Opportunities Bob Jones University Frequently Asked Questions Privacy Statement Tips for Teachers Evaluating Comprehension by Jim Davis Comprehension and conceptual development are becoming a significant factor in the choice of teaching methods and learning patterns in schools. The question sooner or later comes as to how to evaluate student progress when verbal exchange and skill practice are major elements in the learning process. The teacher is guiding children through a process of understanding. Assimilation of concepts and practice skills are required before mastery can be evaluated. The teacher not only needs to determine when mastery is expected but must determine how effectively students progress through each phase of the understanding process.
Subjective analysis is a key ingredient in determining a grade for comprehension.
Besides developing a long-term mental picture of a child's progress in comprehension, recorded comments on 3 x 5 file cards provide data to support and firm up your analysis. Selecting just a few students each day for recording information will minimize the task but still provide adequate information. Students also have the opportunity to display their comprehension through visual and written activities. These, of course, are more easily evaluated on an objective basis. Most often there will be a high correlation between the verbal and written responses but in some cases not.