Page 13: Making a productive use of assessment

 Page 13: Making a productive use of assessment....

In order for pupils to make continual and substantial progress, effective use of assessment is pivotal. Before even starting placement, I first explored assessment through a university unit regarding understanding teaching and learning. Through this, I concluded how in education assessment is a continuum; a cycle which is a critical component of children's development. It allows teachers to shape their lessons to individual pupil needs. I was able to further develop and put into practice what I had learnt academically when I was on placement. Being in year 6, there was large emphasis of assessment which partially stems from the pressure of the SAT examinations at the end of the year. My first week on placement was part of 'assessment week' where the SATs preparation began. This being in my observation week allowed me to observe and reflect on a range of assessment methods, how these got used, analysed, and put to practice. I was then able to further work on my capabilities in assessment when I began teaching my own lessons. 

There are two types of assessment that is used in today's education system.  

Assessment for learning:

Assessment for learning (also known as formative assessment) is when the assessment happens when the children are learning by incorporating this into your lessons. It is great to build these opportunities into your planning and structure when you can target specific assessment use. The emphasis on this type of classroom assessment is growing rapidly as it is evidently clear the range of benefits when this is supplementing children's learning. 

Top tips of how to use formative assessment: 

- Pupil questioning through whole class teaching as well as on individual work

- Simply through observation and then act upon this

- Peer and self assessments (I ensure to always incorporate one of these at the end of a lesson, a simple quick thumbs up, middle, down is perfect to get a whole class representation of the general thoughts without taking away valuable teaching time!)

Assessment of learning:

Assessment of learning is (also known as summative assessment) is the more 'formal' assessment that happens at the end of a unit of work or period of time, i.e. SATs. Traditionally this was the most common type of assessment seen in schools following the pattern of unit taught and then tested. This type is great for results analysing by the class teacher when for example identifying groups of pupils that could be of use for extra support in the next unit. However, it must be noted that this is also the type used on school league tables so there is much controversy can be caused. For example many articles and journals share how teachers in SAT year groups often spend more time focussing upon these subjects due to pressure driven results and may potentially neglect (accidentally) the still vital foundation subjects. 

Top tips of how to use summative assessment:

- Pre and post teach tests (I witnessed and used these on placement. Providing pupils with the same set of questions blind at the start of the topics, then tailoring your lesson plans to cover needed areas, then testing the same questions are the end allows you to clearly track progress and draw relations). 

- End of year assessments (Both SAT and non SAT year groups, providing these and the information from them is crucial for the teacher for the next year when setting targets and goals)

There are many great academic books that I have read that as helped shaped my understanding of assessment and incorporating this into classroom practice. My top three recommended books would be:

1. Assessment to learning and teaching in primary schools - M, Briggs (2008)

2. Inside the blackbox: Raising standards through classroom assessment - P, Black and D, Williams (1998)

3. Assessment in action in the primary school - C, Connor (1999)

You can never underpin how crucial assessment is in teaching. It is a key area that always should be in the forefront of planning and preparation. Using assessment to drive the next lesson/unit in work is vital and allows the pupils to progress to their next steps. Assessment is also for the wider purpose. Pupils having these opportunities supplements and challenges their understanding developing the learning further. This is summed up to a great extent by: 

"Assessment is the engine that drives student learning" - John Cowan

- Miss Yeoman