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The Monster in the Classroom: Assessing Language to Inform Instruction
Author(s) -
Goodwin Amanda P.,
Petscher Yaacov,
Jones Sara,
McFadden Sara,
Reynolds Dan,
Lantos Tess
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the reading teacher
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.642
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1936-2714
pISSN - 0034-0561
DOI - 10.1002/trtr.1870
Subject(s) - monster , vocabulary , psychology , syntax , reading (process) , vocabulary development , mathematics education , teaching method , pedagogy , linguistics , computer science , natural language processing , philosophy , physics , quantum mechanics
The authors describe Monster, P.I., which is an app‐based, gamified assessment that measures language skills (knowledge of morphology, vocabulary, and syntax) of students in grades 5–8 and provides teachers with interpretable score reports to drive instruction that improves vocabulary, reading, and writing ability. Specifically, the authors describe why an assessment of language is important to include, the components of language that are assessed by Monster, P.I., and how Monster, P.I., uses gamification to add enjoyment and motivation to the assessment experience. The authors then explain how to use Monster, P.I., to inform instructional decisions, specifically explaining the overall instructional framework, what each score means, and examples of instruction that link to each area assessed by the app. Links to Common Core State Standards are included. The authors conclude by sharing teachers’ feedback on the assessment and how they used it to support instruction in their classrooms.