Forms Of Assessment Essay Research Paper If

Forms Of Assessment Essay, Research Paper

If one was to draw a continuum on a piece of paper to plot out the different methods of language education the transactional method would be close to the center of the line, with the transmissional method and organic/Romantic method on the opposing ends. The transmissional method of instruction stresses direct instruction, usually with drill and practice type of exercises. The lessons are skills based with a stress on .part to whole. language. This refers to experiencing words as their individual graphophonemic parts. The transactional method of teaching stresses the facilitation of information from the teacher to the student. Learning for the transactional teacher is a social process with the learner. Knowledge is constructed by the learner and language is taught from .whole to part.. Whole to part refers to the context with which the learner sees text. Rather than learning words and graphemes individually, the learner sees them in full texts. These language methods are often shaped by the particular paradigm that each teacher chooses.

The search for truth forms the various paradigms that we have discussed in class. According to Realism, truth can be found only in the real world. The quest for knowledge ends with what we can see and feel and touch. Realism is very empirical and scientific therefore translates into a transmissional view of language. An example of a philosophy that comes from this paradigm is Essentialism. In contrast to Realism, Pragmatism holds that there is no truth. Truth is not found in the real world, but truth is relative. It is defined and constructed by the learner. The Pragmatist view translates into a transactional method of language instruction. The transaction between the teacher and the learner is a mutual quest for knowledge. The prime example of a philosophy of education that arises from Pragmatism is Constructivism. The third out of the three main paradigms that form educational thought is Idealism. Unlike Pragmatism, Idealism says that there is truth. Also, unlike Realism, Idealism says that truth can be found in the metaphysical.

So where does that leave Christians. Christians find knowledge in both the metaphysical (from God) and from the real world (His creation). That means that there must be a middle ground between Realism and Idealism. This middle ground is called Christian Theism. Christian Theism holds that there is truth and that it can be found, through God and His works. In my opinion their needs to be some element of Constructivism involved in this theory. I feel that children should be able to discover knowledge for themselves. The teacher should present the options, including God.s truth, so that the learners can discover it on their own. It is unfortunate how it has become acceptable for children to study religion, (an Idealist notion) but just not Christainity. Politically, it has become taboo for Christianity to be alluded to in anyway. The separation of church and state that the government tried to establish was intended to keep a church from running the country, not to completely force it out of schools. This may seem like a tangent but one way that I feel I may be able implement religion in the classroom would be to use God.s word. The books of the Bible are written in many forms; the Bible contains, but is not limited to histories, narratives, and poetry. These various genres can be integrated into the classroom with units on literature. The Bible is God.s literature, and can be integrated into lessons without infringing on the previously mentioned law. When viewed as literature, I feel that the Bible can be integrated into my class with stepping on people.s toes. Christian Theists should not be scared or intimidated to use their faith in the classroom. The paradigms that shape other philosophies of education are accepted in many schools. On a political level, the Christian view is just and valid as the next, but our eyes it is the ideal, real Truth.

If I were to summarize the IRA/NCTE Standards for Reading and Writing Assessment, I would have to say that those from IRA/NCTE want assessment to be focused on the learner. The assessment should be fair to all learners capture the learners. interests, promote skills that writing and reading will be used for, stimulate questions and critical thinking, and reflect the method of teaching in the classroom. There have been many assessments that I have participated in that do not adhere closely to these standards. Teachers have often used very in authentic assessments to evaluate my fellow classmates and me. These took the form of standardized, norm-referenced tests. The environment for these tests was usually different from the environment that I learned the information in and there was no room for interaction or discussion. Granted, some people only care about student.s test scores, but if the IRA/NCTE Standards of Reading and Writing Assessment are followed, inauthentic assessments do not have to be the only way we can evaluate a child.

Performance samples, literacy collections, observations and interviews are four methods of alternative assessment that can be an options for teachers instead of traditional tests. Some of these methods of assessment (RMI, CRMA, Running Record) ask the teacher to set time aside in the class to work one on one with a student. While the student reads, the teacher listens for mi