Ptlls Unit 7

Assessment plays a significant role in the learning experience of students. It determines their progression through their programmes and enables them to demonstrate that they have achieved the intended learning outcomes. It is assessment that provides the main basis for public recognition of achievement, through the awarding of qualifications and/or credit.

The term ‘formative assessment’ is used to describe the activities and processes used by teachers and learners to gather information that informs future teaching and learning. Assessment becomes formative if the information gathered is used as feedback to adapt and modify teaching and learning (Black and Wiliam, 1998, p.2). There are a variety of different methods and techniques that can be used by teachers and learners that can contribute to enhancing learner progress. These include

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

Formative assessment, or assessment for learning as it is often called, is the assessment that

“Assessments should be a regular process; it might not always be formalised, but you should be observing what your learners are doing, asking questions and reviewing their progress throughout their time with you”.

Assessment for learning will help the learning support practitioner because it will inform us of which areas the pupils may need support with. It will give us better judgement on how to question the children and give them feedback on their work and will also show any problem areas that some less able children need to work at.

Assessment is carried out through formative (checks throughout the course), ipsative (to test against previous marks), and/ or summative (at end of course) activities to help the learner see their development whilst allowing the Assessor to give valuable feedback when appropriate. It’s purpose is to measure the learners understanding of the subject against the anticipated outcomes set by the criteria.

If we consider the resource of YouTube videos within PowerPoint, some advantages to its use are:-

What is an assessment? Alan Rogers (1994, p172) defines assessment as collection of data on which we base our evaluation. According to Reece and Walker (2008, p5) assessment consists of tests and observations that we, as tutor, use to determine how well the students has achieved the objectives. Geoff Petty (2004, p449) writes that “Assessment measures the breadth and depth of learning”. Assessments are used in all areas and domain of everyday life, whether formal or informal, ranging from taking a written or practical driving test to claims for income support or acquiring life insurance on-line.

Assessments should contribute to a student’s education and learning by including students in the learning process educators are able to assist and extend students learning (SCSA, 2014).

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.

In this evidence you will need to explain your understanding of the principles and requirements of your assessment practices. 1. Explain how peer and self assessment can be used to promote effective learner involvement in the assessment process, what are the benefits of learners taking ownership and responsibility for their learning journey:It is important to involve learners

Recently, whenever I hear current teachers discussing about assessing students, ‘Formative Assessment’ is sure to be highlighted. Nowadays this method (formative assessment) is becoming popular among schools and is being applied widely in schools including my own school. Loughland and Kilpatrick (2015) identified in the few past decades, formative assessment has turned out to be the main goal for teachers and educational systems. On the foundation of Loughland and Kilpatrick (2015) findings and from my experience in the field of teaching, I found out nowadays teachers and school stakeholders strongly feel that formative assessment is the best method to assess in order to enhance students’ learning. For these evident reasons, I am interested in finding

Assessment is carried out to ensure that learning has taken place. It measures the learner’s knowledge and skills in their learning area. Assessment encourages learners to ask questions on anything they have not fully understood, as learners know that they will have to prove their knowledge and understanding to the standards of the awarding body.

According to Rixon (2012), assessment can be regarded as a systematic means to analyse learners’ level of knowledge or skills do discover and record how well they can do the reading, listening or writing tasks or perform while doing speaking activities. Depending on the aims, we can use formative or summative assessments. There is a differentiation between these two types. Formative assessment can be informal and provided without establishing tests conditions as in the case of formal assessment (Harris, M & McCann, 1994). It can be done over a period of time as a term, an academic year or like in my situation – during the intensive summer course. Whereas, the summative assessment is carried out by the end of the course and is conducted to demonstrate the progress or to check if we met the objectives During the academic year, at the British Council, we have formal testing at the beginning of a school year and the end of each term as these results are necessary to make a decision about the next level a student might move to. Therefore, validity and reliability of the tests are crucial to YLs future learning (McKay, 2006).