Unit 5 Assessment of Essential Skills (Literacy)

Objectives of the session Explain the purpose of initial, diagnostic, formative assessment ( assessment for learning ) and summative assessment Describe different assessment tools and their application Explain the reasons why diagnostic assessment should be on-going during the development of literacy learners

What is assessment? Inside the black box “The term ‘assessment’ refers to all those activities undertaken by teachers and by their learners in assessing themselves, which provide information to be used as feedback to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged.” Black and William (1998)

When do you assess? Assessment happens both formally and informally It is something that happens with learners (not to or for them) It is a continuous activity which starts at first contact with the learner and continues to when they transfer from the programme

PLRPA: The learning journey Where am I now? Where am I starting from? Where do I want to get to? By when? How am I going to get there? Formative assessment How am I getting on? How will I know when I have arrived? Summative assessment Where next?

Assessment process Who does this in your organisation? How is assessment carried out? What materials might be used? When does it happen? What does it tell you? What happens to the information? Where does it go to? How is it used? Does the learner own the results? Does he/she get a copy? How involved is the learner in self-assessment of progress? 6

The assessment cycle Screening/skills check Initial assessment Summative assessment Feedback from initial assessment Diagnostic assessment Informs Individual Learning Plan Formative assessment (Review of progress) On-going formative assessment Adapted from BSA Diagnostic Assessment Training

Formative assessment Formative assessment = assessment for learning “The process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there.” Assessment Reform Group 2002

Formative and summative assessment Formative assessment – Assessment for learning The process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by leaners and their teachers to decide where they are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there. Summative assessment - assessment of learning Summarises where learners are at a given point in time. Demonstrates what has been learnt

Assessment for Learning Learners are: actively involved in their own learning able to judge the success of their work and set and understand targets for improvement able to take responsibility for their own progress The AfL poster summarises the essential features of assessment for learning; it can be downloaded from:

Objectives of the session Explain the purpose of initial, diagnostic, formative assessment ( assessment for learning ) and summative assessment Describe different assessment tools and their application Explain the reasons why diagnostic assessment should be on-going during the development of literacy learners