A2 EssaY

EDFD260

s00117414

by
and Learning is informed
Effective Teaching,Planning

as
Reportingantl Feedback'

(.7.r"r"/

well*sTeteher,PeetandsradentledAssessmentirctkePrim*ryClassroo,n.Dise*rss.
of assessment,
informedthr:ug]t a variety
is
Learning
and
led and
EffectiveTeaching,Planning
inctudingttudent led' beer
Etu"'**
Frimary
t"--':":;" inthe
definedas
reoortingand feedbackmethods
Ef,f."tiu.teachingis being
essay.
a
.trhis
c
purpose
For the ^",-"*
f"u"her led assessment'
studentunderstanding'
andcurtivatesinquiryand
stimurates
motivates,
that
incrusiveteaching
aschildren
t.urningshouldbe defined
Yti?:".'nections'
rhe writer believes;;;6;;.;."
is definedby the writer
pranning
Effective
exprainingtheir thinking.
achievingset goalsand
andis
asa.planningthatisappropriateforthephysical,emotional,socialandacademiccapabilities
futureextensions
for studentsuccess'
opportunities
provides
.;.,rr. studentsand
explicit in its tbcus'
o"
TeacherledAssessmentscanbeextremelycounterproductiveifaclearfocusisnotidentified
stretsgy in
can be a hrghly ineffective
particu.lar
in
assessrneff
and addressed.strmmative
helpingteachersplanforfuturelearning...Ifteachersbelievethatthemainpurposeof
assessmentistoreportsummativeinformationattheendoftheyear,thenintroducing
dissonancefor thoseteacherd'
ofor, and .as' learning will createserious
assessment
(DepartmentofEducationandEarlyChildhoodDevelopment[DEECD],2011,p.16)'
creatingco1Tuptand1ikelycontradictorydata.#.Thesummativeformat
can useratherthan how
aboutthe skills the students
information
focusesrargelyon collecting
"- ""'
if not
toplanforfurtherlearningorthereductionofmisunderstandingsandmisconceptions
assessments'
Furthermor
acrossthe unit.
'
",{"u"h"rled
studentshavedeveloped
a rimited scopeto "t ''i .' '
children
reaving
format
t"
be deveropedin a closed
exproredproperry,may
childrento
show
may
assessments
progress.rn particurarcrosed
and
learning
their
show
progressto a
allow the studentsto
only
or
not
do
they actually
understanda conceptthat
particularpointwhentheyarecapableofmore'AsnotedbyBowmanetal.(200l,citedin
Arthur,Beecher,Death;Dockett&Farmer,20rz,p-1'0)"Youngchildren'sabilitiesare
in informing
emerging,nottixed,andq&assessmentatanl"l"o"]l]:ayprovidealimitedviewof
is unproductive
Tiacher leadassessment
sense
this
ln
children,scapabilities."
and learning
/
effectiveteaching'ptanning

.ln contrast,
:y:$hcrrtr<

andfruitful
isefficient
assessment
evaruat
and
.;l*lu.."u
"dludr"rled

ingatheringinfbrmationforthepurposeofplanning,teachingandlearning.Asnotedby

soorl7474

42 Essay

EDFD260

crucialto the
Dodge(2009,p. 4) effectively implementedformative"assessm"yt:" always
the regular
teaohlngand learnlng proeess."I++partietilar Dod-gc(20Oq p' a}inqtrires "Without
how afe we to know what each
or checksfor understanding,
useof formativeassessment,
usingwell designed
studentneedsto be successfulin our classroom?"Furtheflnore,teachers
strategiesmay find informationabouttheir studentslearningthat
assessment
and aBproBriate
processof
they had not anticipatedor noticedbefore,suchas a mathematicalthinking
to experiencethis
additivethinking for a multiplicationproblem.The writer was able
the studentsin
particularproblemduring ayear4 placementandwas ableto recognisethat
their learning'This
questionneededmoretime spenton multiplication in orderto extend
-/
lesson und G-'i l"
producedsufficientevidencefor a revisionof the following planned
assessment
,, li
fotnt
opportunity
an
created
and
teaching
and
,,r,*r'
planning
,".'
thereforewas informativefor effective
/ ,.
effectivelearning.
are usefulfor informing practiceasthey usedata
carefully consideredformativeassessments
againsttheir prior knowledge
comparatively in orderto show where studentshave progressed
who continuouslygatherinformation
and how far they havedevelopedtheir ideas.'oTeachers
programriesof learningso
aboutpupil progressand attainmentare ableto paceand adapt
Educationand Employment
they continue to be relevant and appropriate" (Departrnentfor
teacherled
strategies'
of criticallyimplemented
[DFEE],2000,p. 50). with the use
and learning'
canbe highly usefulin informingeffectiveplanning'teaching
assessment
what children
can alsobe similarly unproductivein assessing
Studentor peerled assessment
guesswhat the teacherwants
havelearnedunlessproperlyguided."A tendencyof pupils to
on their learning"(Black'
and to compafethemselveswith other pupils ratherthanto focus
data,as studentsare not
1993,p.8I.) may resultin inadequateand skewedassessment
and peerassessment
expressingtheir full rangeof understanding.Althoughdelf-assessment
thinking in children'these
are practicalstrategiesto encourageandteachhigher order
ptanningand teaching. Granted,
assessmenttee*miquesare not as effbetive for informing
oflearningfor
can informteachingofself-sufficiencyand independence
thesetechniques
In particularthewriter notes
studentsbut theyare limited in the impactthey actuallyhave'
eachstudent'
conferencinggiveslimited time to the teacherto spendwith
that str.rdent-teacher
andworkedoverquicklyand so
of studentsmustbe considered
Due to this, self-assessment
are
betweenstudentandteachercriteria' "Teachersand students
can often showdiscrepancies
be
for learningprocess"(Stiggins,2007,p' 4) thereforethey must
partnersin the assessment

s00117414

A2 Essay

EDFD260

in orderbe usefulfor the

ableto work collaborativelyeventhroughstudentself-assessment
ug
bst inevi'tablyeo+nes
is co+trnas$
planning,teachingor learningprocess."self,-assessnrent
'-"
2011' p'13)'
(DEECD'
know"
doesn't
one
what
knowing
not
againstthe problemof
'lr

,,1

if not guidedproperly'it is a
canbecomeunconstructive
Althoughstudentled assessment
encourages
questiontimesanddiscussions
highly effectivetool. The useof studentled
"
This canprovideeffectiveleaming, .
content.
the
about
critically
and
deeply
think
to
children
(
" f'''t "
behindthe learning'This meansthat
opportunitiesasthe childrenarethe driving force
, . 'j'",""l/
t'
creatingan
essentially
topic
the
in
included
and
engaged
childrenarehighly likely to be
for students'The writer had particulafsuccess
effectiveteachingand learningenvironment
in the primary
andpeerreviewwhenworkingwith students
with studentself--assessment
to metho<Issuchastraffic light cards*U n
setting.In particular,the writer was exposed
allowedthe educatorsto inform their
learningdiscussions.Both forms of self-assessment
of how confidentstudentsfelt aboutthe
planningandthroughthat their, teachingby means
guided by
was a'[Soobserrvedto be EffectivEwhen
tasksthey wae'completi:ng'. Peerrevietri'
(cited in
cassady,clarke' and Latham(2004)
educators,in informing planningandteaching'
role of studentandpeerled "evaluationin
chroinin & cosgrove,2013, p.221)notethe
learning and progress They hightight the
increasingstudents,awarenessof their own
processto ensure
aroundthe assessment
importanceof includingchildren in decision-making
and
(chroinin & cosgrove'2013' p'221)'Student
it is a positiveand worthwhile experience"
informtheir teachingand
an effectivetool for teacherswishingto
fi.", urr"rsmentcanbe
on the
tool for studentsandeducators
planningprocess.lt canalsobe a highly effective
,
//

students'learningProgress'
inform planning'teachingor learning' It
Reporting,by its very nature,doesnot consistently
in
achievements
to inform parentsandcarersof students'
is usedas a summativeassessment
(DEECD, 2014)' Reportinggivqa
relatioifrhe agestandardssetby the government
edueators'
. snapshot,of wha* shi.ldfetloando however, with the expectatiromplacedon
at a
As the writer discoveredduring placement
reportsare often generaland parentcentred.
in
givenlimitedtime to reportfor studentsand
governmentprimaryschool,teachersare
areallocatedand consideredeffective
many settingsa numericaland letter combination
to no informationregardingchildren's
forms of reporting.This reportinggies limited
(* t'd '
abilitiesandprogress.

t.i

jtt

",.)

soorT74t4

A2 Essay

E D FD 26 0

As notedby the writer throughoutthis essay,carefulconsiderationmust be takenwhen

Simi.larcritical though.tshouldbe app.liedto the reportingof students'
assessingstgden$s.
progressto parentsand carers.In the processofreporting teachersmust usedatacollected
over the term or semesterto assesswherestudentsare in orderto give them a mark usingthe
(DHEDC,2014).This
"five-point rating seale"as rquiredby the Victorian govarnm-ent
requiresevidenceof studentslearningwhich is informedby teacher,peerand sfudentled
must
However,this scaleis a minimumrequirementby the stateandso educators
assessment.
in orderto effectivelyinform ,h.i.,"u"!i!f,, ,..,",..
usethis in conjunctionwith writtenassessment
and planningpractice.The informationgainedby the compilationof the datacanbe -,,'I,,,,.{ .
'r,'' '.'
significantin informingwherestudentsarein their leamingandthe tate atwhichthey are
,o.
.i /tt
'
'
''.,
The
learning.
student
progressingessentiallyinforming educatorsthe effectivenessof
,
' ,,'
andbe
the overallpatternsofstudents'success
reportingprocesscanshoweducators

,'r ^ ar '*
.,'t

,.;o

effectivein informingplanningfor the comingtermor semester.

{/ }{, d

In orderto provide
and Learningis informedby Feedback.
Effectivefeaching; P.lanning
studentswith effectivelearning,educatorsmustbe intentionalin their teachingandplanning.
feedbackmustbe deliveredin a
As with assessment,
A key aspectof this is feedbaclgr
by feedbackand
way. Askewnotesthat"teachersmay be surrounded
criticallyconsidered
p'
involvedin it everyday,but the notionis poorlyanalysedandpoorlyused."(Askew,2000'
tools are
i). ln many primary classrooms,the useof worksheetsand otherassessment
k
consequentlyineffectiveas educatorsdo not give timely or detailedfeedbackon students
learning.This is essentialfor effectiveteachingand leamingas "giving feedbackcan improv"

,
L,
|
. , 1 . , ',,l -

on a task" (Visscher& Coe,2002,p.3) As the writer experienced

a person,sperformance
duringplacementi@le6,teachersoftenassessstudentstoinform6',.,n,,
job''
planning,howeverfeedback,if given, is generalor praise,suchas 'we[[ done' or 'good
The delivery of teacherfeedbackis as importantasthe feedbackitself. Bumett's (2002)
results"indicatedthat negativeteacherfeedbackand effort feedbackwereboth relatedto
teaehers,whileability feedbaokwas
students'retationship.with.the{r
$ Yilhnir',o c
T:":j.
of the classroomenvironment."(Burnett,2002, p.5)This in particularshowshow
perceptions
feedbackcan influenceeffectiveteachingand leamingthroughstudents'motivationand
feelingsof inclusion.Teachersmusthe awarethat studentsmayrequiredirect and
feedbackfrom them,howeverthey alsoneedthis feedbackfrom their students
instantaneous
in orderto inform their teachingand planning.Feedbackis essentialfor both studentsand

"