3. Assessment for Learning
‘Assessment for Learning is the process of seeking and
interpreting evidence for use by learners and their
teachers to decide where the learners are in their
learning, where they need to go next, and how best to
get them there.’
(’Assessment for Learning: 10 Principles’ The Assessment Reform Group, Northern Ireland, 2002)
4. 1. Learning Intention
The learning intention is what the teacher wants to
student to
Know
Understand
Be able to do
as a result of the teaching and learning activities.
5. 2. Agreeing Success Criteria
Success criteria summarise the key steps or ingredients the
student needs in order to fulfill the learning intention – the
main things to do, include or focus on.’
It helps foster a positive classroom environment
It encourages pupils to be involved in the learning and
upcoming activity even before it’s begun
It can help build pupil self-esteem by offering them
opportunities to contribute
Its collaborative aspect is a useful tool to strengthen the
teacher-pupil relationship.
6. 3. Strategic Questioning
Strategic questioning provides teachers
with the opportunity to identify and correct
misunderstandings and gaps in
knowledge, as well as identify the need
for extension work for those students
whose knowledge and skills base
demand it.
7. 4. Feedback and Feedforward
(a) Providing peer assessment possibilities
Peer feedback occurs when students offer each other
advice about their work which incorporates reference
to:
what has been done well in relation to the success
criteria
what still needs to be done in order to achieve the
success criteria
advice on how to achieve that improvement.
8. (b) Teacher assessment: Comment only marking
In adopting the approach of comment-only marking the
teacher gives feedback in three key areas in the
student's learning cycle:
what the student has done right
what weaknesses there are in the student's work
what next step/s would improve performance or
understanding
