Assessing Academic Assessing Academic ConversationsConversations

Presented by:

Cynthia Godoy, NBCT&

Kit McConnell, NBCT

Monday April 13 & Monday April 27 3:30 – 5 pm

Goals of the Grant: To build a statewide network of accomplished classroom teachers and other education leaders who will:

•provide expertise for the instructional shifts needed to implement the CCSS in ELA and Mathematics, and the NGSS;

•support the design and implementation of school-based professional learning around instructional practice;

•create and lead regional professional development;

•become a resource for continued instructional support statewide by communicating and coordinating with CTA/local associations, school districts, county offices of education, and the California Department of Education.

• Experience a text-based academic conversation

• Apply knowledge of academic conversations to instructional planning

• Use strategies for assessing academic conversations

• Identify benefits of using academic conversations

• Collaborate around structures to support various conversations

Engaged participants will…Engaged participants will…

THETHE 4 4 C’S C’S OF THE OF THE COMMON COMMON CORE STATE CORE STATE STANDARDSSTANDARDS

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Experiencing academic Experiencing academic conversationsconversations

What factors do you consider when grouping students?

• Kagan• Heterogeneous/Homogeneous• Social Factors• What else?

Experiencing academic Experiencing academic conversationsconversations

Form a group of 4 – 5

Experiencing academic Experiencing academic conversationsconversations

Choose a role:•Facilitator: Assures full participation

• Assessor: Monitors and evaluates conversation

• Time Keeper: Keeps group on task • Reporter: Communicates group findings publicly

(Groups of 5 will have duplicate roles)

The TextThe Text“Studies show homework isn’t much of a burden”

1.Read the text individually2.Mark up the text/take notes on your own3.Formulate one question on an index card

In 20 minutes your group should have created 4 to 5 open ended questions based on the text

Play your rolePlay your role

Assessor: - Collect your home group’s question

cards and travel to another group. - Once in the new group, you will

observe and assess the academic conversation using the “TALKS” handout.

Play your rolePlay your role

Facilitator: Lead your group’s conversation.

1. Decide which two questions your group will discuss (DOK: distinguish, critique, compare, evaluate).

2. Consider the strategies you can utilize to promote participation of all group members. Foster conversation about the text and attempt to answer your “top two” questions.

Play your rolePlay your role

Recorder/Reporter: Summarize your group’s conversation on the Recorder/Reporter Notes, and be prepared to share out.

Play your rolePlay your role

Timekeeper: Decide on the best ways to alert your group to the time limitations. Communicate the tools that you’ll use before your group begins.

For 10 minutes your group will have an academic conversation. The assessor will observe participation.

Instructional ShiftsInstructional Shifts

Report OutReport Out

• What did you talk about?

• Assessor’s perspective

• Measuring success

For Monday April 27thFor Monday April 27thTry this out! Bring artifacts related to the academic

conversation: TALKS form, questions on index card, Recorder/reporter notes,video, short piece of student writing that was a

result to the conversation, other ideas…

Resources…Resources…SBAC sample activitiesSBAC promptsSBAC performance taskBenchmark assessmentsAnytime students have to writeVisual textsAVID Weekly

EvaluationEvaluationAccess evaluation at:• www.rlstevenson.net

Click on the following:• DepartmentsEnglish Language Arts Assessing

Conversations