EVIDENCE-BASED TEACHING

Evidence-Based Teaching

Evidence-based teaching is teaching that both benefits from existing educational research and
from evidence collected as teaching unfolds. It is undertaken in the spirit of inquiry, with the
enrichment of the learning experience as its goal.

Classroom-Based Assessment

Assessment is "a systematic process of gathering information about what a student knows, is
able to do, and is learning to do." (Manitoba Education and Training, Reporting on Student Progress and Achievement, 1997.)
Assessment is an integral part of instruction that enhances, empowers, and celebrates student
learning.
Meaningful Assessment
Assessment should occur in authentic contexts that allow students to demonstrate learning by
performing meaningful tasks. Meaningful assessment achieves a purpose and provides clear
and useful information. It may identify misunderstandings in student learning, and provide
corrective feedback and direction for further instruction.
The Teachers Role in Assessment
In the classroom, teachers are the primary assessors of students. Teachers design assessment
tools with two broad purposes: to collect information that will inform classroom instruction, and
to monitor students progress towards achieving learning outcomes and standards of student
performance.
Principles of Classroom-Based Assessment
Classroom-based assessment provides regular feedback and allows teachers and students to
reflect on progress and adjust instruction and learning accordingly. See the chart below entitled
Principles of Assessment that Assist Learning and Inform Instruction for a summary of key
principles.

PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT THAT ASSIST LEARNING AND INFORM INSTRUCTION

1. An Integral Part of Instruction 2. Continuous and Ongoing
3. Authentic and Meaningful
and Learning
Language Learning Processes
and Contexts
Assessment . . .
Assessment . . .
Assessment . . .

is meaningful to students

occurs through all

focuses on connecting prior

instructional activities
knowledge and new

leads to goal setting

(observations, responses,
knowledge (integration of

fosters transfer/integration
logs)
information)
with other curricular areas and
occurs systematically over a
focuses on authentic literacy
application to daily life
period of time
contexts and tasks

reflects instructional
strategies used

uses a wide variety of

strategies and tools

demonstrates progress
towards achievement of
learning outcomes

focuses on application of
strategies for constructing
meaning in new contexts

reflects a definite purpose

4. Collaborative and Reflective

5. Multidimensional -6. Developmentally and Culturally
Process
Incorporating a Variety of Tasks Appropriate
Assessment . . .
Assessment . . .
Assessment . . .

encourages meaningful

uses a variety of authentic

is suited to students'
student involvement and
strategies, tasks, and tools
developmental levels
reflection

is completed for a variety of

is sensitive to diverse social,

involves parents as partners

purposes and audiences
cultural, and linguistic
backgrounds

reaches out to the

reflects instructional tasks

community

is unbiased

focuses on collaborative
review of products and
processes to draw conclusions

involves a team approach

7. Focused on Students'
8. Based on How Students Learn 9. Offer Clear Performance
Strengths
Targets
Assessment . . .
Assessment . . .
Assessment . . .

identifies what students can

uses sound educational

encourages student
do and are learning to do
practice based on current
involvement (setting criteria,
learning theory and brain
measuring progress, working

identifies competencies in
research
towards outcomes and
the development of knowledge,
standards)

fosters development of
skills and strategies, and

encourages application
attitudes
metacognition
beyond the classroom

considers preferred learning

considers multiple

provides a basis for goal

styles
intelligences and learning
styles
setting

focuses on celebrations of

uses collaborative and co

provides students with a
progress and success
operative strategies
sense of achievement

provides for differentiation

considers research on the

provides information that

provides information to
compares a student's

compare a student's
performance with his/her other
performances

Diagnostic Teaching

role of memory in learning

performance to predetermined
criteria or standards

reflects current models of

language and literacy learning

Diagnostic teaching is the process of diagnosing student abilities, needs and objectives and
prescribing requisite learning activities. (www.ibe.unesco.org/international/DocServices/Thesaurus/ 00001796.htm)
Diagnostic teaching is embedded within the teachers regular instruction. Through diagnostic
teaching, the teacher monitors the understanding and performance of students before, during,
and after teaching the lesson.
Diagnostic teaching can inform teachers of the effectiveness of their lessons with individuals,
small groups of students, or whole classes, depending on the instruments used.
Within a diagnostic teaching perspective, assessment and instruction are interacting and
continuous processes, with assessment providing feedback to the teacher on the efficacy of
prior instruction, and new instruction building on the learning that students demonstrate.
(Guskey, 2003)

Diagnostic teaching requires the teacher to reflect on the effectiveness of each lesson so s/he
can make decisions on what and how to teach next (based on the information gathered
throughout the lesson). For example, s/he may want to re-teach the concept/skill/strategy, or
introduce/proceed to the new lesson.

References:
1

Retrieved from http://www.northeastern.edu/learningresearch/programs/faculty-scholars-program/evidence-based-teaching/ on13 October 2014

Adapted from http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/ela/docs/ela-assess-5to8.html on 13 October 2014

Adapted from http://www.unesco.org/education/literacy/doc/overview.pdf on 13 October 2014