Focusing on Learning Outcomes NOT Education Inputs: The Role of Classroom Assessment in the Post-MDG Environment Craig Esbeck Reading Association of Uganda March 13, 2014

UWEZO Recommendations: 1.Do NOT do more of the same. 2.Insist on rigourous evidence. 3.Focus on learning outcomes instead of educational inputs. 4.Learn from what works. 5.Experiment and test out new ideas.

Presentation Outline I.Introduction to Assessment II.The Three Elements of Effective Early Literacy Assessment Systems III.Uganda’s Early Literacy Assessment System IV.Innovations in Classroom Assessment in Uganda

I. Introduction to Assessment What do you think of when the topic of educational assessment is mentioned? Make a “mind map” of all your associations related to assessment.

I. Introduction to Assessment Why the focus on assessment?

I. Introduction to Assessment Why the focus on assessment? Global shift from educational inputs to learning outcomes in post MDG environment. Growing demand from governments, NGOs and civil society for accountability in the education sector. Assessment, done well, is good for children.

I. Introduction to Assessment Definition of Assessment: Latin root meaning “to sit beside” “The purpose of [assessment] must be to improve services for children and ensure that children benefit from their educational experiences.” International Reading Association Assessment should be non-threatening; affirming the learner’s knowledge and skills

I. Introduction to Assessment Guiding Principles for Early Literacy Assessment: Assessment should support children’s development and literacy learning. Assessment should take many different forms. Assessment must avoid cultural and language bias. Assessment should encourage children to observe and reflect on their own learning progress. Assessment should shed light on what children ARE able to do as well as the areas where they need further work. Parents should be a valued source of assessment information, as well as an audience for assessment results.

I. Introduction to Assessment What do We Assess? The 5 Components of Literacy Instruction: 1.Phonemic awareness 2.Phonics (alphabetic principle) 3.Vocabulary 4.Fluency 5.Comprehension

II. The 3 Elements of Effective Early Literacy Assessment Systems 1. Multiple Forms of Evidence Sound early literacy assessment systems should include a range of assessments, from informing and reflecting classroom practice to serving district and national program evaluation needs.

II. The 3 Elements of Effective Early Literacy Assessment Systems The three major types of assessment instruments that give important data in an early literacy assessment system are: A. Screening measures B. Classroom assessments C. Program evaluations

II. The 3 Elements of Effective Early Literacy Assessment Systems A. Screening measures: Screenings are a first step in identifying learners who may be at risk of delayed development or academic failure or who need further evaluation for special services. Example: Visual and auditory testing are common screenings done routinely in schools.

II. The 3 Elements of Effective Early Literacy Assessment Systems B. Classroom assessments: Classroom assessments that are directly linked to the instructional program can provide a rich source of information on a single child or a group of children. Example: Letter Name Knowledge Test in the Benchmarks video.

II. The 3 Elements of Effective Early Literacy Assessment Systems C. Program evaluations: Program evaluation and accountability are an essential component for any assessment system to work effectively. Examples: NAPE, EGRA and UWEZO are assessment tools designed for program evaluation.

II. The 3 Elements of Effective Early Literacy Assessment Systems 1.Multiple forms of evidence A. Screenings B. Classroom assessments C. Program evaluations

II. The 3 Elements of Effective Early Literacy Assessment Systems 2. Leadership Research suggests that the educational institutions that have been most successful in educating all children share some common attributes and paramount among those commonalities is leadership that creates a shared vision of success and provides the staff with the tools to meet that vision.

II. The 3 Elements of Effective Early Literacy Assessment Systems 3. Coherent Professional Development Effective assessment systems rely on well-trained and reflective teachers who understand cognitive and literacy development as well as the basic concepts of appropriate assessment.

III. Uganda’s Early Literacy Assessment System Let’s reflect on Uganda’s Assessment System. 1.Multiple forms of evidence? a)Screening measures? b)Classroom assessments? c)Program evaluations? 2.Leadership? 3.Coherent professional development?

III. Uganda’s Early Literacy Assessment System What key policy reforms has Uganda enacted that strengthen classroom assessment in early literacy?

III. Uganda’s Early Literacy Assessment System Reform 1. Focus on literacy, numeracy and life skills in early primary. Reform 2. Competency-based assessment model with literacy competences identified in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Reform 3. Language of Instruction in the local language with a focus on attaining literacy in the local/area language first, followed by English. Reform 4. Continuous assessment model. Reform 5. Class teacher system in early primary.

III. Uganda’s Early Literacy Assessment System What government entities are responsible for implementing classroom-based literacy assessment?

III. Uganda’s Early Literacy Assessment System Agencies Responsible for Assessment Nationally: UNEB, NCDC, MoES Regionally: DES, PTCs (CCTs) District-level: DEO and Inspectorate School-level: Head teacher, Head of Academics, Class Teacher

IV. Innovations in classroom-based assessment What are some of the innovations in classroom assessment being implemented by USAID’s School Health and Reading Program (SHRP), Mango Tree’s Northern Uganda Literacy Program (NULP) and others?

IV. Innovations in classroom-based assessment Mango Tree’s video on continuous assessment

IV. Innovations in classroom-based assessment Innovation 1: Identification, integration and dissemination of the 5 Components of Literacy Instruction into the Ugandan education system.

A sample of Save the Children’s Literacy Boost Assessment Tool Using the 5 Components of Literacy

IV. Innovations in classroom-based assessment Innovation 2: Clearly articulating the literacy competences to be assessed during the lesson, the week, the term and the academic year and delineating literacy competences from thematic competences.

An extract from Mango Tree’s P1 teacher’s guide for Leblango, Term 2 Week 9

IV. Innovations in classroom-based assessment Innovation 3: Embedding continuous assessment of the identified competences into the daily lesson plan templates to ensure that teachers take the time to assess learners every day.

IV. Innovations in classroom-based assessment Innovation 4: Revising the Class Progress Record aka Continuous Assessment Monitoring Form to make it more teacher friendly.

SHRP’s Continuous Assessment Monitoring Form

IV. Innovations in classroom-based assessment Innovation 5: Revising the marking system. SHRP Model: Level 3 = exceeds competence (full triangle) Level 2 = competent (2-sides of triangle) Level 1 = not yet competent (1-side of triangle)

IV. Innovations in classroom-based assessment Innovation 6: Providing summative assessments for Week 12.

Extract from SHRP’s P1 teacher’s guide for Lebacoli, Term 1 Week 12

IV. Innovations in classroom-based assessment Innovation 7: Revising and translating the parent report card to make it more user-friendly.

Mango Tree’s P1 Parent Report Card

IV. Innovations in classroom-based assessment What other innovations do we as the MLEN want to make advocate for to improve Uganda’s Early Literacy Assessment System?

Thanks for your interest and attention! Craig Esbeck