring a few samples of completed forms to your next team meeting to
share. If some students were more successful than others with this activity, bring a sample of successful
and unsuccessful student attempts. Discuss possible revisions to the process or the form to make it work
well for all students. For self-assessment problems, consider the questions on the Readiness Checklist A
in Activity 4.1 to determine if more work with Chapter 2 activities might help. For goal setting problems,
review the information on page 124 to determine which part of the process needs more attention.

29
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Chapter 5 (pages 129–148):

Key Ideas, Questions, and Activities

Key Ideas
• Identifying typical misconceptions, reasoning errors, and gaps for focused instruction
• Creating short practice assignments to scaffold the learning and make it more manageable
• Giving students opportunities to practice and act on feedback before the summative event

Prereading Questions
1. Think of an upcoming unit of instruction. What concepts, reasoning, skills, or products can you predict
students will have difficulty with?
2. What have you done in the past to overcome those difficulties?

Questions to Consider During or After Reading

3. How might you identify and use typical misconceptions and reasoning errors? (pp. 132–133)
4. How might you restructure multiple choice items so that they function as teaching tools? Which learning
targets, misconceptions, or reasoning errors might you focus on? (pp. 134–139)
5. For which patterns of reasoning would students benefit from practicing with a graphic organizer? (pp.
139–140)
6. Of the tasks you currently assign, which might you shorten to provide brief, more narrowly-focused
practice? What specific aspects of quality might you create short practice tasks for? (pp. 141–146)

Closure Questions
7. What activities from Chapter 5 did you try in the classroom? How did they work? What successes did you
notice? What modifications might you make?

Activities
5.1 Going on an Error Hunt
5.2 Developing Lessons Around Multiple-choice Items
5.3 Selecting and Modifying Graphic Organizers
5.4 Creating Focused Tasks

30
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Activity 5.1 Going on an Error Hunt

1. As you are teaching a unit, keep track of misconceptions, instances of incomplete understanding, and
flaws in reasoning revealed in students’ oral and written responses and explanations (“M,” “IU,” and “FR”
in the table below). For each problem, also tally frequency of occurrence and determine importance—
how significant a hindrance to learning the problem is—high, medium, or low.

Type Importance
Description of Problem Frequency
M IU FR H M L

2. Ask one or more colleagues teaching the same content to do this, too.
3. Meet with your colleague(s) to compare lists. Add their problems to your list if you think your students
also have them. Once you have a complete list, select the misconceptions, incomplete understandings,
and/or reasoning flaws that you want to address in either whole-class or grouped instruction. Consider
frequency and importance in your deliberation. Discuss ways to address those problems for which you
won’t design whole-class or grouped instruction.
4. Use one of the ideas suggested on pages 132–133 while teaching to the targeted problems.
5. Meet with your team to discuss the results of the activity you tried.

31
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Activity 5.2 Developing Lessons Around Multiple-choice Items

1. After reading the section titled “Multiple-choice Items as Teaching Tools” on pages 134–139, select a
concept or pattern of reasoning that your students need more work with.
2. Following the suggestions on pages 134–135, write a multiple-choice item (stem plus possible answer
choices) that addresses the concept or pattern of reasoning. You may want to do this with a partner or
with your team.
3. Then select one of the practice lesson options described on pages 135–139.

Concept/ Reasoning Multiple-choice Item Lesson Option

4. Format your multiple-choice item to match the practice lesson option you have selected. Refer to the
examples in Figures 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, and 5.6 for suggestions.
5. Conduct the practice lesson with students. You may want to bring a few samples of student responses to
your next team meeting and discuss the impact of the lesson on their understanding.
6. You may want to create a new item and use the same or a different lesson option if students would
benefit from continued practice.

32
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Activity 5.3 Selecting and Modifying Graphic Organizers

1. After reading the section titled “Using Graphic Organizers as Teaching Tools” on pages 139–140, write
down the patterns of reasoning that your students need practice with. Look over the graphic organizers
in Appendix B, pages 230–242 to see if any might be useful.
2. For any that you decide to use, check to see that the definition of quality used (the description of the
reasoning learning target at the top of the page for each graphic organizer) matches the one you have
given students. If you need to alter the definition, you may also need to revise the graphic organizer. It
will be important that the definition and the graphic organizer work in harmony.

Pattern of Reasoning Definition of Quality Visual Representation

3. If there is no graphic organizer for one or more of the patterns of reasoning your students need practice
with, work with a partner or your team to create one that helps students understand the elements of
quality. Begin by developing a clear statement that defines quality and then create a diagram that guides
students to include all relevant components. Refer to pages 230–242 for examples.
4. Let students use the graphic organizer when they are practicing answering questions calling for the
targeted pattern of reasoning.
5. Bring samples of student work to share with your learning team. If some students were more successful
than others, bring samples of successful and unsuccessful student attempts. Discuss with your team
possible solutions: modifications to the graphic organizer, refinement of the definition of quality, or
further use of strong and weak examples, as described in Chapter 2.

33
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Activity 5.4 Creating Focused Tasks

This is set up as an independent activity, but you may find it useful to engage in steps 1and 2 with a
partner or team of colleagues teaching the same unit/subject.

1. After reading the section titled “Scaffolding with Performance Assessment Tasks and Rubrics” on pages
141–148, select a learning target that calls for completion of a complex task. Identify one or a small
number of aspects of quality (as represented on your rubric) that you want students to practice with.
2. Design or select a task so that students will be able to focus on just the aspect(s) of quality you want
them to practice.
3. Teach strategies they can use to accomplish the task, if needed.
4. Give students the practice task.
5. Offer feedback on the aspect(s) of quality students are practicing.
6. Allow them time to act on the feedback. Provide further instruction, as needed.
7. Repeat the process with one or more additional tasks.
8. Select one or more suggestions for practicing one criterion at a time and try them out with a task.
9. Bring a few samples of student work to share with your learning team. Explain what you tried and what
you noticed happening with student motivation and achievement as a result. Discuss possible revisions
or extensions to the activity.

34
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Chapter 6 (pages 149–174):

Key Ideas, Questions, and Activities

Key Ideas
• Keeping students in touch with their growth
• Providing the time and structure for students to reflect on their learning
• Offering opportunities for students to share their progress

Prereading Questions
1. How do the processes of tracking, reflecting on, and sharing learning work to “close the gap?”
2. What activities do your students currently engage in that you would classify under the umbrella of
Strategy 7?

Questions to Consider During or After Reading:

3. Which of the tracking options is best suited to your context (grade level, subject, learning targets)? (pp.
152–158)
4. How would you differentiate between the self-assessment activities described in Strategy 4 and the self-
reflection activities described in Strategy 7? (p. 159)
5. Which of the self-reflection options is best suited to your context (grade level, subject, learning targets)?
(pp. 159–167)
6. Which of the sharing options is best suited to your context (grade level, subject, learning targets)?
(pp.167–173)

Closure Questions
7. What activities from Chapter 6 did you try in the classroom? How did they work? What successes did you
notice? What modifications might you make?

Activities
6.1 Tracking Learning
6.2 Reflecting on Learning
6.3 Sharing Learning
6.4 What Do You Do Now?
6.5 Reflecting on Your Own Learning
6.6 Sharing Your Learning

35
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Activity 6.1 Tracking Learning

This is set up as an independent activity, but you may find it useful to engage in steps 1–4 with a part-
ner or team of colleagues teaching the same unit/subject.

1. After reading the section titled “Students Keeping Track of Their Learning” on pages 152–158, make a
list of the learning targets you will teach for a given unit or grading/marking period.
2. Decide for each learning target which tracking option will work best for each learning target. You may
use one option for all targets or a combination of options, depending on the kinds of learning targets
on your list. Tracking options include recording progress by learning target or by assignment, keeping
learning journals, or collecting and annotating samples of work.
3. Determine how often students will keep track of their learning, and how long it will take them each time
to complete the tracking activity. Build that time into your teaching plans.

Learning Target(s) Tracking Option When Students Will Do This

4. Create the form(s) students will use. (Pages 243–248 in Appendix B are blank versions of the tracking
forms shown in Chapter 6.)
5. Let students keep track of their learning for the duration of the unit or grading/marking period. Consider
asking them to share what they think this activity did for them. Keep track yourself of students’
comments about the activity, about their learning, or about themselves as learners while they are
recording their progress.
6. At the end of the unit or grading/marking period, share with your learning team samples of students’
completed forms or journals. Discuss students’ comments and reactions to the activity and any changes
you noticed in their motivation and achievement.
7. Note any revisions you want to make to the process or the forms. You can focus on continued use with
the next set of learning targets you will teach to this class or use with a different class the next time you
teach these learning targets.

36
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Activity 6.2 Reflecting on Learning

Successful completion of this activity requires prior completion of Activity 6.1. As with the previous ac-
tivity, it is set up as an independent activity, but you may find it useful to engage in steps 1 and 2 with
a partner or team of colleagues teaching the same unit/subject.

1. After reading the section titled “Students Reflecting on their Learning” on pages 159–167, decide which
reflection option best suits the learning targets you will teach, the tracking option(s) you have selected,
the evidence students will have at hand (which is determined by the learning targets you are focusing
on), and the age of your students. Options include reflecting on growth, reflecting on a project, reflecting
on achievement, and reflecting on themselves as learners.
2. Determine what evidence students will need to refer to and how you will elicit their reflection: through a
form, a writing prompt, or a series of questions. (Pages 249–251 in Appendix B are blank versions of the
reflection forms described in Chapter 6; pages 253–254 shows an example of a form eliciting students’
reflection on themselves as learners.)

Reflection Option Evidence Needed Form, Prompt, or Questions to Use

3. Have students use the reflection form, prompt, or questions. Consider asking them to share what
they think this activity did for them. Keep track of your impressions regarding the activity’s impact on
students’ understanding of themselves as learners, motivation to continue learning, and achievement.
4. Bring a few samples of students’ reflections to share with your learning team. Discuss students’ reaction
to the activity and your impressions about its impact.
5. Note any revisions you might like to make to the process or to the form, prompt, or questions for future
use.

37
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Activity 6.3 Sharing Learning

Successful completion of this activity requires prior completion of Activities 6.1 and 6.2. This is also set
up as an independent activity, but you may find it useful to engage in steps 1 and 2 with a partner or
team of colleagues teaching the same unit/subject.

1. After reading the section titled “Students Sharing Their Learning” on pages 167–173, decide which
sharing option best suits the learning targets you will teach, the tracking and reflecting students will do,
your students’ age, and the time available. Options include written communication, discussions at home,
and conferences at school.
2. Prepare the form and/or the protocol you will use. Determine what artifacts students will need to have
on hand to share or refer to.

Sharing Option Learning Target(s) Form(s) or Protocol Artifacts Needed

3. Explain the process and its purpose to students and to parents.

4. Let students engage in the sharing option you have selected.
5. If students have been involved in a conference, debrief the experience with all participants following
the suggestions on page 173. (A full-page version of the Conference Evaluation Form can be found
in Appendix B on page 252.) Keep track of your own impressions regarding this activity’s impact on
students’ understanding of themselves as learners, their motivation to continue learning, and their
achievement.
6. Share with your learning team a few samples of either students’ written communication or their debrief
comments regarding the oral sharing experience. Also discuss your own observations about its impact on
students and parents.
7. Note any revisions you might like to make to the form(s) or the protocol for future use.

38
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Activity 6.4 What Do You Do Now?

1. Make an inventory of practices you now use for each of the seven strategies.
2. Compare your current practices to the practices you listed in the Chapter 1 Activity 1.2, “What Do You
Already Do?”
3. Write a description of how your classroom assessment practices have changed as a result of your study.

Strategy My Current Practices/Activities

1: Provide students with a

clear and understandable
vision of the learning
target.

2: Use examples and models

of strong and weak work.

39
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Strategy My Current Practices/Activities

3: Offer regular descriptive

feedback.

4: Teach students to self-

assess and set goals.

40
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Strategy My Current Practices/Activities

5: Design lessons to focus

on one learning target or
aspect of quality at a time.

6: Teach students focused

revision.

7: Engage students in self-

reflection and let them
keep track of and share
their learning.

41
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Activity 6.5 Reflecting on Your Own Learning

Once you have a collection of artifacts representing your learning, you can select one or more of the fol-
lowing reflection options. You can use each chapter’s key ideas (listed in this study guide) as learning
targets for purposes of self-reflection.

1. Adapt one of the student suggestions (pages 159–167) to reflect on your own growth demonstrated
by your collection of artifacts. Select (or modify) and complete one of the portfolio entry cover sheets
found in Appendix B on pages 246–248.
2. Adapt one of the student suggestions (pages 159–167) to reflect on the growth you have noticed in your
students. Look for changes in their motivation and achievement that you believe have been influenced by
assessment for learning practices you have put into place.
3. Adapt one of the suggestions for reflecting on a project (pages 162–164) to use for reflecting on your
own learning with Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning.
4. Create and complete your own reflection prompt or form to (a) capture your learning and the
conclusions you have drawn, and (b) demonstrate your mastery of this portion of Strategy 7.

42
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Activity 6.6 Sharing Your Learning

Your learning team can plan a “share fair” to let others know what you have been doing in your class-
rooms and team meetings with assessment for learning. The success of this activity depends on having
completed Activity 6.4 and/or some version of Activity 6.5. Your audience can be other learning teams
or colleagues who are not participating in this study. Both options are explained below.

Option 1: Sharing with Other Learning Teams

1. Each learning team meets separately to plan what they will share. Learning team members bring the
work they have done with Activity 6.4 and/or Activity 6.5 to a meeting and each spends a few minutes
explaining his or her artifacts and what they illustrate.
2. Each learning team selects the artifacts they would like to share with others and prepares a display that
includes the key idea or ideas illustrated by each artifact, any brief explanatory information needed, the
artifact(s), a reflection from Activity 6.4 and/or Activity 6.5, and the name(s) and contact information of
person(s) submitting the artifact(s). Often teams spend one meeting sharing and selecting artifacts and
another preparing them for display.
3. Find a good place to stage your “Share Fair.” Have each team set up around the room.
4. Assign one person to stay with the team’s display to give a short explanation and/or to answer questions.
The rest of the team circulates to other displays. You can rotate the responsibility of staying with the
display so all have a chance to see what others have done.

Option 2: Sharing with Colleagues Who Are Not Part of a Learning Team
1. Learning team members bring the work they have done with Activity 6.4 to a meeting and each spends a
few minutes explaining his or her artifacts and what they illustrate.
2. Each person on the team then selects his or her own artifacts to share with others. The team decides the
method of sharing. Here are some options:
• In a large group setting, such as a faculty meeting, you each can give a short description of the
key idea your artifact illustrates and a brief explanation of how you used it and what you noticed
happening with students as a result. You can involve the audience in a brief activity that simulates a
part of what you had your students do, if appropriate.
• You can follow the same procedure in a smaller group format, such a department meeting.
• You can each create a display similar to the one described above, and set the displays up in a room
such as the cafeteria or library. You can each give a short presentation to small groups as they rotate
through your team members’ displays.

3. In each of the sharing options, be sure to include a description of the key idea or ideas illustrated and a
reflection on its impact.

43
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Appendix

Team Meeting Schedule

Team Meeting Planning Template

Sample Learning Team Log

Reflective Journal

Chart: “Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning”

44
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Team Meeting Schedule

Meeting Date Time Location Facilitator Assignment Before Meeting

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Source: Reprinted with permission from R. Stiggins, J. Arter, J. Chappuis, and S. Chappuis, Classroom Assessment for Student
Learning: Doing It Right—Using It Well (Portland, OR: Pearson Assessment Training Institute, 2004), CD-ROM.

45
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Team Meeting Planning Template

Date: Start Time: End Time:

1. Discussion of Prior Reading

Chapter/pages read: Time allocated:

Points to address:

2. Discussion of Classroom Applications

Time allocated:
Points to address:

3. Activity/-ies (optional)

Time allocated: Materials needed:

Activity # :

Activity # :

4. Set up for Next Assignment

Reading:

Activity/-ies to try before next meeting:

Next Meeting Date: Time:

Facilitator: Location:

Source: Reprinted with permission from J. Chappuis, Learning Team Facilitator Handbook: A Resource for Collaborative
Study of Classroom Assessment for Student Learning (Portland, OR: Pearson Assessment Training Institute, 2007), p. 60.

46
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Sample Learning Team Log

Log No.

Date: Facilitator:

Time: to Location:

Group Members Present:

Group Member(s) Absent:

Summary of Discussion and Activities:

Classroom applications since last meeting—what we’ve tried:

For the next meeting we need to do the following:

Next scheduled meeting:

Date: Time:

Location: Facilitator:

Source: Adapted with permission from R. Stiggins, J. Arter, J. Chappuis, and S. Chappuis, Classroom Assessment for Student
Learning: Doing It Right—Using It Well (Portland, OR: Pearson Assessment Training Institute, 2004), CD-ROM.

47
Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Reflective Journal

Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

Name: Date:

Chapter: Pages read:

Thoughts, questions, reactions to what I read:

Activity(ies) tried:

Observations, questions, possible revisions to what I tried:

Source: Adapted with permission from J. Chappuis, Learning Team Facilitator Handbook: A Resource for Collaborative
Study of Classroom Assessment for Student Learning (Portland, OR: Pearson Assessment Training Institute, 2007), p. 128.

48
 A STUDY GUIDE from Pearson Assessment Training Institute

Where am I going?
Provide students with a clear and under-
standable vision of the learning target.
Use examples and models of strong and
weak work.

Where am I now?
Offer regular descriptive feedback.
Teach students to self-assess and set
goals.

How can I close the gap?

Design lessons to focus on one learning
target or aspect of quality at a time.
Teach students focused revision.
Engage students in self-reflection, and
let them keep track of and share their
learning.

Source: Adapted with permission from R. Stiggins, J. Arter, J. Chappuis, and S. Chappuis, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing It Right—Using It Well (Portland, OR: Pearson Assessment Training Institute, 2004), p. 42.

49