Assessment for Learning helps learners to:

1. understand what they are expected to learn
2. be aware of where they are now with that learning
3. understand how they can make progress (that is, what to study and how to study).

As a teacher, you will get the best out of your learners if you aim to use the three points above, which makes assessment as much a responsibility for the pupil as it is for the teacher. How does this work?

1.      Learners understand what they are expected to learn

When you decide the learning outcomes for a topic or a lesson activity you should share what it is you are expecting them to LEARN. For example, ‘Today we are going to learn about the air. By the end of the lesson you will be able to demonstrate that it exists and describe its uses’.

To check they have understood, ask a question. For example:

• ‘Who can explain in their own words what we have to do and what we aim to learn?’
• ‘So what is it we are going to do today?’

Their answers will enable you to know if they understand what they have to learn before they start. If there is confusion, you can explain again in a different way.

2.      Being aware of where they are now in their learning process

In order to help learners improve, you and they need to understand and be aware of what they already know about that specific topic. Watch and listen as they work and talk to learners about what they know and understand. Make sure that they find your feedback both useful and constructive. Do this by:

• highlighting learners’ strengths and suggesting how they might further improve them
• being clear about weaknesses and positive about how they might be tackled, checking that learners understand and are positive about your advice
• checking with learners for examples of your feedback that they found useful. Assessment for learning is a two-way process.

3.      Understanding how they can make progress.

You will need to provide opportunities for learners to improve their work.

Give learners opportunities to talk about their work amongst themselves and explain what they are finding difficult. This helps them to become aware of their own learning.

How can you help students consolidate and improve their learning?

• plan open-ended tasks – all students work on the same task but find their own attainment level
• provide students with choices about which task to do. Encourage them to choose one which will challenge them
• group students according to needs, give differentiated tasks.