ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we will discuss one of the greatest challenges associated with grammar instruction: the issue of assessment. Research reveals that worksheets and out-of-context tests are ineffective methods of assessing students’ knowledge of grammatical concepts because they do not actually measure students’ abilities to use these concepts in their writing (Weaver, 1998), which presents the question: how do teachers assess their students’ grammatical knowledge in authentic ways? I have fielded questions about this topic when presenting at conferences and talking with teachers about grammar instruction. Many times, I have been asked questions along the lines of, “Everything you’re saying about grammatical concepts being tools for good writing sounds great, but how can I assess if my students have learned the material?” I believe this is an excellent question and one that needs to be further explored. To that end, this chapter addresses ways to assess students’ knowledge of the grammatical concepts described in this book and addressed in the Common Core Language Standards.
