Assessment Literacy

The authors, Steven Chappuis and Jan Chappuis, provide a strong rationale for why assessment practices must not only change, but must also be communicated to parents. They offer a guide to what parents should know and do in terms of supporting their students. They also offer suggestions to parents regarding what to look for on the topic of “assessment literacy” when interacting with teachers (p. 131).

• Teachers understand and can clearly define, in advance of teaching, the achievement targets they are trying to hit.
• Teachers inform students regularly, in terms they can understand, about those achievement targets.
• Teachers ensure that students themselves can describe what targets they are to hit and what comes next in their learning.
• Teachers can transform these achievement targets into dependable assessments that yield accurate information.
• Teachers understand the relationship between assessment and student motivation, and use assessment to build student confidence.
• Teachers consistently use classroom assessment information to revise instruction.
• Teacher feedback to students is frequent, immediate, and descriptive.
• Teachers intentionally create opportunities for students to be actively involved in their own assessment, including communication about their own learning to others.