PPR Choosing Appropriate Assessment Methods 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A teacher notices that most students failed the same section of a unit exam. What is the MOST appropriate next step?
- Record the grades and move on to the next unit
- Re-teach the concept using a different instructional strategy (Correct answer)
- Curve the grades so the class average improves
- Ask students to retake the same test without additional support
Correct answer: Re-teach the concept using a different instructional strategy
Using assessment data to guide re-teaching with a different approach directly responds to evidence of student misunderstanding.
Question 2: Which of the following is the BEST example of criterion-referenced assessment?
- Ranking students from highest to lowest score on a reading test
- Determining whether each student can read at 90 words per minute as a grade-level benchmark (Correct answer)
- Selecting the top 10% of students for an advanced program
- Comparing a student's score to the national average on a standardized test
Correct answer: Determining whether each student can read at 90 words per minute as a grade-level benchmark
Criterion-referenced assessment measures student performance against a defined standard, not against other students.
Question 3: A kindergarten teacher uses observation checklists during free play to assess social-emotional development. This approach is MOST appropriate because:
- Written tests are not allowed for young children
- Observational tools capture authentic behaviors in natural settings (Correct answer)
- Play time is the only opportunity to assess young learners
- Checklists are required by state law for kindergartners
Correct answer: Observational tools capture authentic behaviors in natural settings
Observational checklists capture social-emotional behaviors as they occur naturally, making the data authentic and valid.
Question 4: Which scenario demonstrates assessment validity?
- A writing assessment that gives the same score to the same essay on two different days
- A history test that asks students to analyze primary sources to assess historical thinking skills (Correct answer)
- A math quiz that consistently underestimates student ability
- A science test given to students who have not yet studied the material
Correct answer: A history test that asks students to analyze primary sources to assess historical thinking skills
Validity means the assessment actually measures what it intends to measure — here, primary source analysis measures historical thinking.
Question 5: A teacher uses the same quiz to assess all students, but some students with IEPs require extended time. Providing extended time is an example of:
- Modifying the assessment standards
- An accommodation that maintains the integrity of the assessment (Correct answer)
- An unfair advantage for students with disabilities
- Changing what the assessment measures
Correct answer: An accommodation that maintains the integrity of the assessment
Accommodations like extended time remove barriers without altering the content or standards being assessed.
Question 6: Which assessment strategy is MOST effective for monitoring student progress over time in writing?
- A single high-stakes essay at the end of the year
- A writing portfolio that includes multiple drafts and reflections collected throughout the year (Correct answer)
- Weekly spelling tests
- A multiple-choice grammar quiz each month
Correct answer: A writing portfolio that includes multiple drafts and reflections collected throughout the year
A portfolio captures growth over time through multiple samples and student self-reflection, making it ideal for longitudinal monitoring.
Question 7: A teacher wants to assess whether students can apply mathematical reasoning to real-world problems. Which assessment is MOST appropriate?
- A worksheet with 50 computation problems
- A project where students plan and budget for a school event using given constraints (Correct answer)
- A timed test of multiplication facts
- A quiz matching math terms to definitions
Correct answer: A project where students plan and budget for a school event using given constraints
Real-world projects require students to apply mathematical reasoning in authentic contexts, directly assessing the target skill.
PPR Choosing Appropriate Assessment Methods 3
A teacher notices that most students failed the same section of a unit exam.
What is the MOST appropriate next step?