KristenFallon

SarahGolibart
MeganBryant
KevinHolsopple
FormativeAssessment:GroupPortion
Introduction:
Forthisassignment,wefocusedourlearninggoalsonunderstandingoffigurative
language.AstheclasshadjustcompletedSOLtesting,weusedtheopportunitytoreview
figurativelanguagewhileitwasstillfreshintheirminds.Wewantedtoseewhatthey
understood,whattheyunderstoodbutdidnotknowhowtoapply,andwhattheyfailedto
understandandapply.OurUnderstand,Know,andDoarelistedbelow:
U:Studentswillunderstandthatfigurativelanguageisusedasliterarytooltoprovide
extrainformationormeaning.
K:Studentswillknowthedefinitionsofpersonification,simile,metaphor,hyperbole,and
onomatopoeia.
D:Studentswillcreateastoryusingfigurativelanguage.
Theformativeassessmentinstrumentweusedforthisassignmentwasaperformance
assessmentcalledNeverEndingStory.ForaNeverEndingStory,studentswroteatandemstory
insmallgroupsof46students.Eachsentenceofthestoryfeaturedadifferentformoffigurative
language,suchasmetaphor,simile,personification,hyperbole,andfinallyonomatopoeia.Once
astudenthadwrittenasentenceusingthegivenfigurativelanguage,thatstudentpassedtheir
sheettotheleft,collectedthesheetfromthepeertotheirright,andthenwroteanewsentence
stemmingfromthestoryalreadyonthatpaper,thistimeusinganewfigurativelanguageelement
providedbytheinstructor.Studentseachwroteindifferentcolorpenstodistinguishtheir
contributionstoeachstory.Thefirstsentencewasametaphor,thesecondasimile,thethirda

personification,thefourthahyperbole,andthefifthanonomatopoeia.Theteacherinstructed
studentsonthesentenceformsandsupervisedactivityandprogress.

Overviewofwhattheanalysisofresultsrevealed:
Duringouranalysis,threegroupsofstudentswererevealed:ConsistentSuccessfulFL
Application,IntermittentFLUnderstandingandApplicationError,andConsistentFL
ApplicationandUnderstandingError.ThetermsonFig.1helpedtocategorizestudents,but
alsospecifiedtheextentofeachstudentserror,suchaswhenstudentsusedcorrectapplication,
correctunderstanding/faultyapplication,orfailedunderstandingandapplication.
Thefirstgroup,ConsistentSuccessfulFLApplication,containedsevenstudentswho
madenoerrorscreatingsentencescontainingfigurativelanguage.Thesecondgroup,Intermittent
FLUnderstandingandApplicationError,containedtwelvestudentswhomadetwoorfewer
errorsunderstandingandapplyingfigurativelanguagetotheirsentences.Thethirdgroup,
ConsistentFLApplicationandUnderstandingError,containedfivestudentswhomadethreeto
fourerrorsunderstandingandapplyingfigurativelanguagetotheirsentences.Thegroup
breakdownisasfollows:
Group1:CONSISTENTSUCCESSFULFLAPPLICATION
Studentswithnoerrors:Natalie,Alexis,Emma,Daniel,Myranda,Ryder,Bella(7)
Group2:INTERMITTENTFLUNDERSTANDINGANDAPPLICATIONERRORS
Studentswith1error:Trey,Isaiah,Autumn,Virginia,Ethan,TreyII(6)
Studentswith2errors:Kenya,Shaniya,Carlee,Zach,Alex,Darren(6)
Group3:CONSISTENTFLAPPLICATIONANDUNDERSTANDINGERRORS
Studentswith3errors:Nathan,David,Logan(3)
Studentswith4errors:Colby,Kyiam(2)

Overall,studentsmadethemosterrorswithmetaphorandpersonificationwitheleven
totalerrorsforeachformoffigurativelanguage.Studentsthenmadesevenoverallerrorswith
hyperbole,fourtotalerrorswithsimile,andfinallytwoerrorswithonomatopoeia.Abouthalfof
thetotalerrors(17/35)happenedwhenstudentscorrectlyunderstoodtheformoffigurative
language,butwereunabletocorrectlyapplyit.Theothereighteenerrorsoccurredwhenstudents
failedtobothunderstandandapplythecorrectformoffigurativelanguage.

Detailedanalysisofgroupsaccordingtoassessmentresults:
StudentsinConsistentSuccessfulFLApplicationgroupdemonstratedtheir
understandingsandgraspsoffigurativelanguagebycorrectlyapplyingfigurativelanguagein
everysentencecreated.Whenstudentsusedthecorrectapplicationofthegivenfigurative
languageelement,studentscompletedthatportionoftheassessmentwithnomistakes.The
applicationwasaclearexampleofthetermandleftlittletonoroomformisunderstandingof
howthegiventermistobeused.
ConsiderRyder,oneofthesevenstudentsinConsistentSuccessfulFLApplication,and
hisapplicationofeachfigurativeelement:
Metaphor:Hewasadancingpotato.
Simile:Itwasacheesyasaclown.
Personification:[TheLion]wasdancingtonastyfreestyle.
Hyperbole:Heeatspizzaallday.
Onomatopoeia:ThesoundofthebasswentBOOM!!!

(O)
(O)
(O)
(O)
(O)

Eachcontributionrevealsunderstandingofthefigurativeelement,itsdefinition,andhow
toclearlyandappropriatelyapplyitinwriting.Becausethesestoriesaremadeonthespot,we
canbeassuredstudents,likeRyder,arenotdefaultingtoanexamplejustpracticedinclass.The

applicationofeachelementisthestudentsuniqueandpersonalcontributioninthisperformance
assessment.Rydersmetaphorandsimilebothrevealtheimportanceofmakingacomparison,all
thewhilerecognizingthatmetaphorsmakedirectcomparisonsasifthesubjectisthethingitis
comparedto(suchasapersonbeingadancingpotato)whilesimilesuselikeandastonote
similarities.Hisuseofpersonificationgivesanonpeoplesubjecthumanqualities.Inhis
hyperbole,Rydernotonlymadeanexaggeration,butanunrealisticexaggerationuniquetothis
figurativeelement.Finally,foranonomatopoeia,Ryderrevealedknowledgethattheelement
describedasound,particularlyinamannerwherethewordembodiesthesoundmade.Basedon
suchapplication,weassessorscanassumethesestudentsgraspunderstandingofthefigurative
elementandwillbeabletorepeatcorrectapplication.
StudentsinIntermittentFLUnderstandingandApplicationErrorsgroupdemonstrated
understandingorcorrectapplicationofthedefinitionsoffigurativelanguageforatleastfourof
thesixtermsassessed.Theircorrectapplicationoffigurativelanguagerevealedanoverall
understandingoftheuseoffigurativelanguage,whiletheirfewmisapplicationsofterms
revealedmisconceptionsorcompletelackofunderstandingofspecificterms.Mistakesamong
thesestudentsconsistedofeitherconfusionofoneortwotermswithadifferentorsimilarterm,
familiaritywithatermsdefinitionbutfailuretocorrectlyapplytheterm,and/orfailuretoapply
thetermtothesentenceoverall.
ConsiderShaniyascontributionstohergroup:
Metaphor:Hewasafastcat.
(O)
Simile:Hewasascrazyasajackinabox.
(O)
Personification:Hehitthenaenae.
(X)
Hyperbole:Hedidthewobblesohardthatthehotdogbunfelloff. (X)
Onomatopoeia:Thenhediditsomuchhewentboomanddied.
(O)

HereweseethatShaniyahasagoodgrasponmetaphorsandsimiles,becauseshe
provideshergroupwithgoodexamplesofbothkindsofcomparisons.ThesentenceHewasa
fastcatdoesnotdirectlyrelatetoanactualcat,ratheritcomparessomeonetothequicknessand
othercharacteristicsofacat.HerexampleforpersonificationHehitthenaenaeshowsusthat
sheunderstandsthatpersonificationisanimalsorinanimateobjectstakingonhuman
characteristics.Whereitfailstofullymeetthestandardsisthewordhit.Animalshitthingsin
natureallthetime,sotheactionisnotuniquetomankind.HerexampleforhyperboleHedid
thewobblesohardthatthehotdogbunfelloffdemonstratesthatsheisfamiliarwiththeideaof
hyperboleinthatsheusestheenhancementsohard.Whereshefailstomeetthestandardsis
thatahyperboleismeanttobeanoverexaggeration.Asthesentencestandsitconveysan
everydaysituationwhereifyoushaketoohardyourhatmightfalloff.Hedidthewobblefor
whatfeltlikeaneternitywouldbeanexampleofahyperbole.Herexampleforonomatopoeia
wasspotonbecauseshegavetheexampleboomtostandforanexplosion.Overallitseemsas
thoughShaniyahasafirmgrasponmostoftheseelementsoffigurativelanguage.Herproblems
withpersonificationandhyperbolecomefromknowingtheexactdefinitionofthetwo.Sheis
familiarwithwhattheyareandhasthegeneralidea,butwhenitcomestoapplicationshedoesnt
haveacompleteunderstandingofhowtousethem.Withalittlemorepracticeandaclearer
definitiontheseproblemscanberesolved.
StudentsinConsistentFLApplicationandUnderstandingErrorgroupdemonstrated
consistentmisunderstandingsandmisapplicationoffigurativelanguageintheirsentences.Three
ormoreofthesestudentsfivesentencesmisusedorlackedtheassessedterm,revealinglackof
knowingthedefinitionsofthetermsaswellasaninabilitytocorrectlyapplythem.These

studentshadconsistentdifficultyinbothdefiningandapplyingfigurativelanguage,consistently
revealingbothmisunderstandingsintheirmisuseoffigurativelanguage.
ConsiderColbysassessmentcontributionsandhisattemptedapplicationofthefigurative
elements:
Metaphor:Darrenisasdumbasadoor.
Simile:Loganisa[n]OKfriend.
Personification:[Thetrain]rollscoallikeaDiesel.
Hyperbole:Withallthecloudsmovingbeside[thesun]quickly
Onomatopoeia:ChewChew.

(X)
(X)
(X)
(X)
(O)

Asseeninhissentences,Colbyisstrugglingwithunderstandingthefigurativelanguage
elementsandapplyingtheminaclearorcorrectmanner.Herevealsthatheisfamiliarwith
Simile,buthemistakesitwithMetaphor.Asaresult,hebecomesconfusedwhenrequiredto
actuallywriteaSimileandtheresultisanythingbut.Loganisa[n]OKfriend,couldbeseenas
ColbysattempttocompareLogantohisideaofanOKfriend;butthisisavagueand
improbablepossibility,leavingusonlywiththeunderstandingthatColbydoesnotgrasp
MetaphorsorSimiles.Hisconfusionofthecomparativefigurativeelementsinvadeshis
understandingofPersonification,inwhichheagainattemptstocompareandgiveunfamiliar
qualitiestosomethingthatdoesnotnaturallyororiginallyhavesuchqualities.However,asseen
inColbysexample,hefailstodescribethetraininawaythatgivesthesubjecthumanlike
qualities.InhissentenceusingHyperbole,wecanidentifyColbysfamiliaritywiththeelement
anditsabilitytoexaggerateasituationordescription.Withallthecloudsmovingbeside[the
sun]quickly,weglimpsethatColbywantstoexpressanunnaturalmovementofthecloudsin
thesky.However,hisapplicationoftheHyperboleisinappropriate,inthatcloudscanandwill
movequicklymakingthedescriptionnaturalanunexaggeratedwhilethequicknessofthe

cloudsisilldefined,sothatweareleftwonderingwhetherthecloudsmoveasquicklyasbeesor
bullets.ColbydoescorrectlyapplyOnomatopoeiainthatheusesawordthatdescribesand
imitatesthesoundmade.Thebrevityofhisresponse,however,doesnotassureusthathewillbe
abletorepeatorapplytheelementcorrectlyinamorecomplexexample.

InConclusion:
Byanalyzingtheseresults,wewereabletoseehowmanystudentsusedfigurative
languageincorrectlyandtowhatdegree.Forthenatureofanoverallanalysis,wechosetogroup
studentsbasedonhowmanyerrorstheymadeindividually.Withineachgroup,studentspossess
diverselearningneedsdependingonwhatkindoferrortheymade.Forexample,Alexhadatotal
oftwoerrorswhenhecorrectlyunderstood,butfailedtocorrectlyapplyfigurativelanguage.
AlexstwoerrorsaredifferentfromKenyastwoerrorswhofailedtounderstandandapply
figurativelanguagecorrectly.Thisshowshowdiversethelearningneedsareinspecificgroups.
Thus,fromthisdataanditscorrespondinganalysis,wehavedeterminednotonlythegroupsin
whichshouldbeplacedbasedonskilllevel,butwhatspecificassistancetheyneedtounderstand
andapplytheconceptsbetter.

Figure1

Key:
CA:CorrectApplication
CU/FA:Correctunderstanding,FaultyApplication
FU/A:FailedUnderstandingandApplication
StudentName:

Metaphor

Simile

Personification

Hyperbole

Onomatopoeia

Natalie

CA

CA

CA

CA

CA

Alexis

CA

CA

CA

CA

CA

Trey

FU/A

CA

CA

CA

CA

Emma

CA

CA

CA

CA

CA

Daniel

CA

CA

CA

CA

CA

Isaiah

CA

CU/FA

CA

CA

CA

Myranda

CA

CA

CA

CA

CA

Autumn

CA

CA

CU/FA

CA

CA

Virginia

CU/FA

CA

CA

CA

CA

Kenya

FU/A

CA

FU/A

CA

CA

Shaniya

CA

CA

FU/A

CA

CU/FA

Ethan

CA

CA

FU/A

CA

CA

Ryder

CA

CA

CA

CA

CA

Carlee

CA

CA

FU/A

CA

CU/FA

Bella

CA

CA

CA

CA

CA

Kyiam

FU/A

FU/A

FU/A

CU/FA

CA

Zach

CA

CA

FU/A

CU/FA

CA

Nathan

FU/A

CA

CU/FA

FU/A

CA

David

FU/A

CA

CU/FA

CU/FA

CA

Trey

CU/FA

CA

CA

CA

CA

Alex

CU/FA

CU/FA

CA

CA

CA

Logan

FU/A

CA

CU/FA

CU/FA

CA

Colby

CU/FA

FU/A

FU/A

FU/A

CA

Darren

CU/FA

CA

CA

FU/A

CA

Figure2
FigurativeLanguage

NumberofStudents
Correct
understanding/faulty
application

NumberofStudentsFailed
understandingandapplication

Metaphor

Simile

Personification

Hyperbole

Onomatopoeia

TOTAL:

17

18

Figure3

10