Sarah Bourque - Chapter 14 Questions to Consider

I am going to approach each assessment based on the idea that I am in an elementary, self-contained, deaf education class since being at Tennessee School for the Deaf is my goal.  Keep in mind, most deaf students at residential schools, like TSD, have multiple disabilities.

Informal – I believe most of my assessment will be informal in nature.  I can see myself “testing” students almost every moment for understanding of the concepts I am trying to teach.  One example might be observing whether or not the students use the appropriate sign for a particular feeling and noting that I need to incorporate that sign into my lesson and teach the extremes to which that feeling could go to (i.e. upset-sad-depressed-devastated). 

Formal – Formal assessment will be very important to ensure proper documentation of student progress.  Unlike their hearing peers, deaf students have difficulty with summative, paper-pencil, standardized assessment because their first language is not English.  I could see a formal assessment including me showing the student a picture on a card and documenting whether or not they can show me the sign for that picture and match the picture with the appropriate word printed on a card.

Traditional – A traditional test to assess their number recognition and counting ability could be having different stacks of blocks and the students must label each stack with how many blocks are in the stack and then the student must put the stacks in order from least to greatest.  This gives them a visual and a manipulative but would test the same thing as having them fill in a number line.

Authentic – I don’t think authentic assessment is used enough in deaf education.  There is such a focus on passing tests and making sure they are at grade level that opportunities for incidental learning are missed.  An authentic assessment could be making sure the students can wash their hands appropriately after using the restroom.

Paper-pencil – These tests are particularly difficult for deaf students.  Many do not acquire language until they begin school so reading and writing fall way behind.  At this level, I imagine a paper-pencil assessment to be a matching activity, matching the picture to the word.

Performance – Reading is a big focus in deaf education since most deaf adults only read at about a 4^th grade level.  And many deaf students will tell you they can read something because they can sign each individual word.  I think a lot of my reading assessment will include retelling.  I will have students read the words of a story but then retell it in their own word (using sign language) to ensure they comprehended what they read.

Standardized – Ahhhh…standardized testing.  As I stated before, this is a very difficult task for deaf students because most standardized tests are not developed with any sort of disability in mind.  While accommodations can be provided, many times they are just a band aid.  Interpreters may be allowed but they are usually instructed to interpret word for word which does nothing for a student whose language is not English.  Unfortunately, I think I will be forced to practice those tests and teach the students how to take the test.

Teacher-developed – One of the ideas I can’t wait to use is walking around the TSD campus and having the students do a scavenger hunt for items of different colors.  I saw a wonderful idea to use egg crates and paint each cup a different color and the students have to find objects that match that color.  It would even be a good opportunity to teach that there are color variations and the colors don’t have to match exactly (deaf students tend to be very literal).

Criterion-referenced – After a unit on colors, each student would be shown an object and have to identify the color.  The assessment could progress first with signing the color, then with labeling the color with word cards, and finally writing the color.  Having the student sign the color would tell you that they can identify the color even though they may not be able to read or write the word yet.   

Norm-referenced – Much like the standardized tests, norm-referenced assessment does not take into account disability.  You CANNOT compare a deaf student to a hearing student without taking into consideration their disability and accommodating for it.  This is especially important considering most deaf children are starting school without language and therefore already 3-5 years behind their hearing peers.