Samples of Formative Assessment Tasks Focus Formative Assessment 1 Diagnostic: To see what students know prior to the lesson or at the beginning of a new topic Skills Prior Knowledge identification Writing in a writing frame Objectives To identify what students know before the introduction of a new topic, theme or lesson. Theory Success Criteria Use the writing frame to identify what they know now and what they have learned by the end of the lesson or unit. Assessment Task Students can draw this table into their books at the beginning of each unit. They can then refer back to the same table at the end of the unit/lesson and reflect on what they have learned. Additional Notes Students can write this at the beginning and end of a unit. This gives an opportunity to review and reflect on what they have learned. This allows the teacher to scaffold the lessons from students prior knowledge. Topic/ Lesson What I know now What I know at the end
Formative Assessment 11 Using a checklist as a form of formative assessment through the 4 English skills Reading Writing Listening Speaking Objectives To provide quick checklist type assessment that can be used by the student in peer, group or individual assessment To connect this checklist with a particular skill in a Language classroom To support knowledge and comprehension questions on a topic Theory Success Criteria Students are able to use the checklist with ease will completing a set skill based task Students are familiar with the specific checklist criteria and are able to identify these criteria in the skill be assessed. Students are able to complete the task to an achieved standard by ensuring the checklist criteria is evident. Assessment Task Students are given a task. With the task is a list of criteria as identified in the check list. Students should identify or listen, speak, write, read with this checklist in mind. Through the use of a checklist given by the teacher, students are able to organize ideas, reach goals and understand the criteria and what is required in the task for achievement.
Example Self and peer writing task, checklist Self-Review Peer Review- Name: Is there a title? What is it? Is there a title? What is it? Does it meet the word count? Does it meet the word count? Can you read it easily? Put sp next to any words spelt wrong. Did you find any subject-specific words? Academic vocabulary? Did the writer include any real life examples? Circle any mistakes Write a comment about this essay: Can you read it easily? Put sp next to any words spelt wrong. Did you find any subject-specific words? Academic vocabulary? Did the writer include any real life examples? Circle any mistakes Write a comment about this essay: Example Self and peer speaking task, checklist WORD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Vocabulary Can give the meaning Can give 2 alternative synonyms for this word Can identify the form/ part of speech of the word Can use the word in a sentence Can pronounce the word correctly
Focus Skills Formative Assessment 13 Providing scaffolds to help students achieve, master, or succeed at a task, goal or assessment. Writing Theory Bruner, Scaffolding Visual Vygotsky, Zone of Proximal Objectives To support and lift students understanding from one level to another in stages. To use a variety of scaffolds to improve and develop students ability in the writing process. Development Success Criteria Students will be able to use the scaffold to provide an example of a written text. Students will be able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the structure required in a writing task with a scaffold to support. Assessment Task Teachers can start with writing prompts. These prompts give students a focus point to write about. Giving the writing task a theme. If students are unsure how to begin the writing task they can use sentence starters. Sentence starters help the student to introduce the idea they would like to discuss. Graphic organisers are a way to visual portray ideas before the writing process occurs. Ideas in a brainstorm or other type of organizer can help to structure and guide the writing. Additional Notes There are a number of examples of scaffolding. However, scaffolding is simply: a process in which teachers model or demonstrate the problem-solving process, then step back and offer support as needed. Scaffolds could be writing prompts, sentence starters, paragraph frames or even graphic organisers.
Writing prompts 1. It was the first snowfall of the year. 2. He hadn t seen her since the day they left High School. 3. The city burned, fire lighting up the night sky. Silk. 4. She studied her face in the mirror. 5. The smell of freshly-cut grass. 6. They came back every year to lay flowers at the spot. Sentence starters 1. This essay will discuss.. 2. I agree to an extent 3. I disagree with the stated argument.. 4. The central theme is 5. In summary. 6. In conclusion. 7. There is some evidence that suggests that. Graphic organisers