M6U2A3: Pre-Assessment for Differentiation

My unit plan from Module 5 was based around an introduction to economics unit that every 11^th and 12^th grade AP Economics student would have to study. The standard was taken from the District of Columbia Social Studies Standards: Pre-K to Grade 12.

Standard E1: Students understand common economic terms and concepts and economic reasoning.

Learning Objectives:

1.    By the end of the unit students will be able to evaluate the relationship between scarcity and the need for choices and provide solutions to problems based on these concepts.

2.    By the end of the unit students will be able to make and justify economic decisions based on the concepts of marginal benefit and marginal cost.

3.    By the end of the unit students will be able to identify the difference between monetary and non-monetary incentives, and will be able to apply those concepts to realistic economic simulations.

As this is the first unit in the entire econ course I need to get an idea of how much my students do/don’t know. As the standard decrees that students should be able to understand common economic terms I designed a pre-assessment test using Quizlet that would test the students’ knowledge of very basic econ vocabulary. This will give me a good idea of which students have some knowledge of the subject, and which students are going to struggle. The test can be found at the following link -  https://quizlet.com/213854196/test/starred

Once the pre-assessment test has been administered and checked I can divide the students into three groups: a high level group, a medium level group and a low level group. I usually have classes of around 25 students, and I would estimate that around 5 students would make up the higher level, with 15 in the lower level, and the remaining 5 or so in the lower level. I would expect the higher level students to get more than half of the pre-assessment questions correct, the middle level less than half, and, because I have a lot of ELL students, I would expect the lower level to get only a few correct answers.

I then need to differentiate the instruction for each of these groups, as outlined in the following flowchart. The flowchart can also be viewed at this link-
https://www.lucidchart.com/documents/view/17d4511a-c676-4900-83f9-a2039e87c6ad/0

Differentiated Instruction

For the lower level learners I use the following strategies to help them get up to speed. First I distribute vocabulary lists to the weaker ELL students with the key economic vocabulary translated into Korean. I ask them to preview the vocab lists for homework and this helps us to maximise class time. I also direct the slower learners to the appropriate videos on the Khan Academy website so that they can review or preview the class material at their own speed. Next, I scaffold the class material as much as possible by breaking the content down into chunks so that the slower learners can digest each piece before we move on. I also try to provide step-by-step instructions to the slower learners, and I model activities and provide examples whenever possible.

For the faster learners I want to keep them busy while I focus my attention on the students who are struggling. Every week as a formative assessment I use the 3-2-1 method where students have to write down three things they learned, two things they found particularly interesting that week and one thing they struggled with or are unsure about. The second section gives me ideas for possible in-depth assignments for the faster learners. While I am reviewing content with some of the ELL students who are struggling, the stronger learners can be working together on a group activities or mini-projects. I often use articles from the Economist magazine or website to help them think about the real world applications of what they are learning.

I also try to give my gifted students more flexibility with regards to assessment. Research has shown that one of the best ways to assess these types of students is to give them the opportunity to be a part of the process (Cox, 2013). You can do this by letting them design their own rubrics for the assessment, or by giving them a range of options to choose from. They can then choose the option that they feel will best demonstrate their mastery of the material.

A final word on the middle level students. I have stated in the flowchart that they will follow a standard curriculum and will have standard formative and summative assessments. This does not mean that no thought has gone into their lessons. It simply means that they will see the greatest benefits from following the unit plan which has been aimed at their level. The unit plan has of course been carefully constructed, and contains plenty of activities and assessments to keep this group stretched, but not pushed too hard. The higher and lower groups will also be following the unit plan for the most part, but with the differentiation outlined above.

References: 
Cox, J. (2013). Using Differentiated Instruction for Gifted Learners. Retrieved January 20, 2018, from http://www.teachhub.com/using-differentiated-instruction-gifted-learners