WGU C909 Assessment Strategies: The
Ultimate Guide to Designing,
Measuring, and Mastering Student
Learning
Constructivist Theory
A philosophy based on the premise that people construct their own understanding of the world they live
in through reflection on experiences.
Constructivist Theory in Practice
For example: Groups of students in a science class are discussing a problem in physics. Though the
teacher knows the "answer" to the problem, she focuses on helping students restate their questions in
useful ways. She prompts each student to reflect on and examine his or her current knowledge. When
one of the students comes up with the relevant concept, the teacher seizes upon it, and indicates to the
group that this might be a fruitful avenue for them to explore. They design and perform relevant
experiments. Afterward, the students and teacher talk about what they have learned, and how their
observations and experiments helped (or did not help) them to better understand the concept.
Cognitive-constructivist view of reading
Aim to assist students in assimilating new information to existing knowledge, as well as enabling them to
make the appropriate accommodations to their existing intellectual framework to accommodate that
information. Ex. Because of Winn-Dixie; from her inference, and active knowledge of the text says that
people who have things in common often become friends.
Socio-cultural theory/Ex.
Extends the influence on the cognitive-constructivist view out from the reader and the text into the
larger social realm. Learning is viewed as social rather than individual. -Lev Vygotsky Ex. Understanding
the zone of proximal development can be helpful for teachers.
In classroom settings, teachers may first assess students to determine their current skill level. Educators
can then offer instruction that stretches the limits of each child's capabilities.
At first, the student may need assistance from an adult or a more knowledgeable peer, but eventually,
their zone of proximal development will expand. Teachers can help promote this expansion by:
Planning and organizing their instruction and lessons: For example, the teacher might organize the class
,into groups where less skilled children are paired with students who have a higher skill level.
Using hints, prompts, and direct instruction to help kids improve their ability levels.
Scaffolding, where the teacher provides specific prompts to move the child progressively forward
toward a goal.
Reader Response Theory
The main argument of reader-response theory is that readers, as much as the text, play an active role in
a reading experience (Rosenblatt, 1994). This theory rejects the structuralist view that meaning resides
solely in the text. Words in a text evoke images in readers' minds and readers bring their experiences to
this encounter.
Experiential Learning
As the name suggests, experiential learning involves learning from experience. The theory was proposed
by psychologist David Kolb who was influenced by the work of other theorists including John Dewey,
Kurt Lewin, and Jean Piaget
Oral Language Development
The complex system that relates sounds to meanings, is made of three components: phonological, (rules
for combining sounds) semantic, (the smallest units of meaning that may be combined to make up
words) and syntactic (the rules that combine morphemes into sentences). Reading and talking with
children plays an important role in developing their vocabulary. The more you talk to children, the larger
their vocabulary will develop. Note: Pragmatic is also the rules that allow us to speak appropriately in
different settings
What are the stages of writing development?
Scribbling/drawing
Letter like forms and shapes
Letters
Letters and spaces
Conventional writing and spelling (children in this stage spell most words correctly with a reliance on
knowledge of phonics to spell longer words, they can punctuate, can properly use capital and lower case
letters. Writing different purposes is important, handwriting and spelling becomes easier.
What are stages of reading development
Early Emergent
Emergent (understands alphabet, phonological awareness and knows phonics, have command of high
frequency words, developing comprehension and word attack skills, recognize types of texts, non-fiction
and fiction, and that reading has a variety of purposes).
Early Fluent
Fluent
What are the stages of the alphabetic phase
, The written forms of spoken, alphabetic language languages which use letters (graphemes) in a code to
represent the sounds of speech (phonemes) specific sequences of letters form words, this is the
alphabetic principle. If we obeyed this principle we wouldn't have words like to, too, and two.
Gradual release of responsibility
Teaching approach that incorporates scaffolding (building on what the student already knows) so that
the responsibility for the content is shifted from teacher to student.
Strategies for vocabulary/literacy development
Integration: connecting new vocabulary to prior knowledge
Repetition: encountering/using the word concept many times
Meaningful use: multiple opportunities to use new words in reading, writing, and soon discussion
Reading Workshop (Balanced Literacy Framework)
Shared: (teacher provides explicit comprehensive instruction, everyone in the class reads a projected
book, as teacher moves pointer along screen)
Guided: (teacher with small groups who read at similar levels, use benchmark books to determine
student's level of reading, includes of a variety of genres including fiction and non-fiction)
Independent: (Students read from class library or leveled books, these are of personal interest and
include a wide variety, with Raz-Plus, you can read ebooks.)
Writing Workshops (Balanced Literacy Framework)
Shared/Interactive: (teacher and children compose message/story using a shared pen)
Guided: (teacher directed lesson and then student writes as teacher confers with the student guiding
the student's writing development, A-Z members have access to a variety of writing lessons and genres)
Independent: (students write their own stories both narrative and informational)
Word Work (Balanced Literacy Framework) Students working with words so they can become more
fluent readers
Phonemic awareness and Phonics: (Helps young students to learn letter sound relationships, words
broken into parts based on individual speech sounds known as phonemes, and this phonemic awareness
helps students to sound out and spell words. Helps students to notice, differentiate, think about, and
manipulate sounds during effective phonological awareness instruction.)
High frequency words and vocabulary: (Building on a foundation of word knowledge by emphasizing
word structure and vocabulary, extends vocabulary and helps student apply it in the context of reading,
students use A-Z high frequency words and vocabulary lesson plans.
Ultimate Guide to Designing,
Measuring, and Mastering Student
Learning
Constructivist Theory
A philosophy based on the premise that people construct their own understanding of the world they live
in through reflection on experiences.
Constructivist Theory in Practice
For example: Groups of students in a science class are discussing a problem in physics. Though the
teacher knows the "answer" to the problem, she focuses on helping students restate their questions in
useful ways. She prompts each student to reflect on and examine his or her current knowledge. When
one of the students comes up with the relevant concept, the teacher seizes upon it, and indicates to the
group that this might be a fruitful avenue for them to explore. They design and perform relevant
experiments. Afterward, the students and teacher talk about what they have learned, and how their
observations and experiments helped (or did not help) them to better understand the concept.
Cognitive-constructivist view of reading
Aim to assist students in assimilating new information to existing knowledge, as well as enabling them to
make the appropriate accommodations to their existing intellectual framework to accommodate that
information. Ex. Because of Winn-Dixie; from her inference, and active knowledge of the text says that
people who have things in common often become friends.
Socio-cultural theory/Ex.
Extends the influence on the cognitive-constructivist view out from the reader and the text into the
larger social realm. Learning is viewed as social rather than individual. -Lev Vygotsky Ex. Understanding
the zone of proximal development can be helpful for teachers.
In classroom settings, teachers may first assess students to determine their current skill level. Educators
can then offer instruction that stretches the limits of each child's capabilities.
At first, the student may need assistance from an adult or a more knowledgeable peer, but eventually,
their zone of proximal development will expand. Teachers can help promote this expansion by:
Planning and organizing their instruction and lessons: For example, the teacher might organize the class
,into groups where less skilled children are paired with students who have a higher skill level.
Using hints, prompts, and direct instruction to help kids improve their ability levels.
Scaffolding, where the teacher provides specific prompts to move the child progressively forward
toward a goal.
Reader Response Theory
The main argument of reader-response theory is that readers, as much as the text, play an active role in
a reading experience (Rosenblatt, 1994). This theory rejects the structuralist view that meaning resides
solely in the text. Words in a text evoke images in readers' minds and readers bring their experiences to
this encounter.
Experiential Learning
As the name suggests, experiential learning involves learning from experience. The theory was proposed
by psychologist David Kolb who was influenced by the work of other theorists including John Dewey,
Kurt Lewin, and Jean Piaget
Oral Language Development
The complex system that relates sounds to meanings, is made of three components: phonological, (rules
for combining sounds) semantic, (the smallest units of meaning that may be combined to make up
words) and syntactic (the rules that combine morphemes into sentences). Reading and talking with
children plays an important role in developing their vocabulary. The more you talk to children, the larger
their vocabulary will develop. Note: Pragmatic is also the rules that allow us to speak appropriately in
different settings
What are the stages of writing development?
Scribbling/drawing
Letter like forms and shapes
Letters
Letters and spaces
Conventional writing and spelling (children in this stage spell most words correctly with a reliance on
knowledge of phonics to spell longer words, they can punctuate, can properly use capital and lower case
letters. Writing different purposes is important, handwriting and spelling becomes easier.
What are stages of reading development
Early Emergent
Emergent (understands alphabet, phonological awareness and knows phonics, have command of high
frequency words, developing comprehension and word attack skills, recognize types of texts, non-fiction
and fiction, and that reading has a variety of purposes).
Early Fluent
Fluent
What are the stages of the alphabetic phase
, The written forms of spoken, alphabetic language languages which use letters (graphemes) in a code to
represent the sounds of speech (phonemes) specific sequences of letters form words, this is the
alphabetic principle. If we obeyed this principle we wouldn't have words like to, too, and two.
Gradual release of responsibility
Teaching approach that incorporates scaffolding (building on what the student already knows) so that
the responsibility for the content is shifted from teacher to student.
Strategies for vocabulary/literacy development
Integration: connecting new vocabulary to prior knowledge
Repetition: encountering/using the word concept many times
Meaningful use: multiple opportunities to use new words in reading, writing, and soon discussion
Reading Workshop (Balanced Literacy Framework)
Shared: (teacher provides explicit comprehensive instruction, everyone in the class reads a projected
book, as teacher moves pointer along screen)
Guided: (teacher with small groups who read at similar levels, use benchmark books to determine
student's level of reading, includes of a variety of genres including fiction and non-fiction)
Independent: (Students read from class library or leveled books, these are of personal interest and
include a wide variety, with Raz-Plus, you can read ebooks.)
Writing Workshops (Balanced Literacy Framework)
Shared/Interactive: (teacher and children compose message/story using a shared pen)
Guided: (teacher directed lesson and then student writes as teacher confers with the student guiding
the student's writing development, A-Z members have access to a variety of writing lessons and genres)
Independent: (students write their own stories both narrative and informational)
Word Work (Balanced Literacy Framework) Students working with words so they can become more
fluent readers
Phonemic awareness and Phonics: (Helps young students to learn letter sound relationships, words
broken into parts based on individual speech sounds known as phonemes, and this phonemic awareness
helps students to sound out and spell words. Helps students to notice, differentiate, think about, and
manipulate sounds during effective phonological awareness instruction.)
High frequency words and vocabulary: (Building on a foundation of word knowledge by emphasizing
word structure and vocabulary, extends vocabulary and helps student apply it in the context of reading,
students use A-Z high frequency words and vocabulary lesson plans.
