Assessment for Learning

The central, governing principle of assessment for learning is that every pupil can improve. In order to make this happen, teachers need to have as much evidence as possible about their pupils’ current learning and to use that evidence to support pupils in taking the next steps forward. It is essential that pupils are involved in this process of gathering and interpreting evidence and understand what they need to do to go forward.

What are the key characteristics of assessment for learning?

Assessment for Learning is a collaborative process between teacher and pupil, and with pupils engaging with each other in structuring their own learning. It is built on a foundation of shared learning objectives and shared criteria for success. Pupils are given the criteria for success and the support they need to achieve that success. Feedback, either during or on completion of the task, is essential if pupils are to know what else is must be done to ensure further learning. Pupils are provided with opportunities to participate in self or peer assessment as this develops an understanding of personal responsibility in learning.

Finally, review and reflection on the process of assessment must take place in order to embed the teaching and learning. Pupils need to be clear on what it is they have learnt, what they need to do to improve and teachers need to be clear about how they need to adjust their teaching to take into account the results of assessment.

How will this benefit teachers and pupils?

There should be significant gains in learning and the climate for learning should improve. If teachers and pupils believe that success is possible and that learning is a process, motivation must improve. The emphasis on short-term performance is replaced by an understanding that success may take time and need further support. This, in turn, will raise expectations of what constitutes success and develop personal responsibility for the learning process. When pupils learn to think critically and analytically about what it is that they are doing and learning, they can extend that learning beyond the immediate task and classroom.

How does Literacy Objectives support Assessment for Learning?

Shared criteria

The features of each genre are briefly described in the introduction to each unit in the Pupils’ Books. The learning objectives are identified in the Teacher’s Files and advice is given on how to teach to these objectives. Each unit then encourages further exploration of the genre through examples drawn from a variety of sources. Carefully structured questions draw attention to specific features and finally links are made between the pupils’ reading and their writing through the written task. At the end of Literacy Objectives 3, pupils are provided with the assessment focuses for reading and writing used in the final Key Stage 3 examination. Pupil assessment checklists are also available in the Teachers’ files for Literacy Objectives 1, 2 and 3.

Support to structure the learning

Support material for demonstration and modelling can be found in the Teacher’s files. Worksheets are available for teachers to use for shared work, scaffolding, planning frames or learning grids. On the CD-Roms teachers are given lesson plans to support guided reading and writing sessions.

Developing a climate of collaborative learning

Pupils are given opportunities to work together through the structured speaking and listening activities that accompany each unit. These activities encourage thinking and verbalising understanding. In this way valuable preparation and the gathering of thoughts, ideas and opinions is done before pupils encounter the written task. A bridge is built between reading and writing through speaking and listening and the teacher can use this as an informal assessment of the learning. The writing frames at the end of each unit can support discussion during the planning and drafting process, again another informal opportunity for teachers to assess the learning.

Providing a structure for assessment

A number of teacher and pupil assessment checklists are provided in the Teachers’ files. Diagnostic marking frames and pupil checklists are available on this website. These apply to each genre of writing. Teachers may wish to concentrate on certain text, sentence or word level features and can adapt the marking frames according to a specific need, focus or context.

The diagnostic marking frames are designed for use at the end of a unit, although it would support the principles of assessment for learning if pupils were familiar with the expectations of the written task. The frames can also be used for self and peer assessment, for class or individual purposes and effectively track pupil progress. Both teacher and pupil checklists have been provided. Teachers can use these to summarise findings in order to set curricular targets and to inform future planning.

In addition to this, sample pupil responses to writing tasks from the Pupils’ Books have been provided and these again can be used with pupils in order to focus on strengths and weaknesses of their own writing. Pupils could be supplied with the blank versions of the sample pupil responses and asked to rank order these. This can then be the starting point for a discussion as to why one piece of writing is seen as better than another. This discussion can then be managed to focus on particular features of the sample pieces before sharing the level awarded to the writing with pupils and discussing ways in which this could be improved. Pupils enjoy discussing other pupils’ work in this way and this can often lead to a greater understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their own writing and the targets they need to meet.

Target setting to ensure that pupils know what to do to improve

Pupils need SMART targets – ones that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-related. These targets need to be linked to the criteria for success and to the teaching and learning objectives. Diagnostic marking frames support clear identification of what has been achieved or what still needs attention and teachers can use the findings to set individual, class or group targets.

Impact on teaching and learning through review and reflection

Use the information gained from assessment to alter the challenge and pitch of the lessons as appropriate, to make maximum use of the four part lesson structure and to use effectively material in the Teacher’s Files and Pupils’ Books. Use the starter sessions to address specific weaknesses and, if appropriate, adapt the word and sentence level work in the Pupil Books as starter activities. The guided sessions available on the CD-Roms could be used to meet the needs of groups of pupils with similar issues. The plenary sessions are an excellent opportunity to ensure review and reflection and for informal assessment of learning. Teachers need to plan for these so that sufficient time is given at the end of the lesson or unit of work. Extension tasks are suggested in the Teachers’ Files and these could be taken into account for future planning. The planning frames in the Pupil books can be adapted to meet the needs of different ability groups.

At the end of each of the writing triplet sections in the Pupils’ Books, there are Review units. Their purpose is to secure the learning and to develop independent learning through raising pupil awareness of the learning process.

What next?

The process of assessment for learning continues. Information has been gathered that has enabled a process of feedback and feed forward for both pupils and teachers and in a climate conducive to learning and sharing the learning.