Assessment is for Learning
- Elliot News This page will keep you up to date with ideas and developments in assessment is for learning in the secondary sector. Regular news and information about resources and relevant websites will be available.
I would be delighted to hear about any interesting work that you and your school have been undertaking as you develop your AifL practice. Contact me at the Oban Education office on 01631 564908 or send me an e-mail.
Associated Schools Groups 2006-07
Sharing the standard in PSHE P6-S2
Primary and secondary teachers on the island of Bute are working together to apply formative assessment principles to teaching and learning in PSHE P6-S2. They are focussing on self and peer assessment and the sharing of assessment criteria in pupilspeak. To this end they are in the process of developing a series of posters containing ‘I can….’ statements in pupilspeak for the curriculum levels C/D to F which will help pupils to self assess. These will be available to all schools in electronic format in session 2007-08.
Developing authority guidance on the personal learning planning process.
A working group of teachers is currently developing broad guidance for secondary schools on the personal learning planning process. They have taken into account recent pilot projects and existing good practice in areas such as the use of target diaries, target setting interviews, mentoring and the early and effective use in some schools of PLP software. When grounded in embedded formative assessment practice, the PLP process naturally brings together many of the elements of AifL to raise attainment and give pupils real ownership of their learning. The guidance supported by training will be available in session 2007-08.
New Formative Assessment Resource – Coming to your school soon.
The authority has purchased multiple copies of ‘Asking Better Questions’ by Ian Smith. This is a short (46 pages) easy to read booklet packed full of practical ideas to improve questioning and promote motivation and understanding through the development of thinking. A ‘must read’ and develop into practice for all teachers !
Useful Web Links
www.ltscotland.org.uk/assess
This is the AifL website which contains a large amount of information. The case studies are particularly relevant for secondary teachers.
http://www.aaia.org.uk/
This is the website for the Association for Achievement and Improvement through Assessment. It is an excellent site , offering a variety of ideas for school leaders working towards embedding formative assessment into classroom practice. The site also contains excellent materials on thinking skills, transitions, and philosophy.
www.abernet.org.uk
The downloads section on this website has an assessment section of 5 pages. Included and worth a look are:
• Pupil Self Assessment: This booklet has been produced members of the AAIA in the north of England. Their work has focussed on the use of assessment to promote and monitor learning, particularly pupil self assessment. While the case studies in the booklet reflect a primary bias, however all the ideas being presented are currently being used in secondary classrooms. It is the skill of the teacher to recognise the principles and convert the ideas into the actual setting.
• 5-14 Formative and Summative Assessment of Writing: This inter-authority staff development pack covers Personal, Imaginative, Imagined Personal and Functional Writing. The pack unpacks the mysteries of GRCs and explains how ‘convincing impression’, ‘a few/many’, ‘suitably organised’ and many more criteria should be interpreted. Scripts are annotated with explanations of the criteria. A must for every teacher of English, Primary or Secondary.
• Formative Assessment in Functional Writing: This practical document outlines examples of learning intentions and success criteria for Functional Writing, levels A-E.
http://arg.educ.com.ac.uk/publications
This is the Assessment Reform Group’s website. On this particular page, you can download the following key booklets free:
• ‘Assessment is for learning’ Beyond the Black Box. Essential reading for all staff leading AifL developments.
• ‘Assessment for Learning’: 10 Principles. Excellent poster summary for all teachers.
• ‘ Testing, Motivation and learning’ Informative and research based work for staff who are leading into the Curriculum for Excellence landscape.
Feedback from CPD
Feedback from CPD – Humanities – Pace and Challenge
A summary of the ideas that were fed back by staff from the CPD session that we had. Along with this we would recommend reading over the booklet ‘Classrooms with Pace and Challenge’ by Learning Unlimited (see Myra). There is some cross over between the ideas - but hopefully that highlights that these are things we are doing already and it’s just perhaps a case of continuing to do these whilst trying to introduce some new practice too.
Click here to download (PDF Format)
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