1. Supporting Assessment in Primary Schools: Standardised Testing

2. Aims for the Day To place standardised testing within the broader context of assessment To explore the potential of interpreting and using standardised test results To promote best practice in the communication of standardised test results

3. Response to teachers’ request for support in the use of assessment to support teaching and learning in the classroom Rationale

4. Assessment “… gathering, recording, interpreting, using and reporting information about a child’s progress and achievement in developing knowledge, skills and attitudes” Assessment in the Primary School Curriculum: Guidelines for Schools, p. 7, NCCA, 2007

6. Assessment of Learning Re-envisioning Assessment Assessment for Learning

7. Assessment of Learning What percent? What grade?What score?

8. What am I learning? Assessment Learning Assessment for Learning How will this inform my teaching?

9. Assessment of LearningAssessment for Learning happens after the learning takes place an integral part of the learning process When? Who? information is gathered by the teacher information is shared with the learner What? information is usually transformed into marks or grades information is available on the quality of learning Why? comparison with the performance of others comparison with aims and objectives is important Purpose looks back on past learning looks forward to the next stage of learning Both inform teaching and learning

10. Using the Primary School English Writing Curriculum, note the objectives that the child achieved. Choose two objectives from the strand of writing that could be developed in order to forward the children’s learning.

13. Assessment of Learning Assessment for Learning Re-envisioning Assessment

14. … contains standardised procedures for its administration and scoring and for the interpretation of its results.” Assessment in the Primary School Curriculum: Guidelines for Schools, NCCA, 2007 What is a Standardised Test?

15. Standardised Test Vocabulary Raw Scores Standard Score Sten Percentiles Class based scores Age based scores

16. BELL CURVE OF NORMAL DISTRIBUTION STEN 7 STEN 5 - 6 STEN 8 -10 Well Above average High Average Average Raw Scores are converted through conversion tables STEN 4Below Average STEN 1-3Well Below Average

17. Purpose of Standardised Testing Inform Teaching and Learning

18. Factors that may impact on a child’s results

19. Tests Available

20. Test Format Multiple Choice The girl is _______ the ice-cream making licking holding dropping Supply Format It was a dull, wet summer’s evening. Paula Hanley and her brother Tom were on their way _____________ from a visit to their relatives with their _____________ who was driving. Suddenly a car drove across in ___________ of them. Mrs. Hanley braked immediately ____________ it was too late. Short Answer Peter visits the dentist on the 16th of March. The dentist tells him to come back 15 days later. On what day of the week should he come back?

21. Q: What is your current practice when administering standardised tests? Who? Where? When? Diversity of Current Practice

22. Timing – When? During child’s schooling Informed by purpose Which classes? Circular 0138/2006  end 1 st / beg 2 nd  end 4 th / beg 5 th During school year Informed by purpose Autumn / spring? WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH TO ASSESSMENT

23. Aim for Full Attendance Ensure adequate time Mid-week “Do Not Disturb” Demonstrate procedures Prevent copying Make calculators available (if appropriate) When administering…

24. Multi-class Exemptions Specific Arrangements

25. Possible Exemptions Education Act Circular 0138/2006 “Pupils may be excluded from the test if in the view of the school principal they have a learning or physical disability which would prevent them from attempting the test, or in the case of newcomer pupils, where their level of English is such that attempting such a test would be inappropriate.”

26. Alternatives Any deviations from assessment procedures could invalidate the standardised results.

27. Key message The interpretation of standardised test results is most beneficial when it enhances teaching and learning