Formative assessment is a part of the learning process that can take different forms. It has been acknowledged that this type of activity if implemented properly, tends to double the pace at which students learn (Corwin, 2017). Therefore, teachers pay considerable attention to the planning and implementation of assessments.
It is critical to concentrate on the learning goals to be achieved, students’ levels and their needs (interests, physical and emotional states), the corresponding standards, materials, and the most appropriate forms to choose (Michelle Wagner, 2020). Creative arts can facilitate the assessment process making it less stressful and more engaging for children (Cooper, 2016). This paper includes a brief analysis of a formative assessment that involved a creative arts task.
Children were divided into small groups of three and were asked to replicate a character from a story they read. They had a choice of materials to be utilized to complete the task. The group included a boy and two girls, and the students chose clay to replicate the character. The teacher monitored the process but did not intervene, although she provided some guidance and assisted when it was necessary. The children were completely engaged when creating the character, and one of them emphasized the need to be as close to the text as possible, which was the instruction given by the teacher. The teacher said that the grade would depend on the details. The teacher also discussed the process of making the character, and during this discussion, the children decided on the parts each of them would make.
The result was remarkable as the students managed to replicate the character following the description. The group contained students who had an age-appropriate level of reading skills, so they did not have any difficulty with using the text. The students had one piece of paper with a text, so each student read the description for others to follow.
Sometimes children looked into the text on their own, although the teacher encouraged them to read aloud for the entire group to refresh all group members’ memory. It is necessary to note that assessment is important in making students more responsible and autonomous learners (Pearson English, 2019). So, the teacher allowed students to look through the text and do the silent reading at times.
One of the challenges related to the use of creative arts in assessment, at least in this group, was related to the time limits. Students wanted to make a perfect character, so they remade some parts and spent quite a significant amount of time choosing the best piece of clay or the necessary amount. On the one hand, the children displayed their reading skills, which was the major goal of the assignment. On the other hand, they were quite focused on the creation of the character rather than concentrating on their reading (fluency and accuracy). At that, they tried to read so that their teammates could understand what was needed.
The assessment showed that one of the children had a fluency issue, while the other two were reading at an age-appropriate level (and even higher). The teacher also noted that the three children were more active when reading, which was not typical of them during more traditional forms of assessment. The teacher stated that the students in this group had sufficient knowledge but were not confident enough to be active during classes and other assessment types.
As mentioned above, assessment enables the educator to understand the level of the child’s proficiency and plan the following steps to complete the existing gaps or teach new material based on the child’s knowledge (Department of Education, 2020; Teachings in Education, 2021). The teacher noted that more activities on fluency were needed for the children in the group.
This assessment provides several important lessons to learn. First, the assessment task should be interesting, engaging, and manageable, but the students should not be driven away by the task at the same time. In general, the task mentioned above is an illustration of an assessment activity performed properly. The students had to read to each other accurately and fluently enough to make everybody understand what should be done.
The children collaborated, which is also an important component of the learning process (Adam Weiss, 2020). The provision of feedback proved to be central to effective assessment. The teacher provided her feedback, pointing at the strengths of each student and the positive side of their working in the group. The teacher also highlighted the exact gaps to be filled and the strategies to use in order to fill in the existing gaps.
On balance, I will employ this experience in my teaching practice. I acknowledged the benefits of the use of creative arts when assessing students’ knowledge. I will use this type of assessment with learners who lack confidence. It turns out that these children forget about their fears when they need to complete a specific task in a small group. These students (and learners with similar characteristics) will also benefit from the activities involving drawing instead of using clay. Students who may struggle with expressing their creativity may need to have some templates (to paint and cut out).
Virtual Observation Log.
Overall video time: 4:06:18.
References
Adam Weiss. (2020). Assessment in early childhood education [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Cooper, J. (2016). Integrating music, drama, and dance helps children explore and learn. Teaching Young Children, 9(4), 16-19. Web.
Corwin. (2017). Formative assessment in practice [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Department of Education. (2020). Insights assessment a focus on early years practitioners [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Michelle Wagner. (2020). Questioning and formative assessment [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Pearson English. (2019). Assessment for learning: Key classroom strategies [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Teachings in Education. (2021). Formative assessment: An effective instructional tool [Video]. YouTube. Web.