Assessing Writing

Assessing Writing

Questions to Consider A - Why do we carry out assessments? B – Who are the results of our assessments for? C – How does assessment benefit our children? D – What tools do we need to ensure assessment supports children’s learning?

Formative/Summative Assessment Formative: Sets targets for improvement Informs next steps for learning Enables all concerned to know where support is needed Enables all concerned to see the learner’s progress Is more suitable for teachers, pupils, carers, LSA’s The draft Ealing Assessment Grid is designed to allow for formative assessment. Summative: Provides a record of attainment Is more suitable for measuring success of an organisation or policy Is more suitable for SMT, OFSTED LEAs QCA mark schemes and grids based on them, (e.g. Suffolk and Croydon) are more helpful with summative assessment.

AIMS • To provide a model for identifying children’s needs in writing through assessment. • To look at grouping and target setting efficiently to meet those needs • To consider methods of planning and classroom management which will enable teaching to match learning needs.

Assessment into Learning Cycle Set Targets Assess Group children by target Deliver teaching sequence with appropriate, regular review. Decide on success criteria Share targets with pupils, parents, LSA’s and other appropriate audiences Select appropriate NLS objectives. Plan guided teaching sequence.

Key Principles of Draft Assessment Grid • For formative, not summative, assessment. • Tied to NLS illustrative writing targets rather than mark schemes. • There is no pre level 1.

Pre Level 1 Why is this child working below level 1?

Reason 1 The child is in the foundation stage. Assess using Foundation Stage Early Learning Goals.

Reason 2 The child is in the early stages of learning English. Assess using Language in Common Stages

Reason 3 The child is in Year 1 or above and still not attaining level 1. Assess using Special Needs P-scales

Key Principles • For formative, not summative, assessment. • Tied to NLS illustrative writing targets rather than mark schemes. • There is no pre level 1. • It assumes that children working below level 1 at the beginning of Year 1 need some form of intervention.

A Suggestion for using the Grid • Looking for habitual use of skills • Each term or half term select three pieces of writing (fiction and non-fiction) • Highlight on the grid those aspects where there is clear evidence of attainment • Award a level only when every aspect has been highlighted • If a level is awarded it is assumed that the child is working securely within it

Expectations

Set Targets Assess Group children by target Deliver teaching sequence with appropriate, regular review. Decide on success criteria Share targets with pupils, parents, LSA’s and other appropriate audiences Select appropriate NLS objectives. Plan guided teaching sequence.

Setting Targets • Select an aspect which is not highlighted. • Make sure it is within the level they are working within.

Grouping Children by Target • You should have a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 groups. • If over 75% of your class show a similar target, look at the NLS objectives and plan appropriate whole class teaching into the next unit of work. • Group by target not ability.

Targets and Success Criteria • You will share this and the child’s target with the children, their parents or carers, LSA’s who work with that group etc. • The success criteria should show every-one what the target will look like when it is achieved.

Success Criteria Target: To invest simple words and phrases with meaning Success Criteria Must - Read back what they have written, pointing to the text. Should – Read the same text each time they are asked. Could – Relate some parts of the text (initial letters, name, familiar words) to the reading.

Success Criteria Target To vary sentences showing characteristics of chosen form. Success criteria Must – Expand noun phrases and add detail with adverbial phrases. (The big ugly dog barked all afternoon.) Should – Add subordinate clauses to extend or clarify meaning. (The dog who was called Fred barked all afternoon because he was angry.) Could – Use commas accurately to demarcate the grammatical boundaries. (The dog, who was called Fred, barked all afternoon because he was angry.)

Teaching the NLS Year 2 Guided Group A Guided Group B Guided Group C Guided Group D NLS objectives Time table (Year 2 line) Term 1 – stories and poems, instructions, PiPs step 7, re-reading own writing for sense and punctuation, uses story structure to write about own experience Term 2 – traditional stories and poems, alphabetical texts, explanations, compound words, secure use of simple sentences, write character profiles Term 3 – Extended stories and information books, spell words with common suffixes, accurate sentence punctuations, write non-chronological reports Carriage buffet menus GGD Hearing the beginning and ending of sentences GGC Showing the boundary of a sentence with a full stop GGB Differentiating between lower case and capital letters when punctuating sentences GGA Extending simple sentences by adding more detail (e.g. the red hat)

Teaching to targets • Demonstration • Modelling • Questioning • Guided work • Independent work

How can we make this process child friendly? How are levels communicated to children? Which is more valuable to the child, levels or targets? Are levels communicated to children in a way that empowers them, so they understand how to move forward? How do we maintain the self-esteem of pupils working below age related expectations? How to we prevent children working on a higher level from ‘cruising’? How do we explain levels to children? How do we explain levels to parents and children? Do parents, carers, children and LSA’s understand what a level means? Are they able to look at levels as a measure of progress rather than a summative label? How do targets help children? How are targets explained to children? Are children given strategies that will help them achieve their targets? How do children know when they have achieved their targets? Are the children empowered or demotivated by their targets? How can we ensure they are empowered? How do targets help teachers? How do targets feed into planning? How do we maintain the pace and whole class age related expectations while addressing the needs of targeted groups of children?

Assessing Writing