1. Assessment
Assessment should be an integral part of a unit of work and should support student learning.
Assessment is the process of identifying, gathering and interpreting information about students’ learning. The central purpose of assessment is to provide information on student achievement and progress and set direction for ongoing teaching and learning.

2. Teachers’ judgements about student achievement can
be supported by samples or evidence of students’ work.
Teachers collect and record information that will enable
them to:
judge achievement of outcomes appropriate for the stage of learning
plan further teaching and learning activities
monitor student progress
report achievement to students and parents.

3. Syllabuses use the terms:
Assessment for learning
Assessment of learning

4. Assessment for learning, is ongoing and acknowledges that assessment should occur as an integral part of teaching and learning and that the information gained from assessment activities can be used to shape the teaching and learning process.
It provides feedback that helps students to understand and plan the next steps in learning.

5. Assessment of learning is assessment for accountability purposes, to determine a student's level of performance at the conclusion of a unit, year or stage.
The information gained from this kind of assessment is often used in reporting.
These professional judgements about student achievement are made at key points in the learning cycle e.g. at the end of a semester for reporting to parents.

6. Quality assessment:
provides opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know and can do
is inclusive of all learners
is fair and valid
has explicit quality criteria.

7. Assessment expectations
Schools develop assessment policies which:
provide opportunities for students to demonstrate achievement of syllabus outcomes
use valid and reliable assessment strategies
have assessment processes which are time efficient and manageable.

8. Standards Standards are derived from:
syllabus outcomes and content showing what is to be learnt
descriptions of levels of achievement of that learning.

9. Key questions
What do I want my students to show me they know and/or can do?
Is the type of marking suited to the type of task and the criteria I have in mind?
Are the marking guidelines appropriate to the task instructions?
Will the marking guidelines indicate to my students how they can achieve the marks?

10. Evidence of learning Methods of gathering evidence of learning
include:
informal observation by the teacher
questioning
peer evaluation
self evaluation
structured assessment activities.

11. Criteria for assessing learning
should be communicated to students with the activity
are clearly expressed in terms of the knowledge,
understanding and skills required for the activity
relate to the syllabus outcomes
relate to the guidelines for marking
are sometimes referred to as assessment rubrics.

12. Feedback to students is integral to the teaching and learning process
will let students know how well their knowledge, understanding and skills are developing in relation to the outcomes
enables students to recognise their strengths and areas for improvement
allows students to plan the next steps in their learning.

13. The process of recording evidence for assessment
needs to be manageable and allow information to be recorded quickly and easily
should emphasise quality rather than quantity of evidence
should reflect the reporting processes of the school
can be both formal and informal.

14. Ways of recording assessment may include:
comments
grades
marks
checklists against assessment criteria
rating scales
observation grids
notes from interviews
graphs.

15. Terminology Outcomes Criteria
Explicit statements of the knowledge, skills and
understanding expected to be learnt by students.
Criteria
Descriptive statements that teachers will use to make
judgements about the marks to be awarded for different
levels of performance.

16. Rubric Marking guidelines
General criteria at the beginning of a section that will be taken into account in marking work.
Marking guidelines
Criteria for making judgements about the
different levels of student performance and the marks to be awarded.

17. Marking scheme
may be identical to the marking guidelines OR
may elaborate on the marking guidelines in the light of student responses.
Work samples
provide student responses that illustrate particular
outcomes and an indication of levels of student performance.

18. Sample Assessment Activity: Writing in [Languages]
Students in Stage 3 have been studying a unit of work on eating and drinking. They have participated in activities, learned associated vocabulary and have compared their eating habits with those of [Language]-speaking communities
Students conduct a class survey about food and drink preferences, in order to design an appropriate menu for a two-day school Language camp. Working in pairs, students write a survey in Language for the other class members to complete. It could include questions about what is eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and which food is eaten as snacks. Students might also like to gather information about how often they eat and drink certain items.
Acknowledgement: Board of Studies’. Advice on Programming and Assessment for stage 4 and 5 (2004)

19. Outcomes
A student:
3.UL.4 writes texts to present key points of information in [Language]
3.MLC.1 recognises the importance of context in language use
3.MLC.2 identifies patterns and features of [Language] by making comparisons between languages
3.MBC.2 demonstrates understanding of significant cultural values and practices in [Language-speaking] communities.

20. Skill
Outcomes
Criteria for assessing learning
Writing
3.UL.4
3.MLC.1
3.MLC.2
3.MBC.2
Stage 3
Students will be assessed on their ability to:
apply specific rules of grammar
write texts to present key points
convey information in a sequence
use available resources to support construction of new text
apply learnt patterns in producing own text
[apply knowledge of the writing systems of scripted languages]