Ros Wilson - Assessment for Learning and Ensuring Progression through Big Writing

TL;DR

Assessment for learning is the practice of empowering students to understand and achieve the next steps in their writing through small, achievable goals, while also celebrating their progress.

Transcript

assessment for learning is the practice of totally empowering pupils in the knowledge and understanding of what needs to be done next in any area of learning and includes ways the child can achieve that next step to be effective the next progressive steps in the learning must be so small that the child can successfully achieve each one within the c... Read More

Key Insights

• 🧑‍🎓 Assessment for learning breaks down learning goals into small, achievable steps for students.
• ⚖️ The use of a progressive scale or criterion scale helps guide students' writing progress.
• ✍️ Big Writing teaches students to identify the features of high-level writing and improve their own work through the use of power features.
• ❓ Timing and prompt feedback are crucial in assessment for learning.
• 🧑‍🎓 Celebrating emergent skills and avoiding criticism of early misunderstandings is important for students' writing development.
• ✍️ Ongoing modeling and scripts help address errors and improve students' writing voice.
• 💦 Students in schools using assessment for learning enjoy writing and actively work towards higher levels.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is assessment for learning in writing?

Assessment for learning in writing is a practice that involves empowering students by identifying small, achievable steps for their progress and enabling them to understand and achieve those steps. It requires teachers to have subject knowledge or access to a progressive scale for identifying these steps.

Q: What are the features of high-level writing in assessment for learning?

The features of high-level writing in assessment for learning include voice, VCOP (vocabulary, connectives, openers, punctuation), and the four basic skills of writing (grammar, handwriting, spelling, and punctuation). Students are encouraged to confidently identify these features in their own writing and improve their work through increased use of power features.

Q: How can teachers provide feedback and support in assessment for learning?

Teachers can provide feedback and support in assessment for learning by marking and returning students' writing as soon as possible. It is beneficial to work with writing partners to review comments and identify power features used. Different colors can be used to highlight different features, and children can evaluate their personal standard and suggest areas for improvement.

Q: How does assessment for learning support the development of writing voice?

Assessment for learning supports the development of writing voice by encouraging students to celebrate their efforts and identify emergent skills. Through ongoing modeling and the use of scripts, teachers raise issues and guide students to correct errors. Students develop a well-managed writing voice that is empowered by their ability to identify best practices and next steps.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Assessment for learning empowers students in their writing by breaking down the learning process into small, achievable steps.

• The use of a progressive scale or criterion scale helps teachers identify the specific steps needed for students to progress in their writing.

• Big Writing, a teaching method, helps students identify the features of high-level writing and improve their own work through the use of power features.