Christopher Parker 16

RESPONSE CARDS

What are Response Cards?

Response cards are used as a formative assessment strategy. This strategy is used for
multiple reasons such as engaging all students, checking for understanding, and managing
challenging student behavior. Response cards can take many forms such as color coded
cards, yes/no cards, true/false cards, small dry erase boards, etc. At any time during a
lecture, the teacher can ask for the students to quickly raise a card in response to a
question. The cards can easily be created by the students or the teacher may have a set
ready for students to use. Response cards can be customized for any lesson.

Christopher Parker 16

Does it Work for All Students?

Studies have shown Response Cards to
increase academic responses, opportunities to
respond, and correct responses of students
with mild intellectual disability (Cakiroglu,
2014). This strategy can be customized to the
lesson type, content, and grade level. It has
proven to be eective for primary, secondary,
and even post-secondary students.

How Do I Make This Work In My Classroom?

Response Cards can work in every classroom from elementary to secondary and beyond.
The ecacy of the strategy depends on the preparation and consistency of the teacher.
Step by step directions follow:

1. The teacher will conduct a class in which he teaches the purpose of Response Cards.

2. The teacher can either allow students to create their own Response Cards or create a
class set.

3. During a lesson, the teacher poses a question to the class regarding the information just
covered.

4. The teacher will perform a scan of the room to check for understanding.

5. The teacher will use the information gained from student responses to alter improve his
teaching.

References
Cakiroglu, O. C. (2014). Eects of preprinted response

cards on rates of academic response,

opportunities to respond, and correct academic

responses of students with mild intellectual

disability. Journal Of Intellectual &


Developmental Disability, 39(1), 73-85.

Clarke, L. S., Haydon, T., Bauer, A., & Epperly, A. C.

(2016). Inclusion of Students With an Intellectual

Disability in the General Education Classroom With

the Use of Response Cards. Preventing School

Failure, 60(1), 35-42.

Schwab, J. R., Tucci, S., & Jolivette, K. (2013). Integrating

Schema-based Instruction and Response Cards for

Students with Learning Disabilities and Challenging

Behaviors. Beyond Behavior, 22(3), 24-30.