High quality student assessment helps us know that learning is taking place. Assessment is most effective when it is an integral part of teaching and learning programs.
Assessments such as short assessments can provide information that contributes to the early identification of students who may need support in achieving the HSC minimum standard. This will allow targeted teaching to be provided throughout Stages 4–5.
Ongoing assessment is important in determining student readiness to sit the HSC minimum standard tests. PLAN2 allows teachers to record observations of students’ literacy and numeracy learning to monitor progress using the National Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions.
The EAL/D Learning Progression (PDF 397 KB) supports teachers to determine the current strengths and needs of English language learners.
Teachers can view a School Discovery that explores the use of formative assessment strategies to support students’ achievement of the HSC minimum standard at Kurri Kurri High School (staff only).
Narrator:
New South Wales high schools are using several tools and strategies to develop students’ literacy and numeracy skills. These will support students’ preparation for the HSC minimum standard online tests.
Kurri Kurri High School determined that to improve their numeracy results, they needed to improve students’ comprehension of worded problems, that involved numeracy.
They combined strategies from both literacy and numeracy programs, to develop the ‘Think board’.
The Think board encourages students to consolidate an understanding of basic numeracy skills and comprehension of word-problems.
Teachers have used feedback from the ‘Best Start Year 7’ assessment, which is mapped to the national numeracy learning progression, to identify the type of questions students need support in solving.
This has enabled teachers to use the Think board, as a formative assessment strategy to identify the misconceptions students hold.
Teachers use discussion time to model a variety of strategies that could be used to solve word problems and address misconceptions held by students.
All Stage 4 students use Think boards as a ‘do now’ activity to start lessons in mathematics.
Teachers in all learning areas have introduced this model, as a way to improve numeracy in their subject.
They have noticed that by unpacking the numeracy demands using Think boards, students are gaining a deeper understanding of the concept in their learning area.
Kurri Kurri High School are now introducing Think boards to their partner primary schools, to assist with transitioning from Stage 3 to Stage 4.
By working with the local primary schools, they can ensure that students from K–12, have consistent language and practices when solving numeracy word problems.
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