Assessment Is The Process For The Student Progress And Affects The Learning Of Literacy And Language

|assessment as a process of making judgments of learners’ knowledge, skills and competence against set criteria |

Initial assessment is the starting point of a learning journey. The information gathered provides a base on which to plan your learner’s progress. Initial assessment is very important so you find out the learners individual needs in order for you to support them appropriately.

2.2 The strengths and limitations of a range of assessment methods in relation to the individual learner needs:

During the initial assessment, the assessor must introduce themselves to the learner and ensure that they understand what the course is.

The assessment strategy should state how the subject should be assessed, and subsequent results recorded. It should also state the experience, professional development and qualifications that assessors should hold. Quality assurance requirements, for example internal and external verification or moderation, will also be stated. Organisation may also have an assessment policy which an assessor should familiarise him/herself with.

To deliver a useful, appropriate teaching session, the needs of the students must first be identified and understood. Whilst I deliver both accredited courses, with a set of specifications which must be met and achieved, and non-accredited courses, with less specific criteria and instead one overall aim or outcome, I need to plan and structure sessions differently depending on different students, in terms of content, pace and resources. This makes an initial assessment a vital part of any course.

From the very beginning of the course, teachers should begin to analyse their learners through initial assessment methods. The assessments best suited to guide improvements in student learning are quizzes, tests, writing assignments, and other assessments such as a group activity. These can easily give the teacher/tutor an insight into the learning needs of the learners. Also

Haydn (2009 cited in Capel et al 2009 page 329) defines assessment as "all those activities which are undertaken by teachers, and others, to measure the effectiveness of teaching and learning".

This process of assessment assists in ensuring that the class room is inclusive, with all learner needs being met. Each learner is unique and individual and if the needs of the learner are discovered and catered for there is an increased chance of success, in my opinion Initial Assessment, can make the difference between failure and success.

For example, assessment provides clear measurement and recording of achievement during a course that provides identification of individual

1.1 Assessment is about judging if, how and what level of learning has taken place. An assessor's function is to decide if a learner has developed skills, knowledge, understanding and competence in a particular field as well as if the learner is showing the attitude required for the application of the learning within that field. Assessing is not the same as evaluating. Rather than the focus being on the programme or course the learner is on (evaluation), the focus is instead on the learner and their development.

The function of assessment in learning and development is to provide a measurable way of planning and supporting students’ progress. Assessment is carried out by means of checks and tests carried out throughout the course. Assessors should provide feedback throughout ensuring that learning is occurring and the learner is at the correct level. It is also important that assessor’s decisions are also consistently reviewed and internally and externally verified.

Included below is an example of initial assessment and diagnostic assessment for both Numeracy and Literacy, which shows how I use this within my teaching practice.

* This is to determine if the delivery and assessment meets the requirements of the standards or assessment criteria , the whole assessment process needs to be accutat, consistate, safe and meets all organisation requirements.

Assessment is often thought of as a punitive exercise. But the purpose of assessment is to ensure that students meet specific standards of progress and to rectify learning deficits before a child falls too far behind. Assessment can also identify a child's strengths as well as his or her weaknesses. As well as comparing the child's performance with his or her peers, the teacher can assess specific learning needs, learning styles, interests, aptitudes, and other critical components of the child's developing learning personality.