Kristen Waddell

The two most important characteristics of a test are its content validity and reliability. A test's validity is determined by how well it samples the range of knowledge, skills, and abilities students were supposed to acquire in the period covered by the exam. Reliability is determined by how consistently the test can be graded and how well the test discriminates between students of differing performance levels.

Instructors have a professional obligation to assess their students with methods that enable the students to reflect the knowledge and skills they have acquired during their instruction.

An effective way of developing concept-principle learning is through questioning.

Knowing about learning styles may help me understand and explain the differences I observe among my students.

Reasonable accommodations are those accommodations that do not fundamentally alter the nature of the courses and/or program in which the student is enrolled.

Accommodations and modifications are instructional supports that help students with learning disabilities to be successful in their classes and to move forward in achieving their career goals.

It is important that those involved with a student use their observational skills to develop a profile of the learning challenges that students with learning disabilities are experiencing.

Knowing the stages that students go through as they acquire reading skills is helpful in understanding how students with learning disabilities are in need of supports if they are going to be successful in transitioning from just seeing letters on a page to understanding the words and their meanings.

There is no such thing as a perfect instructor. A strategy for avoiding repeating some of the above mistakes is to make notes about how a lecture, demonstration, or activity worked for you. With the pressure of preparing for the next class and student demands it is easy to forget how the class went. Make a few notes in the margin of your lesson-planning notebook. 

Paying such close attention to your students will also enable you to recognize emerging problems. Recognizing these problems gives you the opportunity to prevent them from escalating into something major. Successfully monitoring students represents good student/class management.