1. Assessment for Learning (AfL) Unit 2: Sharing Learning Intentions & Success Criteria
In the previous workshop, we learned about the rationale for Assessment for Learning and received a brief overview of its key components.
In this unit, we are going to discuss the first two steps to implementing Assessment for Learning: Learning Intentions & Success Criteria.

2. In this Unit We Are Learning to…
understand what learning intentions and success criteria are;
be able to identify and frame learning intentions and success criteria; and
identify opportunities for using learning intentions and success criteria in our own classroom.
By the end of this unit, you will:
understand what learning intentions and success criteria are;
be able to define and communicate learning intentions and success criteria; and
know how to successfully use these two elements of AfL in your classroom.

3. Why Are Learning Intentions and Success Criteria Important?
‘If learners are to take more responsibility for their own learning, then they need to know what they are going to learn, how they will recognise when they have succeeded and why they should learn it in the first place.’
- (An Intro to AfL, Learning Unlimited, 2004)
Despite building learning intentions into our planners, we are not good at sharing learning intentions and success criteria with our pupils.
But at the same time, we want our pupils to be self-motivated, have a sense of purpose, etc.
To give our pupils the tools they need to take more responsibility for their own learning and achieve greater learning independence, we need to communicate to them:
what they are going to learn;
why they should learn it in the first place; and
how they will recognise when they have succeeded.
Research shows that pupils who regularly receive this information in the classroom are:
more focused for longer periods of time;
more motivated; and
better able to take responsibility for their own learning.
Assessment for Learning, and particularly these first two steps in the process, immediately involves pupils with their own learning and offers opportunities for key interactions between pupils and teachers.
These two elements of AfL are also important because if learners do not know what they are expected to learn and how to recognise their own success, then we cannot promote peer-/self-assessment, which are two other elements of AfL (to be covered in a later unit) as well as being important life skills.
Learning Intentions
‘What’ and ‘Why’
Success Criteria
‘How to recognise success’

4. What Is a Learning Intention?
‘A learning intention describes what pupils should know, understand or be able to do by the end of the lesson or series of lessons.’ (Learning Unlimited, 2004)
Learning Intentions
Identify new learning
Focus on transferable skills
To begin with, what is a learning intention?
We are all familiar with using learning intentions. However some of us use different terms for them, including: learning objectives, learning goals, or learning aims.
In AfL, the word intention is used purposely because it puts greater emphasis on the process of learning rather than the end product.
A learning intention is simply a description of what you want the pupils to know, understand or be able to do by the end of a lesson. What is the focus?
It identifies new learning for the pupils and it focuses on transferable skills, so pupils can make connections between their learning and other areas of school and life, take the learning away and apply it in other contexts.

5. Sharing Learning Intentions
Identify what pupils will be learning (We are learning to…).
Explain the reason for the learning (This is because…).
Share (and sometimes negotiate) the learning and the reason with pupils at the beginning of the lesson or activity.
Present these in language that pupils can understand.
Revisit the learning intention throughout the activity/lesson.
Here are five steps to framing and delivering learning intentions.
It is important that we:
are clear and specific about learning intentions and the reasons why these are important things to learn;
break down learning intentions and translate them into meaningful and manageable language;
introduce and share learning intentions appropriately at beginning of the lesson; and
structure lessons so the pupils can focus on and revisit the learning intention through approaches such as questioning, peer- and self-assessment, written and oral feedback and plenary sessions.
But, we need to think about:
How systematic have we been in doing this – particularly at the beginning of a lesson or activity?
Are we writing or explaining intentions in language that pupils can understand?
When we have presented learning intentions, have we tended to focus on what will be produced rather than what will be learned?

6. What Is the Learning? Knowledge Understanding Skills
* Focus on transferable skills when possible
Rather than frame learning intentions in terms of what a pupil will be doing, we need to define the learning. The learning can be expressed in terms of:
Knowledge
Understanding
Skills.
Knowledge is factual information – the parts of a plant, key events of World War One, etc.
Understanding typically concerns concepts, reasons or processes – the need for a healthy diet, the difference between convection, conduction and radiation, etc.
Skills are proficiencies, dexterities or abilities acquired through training or experience – applying techniques, drawing conclusions based on evidence, using a multiplication grid, collaboration, etc.
Note that the most useful learning intentions are those that focus on generic, transferable skills. These are skills that pupils can use in other contexts. Doing so:
helps the children make connections across the curriculum, which is at the heart of the revised curriculum;
helps them recognise when they are using similar skills in unfamiliar contexts; and
makes achievement of the learning intention possible for pupils of all abilities (it’s the extent to which pupils achieve or demonstrate the intention that will vary).

7. Defining the Learning Intention
We are learning to…
- work effectively in groups.
- use evidence to draw conclusions.
- identify odd and even numbers.
Here are some examples of learning intentions.
Look at the second example. What curricular context does it come from? (could come from any subject)
Is it a useful skill to have in any context?

8. Defining the Learning Intention cont.
Activity: What are we doing?
- Write a description of your best friend.
Learning Intention: What are we learning?
- To write an effective characterisation.
Context: Vehicle for the learning
- Friendship
In this example, pupils are learning to write effective characterisations. This is the transferable skill and the learning intention is expressed in terms of a new understanding they are going to develop. Friendship is the context on this occasion.
When defining learning intentions, the key is to distinguish between what your pupils are learning and what they are doing. It sounds simple enough, but many of us get it wrong. For instance, who here can hear themselves saying something along the lines of:
‘Today class, you’re going to write a description about your best friend’ instead of
‘Today class, you’re going to be learning how to write effective characterisations.’
The first statement focuses on what they’ll be doing in the activity … but the second explains what they’ll be learning. And this is the critical difference when identifying learning intentions. We need to emphasise what the pupils will be learning.

9. Activity 1 From Doing to Learning Learning Intention
Be able to identify learning intentions
Be able to frame learning intentions
Now that you understand the principles behind learning intentions, let’s try to put it into practice.
So for this activity, the learning intentions are the same as those noted at the start of this unit:
to be able to identify and frame learning intentions.
(Pass out Activity Sheet 1.)
The activity sheet you’ve been provided with has a list of typical classroom lessons. Your task is to:
read each activity;
determine what each activity’s learning intention and context is;
fill in the blanks using language appropriate to your pupils’ age and understanding; and
enter some of your own lessons, learning activities and contexts.
(Allow the participants a few minutes to complete their Activity Sheet before moving on to the next slide.)

10. Getting the Learning Intentions Right!
Activity
Learning Intention
Context
Give a speech for or against smoking
To present a point of view in a persuasive way
Speech about smoking
Draw a bar chart to show how pupils in our class come to school
To present information graphically
Bar chart on types of transport used to get to school
Work effectively in a group to design a leaflet to promote healthy eating
To be able to work effectively in a group
Healthy eating leaflet
Here are some proposed answers for Activity 1.
Please note that these are only suggestions. For each activity, there is no one right or wrong answer as long as the learning intention centres on what is being learned rather than what is being done. The learning intention will depend on the focus for learning in that context.
For example, in the activity ‘Give a speech for or against smoking’, the learning intention could be:
to present a point of view in a persuasive way (English/Literacy) (as noted on the slide); or
to understand the effects of smoking (Personal Development).
Did anybody get different learning intentions than those that appear on the slide?
What about the language that appears here in the Learning Intentions? Is it clear and simple enough for your pupils to understand? Would you need to adjust it at all?
Who would like to share the activities and learning intentions they came up with?

11. Tips: Using Learning Intentions Effectively
Start small.
Separate the learning intention from the activity instructions.
Tell pupils why they are learning it.
Use child-friendly language (and/or ensure children have the language of learning).
Make it visible (display).
Allow time for discussion with pupils.
Finally, here are some tips for using learning intentions effectively.
Start small.
You don’t need to have a learning intention for every lesson. Maybe start with one aspect of the curriculum, like Literacy, and highlight its respective learning intentions, like narrative writing.
Separate the learning from the task/activity.
This helps pupils (and you) to focus not on the activity, but on what they will have learned by doing it.
Tell them why they are learning something.
This can motivate pupils and also help them to see connections in the curriculum. When possible, give a real-life rationale for the learning.
Describe it using appropriate language.
Remember to use the language of learning: better to say ‘we are learning to’ rather than ‘we are doing’.
Display the learning intention.
This helps pupils to maintain focus while they are working – you could use an interactive whiteboard/ flip chart/ Walt board, etc.
A display will also help remind you to refer back to the learning intention throughout the lesson.
Discuss the learning intention with them.
This allows the pupils to internalise and explore what is required of them.

12. Success Criteria Learning Intentions Success Criteria
‘What’ and ‘Why’
Success Criteria
‘How to recognise success’
The next element in the Assessment for Learning process is the development of success criteria.
If learning intentions spell out what the students will learn and why, the success criteria show pupils how to recognise success.

13. Why Are Success Criteria Important?
Improve understanding
Empower pupils
Encourage independent learning
Enable accurate feedback
Establishing success criteria is an important part of Assessment for Learning for a number of reasons. First of all
It improves pupils’ understanding by keeping them informed about how they will be assessed.
This, in turn, empowers pupils because it involves them in their own performance and learning.
In time, pupils who have experience of working to success criteria and contributing to the development of success criteria are more apt to take an independent approach to learning, as they understand how the criteria apply to their learning. They then are able to use these to assess their own achievements, address their own concerns and identify areas for improvement.
Success criteria also allow you and the pupils to give accurate feedback – they keep you and the pupils focused on the criteria that the work will be assessed against.

14. What Are Success Criteria?
‘… success criteria summarise the key steps or ingredients the student needs in order to fulfil the learning intention – the main things to do, include or focus on.’
- Shirley Clarke
So what are success criteria? What does success look like?
Success criteria let pupils know if they have achieved the learning intention.
They summarise the main teaching points (key ingredients) or processes (key steps) which link directly to the learning intention.

15. Effective Success Criteria…
are linked to the learning intention;
are specific to an activity;
are discussed and agreed with pupils prior to undertaking the activity;
provide a scaffold and focus for pupils while engaged in the activity; and
are used as the basis for feedback and peer-/self-assessment.
Quality success criteria are characterised by these features:
They are closely linked to the learning intention.
They are specific to the activity and will vary with each activity, even if the activities share a common learning intention.
They are agreed with the pupils in advance. This discussion aspect is particularly important in the classroom.
First, it helps foster a positive classroom environment.
It also gets pupils involved in the learning and upcoming activity even before it’s begun.
It can also help build pupil self-esteem by offering them opportunities to contribute.
And it is a useful tool to strengthen the pupil-teacher relationship.
They encourage responsibility and independence by scaffolding peer- and self-assessment.
They are revisited and used to provide pupils with feedback on their learning. This feedback can be provided by both you and the pupils themselves.
Remember to follow through, though, and only assess the pupils on what has been agreed.

16. Effective Success Criteria cont.
Learning Intention: We are learning to write a narrative.
Activity: Write a ghost story.
I will be successful if:
people enjoy reading my story; and
it frightens them.
set the scene in the opening paragraph;
build up tension/suspense;
use spooky adjectives and powerful verbs; and
end with a cliffhanger.
When creating the success criteria, it is important to focus on process and characteristics rather than the final effect.
In this example, there are two sets of suggested success criteria. Which set is more helpful to pupils?
The criteria ‘I will be successful if people enjoy reading my story’ and ‘it frightens them’ are not success criteria because they focus on reaction rather than guidance on how to achieve the effect … that is, guidance on how to write a narrative.
You can see that the success criteria listed on the right, however, provide pupils with the key ingredients needed to show that they fulfil the learning intention. If they can do these things, then they have shown they understand how to write a narrative.

17. calculate the passing of time in 5-minute intervals.
Additional Examples
We are learning to…
present an argument.
calculate the passing of time in 5-minute intervals.
Remember to…
include opening and closing statements
give reasons for and against
use evidence to support
use language to persuade
count from the minute hand
stop where the minute hand finishes
count in fives
go clockwise
Here are a few more examples of good, relevant success criteria.

18. Activity 2 From Learning Intention to Success Criteria
To identify and frame success criteria
Now that you understand the principles behind creating success criteria, let’s try to put it into practice.
(Pass out Activity Sheet 2.)
The learning intention for this activity is to:
identify and frame success criteria.
The activity sheet you’ve been provided with lists a few typical classroom lessons. Your task is to frame your own success criteria. The first one has been done for you.
Fill in this sheet by either creating success criteria for those activities, learning intentions and contexts that you created in Activity 1 Or
By creating success criteria for the examples provided on this next slide.

19. Frame Your Own Success Criteria
Learning Intention
Context
To present information graphically
Types of transport used to get to school
To carry out a fair test
Conductivity of materials
To be able to work effectively in a group
Producing a healthy-eating leaflet
To research information
Use the internet to find information on life in the trenches in World War One
(Allow participants time to create success criteria.)
What success criteria have you come up with?

20. Recapping the Benefits
How does the use of Learning Intentions and Success Criteria benefit pupils?
We’ve nearly completed this unit, but before we conclude, I’d like everyone to think about all that we’ve discussed so far and to recap in what ways using Learning Intentions and Success Criteria benefit pupils.
Who would like to offer a suggestion?
(Pause to allow comments, then move to next slide.)

21. Benefits for Pupils (Findings from N.I. Teacher Researchers)
‘Children are more focused and interested, creating a positive learning culture. Their self-esteem is improving also.’
‘We have given children the vocabulary to discuss their own work.’
Here are some pupil benefits, which were identified by teachers involved in the NI Action Research Project, 2005
What about benefits to teachers? Do you see this process as having value to us?
(Pause to allow comments, then move to next slide.)
‘Pupils are beginning to talk more about how they are learning rather than what they are learning.’
‘Success can now be achieved by all, even the weakest children!’

22. Benefits for Teachers (Findings from N.I. Teacher Researchers)
‘Sharing learning intentions and success criteria at the beginning of the lessons has resulted in teacher and pupils working more in partnership towards a common goal.’
‘I’m more sensitive to individuals’ needs/achievements.’
Here are some of the teacher benefits as identified by teachers involved in the NI Action Research Project, 2005
‘Relationships between teacher and pupils are warmer and more positive.’
‘My planning is more
effective/focused/
thoughtful.’

23. Summary
To take more responsibility for their own learning, pupils need to know:
what they are going to learn;
how they will recognise when they have succeeded; and
why they should learn it in the first place.
In closing, here are a few key points to remember about Learning Intentions and Success Criteria.

24. Summary cont. Using Learning Intentions and Success Criteria:
creates more self-motivated pupils;
empowers pupils to become independent learners;
improves understanding; and
can help focus feedback.
This isn’t all new
but we need to be more systematic about using these approaches in our classrooms.