Progression takes place over a number of timescales: across a sequence of lessons; a year; a key stage. You have to decide how to structure teaching and assessment over these timescales in order to support students’ progression in learning.
Progression can be considered in relation to the learning experiences planned by the teacher:
Progress will be apparent if students are ready for more demanding teaching and learning experiences. Progression can also be viewed in terms of student performance (achievement against mark schemes and grade criteria for specific units of work or GCSE or A Levels).
To help students make progress, you need to have a clear understanding of the learning that they need to do, where they are now and how best to help them bridge the gap. Assessment is, therefore, a key component of planning for progression. Individual students vary in the rate at which they progress, according to their individual interests and abilities, the learning and teaching styles employed and the nature and structure of the activity. Assessment should be designed so that all students have an opportunity to demonstrate their progress and so that you can plan to address individuals’ learning needs.
The following activity allows you to consider proposals from the Geographical Association (GA) for integrated planning for progression and assessment.
Allow about 1 hour
In England, the Geographical Association is concerned that an emphasis on locational and place knowledge, human and physical processes in the Geography National Curriculum (GNC) 2014 will erode notions of progression in curriculum and assessment planning. They have published a framework to address their concerns. The discussion of the proposals related to assessment and progression will be relevant to teachers whether they work in England or elsewhere.
If you want to know more about the context of assessment and progression in England prior to the introduction of the GNC in 2014, read Lambert’s (2010) think piece on progression, which has a short discussion and some useful appendices.
Download and save An assessment and progression framework for geography (Geographical Association, 2014a) and the accompanying PowerPoint presentation, Progression and assessment without levels (Geographical Association, 2014b). You will use these again in Activity 4.
Read the following sections: ‘A clear vision’ and ‘The framework’. Also look at the framework diagram on page 4. Read slides 1–12 and 28 in the PowerPoint presentation and the accompanying notes.
What does the Geographical Association see as possible benefits of the framework advocated here?
The Geographical Association says:
Emphasis is placed on the following:
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