Assessment in 2010 and Beyond: An Australian Perspective

A/P Heather Fehring

20th January 2010

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Assessment Defined

• “Assessment is the process of identifying, gathering, and interpreting information about students’ learning.” (Winch , et. al, 2006, p. 134)

• Assessment involves:

i) Gathering information using a variety of techniques or strategies to suit the purpose for which the information is required.

ii) Analysing the evidence or information to make judgements about a student’s achievements. This requires a teacher to have a knowledge of expected outcomes or standards, as for example, the use of VELS (VCAA, 2006) and the Progression Points.

iii) Using the evidence or information to change practices related to curriculum planning and teaching activities to promote further learning.

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Purpose of Assessment

Winch, et. al., 2006 identifies many purposes of assessment:

• Identify a starting point for a teacher in a new class

• Grouping students according to a common need

• Identifying students’ strengths and weaknesses

• For reporting purposes at the parent and school levels

• For reporting purposes at the DEECD (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Victoria) or Commonwealth levels (e.g. NAPLAN)

• Evaluating the effectiveness of a particular program

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Influences on Classroom Curriculum

s

School Level Influences (type of curriculum programme)

Community/ State Government Level Influences (VELS, Reading Recovery, Blueprint II)

Commonwealth Government Level

Influences (NAPLAN, National

Curriculum)

Reading Recovery-RR

• Is a school-based Early Intervention Program developed in New Zealand by Marie Clay (Commenced in 1979). Introduced into Australia 1984.

• One-on-one teacher – child instruction. Based on an intensive catch-up model of learning. • Child is withdrawn from the regular classroom environment.• Designed for 6 Year olds after their first year of school. • Second opportunity for children having difficulty with literacy learning.

• Each child receives a daily 30 minute RR session which includes re-reading familiar book/s, letter identification, making and breaking up sentences, writing a story, listening to sounds, cutting up a story, introducing and reading a new book.

• Each child has 12 – 20 weeks of RR. Average 16 weeks.

• Children are assessed using the Observational Survey (Marie Clay).

• The Observation Survey includes:

Word Test Letter Identification

Writing Vocabulary, Hearing and Recording Sounds

Concepts About Print Running Record.

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VCAAVictorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority

•http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au

•Is the authority responsible for P – 10 Curriculum in Victoria, VELS and VCE Years 11 & 12

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Victorian Essential Learning Skills - VELS

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NAPLAN National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy

• NAPLAN replaced AIM (Achievement Improvement Monitor) in Victoria in 2008

• NAPLAN tests all Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students across Australia

–12th May 2009 – 14th May 2009. http://www.naplan.edu.au/

• The results were released to the State and Territory Education Departmental Secretaries (Victoria – Peter Dawkins) on 29th July 2009

• However, the report released to the public was 11th September 2009

• 2009 National Assessment Program. Literacy and Numeracy . NAPLAN Summary Report. Achievement in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions and Numeracy.

• http://www.naplan.edu.au/verve/_resources/2009_NAPLAN_Summary_Report.pdf Access date 17.09.2009

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ACARA Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority

• ACARA is the new Commonwealth Government organisation leading the change on National Curriculum K- Year 12 across the nation.

• http://www.acara.edu.au/default.asp Access date 16.09.2009

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Types of Literacy Assessment Techniques

• Formal Testing - TORCH, AIM, DART, PAT, BURT

• Informal Assessment – Observations, work samples, cloze, read & retell,

Running Records, anecdotal notes, Rubrics, checklists, …

• Performance Assessment – Debates, role plays, speeches

• Product Assessment – Units of work, photos, videos

• Process Assessment – Proof reading & editing, oral reading

• Self Assessment, Peer Assessment, Group Assessment

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NRT – Norm Referenced Test

• TORCH Tests of Reading Comprehension (Years 3 – 10)

• PAT-R Progressive Assessment Test - Reading

• DART Developmental Assessment Resource for Teachers

• BURT Word Reading Test

• Neale Analysis of Reading Ability, 3rd Edition 1999. 6.0 – 12.11. Years of age

(Diagnostic Reading Test)

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TORCH - Tests of Reading Comprehension 2nd Edition 2003

TORCH - Tests of Reading Comprehension 2nd Edition 2003

Mossenson, L., Stephanou, A., Forster, M., Masters, G., McGregor, M.

Anderson, P., Hill, P. Camberwell: ACER 2003

Background Information

• 1st edition 1987, Western Australian Education Department

• Testing stories come from publications ranging from 1955 – 1992

• Set of 12 reading tests designed to assess students’ reading comprehension skills from Year 3 – 10.

• Each answer sheet has a retelling of the passage; Students complete the test by reading the passage and filling in the gaps in the answer sheet (Cloze type activity).

Normative Data Norms based on 7,000 children from Years 3 – 10 tested in August 2002 - Australian students.

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CRT – Criterion Referenced Test

A teacher sets a criterion or standard to be reached, For example:

• Needs to be able to read Level 12 on the Reading Recovery Leveled Books by the end of Year 1

• Needs to be able to identify and name 80% of the letters of the alphabet

• Needs to be able to proofread and edit own work

• Needs to be able to use a dictionary and a thesaurus

• Needs to be able to research, plan, prepare and deliver a 5 minute speech to classmates

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Informal Reading Assessment Strategies

• Running Records

• Read and Retell

• Checklist

• Teacher journals and anecdotal notes

• Cloze

• Self assessment

• Peer assessment

• Concept Maps

• Work samples

• Role plays

• Portfolios (a variety of assessment techniques to build up an holistic perspective)

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Reflect for a Moment

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How many times must it be said by how many people?

“Excellence in teaching is the single most powerful influence on achievement” (Hattie, 2003, p. 4: Hattie, 2005).