Assessment: Checklists of Skills, Knowledge and Behaviours

Checklists feature a series of descriptions, generally arranged in a sequence that reflects the stages of learners' development. The descriptions can guide both in-class observation and analysis of learners' performances as shown in exercises, quizzes, stories, and other assignments.

Many teachers in formal situations use assessment guidelines developed by their education systems. However, for these teachers and others, it can be helpful to address for themselves the skills, knowledge and behaviours that their classroom activities are designed to engage.

The checklists available at the Mid-contintent Regional Educational Laboratory (McREL) are very thorough, with many descriptions arranged in developmental sequences. One example is the Language Arts Standard and Benchmarks for Using the general skills and strategies of the reading process.

You can design effective checklists, appropriate for specific learning activities, even if you don't achieve this level of detail. However, you can also choose from (or modify) learning standards to create checklists that are both thorough and appropriate.