Forms of Assessment Blog Prompt 2

My learning goal for students is for them to learn their multiplication tables well enough that they find it easier to use what they learned, rather than using a calculator. With this goal I plan to use the Information Processing Theory. This theory describes how information is stored into the long term memory which is where I want the students’ multiplication facts to be stored! I need to first introduce the facts to the students by teaching them mnemonics, chunking strategies, etc. for remembering the facts. I would also use flash cards in the classroom and for homework, as practice. These strategies are encoding the information, which is preparing it for long term storage. One it is fully encoded by being rehearsed and used enough it can be eventually placed into long term storage. After the lesson on multiplication facts is completed I will give the students a formal summative assessment. I need to use this type of assessment because I do not want the students to have any external assistance. I want them to be able to rattle off the multiplication facts so that they can be used quickly when doing future, more complex math assignments. An informal assessment, such as just observing would not provide me with enough evidence that the students really know their facts. A formative assessment is not appropriate because the students are not learning the material, they should already know it.