Grading and Report
7.1 Functions of Grading and Reporting System
Grading and reporting systems have some very important functions in the educative process. Some of these important functions are enumerated bellow:
1. Enhancing students learning trough:
clarity instructional objectives for them, showing students strengths and weaknesses, providing information on personal- social
development, enhancing students motivation (e.g., short term goals) and indicating where teaching might be modified.
These can be achieved through day- to- day test and feedback and integrated periodic test.
2. Reports to parents/ guardians
Grading and reporting systems also inform parents and guardians of students on the progress of their wards.
Likewise, grades and reports communicate objective to parents, so they can promote learning and likewise, communicate how
well objective were met, so parents can better plan.
3. Administrative and guidance uses
The administrative and guidance purpose of grading and reporting consist in helping to decide promotion, graduation, honors,
athletic eligibility, reporting achievements to other schools or to employers, providing input for realistic educational, vocational,
and personal counseling.
7.2 Types of grading and reporting system
The type of grading use depends on the extent to which more descriptive an informative summaries are required by school
authorities or by the stakeholders in general
a.Traditional letter-grade system.
In the traditional letter grade system, students and their performance are summarize by means of letters.
Thus, A stands for excellent, C stands for average, D stands for needing improvement and an F as a failure. The traditional letter
system is easy to understand but it is limited value when use as the sole report because they end up being a combination
of achievement effort,work habits, behavior.As such, they become difficult to interpret and they do not indicate
patterns of strength and weaknesses.
b. Pass-fail.
The pass or fail system utilizes a dichotomous grade system. Either a student has complied and reached,
certain standards, in which case he passes or he failed to do so and he gets a failing mark.
c. Checklists of of objectives
In this system, the objectives of the course are enumerated. After this objectives students level of achievement is indicated:
outstanding, very good, good, fair or poor. This is a very detailed reporting system and tends to be more informative for
the parents and pupils at the same time. It is, however, also very timed consuming to prepare. There is also the potential problem
of keeping the lists manageable and understanding.
d. Letters to parents or guardians
Are useful supplement to grades. However, they have limited value a sole reort because they are very timed consuming
to prepare, the accounts of weaknesses are often misinterpreted by parents and guardians, and they are not characterized a
systematic nor communicative.
e. Portfolios
Is a set of purposely selected work, with commentary by student and teacher. Portfolios are useful for showing students strength and
weaknesses, illustrating range of students work, showing progress over time or stages of a project, teaching students about objectives/
standards they are to meet.
f. Parent-teacher conferences.
Are mainly used in elementary schools. This requires that parents of pupils come to a conference with the teacher to discuss
the pupils progress. Portfolios, when available are useful basis for discussion. Such conferences are useful for a two way flow of
information and getting more information and cooperation from the parents. They are, however, of limited value as a report
because most parents do not come for such conferences.
7.3 Development of Grading and Reporting System
Grading and Reporting system should be developed cooperatively (parents, students, school personnel) in order to ensure
development of a more adequate system, and a system that is understandable to all. They should thus be:
a. Base on clear statement of learning objectives.
The grading and reporting system needs to be based on the same set of learning objectives that the parents, teachers and
students agreed at the beginning.
b. Consistent with the school standards
The system must support the school standards rather than oppose the school standards already set.
c. Based on adequate assessment
The grading and reporting should be easily verifiable through adequate system of testing, measurement and assessment methods.
d. Based on the right level of detail
The system must be detailed enough to be diagnostic but compact enough to be practical: not too time consuming to prepare
and use, understandable to users and easily summarized for school records purposes.
e. Providing for parent- teacher conferences as needed
7.4 Assigning Letter Grades and Computing Grades
Grades assign to students must include only achievement. It is very important to avoid the temptation to include effort
for less able students because it is difficult to asses effort or potential and it is difficult to distinguish ability form achievement
and effort are combined in some way, grades would mean different thing for different individuals.
Grades reflect on report cards are numbers or numerical quantities arrived at after several data on the students
performance are combined. The following guidelines maybe considered in combining such data:
Properly weight each component to create a composite. The weights used are normally agreed upon the school
officials e.g. how many percent goes for quizzes, unit tests, periodic test etc. The more scientific approach is to use a principal
components analysis which is hardly practiced in schools because of the difficulty involved.
Put components on same scale to weight properly:
a. equate ranges of scores
b. or, convert all to T- score or
other standard scores
7.5 Norm or Criterion- Referenced Grading
Grades maybe relative performance i.e. score compared to other students ( where you rank). This is more
commonly called a non- referenced grading system: In such a system:
a. grade (like a class rank) depends on what group you are in, not just your own performance.
b. typical grade maybe shifted up or down, depending on group’s ability.
C. widely use because much classroom testing in norm reference.
Grades may also reflect absolute performance i.e. scored compared to specify performance standards (what you can do).
This is more commonly called a criterion- reference grading.
In such a system:
a. grade does NOT depend on what group you are in, but only on your own performance compared to a set performance standards.
b. grading is a complex task, because grades must:
i. clearly define the domain
ii. Clearly define and justify the performance standards.
iii. Be base on criterion- reference assessment.
c. conditions are hard to meet except to complete mastery learning settings.
Finally, grades may also reflect learning ability or improvement performance i.e. score compared to learning
“ potential” or past performance.
In such a system:
a. grades are consistent in standards- base system because now, each child is his/her standard.
b. reliably estimating learning ability (separate from achievement) is very difficult.
c. one cannot be reliably measure change with classroom measures,
d. therefore, should only be used as a supplement.
7.6 Distribution and guidelines for effective learning
How should grades be distributed?
The following are consideration for non- referenced.
A. normal grade is defensible only when we have large, unselected group
B. when “grading on the curve” school staff should be fair ranges of grades for different grade or courses
C. when “grading on the curve” any pass- fail decision should be based on an absolute standard (i.e., failed the minimum essentials)
D. standard and ranges should be understood and followed by all the teachers.
On the other hand, the criterion- referenced or absolute (have assessed absolute levels of knowledge)
grading system is not an issue because:
a. it seldom uses letter grades alone
b. it often includes checklist of what has been mastered
c. the distribution of grade is not predetermined
Guidelines for Effective Grading
The following guidelines for effective grading and reporting are recommended for use in Philippine schools:
7. Return and review all the test results as soon as possible.
8. Properly weight the various types of achievements include in the grade.
9. Do not lower an achievement grade for tardiness, weak effort, or miss behavior.
10. Be fair. Avoid bias. When is doubt, review the evidence. If still in doubt, give the higher grade.
7.7 Conducting Parent- Teacher Conferences
Parent- teacher conferences become productive when they are carefully planned and the teacher is skilled in
handling such conferences. Skills in conducting parent- teacher conferences can be developed.
Guidelines for a good conferences
1. Makes plans
-Review your goals.
-Organize the information to
present.
-Make list of points to cover and
questions to ask.
-If bring portfolios, select and review
carefully.
2. Start positive and maintain a positive focus.
-Presents student’s strong points first.
-Be helpful to have example of work to show strengths
and needs.
-Compare early vs. later work to show improvement.
3. Encourage parents to participate and share information.
-Be willing to listen.
-Be willing to answer questions.
4. Plan actions cooperatively.
-What step you can each take?
-Summarize at the end.
5. End with positive comment.
-should not be a vague generality.
-Should be true.
6. Use good human relation skills.
Group 6 reporter:
(Analiza Ambong, Gemma Petras and Irish Perez)
Prepared by:
Analiza Gasco Ambong
Teacher:
Mr. Jayson Leoncio
Grading and reporting systems have some very important functions in the educative process. Some of these important functions are enumerated bellow:
1. Enhancing students learning trough:
clarity instructional objectives for them, showing students strengths and weaknesses, providing information on personal- social
development, enhancing students motivation (e.g., short term goals) and indicating where teaching might be modified.
These can be achieved through day- to- day test and feedback and integrated periodic test.
2. Reports to parents/ guardians
Grading and reporting systems also inform parents and guardians of students on the progress of their wards.
Likewise, grades and reports communicate objective to parents, so they can promote learning and likewise, communicate how
well objective were met, so parents can better plan.
3. Administrative and guidance uses
The administrative and guidance purpose of grading and reporting consist in helping to decide promotion, graduation, honors,
athletic eligibility, reporting achievements to other schools or to employers, providing input for realistic educational, vocational,
and personal counseling.
7.2 Types of grading and reporting system
The type of grading use depends on the extent to which more descriptive an informative summaries are required by school
authorities or by the stakeholders in general
a.Traditional letter-grade system.
In the traditional letter grade system, students and their performance are summarize by means of letters.
Thus, A stands for excellent, C stands for average, D stands for needing improvement and an F as a failure. The traditional letter
system is easy to understand but it is limited value when use as the sole report because they end up being a combination
of achievement effort,work habits, behavior.As such, they become difficult to interpret and they do not indicate
patterns of strength and weaknesses.
b. Pass-fail.
The pass or fail system utilizes a dichotomous grade system. Either a student has complied and reached,
certain standards, in which case he passes or he failed to do so and he gets a failing mark.
c. Checklists of of objectives
In this system, the objectives of the course are enumerated. After this objectives students level of achievement is indicated:
outstanding, very good, good, fair or poor. This is a very detailed reporting system and tends to be more informative for
the parents and pupils at the same time. It is, however, also very timed consuming to prepare. There is also the potential problem
of keeping the lists manageable and understanding.
d. Letters to parents or guardians
Are useful supplement to grades. However, they have limited value a sole reort because they are very timed consuming
to prepare, the accounts of weaknesses are often misinterpreted by parents and guardians, and they are not characterized a
systematic nor communicative.
e. Portfolios
Is a set of purposely selected work, with commentary by student and teacher. Portfolios are useful for showing students strength and
weaknesses, illustrating range of students work, showing progress over time or stages of a project, teaching students about objectives/
standards they are to meet.
f. Parent-teacher conferences.
Are mainly used in elementary schools. This requires that parents of pupils come to a conference with the teacher to discuss
the pupils progress. Portfolios, when available are useful basis for discussion. Such conferences are useful for a two way flow of
information and getting more information and cooperation from the parents. They are, however, of limited value as a report
because most parents do not come for such conferences.
7.3 Development of Grading and Reporting System
Grading and Reporting system should be developed cooperatively (parents, students, school personnel) in order to ensure
development of a more adequate system, and a system that is understandable to all. They should thus be:
a. Base on clear statement of learning objectives.
The grading and reporting system needs to be based on the same set of learning objectives that the parents, teachers and
students agreed at the beginning.
b. Consistent with the school standards
The system must support the school standards rather than oppose the school standards already set.
c. Based on adequate assessment
The grading and reporting should be easily verifiable through adequate system of testing, measurement and assessment methods.
d. Based on the right level of detail
The system must be detailed enough to be diagnostic but compact enough to be practical: not too time consuming to prepare
and use, understandable to users and easily summarized for school records purposes.
e. Providing for parent- teacher conferences as needed
7.4 Assigning Letter Grades and Computing Grades
Grades assign to students must include only achievement. It is very important to avoid the temptation to include effort
for less able students because it is difficult to asses effort or potential and it is difficult to distinguish ability form achievement
and effort are combined in some way, grades would mean different thing for different individuals.
Grades reflect on report cards are numbers or numerical quantities arrived at after several data on the students
performance are combined. The following guidelines maybe considered in combining such data:
Properly weight each component to create a composite. The weights used are normally agreed upon the school
officials e.g. how many percent goes for quizzes, unit tests, periodic test etc. The more scientific approach is to use a principal
components analysis which is hardly practiced in schools because of the difficulty involved.
Put components on same scale to weight properly:
a. equate ranges of scores
b. or, convert all to T- score or
other standard scores
7.5 Norm or Criterion- Referenced Grading
Grades maybe relative performance i.e. score compared to other students ( where you rank). This is more
commonly called a non- referenced grading system: In such a system:
a. grade (like a class rank) depends on what group you are in, not just your own performance.
b. typical grade maybe shifted up or down, depending on group’s ability.
C. widely use because much classroom testing in norm reference.
Grades may also reflect absolute performance i.e. scored compared to specify performance standards (what you can do).
This is more commonly called a criterion- reference grading.
In such a system:
a. grade does NOT depend on what group you are in, but only on your own performance compared to a set performance standards.
b. grading is a complex task, because grades must:
i. clearly define the domain
ii. Clearly define and justify the performance standards.
iii. Be base on criterion- reference assessment.
c. conditions are hard to meet except to complete mastery learning settings.
Finally, grades may also reflect learning ability or improvement performance i.e. score compared to learning
“ potential” or past performance.
In such a system:
a. grades are consistent in standards- base system because now, each child is his/her standard.
b. reliably estimating learning ability (separate from achievement) is very difficult.
c. one cannot be reliably measure change with classroom measures,
d. therefore, should only be used as a supplement.
7.6 Distribution and guidelines for effective learning
How should grades be distributed?
The following are consideration for non- referenced.
A. normal grade is defensible only when we have large, unselected group
B. when “grading on the curve” school staff should be fair ranges of grades for different grade or courses
C. when “grading on the curve” any pass- fail decision should be based on an absolute standard (i.e., failed the minimum essentials)
D. standard and ranges should be understood and followed by all the teachers.
On the other hand, the criterion- referenced or absolute (have assessed absolute levels of knowledge)
grading system is not an issue because:
a. it seldom uses letter grades alone
b. it often includes checklist of what has been mastered
c. the distribution of grade is not predetermined
Guidelines for Effective Grading
The following guidelines for effective grading and reporting are recommended for use in Philippine schools:
- Describe grading procedures to student at beginning of instruction.
- Clarify that course grade will be based on achievement only.
- Explain how other factors (effort, work habits, etc.) will be reported.
- Relate grading procedures to intended learning outcomes.
- Obtain valid evidence (test, etc.) for assigning grades.
7. Return and review all the test results as soon as possible.
8. Properly weight the various types of achievements include in the grade.
9. Do not lower an achievement grade for tardiness, weak effort, or miss behavior.
10. Be fair. Avoid bias. When is doubt, review the evidence. If still in doubt, give the higher grade.
7.7 Conducting Parent- Teacher Conferences
Parent- teacher conferences become productive when they are carefully planned and the teacher is skilled in
handling such conferences. Skills in conducting parent- teacher conferences can be developed.
Guidelines for a good conferences
1. Makes plans
-Review your goals.
-Organize the information to
present.
-Make list of points to cover and
questions to ask.
-If bring portfolios, select and review
carefully.
2. Start positive and maintain a positive focus.
-Presents student’s strong points first.
-Be helpful to have example of work to show strengths
and needs.
-Compare early vs. later work to show improvement.
3. Encourage parents to participate and share information.
-Be willing to listen.
-Be willing to answer questions.
4. Plan actions cooperatively.
-What step you can each take?
-Summarize at the end.
5. End with positive comment.
-should not be a vague generality.
-Should be true.
6. Use good human relation skills.
Group 6 reporter:
(Analiza Ambong, Gemma Petras and Irish Perez)
Prepared by:
Analiza Gasco Ambong
Teacher:
Mr. Jayson Leoncio