1. Grade 3 Student Learning Assessments Preparing for the Fall 2015 Year 2 Pilot Administration
Welcome, Introductions and Logistics for today’s session.

2. Background

3. Purposes of the Student Learning Assessments (1)
The Student Learning Assessment (SLAs) have three purposes:
to improve student learning (primary purpose)
to enhance instruction for students
to assure Albertans the education system is meeting the needs of students and achieves the outcomes of the Ministerial Order on Student Learning.
Provincial assessments are meant to complement, not replace, day-to-day teacher observations and classroom assessment.
Provincial assessments, including SLAs, are sources of information that must be interpreted, used, and communicated within the context of regular and continuous assessment by classroom teachers.
The 3 purposes were identified in collaboration with education stakeholders early in the design of the SLAs.
To date, we are focusing on the first two purposes in the SLA3 Pilot.
At a higher level, Alberta Education is looking at what we mean by Assurance, generally for the education system. Whatever rolls out of the larger conversation on assurance will help inform the 3rd purpose of the SLAs.

4. Purposes of the Student Learning Assessments (2)
The primary purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. Assessment information can be used by:
students to be informed about, to reflect upon, and to initiate activities to enhance learning;
parents to have meaningful conversations with their child and their child’s teacher(s); and
teachers to assist in meeting the learning needs of students.
Assessment information is also available to enhance instruction for students. To facilitate this, assessment information can be used by:
a teacher to be informed about, to reflect upon, and to initiate activities to enhance his or her instruction;
a principal to strategically support instructional practices and address the organizational needs within the school;
a school council to give advice about the learning opportunities, resources, and services provided by the school;
a superintendent to allocate resources appropriately and promote effective instructional practices;
trustees to create or amend authority policies and to guide their advocacy work; and
Alberta Education to be informed about the implementation and delivery of curriculum.

5. Why Literacy & Numeracy?
The goal of this Student Learning Ministerial Order (May 2013) for an inclusive Kindergarten to Grade 12 education is to enable all students to achieve the following outcomes:
[…] (3) employ literacy and numeracy to construct and communicate meaning;    

6. What are SLAs?
SLAs are beginning of the year “check in” or formative digitally-based provincial assessment tools that Alberta is developing.
SLA are meant to enable both parents and teachers to identify student strengths and areas of growth at the start of the school year.
SLAs support student learning while effectively assessing literacy and numeracy based on the current programs of study.
Every effort is made to ensure that the SLAs respect diversity.

7. Grade 3 Student Learning Assessment (SLA3) Pilot
The SLA3 Pilot, by its nature, is focused on improving the SLA as well as the processes related to assessment.
Alberta Education and its stakeholders will monitor the success of the Pilot, and the SLA3 will remain in the Pilot phase until we are certain we have it right.
Provincial Achievement Tests will continue in Grades 6 and 9 until the Grade 3 SLA has moved out of pilot phase and is fully implemented.

8. Fall 2015 SLA3 Pilot (1)
Digital interactive questions (marked by Alberta Education) and performance tasks (marked locally) are being retained for both literacy and numeracy in the fall 2015 Pilot.
Performance tasks have been significantly streamlined, and accompanying materials simplified.
Feedback from the Fall 2014 Pilot has led to a number of adjustments for this year’s Pilot.
The digital interactive questions (marked by Alberta Education) and the performance tasks (marked locally) are being retained for both literacy and numeracy in the fall Pilot.
More information on this in a bit.

9. Fall 2015 SLA3 Pilot (2)
Participation in the fall 2015 SLA3 Pilot is mandatory for all school authorities.
Reporting to the general public at the school, school authority and provincial level will not occur until the SLA3 transitions from Pilot to full administration.
With the conclusion of the Grade 3 PATs and moving the Pilot to a second year, participation in the second year of the SLA3 Pilot will be mandatory for all school authorities in fall 2015.
We want this assessment tool to be available to all students. (This will include approximately 2,000 teachers and 43,000 students.)
In keeping with last year’s directives for the SLA Pilot, Superintendents may, on an individual basis, excuse a student from writing the Pilot SLA if:
the student is not capable of responding to the assessment
participation would be harmful to the student.

10. What’s new for the fall 2015 sla pilot

11. Preview Questions
Starting September 1st, teachers can access and preview both the digital interactive questions and performance tasks in the Teacher Dashboard.

12. Reports
By November 16, 2015, detailed SLA3 results of the digital interactive questions (marked by Alberta Education) will be available to schools and teachers through the SLA Teacher Dashboard.
Results will be in the form of interactive digital reports at the individual student and class levels.
New for 2015, a print function has been built into the SLA Teacher Dashboard to allow teachers and administrators to print individual student reports.
Results of the performance tasks (marked locally by teachers) will also be available, via schools, shortly after completion of the Pilot administration.
This year’s student and class reports are being updated to provide more helpful information to teachers, administrators and parents.
A challenge with the results that were provided with 24 hour last year was/is that many do not understand the relationship between these raw scores and final equated scores. As such, there will be no reporting of raw scores within 24 hours this year.
Recognizing the nature of a Pilot, there will be no public reporting of results from the digital interactive questions at the school, school authority or provincial levels during the Pilot phase.

13. Paper Version
Schools with special circumstances may be approved for the SLA paper version and will have all SLA materials shipped to them.
Teachers are not expected to access the Teacher Dashboard for any part of the SLA administration.
An improved paper version of the 2015 digital SLA3 questions will be available to school authorities under special circumstances in which students are not permitted to use digital technology (e.g. colony students).
Improvements to the paper version over last year include improved graphics, layout and bindings. Additionally, Alberta Education will print and distribute the paper version to schools prior to the Pilot administration instead of sending PDFs for printing at the school.
It is anticipated that less than 1,000 students will use the paper version.

14. Performance Task (1)
For the 2015 Pilot, neither student responses nor results for the performance tasks will be submitted to Alberta Education.
Student results for the performance tasks will be reported at the local level which should follow shortly after the administration of the SLA3.

15. Performance Task (2)
Completed performance tasks and their results can be kept as part of a student’s portfolio.
Results of student performance on the digital assessments will be provided as part of a complete information package provided in November.

16. SLA FORMAT & Delivery

17. Length of SLA3
The SLA3 is constructed to provide teachers with scheduling flexibility. There are no time limits on any part of the SLA3. Each part can be administered in several short sessions and on different days.
Parts of the SLA3
Suggested Administration Time
Literacy Performance Task
About 60–90 minutes
Digital Interactive Literacy Questions
About 60 minutes
Numeracy Performance Task
Digital Interactive Numeracy Questions

18. SLA Delivery (1)
Teachers use the Teacher Dashboard to start and manage the administration of the assessment.
Students have access through the SLA Application.

19. SLA Delivery (2)
The digital interactive literacy and numeracy questions are administered through the SLA Application.
Digital questions consist of multiple-choice and numerical-response questions as well as innovative formats including videos, listening, drag-and-drop, sequencing, and highlighting.
The digital questions are organized in sets. Sets are designed to be completed separately to support flexible administration.

20. SLA administration

21. Schedules & Significant Dates (1)
September 1, 2015
Teacher Dashboard available to set up class lists, preview digital questions and performance tasks, print performance tasks materials, and prepare for administration
September 8, 2015
Deadline for authorities to request access to paper-only versions of the SLA for students not permitted to access technology
Requests must be sent to
September 10, 2015
Deadline for principals to submit Grade 3 school enrollment data to the Provincial Approach to Student Information (PASI)
Deadline for principals to approve access for Grade 3 teachers on the Extranet
Principals need to have an Extranet account setup prior to Grade 3 teachers requesting access via the Extranet (available at
Student Learning Assessments must be administered according to the dates and times indicated in this schedule.
September 8, 2015 is the deadline for authorities to request access to paper-only versions of the SLA for students who are not permitted to access technology. Requests must be sent to

22. Schedules & Significant Dates (2)
September 14—October 9, 2015
4-week timeframe to administer the digital interactive literacy and numeracy questions
September 14—November 1, 2015
7-week timeframe during which schools administer the literacy and numeracy performance tasks
November 16, 2015
Detailed SLA3 results of the digital interactive questions (marked by Alberta Education) will be available to schools and teachers through the SLA Teacher Dashboard.
NOTE: Student Login access for the digital questions is only available during the administration window.

23. Who Supervises the Administration of the SLA3?
A teacher supervises the administration of SLA3.

24. Who Writes the SLA3? Students: registered in Grade 3
ungraded students in their third year of schooling
repeating Grade 3
attending private-school
being home-educated*
Students are expected to write all four SLA components.
*home educated students at a level equivalent to Grade 3 write the SLA3, according to the published schedules, and under the supervision of the associate board or associate private school. 
Student Enrollment for Participating in Student Learning Assessments
Prior to the administration of the Student Learning Assessments, school principals are required to ensure school enrollment data is accurately entered into PASI. If students are not entered into PASI, they will not be able to access the SLA Application.
Home Education Students
Students enrolled in home education programs are expected to participate in writing the Student Learning Assessments.
Since home education programs are supervised by either public or private school authorities, it is the responsibility of the school authority to:
administer Student Learning Assessments
mark the performance tasks
To facilitate the reporting of home education students’ results at an authority level, school authorities can create class groups specifically for these students.

25. Preparing Students for the SLA3
Teachers are encouraged to provide opportunities for students to engage with SLA3 practice questions as well as released questions from the 2014 Pilot.
While practice questions familiarize students with the digital interactivity of the SLA3 questions, they are not examples of the content or complexity of the SLA3 questions.
Released SLA3 questions contain approximately 50% of the total number of questions from the 2014 Pilot.
The purpose of released questions is to familiarize teachers and students with examples of content, questions types and digital interactivity on the SLA3.
Both practice questions and released questions can be accessed via the SLA Application at

26. Administering the Performance Tasks
Performance tasks are delivered digitally, but students respond through written and/or oral activities.
Documents necessary for administering and other pertinent resources, will be available on the Teacher Dashboard.
Students have experienced the most success with the performance tasks when they were administered during two or more short sessions.

27. Francophone and French Immersion Students (1)
Literacy assessments are available in French (Immersion), and French (Francophone). French Immersion and Francophone Literacy components differ and reflect their respective expectations and programs of study of programs.  
Numeracy assessments are available in English and French. The French numeracy assessments for both French Immersion and Francophone students are the same as the English version.  
Grade 3 students in French Immersion or Francophone programs are not expected to also write the English Literacy components.

28. Francophone and French Immersion Students (2)
English Students
French Immersion Students
Francophone Students
Literacy (digital)
Questions interactives de littératie en format numérique
Literacy (performance task)
Tâche de rendement en littératie
Numeracy (digital)
Questions interactives de numératie en format numérique
Numeracy (performance task)
Tâche de rendement en numératie

29. SLA MARKING

30. Who Marks the SLA3?
Digital Interactive Questions: marked by Alberta Education.
Performance Tasks: marked locally. Schools and authorities determine the process. Four possible scenarios are:
Scenario 1: A teacher may mark his/her own students.
Scenario 2: Teachers within the same school may collaboratively mark.
Scenario 3: Teachers within a school authority may collaboratively mark.
Scenario 4: Teachers from neighbouring school authorities may collectively and/or collaboratively mark.
Teachers who mark performance tasks are not limited to Grade 3 teachers!
A separate PowerPoint is developed to address Scenario 4 on Collective Marking and will be posted on the ARPDC website. There will be another Professional Learning workshop in September to address collective and collaborative marking.

31. Marking the Paper Version
The paper version of the SLA questions will be in booklet format.
Students will respond to questions directly in the booklet.
Student booklets will be returned to Alberta Education for marking and reporting (see the SLA General Information Booklet for details).

32. Support for Local Marking of Performance Tasks by Teachers
Alberta Education is providing school authorities with the approximately $300,000 in funding it previously used to centrally mark the former Grade 3 Provincial Achievement Tests to help school authorities with local marking of performance tasks by teachers.
Alberta Education is providing, in August 2015, school authorities with the approximately $300,000 in funding it previously used to centrally mark the former Grade 3 Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs) in order to help them with local marking of performance tasks by teachers during the fall 2015 SLA Pilot, based on Grade 3 student enrolment. 
School authorities will receive a $6 per Grade 3 student allocation for the fall 2015 SLA pilot. Given that there are school authorities with a relatively small number of Grade 3 students, there will be a $100 minimum allocation to each school authority.
Given that local practices for marking Grade 3 SLA performance tasks may vary among school authorities, and that each authority is in the best position to meet local needs, each school authority has the flexibility to determine how their funding allocation will best support their teachers in local marking of the performance tasks.
While this funding may only cover a portion of the costs of marking the SLA performance tasks during this pilot, it offers school authorities the opportunity to further enhance teacher assessment capacity and promote rich dialogue about assessment among teachers.

33. Accessing & Interpreting SLA results

34. SLA3 Results SLA results are to be used to improve student learning.
Teachers can use these results to guide teaching throughout the year, to inform students and parents about progress and learning, and to select appropriate resources to meet the individual needs of each student.
Principals can use the results to support teachers and instructional practices.

35. Parental Access to Reports
For the 2015 Pilot, parents and guardians will be able to access their child’s results via their child’s school.
Schools are expected to share students’ SLA3 individual results with students’ parent(s) or guardian(s).
Interpretation of results is best accomplished through conversation between parent/guardian, student and teacher.
Teachers and parents/guardians are encouraged to discuss students’ SLA3 results together.
Results from the SLA will not be reported to the general public until the Grade 3 SLA has moved out of Pilot phase and is fully implemented.
Alberta Education will work with school authorities to help them address any challenges in providing parents or guardians with their children’s results.

36. Accessibility and the SLA APplication

37. Assistive Features for Students (1)
Alberta Education is committed to supporting the learning needs of all students so that they may have fair and equitable access to educational opportunities, including participation in the SLA3.
To ensure accessibility the SLA3 is designed with as many assistive features as possible.
Speak to Exemptions if the question is asked…
A superintendent may, on an individual basis, excuse a student from writing the Student Learning Assessments for the following reasons:
the student is not capable of responding to the assessment
participation would be harmful to the student.
Upon advice from the teacher, the principal in consultation with the parent/guardian, shall recommend to the superintendent that a student be excused from writing Student Learning Assessments. Teachers will identify excused students to Alberta Education via the SLA Teacher Dashboard. Instructions regarding this process are provided in the SLA User Guide at
If a parent withdraws a student from participating in writing the SLAs, the school shall indicate that the student is absent.  Teachers will identify absent students to Alberta Education via the SLA Teacher Dashboard. Instructions regarding this process are provided in the SLA User Guide at
Students in English as a Second Language programs and those in special education programs shall complete the Student Learning Assessments, unless excused by the superintendent under the conditions noted in point 1.

38. Assistive Features for Students (2)
Setting
Options
Description and Notes
Language
English (default)
French (default)
Braille
All literacy and numeracy are available in English.
All literacy and numeracy questions are available in French.
Braille versions are not available for the 2015 Pilot.
Deaf or Hearing Impaired
Transcript for all listening activities is provided for 2015 Pilot.
A transcript is available upon request at Text may be communicated in a manner suitable to the student’s requirements.

39. Assistive Features for Students (3)
Setting
Options
Description and Notes
Print Size
No zoom (default)
The zoom option is controlled by the student.
The option to change the font size on each question is available.
Text-to-Speech
English and French literacy instructions: text-to-speech
 English and French literacy assessment parts and source material: no text-to-speech (default) or reader
English and French numeracy instructions, assessment parts, and source material: text-to-speech
Audio is available only for the instructions portion of the assessment, with the exception of some listening activities and videos.
The administrator has the option to provide a reader for students who meet Learning Support Guidelines.
Audio is available for the instructions, sources, and the questions.

40. Assistive Features for Students (4)
Literacy Assessment (Digital Questions)
If a student’s Individual Program Plan indicates the need for the support of a reader, this support may be utilized for the SLA3 literacy assessments.
A student may be provided with a reader if the following conditions are met:
The student’s parents, teacher, and administrator have agreed that this support is necessary.
The student has an IPP explaining how the student’s reading needs will be addressed. 
If a reader is utilized, individual results should be interpreted in a way that reflects the use of this learning support.

41. Assistive Features for Students (5)
Literacy Assessment (Performance Task)
For students unable to respond to a performance task in written form, a verbal response should be recorded and/or scribed.
This response will be assessed by the teacher.
A student may be provided with a scribe and/or recorder if the following conditions are met:
The student’s teacher, parents/guardians, and school administrator have agreed that this is an appropriate support.
The student has an IPP explaining how the student’s written communication needs will be addressed.

42. LITERACY aSSESSMENT

43. Literacy Definition of Literacy
Literacy is the ability, confidence and willingness to engage with language* to acquire, construct and communicate meaning in all aspects of daily living. 
*Language is a socially and culturally constructed system of communication.
Alberta has for the past few years had draft definitions of literacy and numeracy.
Draft Literacy and Numeracy definition were part of the Curriculum Development Prototyping Guide (August 2013) and were used by the Curriculum Development Prototyping Partners.
Feedback from prototyping as well as education stakeholders indicated a need to refine and finalized in order to provide clarity.
Over the summer, revised definitions for literacy and numeracy were finalized.
You will see in a few moments how there is better alignment in the language of the two definitions.

44. Components and Elements of Literacy Progressions
Literacy Awareness
Importance of Literacy (LA1)
Learner Awareness (LA2)
Task Awareness (LA3)
Literacy Knowledge and Understanding
Rules of Language (LKU1)
Acquire Information (LKU2)
Construct Meaning (LKU3)
Communicate Meaning (LKU4)
Draft Literacy and Numeracy Benchmarks were also part of the Curriculum Development Prototyping Guide (August 2013) and were used by the Curriculum Development Prototyping Partners.
Feedback from prototyping as well as education stakeholders indicated a need to simplify the draft literacy and numeracy components and elements.
The three components of “Awareness”; “Knowledge and Understanding”; and “Strategies”“Awareness” in the initial draft have been updated and to reduce overlap, “Strategies” have been subsumed into the other two components.
The elements have been reduced in number to enhance clarity and better support the SLA development and reporting. There are now four elements for literacy and four for numeracy.
A revision of the term “Benchmarks” was recommended to eliminate confusion with documents with similar titles but different purposes, e.g., Alberta K–12 ESL Proficiency Benchmarks, Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System. The term “Progressions” better reflects the continuum of literacy and numeracy development.
Backpocket: – Division levels have been added to the age ranges of the five developmentally appropriate categories. The descriptors at each of the division levels are remaining in draft form because they will continue to be refined during the development of the subject area content of provincial programs of study. Division levels and descriptors are not part of the SLA3 at this time.
Additional information is available in the 2015 SLA3 Literacy and Numeracy Bulletin.

45. General Description of Literacy Assessment
The Literacy SLA3 consists of the following:
45 digital questions (five sets; each set consists of 9 questions)
36 questions will be assessed and 9 questions will be embedded field test questions
a performance task composed of 4 activities. 
Students may be given short breaks during the digital or performance assessments.
The assessments may be administered at any time during the administration period.

46. The number of questions is presented as a range.
Question Complexity (Applies to both the Literacy and Numeracy Assessments)
Each digital question (item) in the SLA3 is designed with a specific level of complexity – low, moderate, or high.*
Detailed descriptions of question complexity are available in the SLA 3 English Literacy and Numeracy Bulletin
* Adapted from Norman L. Webb, Wisconsin Center for Educational Research, Depth-of-Knowledge Levels for Four Content Areas, March 28, 2002
Question Complexity
High
Moderate
Low
6–10 items
17–23 items
The number of questions is presented as a range.

47. Draft Blueprint for the SLA3 Digital Literacy
Digital Questions
Percentage of
Assessment
Rules of Language
5–7
14–19%
Acquire Information
10–12
28–33%
Construct Meaning
Communicate Meaning
7–9
19–25%
Total 36
100%
Rules of Language
Students are able to identify and use
• phonetic rules
• correct grammatical structure
• punctuation and capitalization
• spelling
in a variety of source material to comprehend and communicate meaning.
Acquire Information
Students are able to
• develop and answer questions
• gather information from a variety of sources
• evaluate sources by identifying fact and fiction as well as relevant and irrelevant information.
Construct Meaning
• connect relevant personal experience and background knowledge
• associate meaning of words using contextual cues
• recognize that texts are organized in various ways according to their purpose
• utilize a variety of strategies to construct and confirm meaning.
Communicate Meaning
• consider audience and purpose
• organize and clearly express thoughts, ideas, and information
• identify and use a variety of oral, print, and other media texts to communicate.
A detailed blueprint is available in the SLA 3 English Literacy and Numeracy Bulletin.

48. Description of the Literacy Performance Task
The Literacy Performance Task is designed to engage students in a variety of activities that are based on outcomes in the current Grade 2 programs of study.
They are constructed to incorporate thinking, viewing, peer discussions, writing, representing, and personal reflection.

49. Structure of the Literacy Performance Task
The Performance Task is designed to be completed in about 60–90 minutes. There are four activities:
1) Presentation of Information
2) Small Group Discussion and Planning
3) Writing Time
4) Self-reflection
It is recommended that the Performance Task be administered during several short sessions. Breaks may be taken at any time during the administration of the Performance Task. 
Details for administering the Literacy Performance Task are in the Performance Task Administration Guidelines for Teachers, which is located on the Teacher Dashboard.
The details for administering the Literacy Performance Task are in the Performance Task Administration Guidelines for Teachers, which is located on the Teacher Dashboard.

50. Assessing the Literacy Performance Task
The Performance Task will be assessed only at the local level. 
Teachers are expected to assess Literacy Performance Task responses.
The use of the results to inform local decision-making is encouraged.
Student responses are kept at the school for reference during teacher, student, and parent conversations. 
When assessing the Literacy Performance Task, teachers will use:
Assessment materials found on the Teacher Dashboard. These include the performance task descriptors (rubric) and exemplars of student writing.
Using these materials help teachers apply provincial standards.
All of these materials will be digitally available through the Teacher Dashboard (September 1–November 1, 2015).
Student results for the performance tasks will be reported shortly after the administration period closes on November 1st at the local school level, and not to Alberta Education, as was required in the first year of the Pilot. 
Additional information on local reporting of performance task results will be provided to school authorities prior to the closing of the administration period on November 1st.

51. Suggestions for Responding to Literacy Digital Questions
Look and/or listen to all information on the screen and think carefully before answering. The instructions guide students to obtain information from text, videos, audio clips, pictures, photographs, and other representations.
Listen to the instructions and carefully read the question. Think about what the question is asking.
Read, watch, or listen to the information as many times as needed.
Recheck answers to make sure they are complete.
Choose the correct or best answer.

52. Use of Dictionaries
One purpose of the Literacy Performance Task is to determine what students can write independently.
To ensure this purpose can be fulfilled, students shall not use published or personal dictionaries to complete the Literacy Performance Task.

53. numERACY aSSESSMENT

54. Numeracy Definition of Numeracy
Numeracy is the ability, confidence and willingness to engage with quantitative* or spatial† information to make informed decisions in all aspects of daily living. 
*Quantitative information is information that can be measured and expressed as an amount.
†Spatial information is the physical location of objects or the relationship between objects.

55. Components and Elements of Numeracy Progressions
Numeracy Awareness
Importance of Numeracy (NA1)
Learner Awareness (NA2)
Task Awareness (NA3)
Numeracy Knowledge and Understanding
Quantitative Information (NKU1)
Spatial Information (NKU2)
Interpret, Represent, Communicate (NKU3)
Strategies, Methods and Tools (NKU4)
Additional information is available in the 2015 SLA3 English Literacy and Numeracy Bulletin.

56. General Description of Numeracy Assessment
The Learning Assessment Numeracy SLA3 consists of the following:
44 digital problem solving questions organized into five separate sets
35 questions will be assessed and 5 questions will be embedded field test questions.
4 number fact questions that address the recall of addition facts to 10 (and the related subtraction facts) and the application of strategies for addition facts to 18 (and the related subtraction facts).
A performance task composed of 2 activities
As with the literacy assessment: The assessments may be administered at any time during the 4 week administration period. Students may be given short breaks during the digital or performance assessments when it is deemed suitable by the classroom teacher.
Note: Students can choose to read and/or listen to the text in the numeracy assessment.

57. Draft Blueprint for the Grade 3 Digital Numeracy SLA
Digitally Scored Questions
Percentage of
Assessment
Number Facts 4
10%
Number
13-15
33-38%
Patterns and Relations
7-9
18–23%
Shape and Space
8-10
20–25%
Statistics and Probability
3-5
7-12%
Total 39
100%
Number Facts
Demonstrate addition and related subtraction facts to 10. Demonstrate addition and related subtraction facts 11 to 18.
Number
Solve problems using quantitative information* in familiar contexts by
• interpreting, comparing, estimating, and representing whole numbers up to 100
• using personal strategies to apply learned concepts on whole numbers
Patterns and Relations
• recognizing, describing, and using numerical and non-numerical patterns
• demonstrating and recording the meaning of equality and inequality
Shape and Space
Solve problems using spatial information† in familiar contexts by
• using nonstandard units of measurement to measure, describe, and compare
• identifying, describing, and comparing 2D shapes and 3D objects
Statistics and Probability
• collecting, organizing, and analyzing data
• constructing and interpreting concrete graphs and pictographs
A detailed blueprint is available in the SLA 3 English Literacy and Numeracy Bulletin.

58. Suggestions for Responding to Numeracy Digital Questions
Look and/or listen to all information on the screen and think carefully before answering. The instructions guide students to obtain information from numbers, words, signs, charts, pictures, graphs, or maps.
While viewing all of the information on the screen, remember the question that needs to be answered. This will help students to focus on what is being asked of them.
Use paper, pencil, and manipulatives when solving the problem. This will support students in using a variety of strategies to help them solve the problems.
Students shall not use calculators at any time while responding to the digital questions.
Recheck answers to make sure they are complete.
Choose the correct or best answer.

59. Description of the Numeracy Performance Task
The Performance Task is designed to engage students in a variety of activities.
The activities are based on outcomes in the current Grade 2 programs of study.
They are constructed to reflect knowledge representations, cognitive skill processes, and intrapersonal skills.

60. Structure of the Numeracy Performance Task
The Performance Task is composed of two activities and a final check, which are designed to be completed in 45 to 60 minutes..
1) Presentation of Information
2) Activity 1: Problem Solving
3) Activity 2: Problem Solving
4) Final Check
It is recommended that the Performance Task be administered during several short sessions. Breaks may be taken at any time during the administration of the Performance Task. 
Details for administering the Numeracy Performance Task are in the Performance Task Administration Guidelines for Teachers, which is located on the Teacher Dashboard.
The details for administering the Numeracy Performance Task are in the Performance Task Administration Guidelines for Teachers, which is located on the Teacher Dashboard.

61. Assessing the Numeracy Performance Task
The Performance Task will be assessed only at the local level. 
Teachers are expected to assess Numeracy Performance Task responses.
The use of the results to inform local decision-making is encouraged.
Student responses are kept at the school for reference during teacher, student, and parent conversations. 
When assessing the Numeracy Performance Task, teachers will use:
Assessment materials found on the Teacher Dashboard. These include the performance task descriptors (rubric) and exemplars of student responses.
Using these materials help teachers apply provincial standards.
All of these materials will be digitally available through the Teacher Dashboard (September 1–November 1, 2015).

62. Use of Calculators, Paper/Pencil and Manipulatives
In keeping with programs of study expectations, students shall not use calculators at any time when writing the Grade 3 Numeracy questions.
Students should also have access to paper and a pencil during the digital assessment (except for the Number Facts).
Manipulative materials can be used when writing the Grade 3 Numeracy SLA (except for the Number Facts).

63. Horizontal Presentation of Number Facts
1. Navigation to progress through set of 4 questions related to Number Facts
2. Navigation for student to progress through a series of Number Facts within each question
3. Student input area
4. Number pad: Students can click or touch the number pad to enter a response into the student input area (3). Students may also use their keyboard to enter response.

64. Vertical Presentation of Number Facts
1. Navigation to progress through set of 4 questions related to Number Facts
2. Navigation for student to progress through a series of Number Facts within each question
3. Student input area
4. Number pad: Students can click or touch the number pad to enter a response into the student input area (3). Students may also use their keyboard to enter response.

65. website links and Teacher Support

66. SLA Website Home Page

67. Link to SLA Application
The SLA Application found at provides access to the:
Teacher Dashboard (Select Teacher Access tab)
SLA Student Login
Practice Questions
Released Questions

68. Alberta Education Account & SLA Access
The SLA Teacher Dashboard is restricted for use by teachers only
Access is granted by:
Signing up for an Alberta Education Account
Requesting Access to the SLA Teacher Dashboard via the Extranet
Extranet requests are approved by your principal
NOTE: It is recommended that teacher’s and administrators refer to the Quick Tips Video & User guide available for this topic.

69. Link to SLA Support Materials
Location of SLA Support Materials
By selecting the link above you will be
directed to a website page with the
Section Navigation seen here.
When a section is selected you will be
directed to the related resources.
For example, Sample Performance Tasks are
located in the Professional Learning Supports
for Teachers and Administrators.

70. Link to Quick Tips Videos
Before administration, it is essential administrators and teachers review the SLA User Guide to the Alberta Education Account & SLA Teacher Dashboard and the SLA User Guide. These resources include information regarding:
how to create an Alberta Education Account and request access to the Teacher Dashboard
how to set-up access to the Teacher Dashboard
pre-administration set-up of students and classes
how to use the digital SLA application
SLA digital component technical requirements
These documents are available at

71. Technical Support
Assistance with concerns specific to the Alberta Education Account, the Extranet and the SLA application is available by telephone and . Telephone:
Toll-free within Alberta:
Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (excluding statutory holidays). The office is open during the lunch hour.
Extended hours and week-end service will be coordinated as required during project peak periods.

72. Planning for SLA

73. Lessons Learned from the 2014 SLAs
Significant changes have been made to the SLAs and their administration timelines by Alberta Education, largely because of feedback received from teachers throughout the province via surveys and teachers’ conventions sessions.
Of particular note is the streamlining of performance tasks and the related documents. They have been redesigned to reduce their administration and assessment time.
Teacher feedback will continue to be a source of information that is used to ensure the success of the SLAs.

74. Sharing Time: Best Practices (1)
Alberta Education wants the fall 2015 SLA3 Pilot administration to be a positive experience for students, teachers, administrators and parents.
Advance preparation on the part of teachers and administrators is an important part of ensuring a positive experience.

75. Sharing Time: Best Practices (2)
In collaboration with other attendees discuss ways to most efficiently and effectively:
Complete advance preparations (including technology set-up)
Administer digital questions
Administer performance tasks
Assess performance tasks

76. Next Steps

77. Future PD (1)
The ARPDC is planning sessions for October and November 2015 on how to access and interpret the reports to improve student learning. 
Note: There will be new reports that will be discussed at later PD opportunities. At the later PD there will also be discussion of how to best work with and communicate to parents about their child’s SLA results.

78. Future PD (2)
Here are the links for session information and registration:

79. Key Contacts
Nicole Lamarre, Director English and French Student Learning Assessments
Dan Karas, Director Examination Administration
Deanna Wiens, Team Leader, English Literacy SLA3
Peggy Lee Peters, Team Leader, French Literacy SLA3 (French Immersion & Francophone)
Renate Taylor Majeau, Team Leader, Numeracy SLA3 (English & French)
Kim Brockhoff, Team Leader for the SLA Application (Technical Team)
Pascal Couture, Team Leader, Digital Systems and Services (English & French)