Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning
5.1 Assess student learning
Proficient - Develop, select and use informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative assessment strategies to assess student learning.
Highly Accomplished - Develop and apply a comprehensive range of assessment strategies to diagnose learning needs, comply with curriculum requirements and support colleagues to evaluate the effectiveness of their approaches to assessment.
I use informal assessment and record anecdotal notes by marking students' work over their shoulder during lessons, and at the end of the lesson if I do not get round to everyone in the lesson. My anecdotal notes are recorded in Word. See first 2 photos below of these anecdotal notes.
Diagnostic testing or assessment is done at the start of a unit of work to help plan the learning sequence, targeting areas of need. An example is in Year 5 Maths, each of the essential understandings in a unit of work is pre-tested to determine which students need to be extended in that topic, and who will require extra support. See third photo below showing evidence of this process.
Formal summative assessment is done at the end of a unit against pre-determined criteria. To do this, I use rubrics (like the one attached below) to show how well students have understood and concept or have demonstrated skills. These are provided to students before they complete the task so they know what they are aiming for.
5.2 Provide feedback to students on their learning
Proficient - Provide timely, effective and appropriate feedback to students about their achievement relative to their learning goals.
Highly Accomplished - Select from an effective range of strategies to provide targeted feedback based on informed and timely judgements of each student’s current needs in order to progress learning.
Summative assessments contain feedback through the use of rubrics and comments. Comments target 'what worked well' and 'even better if' so they can learn from their work and apply it in the future. A sample is below.
I have also have 1-1 writing conferences at points throughout the unit to provide targeted feedback and set goals with students. This is usually conducted during project time. See goal setting note below.
5.3 Make consistent and comparable judgements
Proficient - Understand and participate in assessment and moderation activities to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
Highly Accomplished - Organise assessment moderation activities that support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
Moderation across classes, year groups and schools is important to ensure students are being assessed fairly. Although the School Curriculum and Standards Authority produces guides to what constitutes certain grades, it can be hard to mark consistent and comparable judgements without talking to other teachers and viewing samples of their work. This should be done systematically on a regular basis.
Across the year 7 classes, we set common assessment tasks upon which students are graded. We create an answer key together, or use the same rubric to assess the work. Cut off scores for certain grades are also decided on together. Students we have graded as a B, C, D etc are then compared to ensure we are making consistent and comparable judgements. See evidence of this process in the photo below.
5.4 Interpret student data
Proficient - Use student assessment data to analyse and evaluate student understanding of subject/content, identifying interventions and modifying teaching practice.
Highly Accomplished - Work with colleagues to use data from internal and external student assessments for evaluating learning and teaching, identifying interventions and modifying teaching practice.
In Learning Support, I evaluate student understanding of content each lesson and at the end of each lesson Based on this, I follow up with students who have not understood the concept immediately. This is also used to determine whether, as a class, more time needs to be spent on this unit of work, or whether I should present the content in a different way.
As a Learning support teacher within the school I analyse data from diagnostic tests to determine areas of weakness or areas when some key concepts have been missed and as such require reteaching. Data from the tests are fed back to teachers and administrative staff so that effective planning can occur by teachers when writing programs or IEP's.
Below is a copy of the South Australian Spelling Test v the Australian Spelling Test to diagnose students with spelling difficulties. This information was analysed and fed to administrators. I used the information to determine which students I would test with the York Reading Scale, and this then determined which students I would place in a remedial literacy group.
5.5 Report on student achievement
Proficient - Report clearly, accurately and respectfully to students and parents/carers about student achievement, making use of accurate and reliable records.
Highly Accomplished - Work with colleagues to construct accurate, informative and timely reports to students and parents/carers about student learning and achievement.
I keep accurate and reliable records using an Google sheets (see photo below). In addition to this, assessment tasks are filed in a student portfolio book with the original assessment work, rubrics and associated checklists. Both the spreadsheet and the original assessment items are used when writing reports and conducting parent-teacher meetings.
I report to parents and students through the use of written semester reports (see example below), telephone conversations and scheduled meetings. Portfolios are displayed on Learning Journey open nights that are organised.
Proficient - Develop, select and use informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative assessment strategies to assess student learning.
Highly Accomplished - Develop and apply a comprehensive range of assessment strategies to diagnose learning needs, comply with curriculum requirements and support colleagues to evaluate the effectiveness of their approaches to assessment.
I use informal assessment and record anecdotal notes by marking students' work over their shoulder during lessons, and at the end of the lesson if I do not get round to everyone in the lesson. My anecdotal notes are recorded in Word. See first 2 photos below of these anecdotal notes.
Diagnostic testing or assessment is done at the start of a unit of work to help plan the learning sequence, targeting areas of need. An example is in Year 5 Maths, each of the essential understandings in a unit of work is pre-tested to determine which students need to be extended in that topic, and who will require extra support. See third photo below showing evidence of this process.
Formal summative assessment is done at the end of a unit against pre-determined criteria. To do this, I use rubrics (like the one attached below) to show how well students have understood and concept or have demonstrated skills. These are provided to students before they complete the task so they know what they are aiming for.
5.2 Provide feedback to students on their learning
Proficient - Provide timely, effective and appropriate feedback to students about their achievement relative to their learning goals.
Highly Accomplished - Select from an effective range of strategies to provide targeted feedback based on informed and timely judgements of each student’s current needs in order to progress learning.
Summative assessments contain feedback through the use of rubrics and comments. Comments target 'what worked well' and 'even better if' so they can learn from their work and apply it in the future. A sample is below.
I have also have 1-1 writing conferences at points throughout the unit to provide targeted feedback and set goals with students. This is usually conducted during project time. See goal setting note below.
5.3 Make consistent and comparable judgements
Proficient - Understand and participate in assessment and moderation activities to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
Highly Accomplished - Organise assessment moderation activities that support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
Moderation across classes, year groups and schools is important to ensure students are being assessed fairly. Although the School Curriculum and Standards Authority produces guides to what constitutes certain grades, it can be hard to mark consistent and comparable judgements without talking to other teachers and viewing samples of their work. This should be done systematically on a regular basis.
Across the year 7 classes, we set common assessment tasks upon which students are graded. We create an answer key together, or use the same rubric to assess the work. Cut off scores for certain grades are also decided on together. Students we have graded as a B, C, D etc are then compared to ensure we are making consistent and comparable judgements. See evidence of this process in the photo below.
5.4 Interpret student data
Proficient - Use student assessment data to analyse and evaluate student understanding of subject/content, identifying interventions and modifying teaching practice.
Highly Accomplished - Work with colleagues to use data from internal and external student assessments for evaluating learning and teaching, identifying interventions and modifying teaching practice.
In Learning Support, I evaluate student understanding of content each lesson and at the end of each lesson Based on this, I follow up with students who have not understood the concept immediately. This is also used to determine whether, as a class, more time needs to be spent on this unit of work, or whether I should present the content in a different way.
As a Learning support teacher within the school I analyse data from diagnostic tests to determine areas of weakness or areas when some key concepts have been missed and as such require reteaching. Data from the tests are fed back to teachers and administrative staff so that effective planning can occur by teachers when writing programs or IEP's.
Below is a copy of the South Australian Spelling Test v the Australian Spelling Test to diagnose students with spelling difficulties. This information was analysed and fed to administrators. I used the information to determine which students I would test with the York Reading Scale, and this then determined which students I would place in a remedial literacy group.
5.5 Report on student achievement
Proficient - Report clearly, accurately and respectfully to students and parents/carers about student achievement, making use of accurate and reliable records.
Highly Accomplished - Work with colleagues to construct accurate, informative and timely reports to students and parents/carers about student learning and achievement.
I keep accurate and reliable records using an Google sheets (see photo below). In addition to this, assessment tasks are filed in a student portfolio book with the original assessment work, rubrics and associated checklists. Both the spreadsheet and the original assessment items are used when writing reports and conducting parent-teacher meetings.
I report to parents and students through the use of written semester reports (see example below), telephone conversations and scheduled meetings. Portfolios are displayed on Learning Journey open nights that are organised.