Why Informed Literacy?
Assess, Analyze, Instruct
When you think of the word assessment, does it have a positive or negative vibe to it?
Do you think of assessment as a necessary evil or do you consider it a vital component of instruction? With the advent of No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top, and Common Core State Standards, more often than not, assessment carries a negative connotation. Parents and teachers alike worry that more time is spent on testing rather than teaching.
As educators, we also worry about over-testing. However, we believe in the power of appropriate evaluations as opposed to lengthy, needless, or redundant assessments. When employed judiciously, assessment can and should guide instruction in order to yield maximum learning results.
Why “Informed” Literacy? The first part of our name stems from the idea that the best teaching is informed teaching. Instruction becomes informed when appropriate evaluations are used to determine students’ learning strengths and needs. Effective, targeted assessment comes in the form of pre and post-tests as well as short, progress monitoring probes. Analysis of the results can yield a wealth of information. Once students’ needs are identified through careful analysis, instruction can be designed to support the learners.
It is our belief that when educators follow the cycle of assessing, analyzing, and instructing, every child can meet with reading success.
