Assessment techniques
The type of assessment you use depends on what you want the assessment to achieve; effective assessment should:
- take account of different learning styles
- be consistent in its approach using the same techniques with all pupils
- involve pupils and take account of their opinions
- help colleagues to assess their own teaching and develop formats for pupils to be able to assess teachers sensitively
- share information across year groups
- achieve continuity, using a variety of assessment methods.
Self assessment
Self assessment can allow pupils ownership of their own learning and includes:
- 'can do' questionnaires
- surveys
- one-to-one interviews
- portfolios of work, with feedback from teachers.
Pupils may not accurately assess their abilities, either under or over estimating. Self-assessment questionnaires are valuable in bringing to light previously unrecognised ability – often in areas beyond the curriculum.
Peer assessment
Peer assessment offers pupils the chance to use agreed criteria to assess their work and the work of their peers.
Use ‘marking ladders’ to help pupils with work
Organise pupils to work in small groups to critically assess work completed by an (anonymous) student in a previous year, or work from a 'portfolio of excellence' collected over a number of years
By seeing a range of responses to a question, pupils can begin to see what makes a strong and interesting answer, as opposed to a by-the-book answer.
Consider allowing older pupils to mark each others' work or quiz using a teacher marking scheme – the process can dramatically change their understanding of learning outcomes and related tasks.
Do bear in mind that pupils may be influenced by poor handwriting or ‘smart’ word-processing or a ‘whizzy’ presentation – encourage them to look beyond this.
Informal assessment
Informal assessment may include:
- quizzes
- presentations
- coursework
- self-directed project work
- class ‘expert’ presentations with Q & A sessions – assessing the presenter on knowledge and ability to answer and the questioner on the quality of question and their ability to encourage an informative answer.
By offering pupils the chance to be assessed in a range of formats, you are offering them the best chance to shine in one or more formats. For example, a pupil who hates tests may excel in self-directed project work. However, informal assessment may not measure attainment.
Disadvantages of formal assessment
- Formal assessments can miss the able underachiever or the child who prefers to remain 'anonymous' in a middle-ability group. It is unlikely to measure a range of abilities.
- Formal assessment tends to focus on written tasks and, as such, is unlikely to reveal oral, creative or visual abilities.
- Tests and examinations can cause anxiety and result in students' underperformance.
- Standardised assessment methods may not be 'culture-fair'.
- Performance-based assessment ignores underachievers or students who have potential but need opportunities and/or support.
Assessment for learning
Assessment for learning (AfL) is a key component of personalised learning. It uses assessment to give students feedback about where they are and where they need to go in their learning. This in turn encourages students to take charge of their own learning.
Feedback or informative assessment
Without feedback, pupils will not be able see the relevance of assessment and will not be able to use it to agree targets. Feedback should be regular, consistent and offer suggestions for further improvement. It can be in a variety of formats:
- verbal feedback in lessons to individuals or groups
- one-to-one discussions/interviews
- marking and written feedback
- reports.
Feedback should identify what has been done well and which areas still need improvement. The feedback should then go on to give guidance on how to make that improvement.
Assessment benefits