Authentic Assessment or not.  Well my vote is yes! My teaching background is in Whole Language. I have always looked at how my students demonstrate their knowledge verses how they read and answer questions on how the skill works, at EVERY grade level. I feel this is more practical with more opportunities to learn.  I  am a parent of a special needs student.  My son has FAS, ADHD, and MDO.  He is an auditory and hands-on learner.  The best way to test or evaluate my son is not to had him a pencil and paper and tell him to write. It is to have him show his knowledge or verbally explain his answers.  Children learn through doing.  In our lesson this week there was a quote I love by Benjamin Franklin. It says," Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I Learn."