english as an additional language assessment workshop 2 assessment... · 2020. 2. 27. · english...

© PDST, 2010

1 The PDST is funded by the Department of Education and Skills

under the National Development Plan, 2007-2013

English as an Additional Language Assessment Workshop

© PDST, 2010



Workshop Overview

• Language Support

• Assessment

• Benchmarks

• Primary School Assessment Kit

© PDST, 2010



Key Messages

• The primary school assessment kit assesses pupils across the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing

• The receptive skills of listening and reading are straightforward to assess. The productive skills of speaking and writing are more subjective

© PDST, 2010



The national strategy in relation to EAL

• Improve the skills of teachers in assessing, monitoring and recording literacy and numeracy outcomes for EAL students- from 2012-2013

• Ensure that schools prioritise the tracking, assessment and analysis of the achievement of students for whom English is an additional language as part of the school’s self-evaluation and improvement process- from 2012-2013

© PDST, 2010



The Teaching and Learning Quality Framework

5

Teaching & Learning

Learner outcomes

Learner experiences

Teachers’ practices

• Attainment of curriculum objectives

• Learning

environment • Pupils’

engagement in learning

• Learning to learn

• Preparation for teaching

• Teaching approaches • Management of

pupils • Assessment

Th

em

e

Su

b-t

he

me

s

The PDST is funded by the Department of Education and Skills under the National Development Plan, 2007-2013

Gather the evidence

Analyse the evidence

Make judgements about strengths

and areas for development

Write school self-evaluation

report

Devise a 3-year school

improvement plan

Implement and monitor

improvement plan

Key steps in the SSE Process

© PDST, 2010



Role of Language Support Teacher

Circular 0015/2009

‘In collaboration with parents and mainstream class teachers, EAL support teachers identify pupils requiring additional language support, assess pupils’ proficiency in English using the assessment materials, devise appropriate language programmes, deliver the programmes and record and monitor pupils’ progress’.

cl0015_2009.doc

© PDST, 2010



Objective of language support

The principal objective of the language support programme is to integrate the pupil as quickly as possible into all mainstream learning and activities of the school.

Up and Away p. 20

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Responsibility for EAL pupil

Circular 0015_2009 ‘EAL support teachers are appointed to assist schools in providing additional EAL support

teaching for pupils. The EAL pupil remains the responsibility of the mainstream class teacher at

primary level ...’

cl0015_2009.doc

© PDST, 2010



Language or Learning

• Feedback from workshop one

• Observations

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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, NCCA, 2007

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Assessment of Learning Assessment 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/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

© PDST, 2010



Continuum of Assessment

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Assessment - Possible exemptions from standardised testing

• Education Act – 1998

• 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.’

© PDST, 2010



English Language Proficiency Benchmarks

• based entirely on the language needs of the Primary School Curriculum

• devised by IILT 2000-revised 2003

• derived from the Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR)

© PDST, 2010



When to use English Language Proficiency Benchmarks

• assess a pupil before language support begins

• devise a language programme

• to monitor children’s progress

• to assess the child’s level at the end of language support

• to make a case for children who need support for more than two years.

© PDST, 2010



English Language Proficiency Benchmarks

A1 Breakthrough Level

Lowest Level

A2 Waystage Level

B1 Threshold Level

For pupils entering with no English, this represents the first learning targets

Pupils progress into this level Pupils able to carry out the activities in this level without any help should be capable of full integration into the mainstream class.

a series of ‘can do’ statements of what a child can do at each level

© PDST, 2010



Global scales of underlying linguistic competence how

well a child can do it at each level

Global benchmarks of communicative proficiency

what a child can do at each level

Thirteen themes

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Local wider community

Weather

Time

People and places in other areas

Caring for my locality

Thirteen Themes

Our school Myself

Food and clothes

Shapes, colours, opposites

Animals and plants

People who help us

Seasons, holidays and festivals

Transport and travel

© PDST, 2010



Speaking and Listening

• Global benchmarks of communicative competency (Up and Away, p. 38 and 39)

- listening

- spoken interaction

- spoken production

• Global scales of underlying linguistic competence (Up and Away, p. 40)

- vocabulary control

- grammatical accuracy

- phonological control

© PDST, 2010



A1 (Breakthrough)

A2 (Waystage)

B1 (Threshold)

Listening

Spoken Interaction

Spoken Production

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A1 (Breakthrough)

A2 (Waystage)

B1 (Threshold)

Listening

Can understand basic school and classroom rules when they are explained very simply and with appropriate gestures.

Can understand instructions given in the classsroom, gym, playground, etc.

Can understand detailed instructions in the classroom, gym etc.

Spoken Interaction

Can ask permission to go to the toilet.

Can ask for attention in class.

Can interact spontaneously in the playground, engaging with other pupils in games and activities.

Spoken Production

Can use key words and simple phrases/sentences to describe a playground game.

Can use a series of phrases and sentences to describe what he/she watches on television, how he/she likes to do homework after school and what he/she does at home.

Can give a simple talk about the school.

© PDST, 2010



Primary School Assessment Kit

• one of many tools for assessment

• can be used for AoL and AfL

• assesses a pupil’s level of proficiency on entry to the school

• can assist in smooth transition between schools

• determines progress across broad curricular themes

• provides on-going assessment

• contributes to pupil profile

© PDST, 2010




A tool to assess language proficiency

3 sets of tests:

- Set 1 (Placement)

- Set 2

- Set 3

Tips for using the PSAK

www.pdst.ie

Tips for using the PSAK.doc




© PDST, 2010




• four skills need to be assessed (depending on age of child)

• reading and writing are not provided for infants

• skills can be assessed at different times.

© PDST, 2010




• reading and writing tests are differentiated for junior and senior primary

• receptive skills of listening and reading are easy to assess

• productive skills of speaking and writing are more difficult to assess

© PDST, 2010



• Listening test

• Speaking test

PSAK_Listening_Speaking.mov

© PDST, 2010



• Reading Test

• Initial Assessment

• Writing Test

Reading and writingShort.dv

Reading and writingShort.dv

© PDST, 2010



Record keeping

Circular 0015_2009

‘All documentation in relation to the administration of tests must be retained by the school for

audit/inspection purposes.’

http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/cl0015_2009.doc

Circular0015_2009.doc



© PDST, 2010



Reporting the child’s progress to parents

• essential part of link between school, home and the community

• explore strategies

• work collaboratively with all relevant staff

• engage the services of a translator

• pictorial representation of progress

• invite parents to view samples of child’s work

© PDST, 2010



Assessment strategies

• Profile of child’s prior learning

• Monitoring language and social development during the silent phase • Teacher observation and checklists

• Portfolios

• Teacher-designed tasks and tests

• Criterion-referenced benchmarks

(English as an Additional Language in Irish Primary Schools, NCCA, p. 51-59)

© PDST, 2010



Record keeping Primary School Assessment Kit

‘An individual file for each pupil should be maintained by the Language Support Teacher to include all

assessments, scoring sheets and pupil assessment profiles. Samples of pupils’ written work should also be

maintained on the files and dated accordingly.’ •English language portfolio

•individual file

•e-portfolios

•use of ICT

© PDST, 2010





• Monitoring language and social development during the silent phase

• Teacher observation and checklists

© PDST, 2010



Where to from here?

• Tips for using PSAK

• EAL Review Sheet

• www.pdst.ie

• Plan for Assessment

http://www.pdst.ie/

english as an additional language assessment workshop 2 assessment... · 2020. 2. 27. · english...

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