Assessment, Data Use, and Instruction in Kindergarten Mathematics: A Qualitative Analysis (Poster 30)

• In Event: Saturday Poster Session 3:05 pm
  In Poster Session: Literacy and Mathematics Instruction

Abstract

To understand how kindergarten teachers make use of assessments and data in their day-to-day instruction, this qualitative study examined assessment, data use, and differentiated instructional practices in kindergarten mathematics. Across 10 intentionally-selected cases, teachers, math specialists, and principals described complex, iterative cycles of assessment, interpretation, and instruction that often led teachers to provide multiple, differentiated lessons within a single math block. At all levels, participants strived to link their understanding of students to appropriate next steps for instruction. This descriptive work underscores the skills teachers bring to data-driven and differentiated instruction, and lays a foundation for additional, quantitative research to explore these topics further.

Author

• Virginia E. Vitiello, University of Virginia