Portfolios are collections of student work that teachers gather over a period of time, typically a marking period or a year. Teachers can look through the portfolios to compare individual student work throughout different parts of the specified time period that the assessments are meant to measure. For example, a teacher may compare a student's writing at the beginning of the school year to her writing at the end of the school year. By examining the work, teachers can see how students have progressed.
Miscue analysis is a type of informal assessment teachers use to determine students' progress in reading. With this type of assessment, teachers ask students to read some text aloud and while the students are reading, the teacher takes notes on any miscues they may make. For example, if a child mispronounces, omits or substitutes words while reading aloud, then the teacher documents the miscue. After administering a miscue analysis, a teacher can assess how a student is performing in reading. The teacher can then provide direct instruction in the problem area.
Performance assessments measure students' knowledge based on certain actions teachers ask them to perform. For example, teachers may ask students to write and present a book report or perform a specific experiment in science class. Through this type of assessment, teachers can evaluate students' progress and knowledge based on their performances.
With essay assessments, teachers ask students to answer specific questions through short pieces of writing. The teacher designs these questions and focus on a subject, skill or concept that the teacher wants to test his students' knowledge of. For example, in social studies, a teacher may ask students to write an essay about the events that led the U.S. into World War II. Typically, teachers ask students to answer the essay question within a specific word limit. The teacher reads the essays and assesses students' knowledge based on the information they supply in their essays.