Page 77 - Special Education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Resource Guide

Draft Part C: Early Identification, Assessment, and Transition Planning
These three types of assessment are described in the sections below. The use of this terminology for assessment places an emphasis on how the information gathered through assessment is to be used.
Assessment for and as Learning
Data from ongoing assessment for learning by the classroom teacher(s) and from ongoing assessment as learning by the student is collected to seamlessly plan instruction and further assessment. This process helps teachers to develop assessment and instructional approaches personalized to each student’s strengths, interests, and areas in need of improvement.
Assessment for learning involves gathering evidence from a variety of sources to plan, adjust, and deliver instruction that meets the particular needs of individual students. Assessment for learning includes both diagnostic assessment and formative assessment. Diagnostic assessment
is conducted before instruction begins, and formative assessment is conducted frequently and in an ongoing manner during the course of instruction. The table below, from Learning for All: A Guide to Effective Assessment and Instruction for All Students, Kindergarten to Grade 12 (2013, p. 29), provides examples of assessment tools and measures that are diagnostic and formative in nature. It is not an exhaustive list of commonly used assessments. Note that, in addition to educational (or classroom) assessments, professional assessments, where appropriate, should be done before instruction begins so that teachers can plan a differentiated and personalized learning program to meet the student’s learning needs.
C11