Assessment for Literacy

Assessment for Literacy unit standards 26622 Write to communicate ideas for a purpose and audience 26624 Read texts with understanding 26625 Actively participate in spoken interactions

Literacy - definition The written and spoken/signed language people use in their everyday life, learning and work. It includes reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Skills in this area are essential for good communication, active participation, critical thinking and problem solving. Literacy is different from English, communication, New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL).

These unit standards focus explicitly on literacy in our everyday lives. “ongoing transferable competence”

Therefore assessment evidence must be: naturally occurring over a range of contexts and over time.

Naturally Occurring Evidence (NOE) NOE occurs when it is produced in the natural course of a person’s life – in work, at school, anywhere else. NOE excludes evidence from assessments specifically designed for generating evidence of literacy competence – this is not naturally occurring.

Evidence must be collected over at least one month to ensure the literacy competence is ‘ongoing’ and not just a one-off.

Evidence must be collected from different contexts to demonstrate transferability.

The Learning Progressions The unit standards are based on the Learning Progressions http://nclana-archive.ako.ac.nz/resources/354426.html. These help set the criteria for assessment evidence at koru/step 4 of the relevant literacy strand.

Web address: http://nclana-archive.ako.ac.nz/resources/354426.html

Visit http://nclana-archive. ako. ac. nz/resources/354426 Visit http://nclana-archive.ako.ac.nz/resources/354426.html for the six Learning Progressions, to access further detail and examples.

Each Learning Progression has its own set of webpages with helpful examples and guidance. Drill into them by clicking on the ‘explore’ icon next to each progression.

A note about “adult”  Despite the frequent use of this label the Learning Progressions are also entirely relevant to young people.

26622 Write to communicate ideas for a purpose and audience All evidence requirements of the standard must be met in each of at least three separate written texts (EN3).  The texts must be of sufficient length and complexity to provide adequate evidence of competence … (EN5).  “technical accuracy” (ER 1.4) is explained: in the electronic version of the Learning Progressions and/or in the support material on the NZQA website.

26624 Read texts with understanding All performance criteria of the standard must be met for each of at least three separate reading texts, except that only one needs to contain implicit ideas (PC 1.2). The reading texts must be of sufficient length and complexity to provide adequate evidence of competence … (EN5). At least three texts of at least two different types.

26625 Actively participate in spoken interactions All performance criteria must be met in each of at least three interactions over a period of at least one month (EN3). The interactions must: (GI 4) be face-to-face (2 of 3 can be by electronic means) include a one-to-one and a small group situation be of sufficient length and complexity to provide adequate evidence of competence … (EN5). Evidence is required for both: individual actions, “behaviours” (PC 1.1), and how one acts overall, “behaviour” (PC 1.2). NZ Sign Language (NZSL) is an option for a person who regularly communicates that way in their everyday life.

Remember always that assessment evidence must be: naturally occurring over a range of contexts and over time.

Other PowerPoint presentations in this series: The unit standards (a general introduction) Assessment for Numeracy Moderation

Discussion/questions For further information about: the unit standards themselves or to comment on this presentation, contact nqs@nzqa.govt.nz assessment or moderation, contact ams@nzqa.govt.nz