The formative use of The formative use of summative assessmentsummative assessment

By Phil SmithBy Phil Smith

FS ConsultantFS Consultant

Bury LEABury LEA

By 5.30pm we will haveBy 5.30pm we will have

Recognise some of the key characteristics Recognise some of the key characteristics of assessment for learningof assessment for learning

Shown how assessment OF learning can Shown how assessment OF learning can contribute to assessment FOR learningcontribute to assessment FOR learning

Seen the influence assessment has on Seen the influence assessment has on motivation, self-esteem and learningmotivation, self-esteem and learning

See the impact of feedback to pupils on See the impact of feedback to pupils on their learningtheir learning

Seen how AfL can actively involve pupils Seen how AfL can actively involve pupils in setting their own individual targetsin setting their own individual targets

The “Learning Gap” is the difference The “Learning Gap” is the difference between what we know about the brain between what we know about the brain and the learning process and what is and the learning process and what is happening in the classroom.happening in the classroom.

Identifying and closing the Learning Gap is Identifying and closing the Learning Gap is central to genuine and sustainable school central to genuine and sustainable school improvement.improvement.

My dream about being a doctorMy dream about being a doctor I told the patient there was I told the patient there was

nothing else that could be nothing else that could be donedone

Although there were other Although there were other techniques and strategies…techniques and strategies…I’d keep on using the leeches!I’d keep on using the leeches!

I told the patient that I feared I told the patient that I feared new methodology and the new methodology and the abandonment of leeches abandonment of leeches would lead to a decline in would lead to a decline in standardsstandards

Strangely this failed to Strangely this failed to appease the patientappease the patient

My other dream…about being a My other dream…about being a teacherteacher

I was telling a young child that there I was telling a young child that there was nothing more that could be done was nothing more that could be done to help himto help him

He too was amazed when I told him He too was amazed when I told him that there were techniques and that there were techniques and approaches that could help him a approaches that could help him a great dealgreat deal

However if he was failing to learn However if he was failing to learn using my method then he would using my method then he would have to spend more time on them-a have to spend more time on them-a few more hours after school or even few more hours after school or even a few weeks of his summer holidaya few weeks of his summer holiday

““Our objectives may remain the Our objectives may remain the same but the pedagogy will same but the pedagogy will surely evolve.” surely evolve.” Hughes and VosHughes and Vos

““The tools are here. The time is now. The tools are here. The time is now. The script is yours to write-or dance, or The script is yours to write-or dance, or sing, or play, or act, or draw, or sing, or play, or act, or draw, or orchestrate. Welcome to tomorrow.”orchestrate. Welcome to tomorrow.”

Gordon Dryden and Jeanette VosGordon Dryden and Jeanette VosThe Learning RevolutionThe Learning Revolution

Learning…and the need to start Learning…and the need to start tweakingtweaking

We are not looking for a radical overhaul-just a few tweaks We are not looking for a radical overhaul-just a few tweaks and a bit of polish. In order to do this, we need to:and a bit of polish. In order to do this, we need to:

Be specificBe specific and accurately identify precisely which and accurately identify precisely which aspects of our performance need tweakingaspects of our performance need tweaking

Identify strategiesIdentify strategies that will enable us to do the tweaking that will enable us to do the tweaking

In other words, having identified what to tweak, we need In other words, having identified what to tweak, we need to be clear about how to tweak it.to be clear about how to tweak it.

Just like improving at golf!Just like improving at golf!

Where are you now?Where are you now?

Before we move on, pause for a while and reflect upon Before we move on, pause for a while and reflect upon the quality of the lessons that you currently teach. How the quality of the lessons that you currently teach. How do you judge your current performance-what mark out of do you judge your current performance-what mark out of ten would you award yourself for the quality of your ten would you award yourself for the quality of your teaching?teaching?

Whatever mark you awarded yourself, you will remain at Whatever mark you awarded yourself, you will remain at that level until you do something differentthat level until you do something different

These sessions are about raising your score by at least These sessions are about raising your score by at least one mark. It doesn’t matter what score you awarded one mark. It doesn’t matter what score you awarded yourself-the key question is how are you going to yourself-the key question is how are you going to improve it?improve it?

Keep learning high-profileKeep learning high-profile

Put this on every teacher’s deskPut this on every teacher’s desk What have they learned?What have they learned? How do you know?How do you know? How is this activity helping them learn?How is this activity helping them learn?

Keep learning high-profileKeep learning high-profile

Put this on every classroom Put this on every classroom door-so it is the last thing that door-so it is the last thing that students will see as they students will see as they leave the classroomleave the classroom

““What have you learned What have you learned today?”today?”

LEARNING=Understanding+MemoLEARNING=Understanding+Memoryry

L= U + ML= U + M

Content coverageContent coverage

““Cover the curriculum” is a horrible phrase: Cover the curriculum” is a horrible phrase: cover the curriculum and we transfer cover the curriculum and we transfer information; explore the curriculum and we information; explore the curriculum and we cognitively grapple with it, and only then cognitively grapple with it, and only then do we begin to make sense of it. do we begin to make sense of it.

Mike Hughes and Andy VassMike Hughes and Andy Vass

Three keys to effective learningThree keys to effective learning

StateStatePeople learn best when they are in an appropriate physical and People learn best when they are in an appropriate physical and

emotional state. Learning is optimised when the brain is emotional state. Learning is optimised when the brain is nourished and students are relaxed, confident and motivated.nourished and students are relaxed, confident and motivated.

StyleStylePeople learn best in different ways. For maximum progress, People learn best in different ways. For maximum progress,

people must have frequent opportunities to work in their people must have frequent opportunities to work in their preferred learning stylespreferred learning styles

StructureStructureMature, successful learners progress through discrete phases of Mature, successful learners progress through discrete phases of

learning quite naturally. Lessons should be structured to reflect learning quite naturally. Lessons should be structured to reflect these stages, in order to guide immature learners through the these stages, in order to guide immature learners through the learning process.learning process.

I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom.the decisive element in the classroom.

It’s my personal approach that creates the It’s my personal approach that creates the climate.climate.

It’s my daily mood that makes the weather.It’s my daily mood that makes the weather.As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to

make a child’s life miserable or joyous.make a child’s life miserable or joyous.I can be a tool of torture, or an instrument of I can be a tool of torture, or an instrument of

inspiration.inspiration.I can humiliate or humour, hurt or heal.I can humiliate or humour, hurt or heal.In all situations, it is my response that decides In all situations, it is my response that decides

whether a crises will be escalated or de-whether a crises will be escalated or de-escalated, and a child humanised or de-escalated, and a child humanised or de-humanised.”humanised.”

Haim GinottHaim GinottFrom Teacher and Child (1972)From Teacher and Child (1972)

Does your lesson have the O Does your lesson have the O factor?factor?

It’s the difference between pupils saying, It’s the difference between pupils saying, even subconsciously,even subconsciously,

““Oh gOh gooood, it’s maths today”d, it’s maths today”

AndAnd

““Oh GOh Good, it’s maths today.”d, it’s maths today.”

Using the language of possibilityUsing the language of possibility

Student: I can’t do this. It’s Student: I can’t do this. It’s boring.boring.

The student is actually The student is actually saying “I don’t believe I can saying “I don’t believe I can be successful with this and be successful with this and therefore I don’t want to take therefore I don’t want to take the risk.” the risk.”

NB It may or may not be NB It may or may not be boringboring

Teacher: of course you Teacher: of course you can. Just keep trying and can. Just keep trying and put a bit more effort in and put a bit more effort in and you’ll get it.you’ll get it.

Inadvertently, we have denied Inadvertently, we have denied the validity of the student’s the validity of the student’s feelings. Exhorting her to “keep feelings. Exhorting her to “keep trying” is not motivating if she trying” is not motivating if she believes the task is beyond her. believes the task is beyond her. Asking her to put a bit more Asking her to put a bit more effort in presupposes she isn’t effort in presupposes she isn’t trying hard enough and it’s her trying hard enough and it’s her fault. Again-not motivatingfault. Again-not motivating

Using the language of possibilityUsing the language of possibility

A simple shift in language may have the desired effect.A simple shift in language may have the desired effect.

Student: I can’t do this. It’s boringStudent: I can’t do this. It’s boring By initially agreeing with the student, we are By initially agreeing with the student, we are validating how she actually feels, which will validating how she actually feels, which will ALWAYS be correct. This is a start to ALWAYS be correct. This is a start to gaining rapport and therefore effective gaining rapport and therefore effective communication. However by reframing the communication. However by reframing the problem as “a little tricky at the moment”, problem as “a little tricky at the moment”, we have also diluted the severity of the we have also diluted the severity of the problem and made it a temporary stage.problem and made it a temporary stage.

Teacher: OK, it’s a little tricky AT THE Teacher: OK, it’s a little tricky AT THE MOMENT. Which BIT can’t you do YET?MOMENT. Which BIT can’t you do YET?

““Which bit can’t you do yet?” repeats the Which bit can’t you do yet?” repeats the student’s words (can’t), which she will student’s words (can’t), which she will accept, and also lessens the difficulty by accept, and also lessens the difficulty by presupposing it’s only “a bit.” The inclusion presupposing it’s only “a bit.” The inclusion of the word “yet” serves to emphasise the of the word “yet” serves to emphasise the temporary nature of the difficulty and retains temporary nature of the difficulty and retains a connection to the possibility of things a connection to the possibility of things improvingimproving