Making assessments work in the classroom

1
Making assessments work in the classroom

• Rachel Griffin
• ELSA
• March 18th 2009
• rachel-griffin_at_fsmail.net

2
Summative vs Formative assessmentSummative

• Assessment of learning
• Involves judging pupils' performance against
  national standards (level descriptions)
• judgements often made at the end of a unit of
  work, year or key stage
• However, an important aspect of assessment for
  learning is the formative use of summative data

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Summative vs Formative assessmentFormative

• Assessment for learning
• Requires children to have a clear understanding
  of what they are trying to learn (learning
  objectives)
• How they can recognise achievement (learning
  outcomes)
• What 'good' looks like (success criteria)
• Why they are learning this in the first place
  (i.e. the big picture)

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Inside the Black Box

• All teachers have to undertake some summative
  assessment, for example to report to parents, and
  to produce end-of-year reports as classes are due
  to move on to new teachers.
• In our study of formative assessment there can
  be seen, for once, firm evidence that indicates
  clearly a direction for change which could
  improve standards of learning. Our plea is that
  national policy will grasp this opportunity and
  give a lead in this direction.
• Paul Black, 1998

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Beyond the Black Box Assessment for Learning
(1999)

• 7 key characteristics
• embedded in a view of teaching and learning of
  which it is an essential part.
• involves sharing learning goals with learners
• aims to help pupils to know and to recognise the
  standards for which they are aiming.
• involves pupils in self-assessment and peer
  assessment.
• provides feedback that leads to pupils
  recognising their next steps and how to take
  them.
• underpinned by the confidence that every student
  can improve.
• involves both teacher and pupils reviewing and
  reflecting on assessment data.
• Assessment Reform Group, 1999

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Assessing Pupils Progress (APP) 2006

• Designed to improve learning outcomes by
  providing teachers with more effective assessment
  approaches
• Key stage 2 reading, writing and mathematics
  developed and piloted during 2006-7
• Materials now published electronically
• http//nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/pr
  imary/assessment
• Evaluation reports for the 2006-8 APP key stage 2
  pilot will be available to download in 2009

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Where are we? Where are we going?

• Previous years reports
• Colleagues reports
• Establishing a baseline
• Entrance tests
• BURT reading - www.rrf.org.uk/burtinstructions
• Nonsense word test

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One size fits all?
To ensure a fair selection you all get the same
test you must all climb that tree.
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How do we get there?

• Learning objectives - Walt ( We are learning
  today)
• Learning outcomes - Wilf (What Im looking for)
• Success criteria - modeling, good examples
• The Big Picture - Tib (This is because)

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How do we know we have arrived?

• Recording
• Questioning
• Marking - feedback to feed forward
• Display

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In Conclusion

• http//whatworkswell.standards.dcsf.gov.uk