Assessment for Learning in Special Schools

Essential or Irrelevant?

Assessment for learning

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 Reform Group (2002)

Where do I want to be?

Where am I now?

Dylan Wiliam

• Assessment to help children learn, rather than judge whether they have learnt

Does ‘assessment for learning’ and ‘learning to learn’ demand a degree of reflection, thinking and application that is inappropriate for pupils inspecial schools ?

Is ‘assessment for learning’ just part of what every teacher in a special school does all the time? Particularly the modelling and strategies for ‘how‘ to reach the next stage of learning.

What are your initial thoughts?

How could pupils be more involved in their learning?

Since we (adults and students) are the experts, could we create new knowledge that would help our own school and other schools to develop effective assessment for learning practice?

Some of the Hertfordshire Initiatives

• Assessment Coordinators’ Meetings• Staff training days• The Collette (MLD) and Middleton (MLD)

part of a year long project with Shirley Clarke

• Lakeside (SLD) piloting ideas aroundLearning to Learn

Learning Culture

Involving Children in Planning

Self, Peer and Teacher Feedback

Talk & questioning

Learning Objectives Success Criteria & Quality

Examples from Lakeside• Learning walk

• Filmed children talking about their learning• What this highlighted

• Querks• Ideas in dance, success criteria Spain

• Another learning walk

•Is everyone clear about the learning expected?•Are teachers identifying skills that are transferable?Look to see if skills are separated from context inplansdisplays lesson objectives •Do displays support the learning process? (rather than the outcome)•Are children supported with HOW to achieve thelearning objective?•What opportunities are there for children to develop independence?•Are teachers talking about learning or work?•Is there a ‘learning climate’?

The ‘fixed’ mindset

I readily disengage from tasks when obstacles occur.

Even if I’m doing well initially, I won’t be able to cope with a problem or obstacle.

I will withdraw from valuable learning opportunities if I think this might happen.

I don’t want to have my inadequacies and errors revealed.

Challenges are a threat to my self-esteem so I won’t engage in them.

I need easy success to feel clever.

Effort, difficulty, setbacks or higher performing peers call my intelligence into question, even if I have high confidence in my intelligence, so I feel stupid.

I feel clever when things are easy, where I put in little effort and I outperform my peers.

I worry about how much intelligence I have and it makes me interested in looking and feeling as if I have enough. I must look clever and, at all costs, not look stupid.

My intelligence is a fixed trait – I have a certain amount of it and that’s that.

The repercussions

The ‘growth’ mindset

I am fully engaged with a new task, exerting effort to master something, stretching my skills and putting my knowledge to good use (e.g. helping other pupils learn).

I feel clever when …

Even if I have low confidence in my intelligence, I throw myself into difficult tasks and stick with them. I set myself goals and make sure I have strategies to reach them.

I am excited by challenge.

I will readily sacrifice opportunities to look clever in favour of opportunities to learn something new.

I love to learn something new.

I believe that everyone, with effort and guidance, can increase their intellectual abilities.

I acknowledge that there are differences between people in how much they know and how quickly they master things.

I am keen to work hard and learn as much as I can.

Intelligence is something I can increase through my own efforts.

Be told what to do ‘next time’Explain how the work can be improved and be given time to make the improvement

Be given a sticker Be shown or told where the work has met the learning objective

Be given a different task from everyone else

Be given a framework, appropriate materials, key words, adult support in order to reach the learning objective

Be given some targets – linked to outcome.

Have some ‘tips to help you’ as you are learning – linked to process. Refer to them whilst working.

Listen to someone explaining what you have to do

Watch someone doing the task (modelling)

Have the best work shown at the endBe shown a good example of what you are trying to do before you start the work