Assessing reading and the role of APP

1. Assessing reading and the role of APP PGCE (FT) - Week 4

2. Objectives • Understand the place of APP in the teaching and learning of English • Be able to assess children’s reading alongside specific assessment focus

3. Assessment for Learning • “assessment refers to all those activities undertaken by teachers, and by their students in assessing themselves, which provide information to be used as feedback to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged.” Inside the Black Box (Black and William, 1998) • Ofsted’s commonest finding: • Assessment does not sufficiently inform teaching and learning.

4. Assessing pupil progress • Teachers assess against agreed Assessment Focuses. • They correspond to the Primary National Framework but do not fit exactly. For example, • There are 7 AFs for reading and 8 for writing. • Teachers keep a portfolio of evidence about a child’s progress. These include running records, miscue analysis, reading conferences, informal/formal observations.

5. Evidence from teaching • Assessment evidence could include: • Formal reading conferences with 1:1 time with a child • Miscue analysis or running records • Observations during library time or independent reading time • Guided reading time • TA observed shared reading time • 1:1 reading with teacher or TA • Favourite book time – children bringing in books from home to share • Learners’ self-assessment • Reading on screen • Retellings and reading discussions

6. Listening to Annie Focus on AF2: • Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to the text. LEVEL 3 • Simple, most obvious points identified though there may also be some misunderstanding e.g. about information from different places in the text. • Some comments include quotations from or references to text, but not always relevant e.g. often retelling or paraphrasing sections of the text rather than using it to support comment. LEVEL 2 • Some specific straightforward information recalled, e.g. names of characters, main ingredients • Generally clear idea of where to look for information e.g. about characters, topics

7. Reading conferences Overall impression of the child’s reading • the child’s degree of confidence and independence • ways in which the child reads the text aloud (eg fluency, expression) Strategies used when reading the text aloud: • drawing on previous experience • using book language • reading the pictures • using tunes and patterns of text • focusing on print: (directionality, 1:1 correspondence, recognition of certain words) • using semantic/ syntactic/ grapho-phonic cues • using analogy • predicting • self-correcting • using several strategies or over-dependent on one • using strategies appropriate to this particular text (eg information text) Response, understanding and analysis • How far the child is able to: • make links with personal experience and other texts, indicating preferences • explore literary meanings eg. retell, predict, read pictures/diagrams • understand beyond the literal, reflect on wider meanings • discuss patterns and features of text Adapted from CLPE (1990) The Primary Language Record Handbook, London: CLPE

8. Reading conferences • Formal or informal? • Set the parameters: do not disturb, length of time, what about the other children, where do you sit, purpose? • What do children read outside of school? • What choices do children make – are they reading a range of genres? • Ask supportive questions, clarifying or extending questions

9. Reading Conference(adapted from Merchant, G and Marsh J (1998) Co-ordinating Primary Language and Literacy, London: Paul Chapman Publishing) Attitude to reading • What do you like or not like about reading? • What is your favourite book? • Do you have a favourite author? • How good at reading do you think you are? • Where and when do you like to read? • Do you like being read to? • Do you like reading aloud? Range of reading • What sort of books do you read? • How do you choose a book? • Do you read comics, magazines, newspapers, blogs….? • Do you like information books, poetry, horror…? • What do you read that is not a book? • Do you read different things at home from in school?

10. Retellings • Helps to assess comprehension • Helps you direct children to books that will engage and interest them • Helps to guide your teaching • Ask the child to retell what they’ve read • Don’t ask them to read the whole thing, just the main ideas (this is the key focus) • Not ‘seeing the wood for the trees’ – recounting page by page, as they can’t see the ‘whole’ in their minds

11. Difficulty in retelling? • The book may be too hard • It was read over too long a period • Need to access comprehension strategies • Need clearer instructions from you Can provide: • Understanding of story elements • Specific details • References to the text • Connections to the text

12. Other assessment tools • Primary Language Record (CLPE) • First Steps (Reading) • National Curriculum level descriptors • Assessing Pupil Progress (APP) • http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/151674?uc=force_uj • http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/20683

13. Expected levels of progress

14. Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) • At Key Stage 1 the level will be based on the teacher's assessment, taking into account a child’s performance in several tasks and tests. • Children working towards level 1 should be assessed on their work completed in class throughout the year. The use of the tasks with these children is optional. Schools do not have to notify anyone if these children do not take the tasks. • At Key Stage 2 the level reflects the teacher’s assessment and a child’s national test results.

15. Assessing Pupils’ Progress (APP) • Different schools are at different points in the process • Building on what we know about assessment for learning • APP is designed to: • Give insights which directly inform future planning, teaching & learning • Move a child’s learning on • All materials are available on the Primary Framework: http://nsonline.org.uk/app

16. Useful resources • Teachers TV using data in the primary school - http://teachfind.com/teachers-tv/using-pupil-data-primary-school?current_search=using%20pupil%20data