Two new studies from Teachers College, Columbia University, examined teacher practices and early outcomes of a dynamic classroom assessment approach known as Proximal Assessment for Learner Diagnosis (PALD).

The reports find that sixth graders who were taught by PALD scored significantly higher on standardized math tests than peers who weren't exposed to the method. In addition, fifth graders who participated in the program outperformed their peers in geometry.

The method requires teachers to break down math problem solving -- or any academic task they want students to learn -- into a set of connected skills and concepts. Then the teacher assesses student performance at each step to understand precisely where students make errors or show lack of understanding.

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