Assessment for Learning in Day to Day Teaching and Learning

1. Assessment for Learning in Day to Day Teachingand Learning 19th September 2019 L.Sage

2. Welcome!AfL Day’s Plan Morning session: 9.30-12 (break 10.30) What is Afl? L.Os and S.Cs Talk Partners Afternoon session: 1.00-3.30 (break 2.15) Peer/Self assessment Feedback Effective Plenaries

3. Where are you now with AfL? Red= no understanding or very little Yellow= some understanding of AfL Green= I understand and can explain AfL strategies and importance to others

4. Learning Objectives: • To understand how to frame and share clear learning objectives • To know how / when to draw up success criteria to support learning • To develop understanding of a range of questions and questioning techniques • To explore strategies for developing dialogue as a key learning tool in your setting • To reflect on current self and peer assessment practice • To explore a variety of self and peer assessment strategies • To consider oral and written feedback strategies • To explore the key features of effective plenary sessions

5. The Curriculum • No Statutory way to assess except Sats (Yr 2/6) • Judging against Age expectations (Bands) • Schools use different systems such as Target Tracker (b, b+, w, w+, s, s+) • Progress within the year but also from end of EYFS, end of Year 2 to 6. • Introducing new Timestables assessment in Yr 4 • Higher expectations than previous curriculum ‘Teachers present subject matter clearly, promoting appropriate discussion about the subject matter they are teaching. They check learners’ understanding systematically, identify misconceptions accurately and provide clear, direct feedback. In doing so, they respond and adapt their teaching as necessary, without unnecessarily elaborate or differentiated approaches’, (Ofsted Inspection Framework, 2019)

6. What is Assessment for Learning? • How do we assess our children’s learning? (Assessment reform group 2002-10 principles of AfL)

7. http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/forteachers/curriculum_in_action/assessment_for_learning.shtmlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/forteachers/curriculum_in_action/assessment_for_learning.shtml Key points from the video • Share learning objectives with pupils. • Share and negotiate success criteria with pupils. • Creating opportunities for effective questioning. • Creating opportunities for feedback from pupils. • Creating opportunities for peer and self assessment. • AFL help children focus on their learning. • AFL helps the teacher to understand pupil's progress in learning. • AFL encourages those pupils who are less confident to contribute to the class.

8. Assessment that takes place after the learning process Formative vs Summative SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT measures what has been learnt Assessment that takes place during the learning process FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT finds out what needs to happen helps make it happen by - deepening & furthering the learning - active involvement of pupils

9. Formative Assessment • The active involvement of pupils in their own learning.

10. Key Features of AfL • Is the LO clear and shared with children? • Are children sure of success criteria? (what is expected of them) • Does the teacher use effective questioning? • Do the children know what ‘good’ learning looks like? • Does the feedback (written and verbal) focus on LO? • Is there evidence that children act upon feedback to improve learning? • Are pupils involved in self/peer assessment? • Does the teacher reflect on how well the LO has been met and adapt planning?

11. Assessment in School • TASK 1- • So, what assessment have you seen in practise? ‘Teachers and leaders use assessment well, for example to help learners embed and use knowledge fluently or to check understanding and inform teaching’, Ofsted Inspection Framework 2019.

12. Why Are Learning Objectives and Success Criteria Important? ‘If learners are to take more responsibility for their own learning, then they need to know what they are going to learn, how they will recognise when they have succeeded and why they should learn it in the first place.’ (An Intro to AfL, Learning Unlimited, 2004) Learning objectives ‘What’ and ‘Why’ Success Criteria ‘How to recognise success’

13. Learning Goal The learning goal is like the target. It defines, for students, what learning is intended. Success Criteria These are the arrows that help the learner achieve the target and demonstrate mastery.

14. What Is a Learning objective? ‘A learning objective describes what pupils should know, understand or be able to do by the end of the lesson or series of lessons.’ (Learning Unlimited, 2004) Sharing Learning objectives • Identify what pupils will be learning • (We are learning to…). • Explain the reason for the learning • (This is because…) • Share (and sometimes negotiate) the learning and the reason with pupils at the beginning of the lesson or activity. • Present these in language that pupils can understand. • Revisit the learning objective throughout the activity/lesson. • Learning objectives • Identify new learning • Focus on transferable skills

15. Lesson objectives should be shared with students in each lesson. Ideally they will be written on the board and explained orally. It is essential that lesson objectives are: • Made visual • In ‘pupil-friendly’ language • Explained fully to the pupils • Referred to regularly throughout the lesson • Reviewed in your plenary .

16. By the end of the lesson students will: • know that … (knowledge: factual information, e.g. names, places, symbols formulae, events) • develop / be able to … (skills: using knowledge, applying techniques, analysing information, etc.) • understand how / why … (understanding: concepts, reasons, effects, principles, processes, etc.) • develop / be aware of … (attitudes and values: empathy, caring, sensitivity towards social issues, feelings, moral issues, etc.)

17. Getting the Learning objectives Right!

18. TASK 2-Separate the learning objective from the context.

19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvzeou_u2hM Professor John Hattie is a researcher in education. His research interests include performance indicators, models of measurement and evaluation of teaching and learning. John Hattie became known to a wider public with his two books Visible Learning and Visible Learning for teachers.

20. ‘… success criteria summarise the key steps or ingredients the student needs in order to fulfil the learning objective – the main things to do, include or focus on.’ - Shirley Clarke Success Criteria • Learning objectives • ‘What’ and ‘Why’ • Success Criteria • ‘How to recognise success’ Why Are Success Criteria Important? • Improve understanding • Empower pupils • Encourage independent learning • Enable accurate feedback

21. Effective Success Criteria… • are linked to the learning objective; • are specific to an activity; • are discussed and agreed with pupils prior to undertaking the activity; • provide a scaffold and focus for pupils while engaged in the activity; and • are used as the basis for feedback and peer-/self-assessment.

22. Examples of Success Criteria

23. TASK 3-Success CriteriaHave a go at this calculation without SC then discuss what the SC could be. Have another go. Did the SC make it easier? • If 3 dogs had 12 bones each every week, how many bones do they have altogether after a month?

24. Benefits for Pupils(Findings from N.I. Teacher Researchers) ‘We have given children the vocabulary to discuss their own work.’ ‘Children are more focused and interested, creating a positive learning culture. Their self-esteem is improving also.’ ‘Pupils are beginning to talk more about how they are learning rather than what they are learning.’ ‘Success can now be achieved by all, even the weakest children!’

25. Benefits for Teachers(Findings from N.I. Teacher Researchers) ‘Sharing learning objectives and success criteria at the beginning of the lessons has resulted in teacher and pupils working more in partnership towards a common goal.’ ‘I’m more sensitive to individuals’ needs/achievements.’ ‘My planning is more effective/focused/ thoughtful.’ ‘Relationships between teacher and pupils are warmer and more positive.’

26. Quality talk and worthwhile questions “If you talk you have to think. I get to learn things from people I didn’t know.” 5 year old, East Lothian learning team _____________ “I think that answering questions is good, because it helps us to think more and we are able to argue against one another.”

27. random talk partners are best, changing • don’t summarise in a way that ends the discussion weekly or fortnightly, with flexible use What is important about Talk in the classroom? • thinking time is needed • avoid ‘hands up’ • avoid recall questions • resist the impulse to leap in • respond with sensitivity

28. Impact of talk partners Cognitive • all inclusive • thinking + talking = more writing • learning & teaching • extended vocabulary • teachers have more time to listen • more contributions from girls

29. leads to cognitive process • increased tolerance & respect • excited by new partners • improved behaviour • Autistism benefits • increased self-esteem • vital life skill Impact of talk partners Social

30. TASK 4-Talk Partner Rules • Draw up some rules on being effective TALK PARTNERS

32. Questioning Strategies for Framing Questions • A range of answers • A statement • Right or Wrong • Starting from the end • An opposing standpoint

33. Using a range of answers 1.What is 3764 – 1989? Discuss these answers using estimation to decide which is right and which are wrong: 5753, 1775, 1795, 2775 • The secret is to create a range of answers which create debate and discussion within the classroom. • Some answers are definite Yes’s, some definite No’s and some Maybe’s. • Discussions around why it can’t be a certain answer are extremely worthwhile.

34. STATEMENTS Henry VIII should not have divorced Catherine of Aragon. • Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons. Goldilocks was a burglar. • Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons.

35. RIGHT OR WRONG Why is this meal healthy and this one not? Why is 11 a prime number and 10 not?

36. STARTING FROM THE END Paper is a good material for tissues. Why? The wolf could not blow down the brick house. Why?

37. OPPOSING STANDPOINT What would a mother whose children were starving think of shoplifting? Should smoking be a matter of choice?

38. TASK 5-Questioning • Using these strategies, work with your talk partner to reframe these questions: • How do you do this calculation? • Can you give me a complex sentence? • Give me the names of 3 Aerobic activities.

39. Feedback ‘Feedback or knowledge of results is the lifeblood of learning.’ Derek Rowntree • Evidence from inspections shows that poor feedback is too little, too late, too vague and too impersonal. • Effective feedback should relate to the learning objective, pointing out the success and the improvement needed. • It should offer clear guidance on how work can be improved, the next steps in learning and how pupils can take them.

40. Marking • The King’s College research indicates a number of ways that teachers can make marking an integral part of formative assessment. • In work that has only one correct answer, for example, in number work and spelling, children can find their own mistakes and make their own corrections, providing that they are given appropriate guidance. • Marking Stations • Self-assessment can help pupils practise using learning objectives, success criteria and ground rules when marking their own work. • Providing individuals or groups with immediate verbal feedback or brief written comments as they are working, can help to promote more effective learning.

41. Teacher feedback can take different forms: Reminder: 'Say more about ….' Question: 'Can you describe how …?' Example: 'Can you think of an example to show what you are saying?'  Comments should be designed to put responsibility back to the pupil for taking their learning forward. 'Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment' (Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam, Kings College, London, 1998)

42. Peer and Self Assessment • Important aspects of AfL • The practice of assessing their own work or that of others can help pupils develop their understanding of learning objectives and success criteria. • Research has shown that pupils make more progress when they are actively involved in their own learning and assessment. • The development of effective self and peer assessment takes considerable time and effort. However, once fully embedded into teaching and learning, they can be particularly effective in motivating pupils to move forward in their learning, thereby facilitating teaching.

43. The starting point is to model the process (i.e. acting as a role model, and explaining and demonstrating how it should be done). For example, showing how to give constructive feedback (detailed comments, objective focus, etc.) both verbally and through marking. A good way of doing this is to: use examples of work from anonymous pupils (e.g. from a previous year or another school), modelling the type of constructive feedback that might be given providing a list of questions that pupils might ask. This allows pupils to become accustomed to the process before they are asked to evaluate and comment on the work of their classmates. Pupils need to be supported in giving effective feedback, helping them to understand the different types of feedback that can be given and how each type can help others to improve their work. Whole-class marking can also be useful as it allows for discussion and sharing of ideas in a secure environment.

44. Example of Sentence starters

45. Peer assessment rules • Make the rules for giving feedback explicit and ensure that pupils understand and follow these rules when working in groups or with response partners. • • Respect the work of others. • • Identify successful features. • • Think about the learning objective and the success criteria when suggesting improvements. • • Word suggestions positively.

46. The language of peer assessment • It’s not just what you say but the way that you say it… • Give the children - through posters on the wall, if necessary - the correct language to use when peer assessing. Some examples of this include: • • ‘I like this part, but have you thought of…’• ‘What made you use this word/phrase/ connective/simile/metaphor and not another one?’• ‘The best part is when you…’• ‘I think that next time you ought to think about…’• ‘I think you’ve achieved these two success criteria, but I’m not sure about the third. What do you think?’ • And so on. Obviously, the kind of language used will be dependent on the age of the children

47. Moving from peer assessment to self assessment • Having assessed the work of others, pupils will find it easier to identify weaknesses in their own work and to see how they can make improvements. • They should be encouraged to reflect on their own development and progress, comparing their current work with that produced previously and with their own personal targets. • Showing examples of work that do and do not meet the success criteria can help pupils to understand more fully what is required and to reflect on the things they need to do in order to improve. • Looking at the work of others can also help pupils to understand the different approaches they could have taken and to appreciate that there are different ways of achieving success. (The National Foundation for Educational Research)

48. Strategies(David Dunn -TeachPrimary.com) • Three stars and a wish • Asking children to make judgements on others’ work can be a little daunting for all involved. By using this technique you focus more on the positive. • In a nutshell, the children give three things they think their partner has done well with (the stars), and one suggestion for improvement (the wish). Remember to keep those focuses specific!

49. The feedback sandwich • Here is one way to provide a feedback ‘sandwich’: • And here’s a similar, but slightly different, way: contextual statement: ‘I liked . . . because . . .’ • • ‘Now/next time . . .’• interactive statement (question):• ‘Why did you use . . .’ • The first way is suitable for both KS1 and KS2, the second more for KS2.

50. Some children need scaffolding