Equitable Assessment: My Assessment Practice in My Classroom

 

Equitable Assessment: My Assessment Practice in My Classroom

Author: Santosh Kumar Biswa, Sr. Teacher, Damphu CS, Tsirang, Bhutan

 

The word "fair" in the context of assessment does not indicate "equal," but rather "equitable," as various students may have varying requirements and circumstances that affect their capacity to display their knowledge and skills. Regardless of their unique circumstances or backgrounds, all students at school have an equal chance to display their knowledge and skills. This is made possible by an equitable assessment process. It entails utilizing a range of evaluation techniques, providing individualized support to students who require it, and preventing assessment biases. To create truly fair and effective educational chances, it is vital to ensure that each student has access to demanding curriculum materials and is encouraged to actively participate in instructional activities that support deep learning (Shepherd, 2021).

Short Analysis of The Article

The significance of employing fair evaluation procedures for English-language learners (ELLs) is covered in the article "Equity for English-Language Learners" by Alrubail (2016). According to the author, ELLs may not be treated fairly by traditional evaluation methods because they may encounter language challenges that make it challenging for them to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. According to the article, when developing and implementing assessment processes, educators should take into account the students' levels of language competence and offer adjustments, such as more time or language support, to promote equitable chances for all students.

Analysis of My Assessment Practice

I think I adhere to equitable assessment practices in my classroom based on my assessment practices because I always take into account the needs of all students, including those who have particular learning challenges or barriers, by offering instructional support that advances and integrates their linguistic and academic development (Williams, 2021). I adapted my lesson to my student's needs and provided them with accommodations (Alrubail, 2016) so they could demonstrate their knowledge and skills regardless of their backgrounds, learning preferences, or disabilities. I also gave them extra time, simplified language, or language support to help them overcome particular difficulties.

I use a variety of assessment methods that enable all students to demonstrate their learning in different ways that go beyond traditional tests, as the article also suggests using multiple measures of assessment that go beyond traditional tests, such as project-based assessments or performance tasks (Center for Educational Innovation, n.d.), that allow students to demonstrate their learning in different ways. In addition to the assessment, I regularly give my students immediate feedback that is detailed, applicable, and timely. I also let them know what they had learned and what they needed to improve on. This has benefited me in maintaining my students' interest and motivation in their studies. Since I am an open-minded individual without any biases, I do not practice any racial or cultural prejudice in my classroom because, in my opinion, everyone there is the same. I avoid any language that might be prejudicial to particular student groups and only utilize linguistic and cultural allusions that are recognizable to all of my pupils. Also, I constantly ask reflective questions during the evaluation process to address presumptions and privileged positions (Henning et al., 2020). My classroom practices self- and peer-evaluation, which are the most crucial components of assessment. By involving the students in the assessment process, I can assure fair assessment (Alrubail, 2016). For my students to take ownership of their learning and feel more invested in the assessment process, I give them the chance to self- and peer-assess using the rubrics. They are given clear and uniform criteria to ensure fair and consistent assessment by allowing them to use rubrics. I believe that everyone can contribute to ensuring that assessment in the classroom is fair and equitable for all students by putting these strategies into practice.

Thus, in "fair assessment," fairness means ensuring that all students have an equitable opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, regardless of their circumstances or backgrounds. By considering the needs of students and making adjustments to assessment practices, teachers can make the assessment process more equitable and provide learners with the same opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. However, if we only use traditional assessment practices without considering the needs of learners, then the assessment practice may not be equitable.

 

References

 

Alrubail, R. (2016). Equity for English-language learners. EDUTOPIA. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/equity-for-english-language-learners-rusul-alrubail

 

Center for Educational Innovation. (n.d.). Equitable Assessments. University of Minnesota. https://cei.umn.edu/teaching-resources/assessments/equitable-assessments

 

Henning et al. (2020). Equitable Assessment in Action: Case Studies of Implementation. https://aalhe.memberclicks.net/assets/Conference/Online2020/Proceedings_2020_Online_Conference/Equitable_Assessment_in_Action_CASE_Study_AAHLE2020.pdf

 

Shepard, L. A. (2021). Ambitious Teaching and Equitable Assessment. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1321974.pdf

 

Williams, C. P. (2021). A New Federal Equity Agenda for Dual Language Learners and English Learners. The Century Foundation. https://tcf.org/content/report/new-federal-equity-agenda-dual-language-learners-english-learners/#:~:text=Educational%20equity%20for%20ELs% 20requires, their%20linguistic%20and%20academic%20development.