Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning

by Jan Chappuis

PThis practical new book from Pearson Assessment Training Institute organizes research-based recommendations about classroom assessment practices around three formative assessment questions#58; ldquo;Where am I going?rdquo;; ldquo;Where am I now?rdquo;; and ldquo;How can I close the gap?rdquo; The framework is sequenced so that you can easily weave assessment for learning practices into daily teaching and assessment activities.pThe Seven Strategies are organized around the three big questions#58;brWhere Am I Going?brStrategy 1#58; Provide a clear and understandable vision of the learning target.brStrategy 2#58; Use examples and models of strong and weak work.pWhere Am I Now?brStrategy 3#58; Offer regular descriptive feedback.brStrategy 4#58; Teach students to self-assess and set goals.pHow Can I Close the Gap?brStrategy 5#58; Design lessons to focus on one aspect of quality at a time.brStrategy 6#58; Teach students focused revision.brStrategy 7#58; Engage students in self-reflection and let them keep track of and share their learning.pPrior to joining ATI, Jan Chappuis was a curriculum and assessment specialist responsible for professional development and school improvement. Her background as an elementary and secondary teacher, combined with her assessment expertise and professional development experience, enables Jan to provide teachers and school leaders with practical solutions for motivating students and involving them in their own academic success. Her most recent publication, Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning, helps teachers adopt formative assessment practices shown to improve learning.

Genres: Education, Professional Development, Teaching, Reference, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published March 1, 2009

Reviews

[Kathy Dyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jan Chappuis does a good job of sharing both pracital examples and samples of tools teachers can use in support of their formative assessment practice. A study guide is available online as well.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better textbooks. Lots of great examples and activities. It could work really well for a self-driven PLC.

[JB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great one-stop-shop for best practices. Concepts are actionable with options (not requirements) for executing each step. The message really is: establish a vision of quality you share with students so they can self-assess, reflect, and feel capable, through visible incremental gains, of learning. To do this, you need to have evidence (models that meet criteria and models that don't, student work at different stages). It made me think of a line from Charles Olson's "The Kingfishers": "Around an appearance, one common model, we grow up / many." He also writes there, as Chappuis may also mean: "the feed-back proves, the feed-back is / the law."

[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was required to read this book for a graduate course on assessment strategies. While this book was easy to read and had many great strategies that I was able to implement in my own classroom if I had not already been doing so, I do think this book would have been a better fit for an undergraduate education student who is learning how to become a teacher.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fellow educators: this was the most helpful pedagogical book I’ve read to date. Provides helpful insights on formative assessment with relevant anecdotes and ideas to explore.

[Krista Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has great templates to use for getting students involved in assessment and their learning. Can't wait to start using these with my kids next year to help them to truly own their learning and to become independent thinkers!

[Joey · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best professional development trainings I've had--nothing new here, but it brings good teaching into clear focus and pushes away all of the other muck that gets in our way. I loved the workshop and the materials.

[Michelle Qazi]

I went to the conference this summer, and it changed my teaching for the better. Now our whole staff is reading the book as a book study.

[Susan Wolverton]

Reading for school improvement book study.

[Rennette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is useful in my teaching profession to assesses the learning
of my students and to improve my teaching strategy.

[Stella]

I've only read chapter 1 but this one may actually be worth the read. The last couple of books someone else selected for professional development have been very ho hum.

[Joanna]

Recommended by Maria Walther.

[Aaron Rumack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Treat this book as either a manual for picking what you need when you need it, or discuss and apply it chapter-by-chapter in a whole faculty study group.

[Dave Moyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good practical implementation strategies.

[Corey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very helpful in looking for different hints and tips to using various strategies of assessment in the classroom.

[Addie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of great tips and reproducibles - charts, checklists, goal-setting sheets, etc.