NSW English Syllabus K-6: Assessment by Melissa Tracy

What does BOSTES say is an effective model of assessment?

melspost — 2015-03-19 02:12:55 UTC

that outcomes are central to the decisions teachers make about teaching, learning and assessment

the importance of gathering evidence about student learning in relation to the outcomes

how teachers use evidence to determine how well students are achieving in relation to the outcomes

the importance of teacher feedback and student reflection

how evidence of student achievement informs future teaching and learning.

What are the purposes for assessment?

melspost — 2015-03-19 02:13:02 UTC

provides opportunities for teachers to gather evidence about student achievement in relation to syllabus outcomes

enables students to demonstrate what they know and can do

clarifies student understanding of concepts and promotes deeper understanding

provides evidence that current understanding is a suitable basis for future learning.

Assessment should:

be valid and be based on syllabus outcomes

include criteria to clarify for students what aspects of learning are being assessed

enable students to demonstrate their learning in a range of different contexts

be reliable, be free from bias and provide evidence that accurately represents a student's knowledge, understanding and skills

enable students and teachers to use feedback effectively and reflect on the learning process

be inclusive of and accessible for all students

be part of an ongoing process where progress is monitored over time.

What does the Quality Teaching Framework say?

melspost — 2015-03-19 02:13:38 UTC

The Quality Teaching Framework is based on the understanding that quality pedagogy is at the core of student achievement. Pedagogy focuses on the ‘processes through which knowledge is constructed, produced and critiqued’. How one teaches is ‘inseparable from what one teaches, from what and how one assesses and from how one learns’. The suggested assessment focus for each of the elements of the QTF represents the core understanding of that element. In other words, the assessment task needs to reflect and measure the concept or idea behind the task so that students are able to show deep understanding of that concept.

Quality teaching in NSW public schools: Discussion paper

(2003) https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/proflearn/docs/pdf/qt_EPSColor.pdf

For a focused look on how your current assessment tasks rate in terms of the QTF – check out this document which allows you to code a task for effectiveness against each of the dimensions.

Quality teaching in NSW Public Schools: An assessment practice guide

(2006)

(Intranet only)

https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/proflearn/areas/qt/resources.htm

Reporting to in English

melspost — 2015-03-19 02:13:46 UTC

Schools should report progress and achievement in relation to the NSW English Syllabus standards in terms of conceptual (knowledge and understandings) and skill
development.

The advice provided to schools for the last reporting period remains the same until the updated policy is released.

The Literacy Continuum is a tool that can be used to differentiate learning in all key learning areas but is not a substitute for the English syllabus in terms of reporting.

Teacher judgement

melspost — 2015-03-19 02:14:00 UTC

Is the teacher's opinion enough?

What evidence can I used to support my gradings?

What does AITSL say as part of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers?

melspost — 2015-03-19 02:15:29 UTC

Standard 2.3 Know the content and how to teach it – curriculum, assessment and reporting

Graduate: Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans

Proficient: Design and implement learning and teaching programs using knowledge of curriculum, assessment and reporting requirements

Highly Accomplished: Support colleagues to plan and implement learning and teaching programs using contemporary knowledge and understanding of curriculum, assessment and reporting requirements

Lead: Lead colleagues to develop learning and teaching programs using comprehensive knowledge of curriculum, assessment and reporting requirements

Learning & Assessing are fundamentally linked

melspost — 2015-03-19 02:25:25 UTC

Assessment is the tool a teacher uses to know how to best meet the needs of the students.

Assessment does not just happen at the end of a unit as an assessment task, but is an integral part of the learning process. The two cannot be separated. A teacher is continually refining her teaching as the lesson progresses and adjusting approach to learning as necessary.

The fundamental question a teacher needs to ask about a student's learning is 'How do I know?'

An effective teacher is asking this question at every stage of a student's learning.

Formal and Informal Assessment

melspost — 2015-03-19 02:40:53 UTC

Teachers gather evidence of student achievement formally and informally, to make judgements and to facilitate and monitor students' progress using syllabus outcomes

http://syllabus.bos.nsw.edu.au/support-materials/standards-referenced-assessment/

Effective Feedback

melspost — 2015-03-19 03:11:24 UTC

To be effective, feedback needs to cause thinking. Grades don't do that. Scores don't do that. And comments like "Good job" don't do that either.

Leahy, et al. 2005

Assessment to support learning

melspost — 2015-03-19 03:13:13 UTC

In a classroom that uses assessment to support learning, the divide between instruction and assessment blurs.

Leahy, et al. 2005

Peer Assessment

melspost — 2015-03-19 03:14:05 UTC

C3B4ME – students are only allowed to ask for assistance on a task after they have asked 3 peers.

Homework Help Board – Students who need help with a homework task indicate this on the homework board. Students who think they can help, seek that student out to assist.

2 Stars and a Wish – When a student gives feedback on another student’s work, they provide two things they think were good about the work (two stars), and one suggestion for improvement (a wish). The comments are written on post it notes so that the recipient can remove easily if they find it unhelpful. Discuss comments (anonymously) on usefulness of feedback and collate criteria for successful feedback.

End-of-topic-questions – At the end of a lesson, students work in small groups or pairs to come up with questions about the lesson. Comments are made anonymously on post its. Teacher leads a discussion in response to the questions.

What did we learn today? – 5 minutes before the end of a lesson, in small groups, students come up with a list of things they learned in the lesson, and then present one thing to the class.

Student reporter – A student is appointed Captain. Ten minutes prior to the end of a lesson, the Captain recites his ‘Captain’s Log’ – a list of the most important points in the lesson and then answers as many questions from the class about the lesson that he can. The class helps out where necessary.

I-You-We Checklist – At the end of a group activity, each student records something about his own contributions, something about other individuals; contributions, and an evaluation of the quality of the work of the group as a whole.

Embedded Formative Assessment by Dylan Wiliam

5 Powerful Strategies

melspost — 2015-03-19 03:15:14 UTC

There is no one-size-fits-all package for effective implementation of assessment for learning techniques, but here are five equally powerful strategies for all content and all grade levels:

*Clarifying and sharing learning intentions

*Engineering effective clasroom discussions

*Providing feedback that moves learners forward

*Activating students as the owners of their own learning

*Activating students as instructional resources for one another

Leahy, et al. 2005

Useful links on these topics:

melspost — 2015-05-05 00:03:39 UTC

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/informational-text-lesson-equip
http://www.assessmentforlearning.edu.au/professional_learning/student_self-assessment/student_strategies_enhance.html#3
https://www.trb.tas.gov.au/Shared%20Documents/Talking%20to%20learn-%20%20Dialogue%20in%20the%20classroom.pdf
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/consistent_teacher/tlcycle.htm