With the first semester of kindergarten coming to a close, now is the perfect opportunity to evaluate your students’ academic progress. How are you currently assessing your little learners? Consider some of these recommendations for effective Assessments In Kindergarten.
Assessment Before Winter Break
During this holiday season, your little learners are probably feeling excited and a bit distracted. However, it’s crucial to conduct academic assessments before they head home for the winter break. While kindergarteners may be making progress, when they return from the break, they may have forgotten some of the information they learned in the previous months. This is why it’s best to conduct assessments before the break to determine whether each student is retaining and applying the information, or whether intervention is necessary.
The Importance of Assessing Kindergarteners
As an advocate for early/emergent learners, it’s understandable to question the need for assessments. However, having spent several years in the classroom, I have come to realize the importance of quality assessments. Although there may be debates over their developmental appropriateness and accuracy, I can confidently say that impactful, non-invasive assessments help guide instruction and benefit not just the student, but also the teacher and families. Assessment results are crucial in guiding education, as they not only identify areas for improvement but also showcase the skills that have been mastered by students.
ESGI Easy Progress Monitoring
What kind of assessment tools do you use? Personally, I am a big fan of ESGI Easy Progress Monitoring. This software is simple to use, helps track student progress, and can be downloaded with ease. It is accessible on both desktop and hand-held devices, including smartphones, allowing for convenient assessments even on the playground. Additionally, the software is user-friendly, with clearly marked tabs and accessible printables.
One major benefit of ESGI is that it allows you to print out letters with each student’s current data on their progress, as well as flashcards of the skills that require improvement. This has been an enormous time-saver for me, as I used to spend hours making individual sets of flashcards and packets of practice work. But now, I can print out each student’s current data and the corresponding grown-up letter and flashcards in under 45 minutes for all my students.
ESGI: Try it for Free and Enjoy a Discount on Yearly Licenses
Are you wanting to give ESGI a try? Here is a FREE 60 day trial, plus, if you choose to purchase a year-long license, enter code B7015 to receive a $40 discount. Say goodbye to the hassle of traditional assessments and hello to an eco-friendlier and more effective solution. Sign up for your free trial now by clicking HERE.
**FREEBIE** Take Home Learning Tool Box
To ensure continued development over the extended winter break, consider providing families with a take-home academic toolkit that contains activities to help reinforce academic skills for their little learners. This will ensure a seamless transition back into academic learning when your little learners return.
It’s crucial to evaluate your little learners before sending them off for the long winter break. Not only is it timely, but it also aids in driving their academic instruction upon their return. In addition, it provides their grown-ups with essential information and guidance to work with their child while ensuring continued practice during the holidays.
