What is 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 and how best to get
there. Assessment for Learning is also known as formative assessment (Assessment Reform Group, 2002). It is important to understand that Assessment
for Learning does not result in an evaluation. Information about what a
student knows, understands and is able to do is used by both the teacher and
the learner to determine where learners are in their learning and how to
achieve learning goals (Earl&Katz, 2006).
Assessment for Learning Strategies
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| Figure 1: (Stabosz, 2015) |
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| Figure 2: (Wirral Council, 2009) |
How to Use Assessment for Learning in the Classroom!
As future educators, we may wonder how to use Assessment for Learning in our classroom. After reading the Interweaving Curriculum and Classroom Assessment: Engaging the 21st Century Learner textbook, I have come up with some different ways one may using AfL in their classroom.
- Observation
- Asking whomever, whenever, rather than calling on a student who raised their hand
- Self/Peer Assessment
- Strategic use of questioning
- Effective teacher feedback
Why is Assessment for Learning Beneficial?
Assessment for learning is a powerful way of raising pupil’s
achievement. It is based on the principle that students will improve most if
they understand the aim of their learning, where they are in relation to their
progression and how they can achieve the aim (Knight, 2008). In addition to this, it seems to me that AfL could contribute to a students confidence level. If a student feels like they are part of their own learning process, they feel confident in their learning!
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| Figure 3: (Knight, 2008) |
Lets Look At My Personal Experience...
As future educators it is important to reflect on personal
experience when understanding a new concept or teacher practice. In this case,
I will reflect on a personal experience to better understand the concept of
Assessment for Learning. During my placement in second year, the Grade.7 teacher
used a Traffic Light activity to evaluate where her students were in terms of understanding
photosynthesis. She had all of her students sitting in their desks facing the
front of the classroom and asked them to hold up red, yellow, or green cards to
indicate their level of understanding. This helped both the teacher and the
student understand where they were at in their learning and where they still
needed to progress to in their understanding of photosynthesis. I think this is
a great example of Assessment for Learning! Do you have any personal stories
that reflect AfL?
A Quick Recap!
This video will recap how to use Assessment for Learning in the classroom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxLFTvodBBI
References
Drake, S. M.,
Reid, J.L., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving Curriculum and Classroom
Assessment: Engaging the 21st
Century Learner. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University
Education
Services Australia. (2002). Assessment for learning. Retrieved from http://www.assessmentforlearning.edu.au/default.asp
Knight, J.
(2008). The assessment for learning strategy. Department for Children, Schools and families, 1-21.
Stabosz, I.
(2015). Seven strategies of assessment for learning in action. Delaware
Technical Community College. Retrieved from http://forwardthinkingblog.com/2015/02/02/assessmentforlearningpart1/
Wirral Council. (2009). Assessment for Learning. Wirral Teaching Assistants’ Website. Retrieved from http://www.wirral-mbc.gov.uk/TeachingAssistants/afl2.asp?thePath=jump
