Our classroom culture is built on embracing the rich tapestry of similarities and differences that our young learners bring with them each day. To honor this diversity, it is essential to implement strategies for culturally relevant, engaging, and developmentally appropriate assessments. Recognizing this need, I developed an assessment focused on text features, designed to help students not only build literacy skills but also form personal connections to their learning journey. However, this work is not without its challenges. Many of the students I teach come from neighborhoods that tell a complex story. Once thriving communities supported by high-paying, unionized jobs at Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors, these areas now face the realities of marginalization and economic struggle. These socio-economic realities compound the obstacles in teaching foundational literacy skills, making thoughtful, student-centered assessments more critical than ever.
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In this post, I’ll walk you through the design, implementation, and outcomes of this assessment strategy—highlighting how a culturally responsive framework paired with modern technology can transform the way emergent learners engage with foundational literacy skills.
Assessment Design
The assessment is designed with a one-to-one, teacher-to-student ratio, fostering an environment where personalized guidance and interaction flourish. This individualized approach allows the teacher to adapt to each learner’s unique pace, interests, and cultural context, creating a differentiated structure that meets students where they are and breakaway from the social stratification of standardized testing (Au, W. 2008). To further enhance engagement and accessibility, the assessment incorporates YouTube as a technology tool. Through carefully selected videos, learners experience multiple modes of differentiation, including visual, auditory, and interactive learning opportunities.
Foundational Literacy
Building foundational literacy skills in kindergarten is essential, and introducing text features like the table of contents opens doors for young learners to navigate books independently. Assessing their understanding of this skill goes beyond traditional methods when a culturally responsive design is implemented. By integrating students’ cultural backgrounds and experiences into both the learning and assessment process, we create an environment where every learner feels seen and empowered.
Designing an assessment around the table of contents requires focused and intentional steps. The content should reflect a balance of familiar and diverse topics that resonate with students’ lived experiences. This ensures learners engage with materials that feel relevant and inclusive. Unlike the test designs from long ago in which the test takers were already categorized and prejudged based on genetic attributes (Democracy Now! 2019). Visual scaffolding, such as pictures alongside text or interactive digital pages, supports learners who may need additional clarity. For those who struggle with sustained attention, gamification—turning the assessment into an interactive game—can transform the experience into a motivating and enjoyable activity.
Opportunities for oral interaction, such as having students verbally identify or discuss their thought process when finding information in a table of contents, further support their understanding. Technology can play a pivotal role, especially if tools like YouTube videos or digital games align with formats students already find familiar and engaging. These steps ensure the assessment is not just a test but a meaningful learning experience.
Assessment Feedback
Feedback is delivered through a reflective teacher-student conference, ensuring that each learner receives meaningful and actionable insights into their progress. The data collection process is tailored specifically to the needs of my group of emergent learners, leveraging malleable literacy diagnostic methods that adapt as students demonstrate growth. This flexible approach ensures that assessments remain relevant and effective, helping to foster a lifelong love of learning.
Reflection and discussion are essential elements in creating meaningful assessment experiences. A post-assessment conference allows learners to receive constructive feedback while offering them the opportunity to share their thoughts and reflect on their learning journey. Equally important is the commitment to fairness and accessibility, achieved through differentiated formats, adaptive materials, and intentional considerations for diverse learning needs. As Montenegro and Jankowski (2017) advocate, transforming the culture of assessment is vital to better supporting all learners in an equitable and inclusive manner. By integrating these principles into practice, we can create assessments that not only measure progress but also empower every child to thrive.
By designing assessments with cultural responsiveness at the core, we not only measure skills but also nurture a sense of belonging and enthusiasm for learning in emergent readers.
References
Au, W. (2008). Unequal by design: High-stakes testing and the standardization of inequality. Routledge.
Democracy Now!. (2019, August 13).How standardized tests were designed by racists and eugenicists [video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/SwYiOrq5c8s?si=1IwNJs9-C4kSUasM
Montenegro, E., & Jankowski, N. A. (2017). Equity and assessment: Moving towards culturally responsive assessment. (Occasional Paper No. 29). University of Illinois and Indiana University, National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA).
