Self-Assessment and Literacy Learning

In a recent article in Reading Today (Nov./Dec. 2014), Peter Afflerbach reminds us of the value of students assessing their own reading and thinking. He says that teachers usually associate self-assessment with comprehension monitoring, but that is “only part of the self-assessment repertoire that accomplished readers use.” Specifically, it is the middle part. Readers also self-assess before reading to plan and set goals and after reading to reflect on accomplishments and challenges. As accomplished readers, we teachers can model and explain how to use these strategies.  He also provides a list of questions that could be used for student self-assessment.