‘Learning without reviewing is like filling a bath with water

without the plug in.’

Assessment for Learning (AFL)

Principles of assessment for learning

Assessment for Learning should be seen as central to classroom practice, and all teachers should regard assessment for learning as a key professional skill.The UK Assessment Reform Group (1999) identifies 'The big 5 principles of assessment for learning•1. The provision of effective feedback to students.•2. The active involvement of students in their own learning.•3. Adjusting teaching to take account of the results of assessment.•4. Recognition of the influence assessment has on the motivation and self-esteem of pupils, both of which are critical influences on learning.•5. The need for students to be able to assess themselves and understand how to improve.

Feedback

•The purpose of an Assessment for Learning (AFL) task is to provide feedback to both the teacher and learner regarding the learner's progress towards achieving the learning objective(s).

•This feedback should be used by the teacher to revise and develop further instruction.

• AFL in a lesson means short activities that are designed to check understanding, measure progress in lessons and therefore identify areas of weakness in pupils’ learning.

• Crucially, the AFL that takes place in the lesson should directly influence the course the lesson takes. For example, if an AFL activity reveals that half the class do not fully understand the lesson and the teacher simply carries on, that would be an unsatisfactory lesson.

• The expectation is that the teacher should adapt the lesson to recognise the fact the AFL has shown a large number of confused children.

• As a teacher, you must be able to demonstrate that progress is happening in your lesson for ALL pupils.

• To achieve this, lessons should contain regular assessment for learning. This can include questioning, mini-plenaries, etc.

• Because it should show that ALL pupils have made progress, ‘hands-up’ questioning is no longer considered effective.

•What do you expect the students to learn?

•What will you do to enable them to learn?

•What will they do to enable them to learn?

•How will you know what progress they have made?

•How will they know what progress they have made?

Post-it NotesGive students post-it notes on which to write answers or

reflections.

These could be collected in, placed on the board or held up.

Back to Contents

Mini-Whiteboards Students write their answers on mini-whiteboards. These can be

held up to show the teacher and peers.

Extend by asking students to assess each other, correct misconceptions or analyse answers.

Back to Contents

Exit PassStudents are given a slip of paper on which they must write the

answer to a question, or series of questions.

These are then deposited on the way out, giving the teacher feedback from all students.

No exiting if you haven’t got a pass!

Back to Contents

True/False CardsLaminate a set of cards with true on one side and false on the

other.

Plan questions around common misconceptions or difficult ideas for students to wave their cards for. Questioning, peer

assessment and the like can grow from there.

Back to Contents

ABCD cardsLaminate a set of different coloured cards with A,B,C and D on

them.

Show students questions related to the topic with four possible answers. Reasons for choices can be followed up, questioned

and so on.

Back to Contents

ThumbsAsk students to show you with their thumbs how well they feel

they understand the work.

It may be useful to have a display or key such as…

Back to Contents

I feel confident with the work and could explain it to someone else.

I understand some of the work, but still have questions or am unsure.

I do not feel happy that I understand what we are doing. I would like more help.

Traffic LightsStudents have a set of traffic lights they can use to indicate

whether they fully understand (green), are in the middle (amber) or are struggling (red).

Different materials can be used e.g. pieces of card, plastic cups (students can stack all three and change what is on top),

lollipop sticks.

Back to Contents

Stand-Crouch-SitStudents stand, crouch or sit depending on whether they feel

comfortable with the learning, in the middle or unsure.

Students who are standing can be asked to go around the room and explain to crouchers, who in turn explain to sitters until,

hopefully, everyone in the room is happy to stand up.

Back to Contents

Post-it DividerA variation on the use of post-it notes. Hand them out to students and

divide the board or a large piece of paper into categories –

What have I learnt; What am I not sure about; What questions do I have

Or questions –

What is the answer to X?; Where might you use Y?

The students reflect on these on the post-its.

Back to Contents

PartneringHand out half question cards and half answer cards. Students

must then match themselves up in silence.

Develop by having a third questions and two thirds answers, with two answers being correct for every one question; sticking questions and answers on students’ backs; questions find questions that lead to the same answer and answers find answers

that could be from the same question

Back to Contents

Follow up by questioning or

peer assessment

Whiteboard WordsHere’s a variation on the mini-whiteboard theme. Give students

a limited number of words with which to explain the key points of the lesson or ask them to identify the most

important piece of learning.

The results may allow you to judge in what directions pupils are taking their learning and how everyone is interacting with the

concepts and ideas.

Back to Contents

Voting PodsVoting pods allow students to input their answers to the

computer, these then being accessible on an interactive whiteboard.

Simple!

Back to Contents

Question? Answer

Put a question on the board and have different answers around the room. Students go to the one they think is right and justify

their decision.

Make this easier by having A,B,C,D points or posters in your room. Then you can have the answers on the board as well to save

faffing.

Develop by getting one member from each answer area to try and convince the others that their answer is right (good for encourage use of reason and uncovering of fallacy, misconceived

reasoning etc.)

Back to Contents

Objective Traffic LightsHow do you feel about the lesson objectives?

Red = don’t think I have grasped this

Amber = feeling OK about this, have just about got there

Green = Confident I have achieved this

Back to Contents

Being specific to the lesson objectives is an alternative way of using the traffic light technique. It sacrifices an holistic, qualitative assessment for a

precise, quantitative one.

Evaluation Tree

Ask students where they feel they are on the tree in relation to the lesson or topic.

Make the tree into a whole-class feedback tool by asking students to put a post-it note on the board for where they are at.

Or, print off a large copy get students to write where they are.

Could be used subsequently to pair students/make groups.

Back to Contents

Smiley FacesStudents draw smiley faces to indicate how comfortable they are with

the topic.

Ready to move on Understand some parts but not all

Do not understand and need to look at it again

Back to Contents

You could spend a session with students where they make these, perhaps exaggerating the expressions, and then use them repeatedly.

Muddiest PointAnother variation on mini-whiteboards.

Students write down one or two points on which they are least

clear. This could be from the previous lesson, the rest of the unit, the preceding activity etc.

The teacher and class can then seek

to remedy the muddiness.

Back to Contents

FingersA nuanced version of thumbs and traffic lights.

Students hold up fingers accordingly:

1 – I am fully confident with the learning2 – I am confident with most of the learning

3 – Some parts I am confident with, other bits I am not sure

4 – I am only happy with a few parts of the learning5 – I am having difficulty understanding any part

Back to Contents