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Prism Model:

Overcoming this problem is not as simple as it is as firstly, teacher must make sense of the elements of Prism Model to CLD students learning. If teacher fails to address the real issue, it will be out of focus. It is like the wrong prescription is given for students and it is dangerous. CLD students might have problem in language or linguistic, but immersing them into extensive programs of reading might not be a great help as the main concern for them is lack of motivation to attend the reading classes which is related to sociocultural challenges. He/She might be uncomfortable sitting in that reading class due to the fact that reading activities provided specifically focus on individual rather than group works. A sensitive teacher will provide activities that can fit into his/her students biography.

In order for teacher to use Prism Model in order to suit the need of CLD students, teacher can do focus on the aspect of :

Academic Challenges:

Teacher needs to realize that most of academic and concepts can be transferred to second language from CLD students’ first language. Teacher needs to  techniques that can help to smoothen up this transfer during assessment, for example, providing para professional help or translator. It is important as well teacher knows previous education that students receive as teacher will not water down and make it easy too students. They will not be motivated as it is not challenging enough.

Cognitive Development:

Knowing the preferences on students types of intelligences are important as it will help teacher to provide teaching material or activities that can help them boost best their grasp of understanding of teacher’s lessons. For example, preparing lots of graphics and mind maps for virtual learners.

Language Development:

Knowing the language aspect of students in order to help them transferring L1 knowledge to L2 so that students will be able to learn better. For example, the phonemes or phonetics similarities, cognates and etc. I also realize knowing students level of second language acquisition is important too. For example, if the above students is in preproduction stage in his writing but  intermediate fluency stage in his speaking skills, then the teacher must provide lessons/activities that suit his/her level of development.

Socio and Cultural Processes:

I am thinking using text/ assessment that is related to students sociocultural process can help to enhance learning. If students come from a culture that highly collective society might perform better in assessment that use performance based assessment with peer involvements or play based assessment.

Biopsychosial Approach:

Researching about Biopsychosocial Approach, it mentions that in order to understand patient, it is very important to understand the three aspects of them. Biological,Psychological and social aspects of a patient is interrelated and can lead to the wreckage of the whole beings. In relation to Biopsychosocial Approach towards CLD students, teacher will explore these three aspects  in related to CLD students. For example:

a) Bio :

You notice students of yours always ask questions on whatever you write on whiteboard and it is only him rather than the whole class. You might suspect him having problem with his eyesight. First, you might want to ask him to sit in front to see either his eyesight improve or not. If it does not change, you might ask him to see you and interview him asking for clarification. If it is positive, then you might want him to go for a check up.

Anyway, this process of asking him to go to the treatment  will involve other consideration or probability  such as he might not see a optometrist if he comes from a poor family, or a single parent student that need to divide his/her time/money between studying and meeting other financial needs of his/her families.

b)Psych:

Let us take the same case as above, it will affect his performance in class thinking about his inability to follow lessons as he needs to get his eyes checked and it will cost/trouble his mother to find/get money  for him. He will be stress and put him into anxiety and depression.

c) Socio:

Thinking about the problem above, teacher might want to know further by setting up a committee that can look into the student’s problem in order to gather help. A committee might have a social visit to the students house in order to get more information on questions such as:

-        the depth /seriousness of the problem related to family financial capabilities

-        help/aid that they might receive.

-        Access to private practitioner/doctors.

It means both is used to understand what CLD students inside out, its like investigating in order to understand and help teacher to plan instructional design for CLD students.

Pre Assessment Tool: Mind Map of Self

The main idea of having pre assessment tool is to gather information as much as possible  so that teacher can see below the iceberg. This can be done informally by asking them later to discuss and share whatever that they write/draw with classmates. While individual student presents, teacher will jot down the thoughts that students transfer such as their preferences, background knowledge, level of second language acquisition and etc. This can be used to make connection to students’ biography cards/mind maps.

Students will be put randomly in groups and will be given a piece of paper each, individually. It has a mind map that has few branches asking them to them out, information pertaining to themselves that they are willing to share. They are being told that they can draw pictures, or they can write anything that they like. They are given the ideas that they can add the branches by putting anything else that they like on their own. Later they are going to share this with their classmates.

References:

Herrera,S.G.,&Murry,K.G.,& Cabral,R.M Assessment and Accommodations For Classroom Teachers of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. Boston, MA, Allyn and Bacon.

Herrera,S.G.,Perez,D.R&Escamilla,K. Teaching Reading to English Language Learners: Differentiatied Literacies. Boston,MA, Allyn and Bacon.

Herrera,S.G & Murry,K.G Mastering ESL and Bilingual Methods: Differentiated Instruction for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse(CLD) Students. Boston,MA,Allyn and Bacon.

Observation:
I feel glad reading these paragraphs. I feel the writer of this journal sums up almost 80% of Chapter 6 from our text book. She writes: “Formative assessment gives assessment information that is useful for continued student learning, positive classroom change, and other improvements. Summative assessment gives assessment information that is useful for making final decisions: for example, assigning end-of-term grades. This sounds like a neat distinction, but in classroom use the boundaries blur, for a couple of reasons. First, formative and summative assessments describe two assessment functions. That is, they describe the use of assessment information. Whereas some information is more conducive to being used formatively and some is more conducive to being used summatively, it is the use and not the information that makes the distinction.

The same information can be used for both functions. For example, you might use final exam scores in assigning your course grades and also use them to make modifications to the course content or to the exam itself for the next term. Or you might use midterm exam scores as part of your course grade, and a student might also use the information to change the way or she studies. If I gave you a copy of a test or a description of a project or paper assignment, you would not be able to tell whether it was a formative or a summative assessment. You would only know that by asking me what I did with the information about student achievement yielded by the assessment. There is evidence that no matter what instructors intend, good students will try to use any information about their achievement in a formative way for their own future (Brookhart, 2001). That is part of distinguishes good learners.”

Feelings:
• Happy
• Excited
• Confident

Thoughts:
I feel happy after reading these journals because it clears up my confusions that I had when reading Chapter 6. I feel excited because while doing RWJ, actually, it is one form of assessment that we learn in class. I feel confident because there are many type of assessments that fall under these two categories to be implemented by me later on.

Learning:
Step One: Prior taking this course, I assumed formative assessment meant formal assessment and that could be associated with standardized examination. I assumed summative assessment means the other way around. My assumption was depended upon the root word of formative which is “format” and “summary”. I assumed it would be very difficult to use formative and summative assessments as their types were very limited. I assumed it was necessary to depend on standardized examinations.

Step Two: When I read the definition of formative and summative assessment, I laugh at myself. I should not assume on anything especially when it comes to rich content words that involve/associate with academic terms and explanations. After reading more from Chapter 6 and the journal, I realize there are so many types of assessments that I can provide to my CLD students and not depending only on standardized examinations. Students will not be able to retain information that is not meaningful to them, especially if it is related to examination for the sake of passing!

Step Three: I was being unaware and not concerned of the changes that happen within education field (especially assessment) which is dynamic and changing. I did not make thorough observation and research on what my students needs when it comes to assessment because I believe whatever exists in my education and degree were enough to be a competent teacher. In fact, it was not! I will read more and updating my knowledge as it is gateway to successful teaching, not just me but for my students as well.

Application:
Step One: After reading this journal and Chapter 6, I feel so happy. I am having epiphany when reading this line from the paragraphs taken that mention, “Whereas some information is more conducive to being used formatively and some is more conducive to being used summatively, it is the use and not the information that makes the distinction.” It gives me a strong feeling that the focus here is to ensure learning happens to students and teacher being able to know that students do learn from the assessment. Not just that, when I read further from this journal, my understanding is so clear when the author mentions the type of assessments that consist of three:

• Assessment Type 1: Paper and pencil assessments include objective item tests that use multiple choices, true or false, matching, and fill in items as well as essay tests. Paper and pencil tests are usually given in on demand settings, as when students sit for an exam.

• Assessment Type 2: Performance assessments use observation and judgment to assess either a process (how the student does something) or a product (student created work). Common performance assessments include term papers, academic or technical projects, oral reports and group demonstrations.

• Assessment Type 3: Oral communication is an often forgotten assessment method. Its most common use in college classrooms is for formative assessment during instruction, when the instructor asks students questions in class.

• Assessment Type 4: Portfolios are systematic collections of students work over time, often with accompanying student reflections. The work can be scored as a set; individual pieces of work in the portfolio can be scored; or the portfolio can be used as information for conferences, written feedback, or other communication between instructor and student.

Step Two: I will ensure to use these 4 types of assessment as I cannot depend on assessment type 1 only that I think focusing on standardized examination. It will not give better understanding on my students’ performances. As teachers, I need to apply these assessments so that their abilities will be demonstrated as a whole. These assessments will help them to show their ability of their cognitive and meta cognitive as well by making sense of what they learn. Importantly, it is a good benchmark on reflecting my teaching performances.

References:
1. Brookhart S.M. 2004 “ Assessment Theory for College Classroom” In Alternative Strategies for Evaluating Student Learning,2005 Jossey-Bass , San Francisco

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