Assessment item 3

Open Book Exam

Value: 60%
Duration: 2 hours
Rationale
In order to effectively teach reading and writing, teachers must be able to interpret data which
demonstrates students learning behaviours, strengths and needs. In this assessment (Open Book
Exam) you will use information and evidence about 2 young children and their reading and writing,
analyse it to understand and describe their current reading and writing behaviours, strengths and
needs, and identify teaching priorities that will support the childrens ongoing reading and writing
development.

Learning Outcomes that this assessment item meets include:

EPT127.5 Students will develop skills in the analysis of young childrens literacy work samples. They
will learn how to apply this knowledge to determine students strengths and needs and identify
teaching priorities which relate to relevant syllabus documents.
EPT127.2 Students will consider the reading and writing processes at acquisition and the early stages
of development and explore models of pedagogy for teaching and assessing reading, writing,
listening, talking, viewing and representing in the early years.
EPT127.3 Students will learn how young children develop as speakers, listeners, readers and writers,
viewers and creators. Students will develop their understandings of the diversity of young children in
their rates and approaches to literacy learning. They will understand the impact of age, interests,
background, language and culture on children's language and literacy learning.

Requirements

To pass EPT127 you must pass the Open Book Exam.

All students will be required to sit the final exam. The exam is to be completed individually.
Collaboration is not allowed.

In the exam, you will be provided with the following for each of two children working at Stage 1 (Year
1/2):

Background information about the children, who will have quite different needs and strengths.
The work samples and assessment data for each child: A running record, a writing sample,
spelling test, word test (Clay) and Letter I.D. (Clay).

1. You will score and analyse the work samples and assessment data provided.

2. Based on the evidence provided you will:

identify and describe what each child knows about reading, based upon the running
records and Clay Word test and any other information that has been supplied in the data packet which
may be relevant.
identify and describe what each child knows about writing, based upon the writings
sample, Spelling test, Letter Identification task and any other information that has been supplied in the
data packet which may be relevant.
Identify 1 teaching priority for reading for each child and provide a rationale for your choice
(Why is it important)
Identify 1 teaching priority for writing for each child and provide a rationale for your choice
(Why is it important)

To pass EPT127 you must pass the Open Book Exam.

Marking criteria
Assessable Components:
Accurate scoring of student work samples and assessment data
 Demonstrated understandings of the reading and writing strengths and needs of the two
students based on data provided.
Appropriate selection and descriptions of the reading and writing teaching priorities for both
students with rationales. The rationales will demonstrate your understanding of appropriate
approaches to early years literacy instruction.
Personal literacy marks may be deducted for repeated grammatical errors, spelling errors or
writing that is difficult to read.

Criterion High Distinction Distinction Credit Pass Fail

(Assessable
components)
1. Accurate Student work Student work
scoring of samples & samples &
student work assessment data assessment data
samples & accurately scored. are not accurately
assessment scored.
data
[marks given
for accurate
scoring
question by
question]
Criterion High Distinction Distinction Credit Pass Fail
(Assessable
components)
2. Demonstrated Comprehensive Nearly all of the Most of the The most obvious Reading &
understandings & accurate reading & writing reading & writing reading & writing writing strengths
of the reading identification & strengths & needs strengths & needs strengths & needs & needs of the
& writing description of the of the two of the two students of the two two students
strengths & reading & writing students (based (based on data students (based (based on data
needs of the strengths & needs on data provided) provided) on data provided) provided) not
two students of the two accurately accurately accurately accurately
based on data students (based identified & identified & identified & identified or
provided & on data described. described. described. described.
PST provided).
understandings
of the reading
& writing
processes
[marks given
question by
question]
Criterion High Distinction Distinction Credit Pass Fail
(Assessable
components)
3. Appropriate Appropriate Appropriate Appropriate Appropriate Inappropriate
selection & selection & selection & selection & selection & selection or poor
descriptions of comprehensive descriptions of comprehensive descriptions of description of
the reading & descriptions of reading & writing descriptions of reading & writing reading &/OR
writing reading & writing teaching reading & writing teaching writing teaching
teaching teaching priorities teaching priorities priorities priorities
priorities for priorities for both students. for one student and for both students. for both students.
both students for both students. Appropriate
with rationales Rationales selection & Rationales Rationales
Rationales demonstrate descriptions of demonstrate missing or do not
[marks given demonstrate understanding of reading & writing some demonstrate
question by thorough student needs, the teaching priorities understanding of understanding of
question] understanding of reading/writing for second student. student needs student needs OR
student needs, the processes & &/OR the the
reading/writing syllabus Rationales reading/writing reading/writing
processes & requirements. demonstrate processes, &/OR processes, OR
understanding of
 syllabus student needs, & syllabus syllabus
requirements. either the requirements. requirements.
reading/writing
processes, OR
syllabus
requirements.
Criterion High Distinction Distinction Credit Pass Fail
(Assessable
components)
4. Personal No grammar, Minor grammar Grammar almost Some minor Repeated
Literacy spelling or OR spelling OR always correct. grammar errors, spelling,
[There are no punctuation punctuation error. Minimal spelling minimal spelling grammar &/or
marks allocated errors. &/or punctuation and/or punctuation
for this errors. punctuation errors.
component. errors. Writing is untidy
However, and difficult to
marks may be read.
deducted for
repeated
spelling,
grammar &/or
punctuation
errors or
writing that is
difficult to
read.]

Material provided by the University

In the exam you will be provided with the following for each of two children working at Stage 1 (Year
1/2):
Background information about the children, who will have quite different needs and strengths.
The work samples and assessment data for each child: A running record, a writing sample,
spelling test, word test (Clay), and Letter I.D. (Clay).
The information will be provided in two booklets:
1. a student data booklet
2. an answer booklet
You will add your responses (answers and analysis) to the answer booklet.

Material required by the student

Pens, pencils.

The following resources may also be brought in to the exam:

Clay, M. M. (2013). An observation survey of early literacy achievement (3 ed.). Auckland:

Pearson. (The text or a copy of CHAPTER 5 and copies of pages relevant to the Clay Word
Test and Letter Identification Tasks and their stanines)
Mackenzie, N.M. & Scull, J.A. (2015). Literacy: Writing. In S McLeod & J McCormack (Eds),
Introduction to speech, language and literacy. (pp. 398-445). Oxford: Melbourne. CHAPTER
10
Board of Studies, NSW English K - 10 Syllabus. Sydney: Author. (or sections from)
Print outs from ACARA English or General Capabilities sections (no limit, although it is better
to minimise the amount of paper)
Print out of Writing Analysis overview
Personal notes, printouts of powerpoints (while there is no limit to the number of pages you
can bring in, it is better to keep this to a minimum.)

Students must not bring any Running Records into the exam. They may
refer to examples in Clay chapter outlined above.
N.B. Materials must be hard copy, not electronic.