Hi David and all.

Your statements in the message below are powerful ones. It is indeed time
for a revolution in adult numeracy assessment. And, as in any revolution, we
can use help from both the grass roots and the establishment.

Although our present-day politicians seem to believe that they need to
overstate their side of an argument in order to get what they really want
when a compromise is reached, I think we should be clear from the start as
to our position. So I will try to amend your statement a little (and welcome
suggestions from others):

"If the most widely used pre-post assessment for measuring adult math level
gains (Educational Functional Level in NRS language) is the TABE, and if the
TABE is measuring ONLY A NARROW BAND OF MATHEMATICAL SKILLS, then doesn't
that mean that teachers who are effectively teaching MATHEMATICS IN A FULLER
SENSE, and students who are learning to think mathematically to get the most
important mathematics learning, are being punished and penalized? 

And, from a national perspective, doesn't that mean that the NRS math level
gain data are not valid?"

We are not saying that computation algorithms are the WRONG thing, but that
they are not the ONLY thing.  In addition, we do not yet have the kind of
evidence that is required to say that our (and NCTM's) way of instruction is
THE RIGHT way. But we are saying that the most important mathematics for
today's requirements is not being assessed so the validity of the assessment
is in question (using validity to mean the degree to which an instrument is
representative of the domain it is testing.)

I have heard numerous complaints about adult numeracy assessment from all
areas of the country.  In Massachusetts they funded the development of a new
test. What do you know about its composition?

Myrna

-----Original Message-----
From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of David Rosen
Sent: Saturday, June 24, 2006 2:08 PM
To: The Assessment Discussion List
Subject: [Assessment 388] Re: Final questions on math

Hello Myrna,

As you know, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)  
several years ago established standards for the teaching of  
mathematics.  These were the inspiration and basis for adult  
mathematics curriculum frameworks standards in my state, and possibly  
others.  I believe these standards are embraced by the Adult Numeracy  
Network.  Curriculum materials (EMPower, for example) have been  
developed to help teachers who want to teach to these standards.

Do we have any adult math assessments which are congruent with these  
standards?  If so, which ones?

If the most widely used pre-post assessment for measuring adult math  
level gains (Educational Functional Level in NRS language) is the  
TABE, and if the TABE is measuring the wrong things, then doesn't  
that mean that teachers who are effectively teaching math in the  
right way, and students who are learning to think mathematically, to  
get the most important mathematics learning, are being punished and  
penalized?


Is it time for a revolution in adult numeracy assessment?  Should the  
federal government be making that investment if the private sector is  
not interested?

David J. Rosen
newsomeassociates.com
djrosen at comcast.net

On Jun 24, 2006, at 3:01 PM, Myrna Manly wrote:


> Tina and all,

>

>

>

> Each of your postings brings up so many interesting aspects.  For  

> example, in Tina's message below, I see that the program uses the  

> TABE to diagnose learner weaknesses in computation when they enter  

> the program and then focuses instruction on the computation basics  

> by using workbooks and study guides. It seems as though Tina is  

> agreeing with that policy in that the students show a quick gain in  

> skills and funding is maintained. That is certainly an important  

> aspect - we need to keep the doors open.

>

>

>

> She also mentions that she includes all levels of students in an  

> algebra lesson and even the low-level learners gain self esteem  

> (and learn about variables and making generalizations) by  

> succeeding with it.   However, it is safe to assume that this  

> learning does not have direct value in helping to raise their  

> scores when they retake the TABE for accountability purposes  

> because the test items at the early levels concern themselves  

> mostly with naked computation (no context).  This exposes a huge  

> problem for math assessment, and in turn for math instruction, in  

> ABE.  If there is value added to the students' learning by early  

> algebra exposure, it should be recognized in the accountability  

> measures.

>

>

>

> In the meantime, what can a program or its teachers do? You all  

> have made great suggestions: use manipulatives or realia to  

> facilitate deeper understanding of the operations with number,  

> teach computational skills along with conceptual understanding,  

> insist that computations be motivated by a real situation or an  

> application in measurement or data, use benchmarks and estimation  

> as a check for reasonableness.  These tactics serve both masters -  

> improving student understanding and attitude and, at the same time,  

> raising test scores.  Actually, there may be a third - keeping  

> students in the program longer than a month.

>

>

>

> Thanks for sharing this, Tina.  I also would like to hear other's  

> opinions.

>

>

>

> Myrna

>

>

>

>

>

> From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment- 

> bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Tina_Luffman at yc.edu

> Sent: Friday, June 23, 2006 12:52 PM

> To: The Assessment Discussion List

> Subject: [Assessment 383] Re: Final questions on math

>

>

>

> Myrna and all,

>

>

>

> I believe the reason I place many students into numeracy workbooks  

> first is that I want to be sure students can do basic adding,  

> subtracting, multiplying, and dividing so that when they perform  

> the other functions of fractions, decimals, percents, algebra, and  

> geometry, that their incorrect responses are due to not  

> understanding the new level of math rather than just making a  

> calculation error. Of course, even we as instructors still make  

> calculation errors, but I would like to minimize the frustration. I  

> have had numerous students with math anxiety or other math  

> disability get really frustrated with themselves when getting the  

> answer wrong adding fractions, for example, when all they did was  

> make a simple calculation error. Identifying where the error came  

> from is paramount to these students' sense of capability.

>

>

>

> The primary reason I begin most students with basic calculation  

> skills is due to our program's methodology. We are instructed as  

> new instructors to give the TABE and then to give a math pretest  

> even if the student is 11th grade + level. (One interesting finding  

> I have is having recent high school students come to me able to do  

> geometry and algebra, but they have forgotten how to divide. I am  

> sure many of you have had similar experiences.) This pretest  

> identifies challenge points in +, -, X, & ./. as well as decimals,  

> fractions, percents, ratio, proportion, and measurement. Then we  

> are instructed to place the students into the lowest level book and  

> work them up to the top level using study guides. We are a highly  

> linearly structured program. The reason for this linear system  

> setup, I believe, is indeed because we often only see students for  

> a month before they disappear, and we need to get an educational  

> gain from these students in about as many weeks to maintain our  

> funding.

>

>

>

> However, I do have the entire class do all lessons no matter what  

> their grade level is on their most recent TABE. Even if a student  

> just started coming to class and are at a fourth grade math level,  

> he or she will do the algebra lesson with the rest of us. I am a  

> firm believer that just because a student doesn't know his/her  

> timestables yet, that doesn't mean that same student won't be able  

> to understand that if 10 + a = 12, a = 2. I also believe that when  

> a student sees that he/she can do algebra, it builds self esteem.

>

>

>

> I hope this answers you question. I hope to hear other people's  

> ideas as well!

>

> Thanks,

>

>

> Tina

>

>

>

>

> Tina Luffman

> Coordinator, Developmental Education

> Verde Valley Campus

> 928-634-6544

> tina_luffman at yc.edu

>

>

>

>

>

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