Key Practices in the English Language Arts (ELA): Linking Learning Theory, Assessment, and Instruction
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Abstract
This paper presents a framework intended to link the following assessment development concepts into a systematic framework: evidence‐centered design ( ECD ), scenario‐based assessment ( SBA ), and assessment of, for, and as learning. The context within which we develop this framework is the English language arts ( ELA ) for K‐12 students, though the framework could easily be applied to cover reading, writing, and critical thinking skills from pre‐K through college. Central to the framework is the concept of a key practice , drawn from constructivist learning theory, which emphasizes the purposeful social context within which skills are recruited and organized to carry out complex literacy tasks. We argue that key practices provide a key link between existing CBAL ™ ELA learning progressions (defined as part of a student model for literacy skills) and the structure of well‐designed SBAs . This structure enables us to design assessments that model a key practice, supporting the systematic creation of task sequences that can be used to support both instruction and assessment.