Workshops to support the implementation of the new languages syllabuses in Years 7-10

Purpose of the day To provide support in understanding: assessment issues related to the new languages syllabuses in Years 7-10 the ICT requirements of the new languages syllabuses in Years To provide opportunities to work collaboratively towards producing: an assessment task an ICT task.

What has happened so far? New syllabuses were released in In 2004 the Languages Unit: conducted workshops across the state on programming for the new syllabuses published support in a range of languages on the web site, including sample scope and sequence documents and sample units of work published articles on the syllabuses in languages bulletins and curriculum support publications.

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.

What assessment advice has been issued? Principles of Assessment and Reporting in NSW Government Schools DET NSW 1996 Consistency in Assessment and Reporting: a Support package for Secondary Schools CD-ROM package

In 2004 the Board of Studies issued: Advice on Programming and Assessment Assessment for learning in a standards-referenced framework CD-ROM Descriptions of Levels of Achievement Consultation Draft

FAQs What should I assess? How should I assess? How should I assess MBCs? How often should I assess? How should I record results? How should I report results? What about Quality teaching and assessment? How should I use the DLAs?

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

Teachers plan assessment strategies when planning teaching and learning activities. 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.

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 parents.

What is a standards-referenced framework? A standards-referenced framework describes, through syllabuses and other documents, the expected learning outcomes for students. In a standards-referenced framework outcomes are central to teaching and learning and assessment.

Standards Syllabus standards (outcomes and content) articulate what is to be taught and learnt. Performance standards (stage statements, draft levels of achievement) describe the quality of performance in meeting the outcomes of a stage of learning.

The syllabuses use the terms Assessment of learning Assessment for learning Assessment of learning has replaced the term summative assessment. Assessment for learning has replaced the term formative assessment.

Assessment of learning is assessment for accountability purposes, to determine a student's level of performance on a specific task or 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 year or stage.

Assessment for learning, on the other hand, is ongoing and acknowledges that assessment should occur as a regular 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.

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

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 relate to performance standards are sometimes referred to as assessment rubrics.

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.

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.

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

Descriptions of levels of achievement Stage 4 has four levels of achievement. Stage 5 has five levels of achievement. Student achievement will be reported on the School Certificate Record of Achievement.

Terminology Outcomes 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.

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

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

Where can I find more information? Articles in languages bulletins and Curriculum Support documents Curriculum Support web site Consistency in Assessment and Reporting: a Support package for Secondary Schools CD-ROM package DET web site 12assessments/index.php

Curriculum Corporation Assessment for Learning website Information on: designing and using rubrics effective feedback strategic questioning student self-assessment.