Assessing Direct Instruction

How to know whether students learned what direct instruction taught.

A teacher who assesses well captures what students learned. A teacher who uses inappropriate assessment misses parts of learning.

What direct instruction teaches

To know what to assess, recall what direct instruction teaches.

Direct instruction teaches:

1. Declarative knowledge. Facts, concepts, generalizations.
2. Procedural knowledge. How to do things.

Both should be assessed.

Paper-pencil assessment

For most direct instruction content, paper-pencil tests work:

Mathematics

Both declarative and procedural in math fit paper tests:

1. Declarative: “What is a fraction?” “Define angle.”
2. Procedural: “Solve 234 × 56.” “Find the area of this triangle.”

The student writes their work. The teacher grades it.

Procedure can be assessed on paper because:

1. The student shows their steps.
2. The final answer reveals the procedure’s correctness.
3. Errors in steps are visible.

Science declarative content

Many science concepts:

1. “Define photosynthesis.”
2. “What are the parts of a flower?”
3. “Explain the water cycle.”

Paper tests handle these. Students write what they learned.

Some art

Art can be assessed on paper for:

1. Analysis. “Identify the elements of design in this painting.”
2. Knowledge. “What is the difference between primary and secondary colors?”
3. Application. “Show how you would use color theory to create harmony.”

These cognitive aspects of art fit paper tests.

Language declarative content

Languages have content that fits paper tests:

1. Grammar rules. “Identify the verb in this sentence.”
2. Vocabulary. “What does this word mean?”
3. Reading comprehension. “What is the main idea of this passage?”

Paper tests handle these well.

Why paper-pencil tests work

Paper tests offer:

1. Efficiency. Many students assessed at once.
2. Standardization. Same questions for everyone.
3. Documentation. A record of what was tested.
4. Objective grading. Clear right and wrong answers (for many questions).

These features make paper tests a workhorse of direct instruction assessment.

When paper-pencil is not enough

Some skills cannot be tested on paper:

1. Equipment handling. Using a microscope, scale, or chemistry equipment.
2. Physical experiments. Conducting actual experiments.
3. Motor skills. Writing alphabets, drawing.
4. Speaking and reading. Verbal performance.

For these, observation is needed.

Equipment handling

A student can describe how to use a microscope on paper. But can they actually use one?

Description and use are different. Many students who can describe cannot use. Some who use well cannot describe.

Both abilities matter. The teacher should assess both:

1. Paper. Description of microscope use.
2. Observation. Actual use of microscope.

Physical experiments

Conducting an experiment involves:

1. Setup.
2. Execution.
3. Observation.
4. Recording.
5. Cleanup.

Paper tests can assess understanding of these steps. They cannot assess performance.

A student who knows the steps may still:

1. Be clumsy with equipment.
2. Make procedural errors.
3. Miss observations.
4. Record poorly.
5. Forget cleanup.

Observation catches these.

Motor skills

Writing alphabets is a motor skill. A young student must:

1. Hold a pencil correctly.
2. Form letters with proper movement.
3. Maintain consistent size.
4. Stay on the line.

Paper output shows the result. But the process matters too. A student forming letters incorrectly may produce passable letters but develop bad habits.

The teacher observes the writing process. They catch:

1. Pencil grip issues.
2. Letter formation errors.
3. Body position problems.
4. Effort and frustration levels.

Observation supplements paper output.

Speaking and reading

Reading aloud is a skill. A student must:

1. Recognize words.
2. Pronounce them correctly.
3. Pace appropriately.
4. Express meaning through tone.
5. Maintain comprehension while reading.

A paper test can assess reading comprehension after reading. It cannot assess the reading itself.

The teacher listens. They notice:

1. Word recognition.
2. Pronunciation.
3. Pace and fluency.
4. Expression.
5. Difficulty patterns.

Listening assessment captures the reading process.

Observation checklists

A checklist lists specific behaviors. The teacher checks off each as observed.

Example: equipment handling

The teacher observes each student. They check items as performed correctly.

Example: writing alphabets

A young student writing the alphabet is observed against this list.

Example: reading aloud

A student reading aloud is observed against this list.

Checklists make observation systematic. They produce records that can be compared over time.

Performance rubrics

Beyond checklists, rubrics give graduated assessment:

Rubrics provide more nuance than checklists. They show degrees of performance.

A teacher using rubrics produces detailed assessment of skills.

Combined assessment

For mixed skills, combine methods:

Math problem-solving:

1. Paper test on procedures.
2. Observation during problem-solving (Are they organizing their work? Showing steps clearly?).

Science experiment:

1. Paper test on the science behind the experiment.
2. Checklist on equipment handling.
3. Observation on procedure execution.

Reading skills:

1. Paper comprehension test.
2. Observation during oral reading.
3. Self-assessment by student.

A combined approach captures all aspects of skill. A single approach misses parts.

A practical assessment plan

For a direct instruction unit, the teacher might plan:

Throughout the unit

Daily: Brief observation during practice. Quick checks on understanding.

Weekly: Brief paper quizzes on declarative content.

At unit end

Paper test: Comprehensive assessment of declarative and many procedural skills.

Performance task: For physical skills, a structured demonstration with observation.

Self-assessment: Student rates their own skill level.

After unit

Distributed assessment: Brief checks over coming weeks to verify retention.

This combination captures both immediate learning and long-term retention.

Why distributed assessment matters

Noted that direct instruction aims for over-learning. Assessment should verify over-learning.

A test right after the unit shows initial learning. A test 6 weeks later shows retention.

If retention is poor, the unit may have produced learning but not over-learning. The teacher knows to:

1. Build more distributed practice.
2. Revisit the skill more often.
3. Strengthen consolidation.

A teacher who only tests immediately misses retention issues. A teacher who tests over time catches them.

What teachers should plan

For direct instruction assessment:

1. Identify what was taught. Declarative? Procedural? Mental? Physical?

2. Match assessment method. Paper for mental; observation for physical; both for mixed.

3. Build assessment over time. Daily, weekly, end-of-unit, retention checks.

4. Use multiple methods. Paper, observation, performance, self-assessment.

5. Review and adjust. What worked? What needs change?

A teacher who plans this way captures real learning. A teacher who relies only on end-of-unit paper tests captures less.

Flashcard

When does direct instruction need observation rather than paper-pencil tests?

Tap to reveal

Answer

For physical skills, motor skills, equipment handling, and physical performance

Paper tests work for: mental skills, declarative knowledge, procedural knowledge that can be written out (like math problems).

Observation needed for: equipment handling, physical experiments, motor skills like writing or drawing, oral reading, speaking, physical performance.

A teacher should match the assessment method to what is being assessed. Mental content: paper. Physical content: observation. Mixed: both.