Embedded Formative Assessment by Dylan Wiliam, 2011 (pages 73-106)Information compiled by Marcia Knupp, AEA 267, 2013Images by Clipart

• High engagement classrooms seem to have a significant impact on student achievement.

• When teachers allow students the choice of participating in class (raising their hand when they know an answer) they are making the achievement gap larger….because those who are participating are getting smarter and those who are not…

• This week no one will answer questions by raising their hand. This week I will randomly ask questions to all of you. Be ready.

• To randomly choose students (use an app, slips of paper or popsicle sticks).

• Often, in the interest of time or for other reasons, teachers choose those students who will give a good answer, instead of “working the students” who may not give the best answers.

• If a randomly chosen student says, “I don’t know,” the teacher simply says, “I’ll get back to you,” and gets multiple answers from other students.

• Then the teacher then goes back to that student and asks, “Which answer did you like best and why?”

• This emphasizes that this is a classroom where you must participate.

• Another teacher response to, “I don’t know” might be… “OK, but if you did know, what would you say?”

• A third idea might be to have the student (metaphorically) phone a friend, ask the audience or go 50/50 (where only two responses are used).

• The quality of the discussion also increases when teachers make a statement and then asks students… “What are the reasons for this?”

• Students are more willing to answer a question when teachers give them a chance to first pair with another student.

By telling a student their answer is right, close or wrong…you are evaluating and implying that you are looking for the correct response. By trying to interpret what they are saying a teacher may see what they do understand and why they think that way.

• Tell me more.• Why do you think this?• What evidence is there?• Is there another way to look at this?

• Why is a bat a mammal and a penguin isn’t?• Why is 23 a prime number?• Why is this a clause rather than a

sentence?

• The teacher asks a student a series of questions…digging for more indepth responses.• The key is keeping everyone on their toes

by following up and asking another person to summarize the answer.

• Teachers who analyze and possibly change their questioning strategies may engage their students more fully.

• Which idea will you try?