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.
The National Literacy Learning Progression provides support for teachers in planning assessment opportunities to observe students’ reading behaviours and monitor learning and progress. Through formal and informal assessment practices teachers can identify patterns in student growth and plan their teaching to address their students’ needs.
PLAN2 is aligned to the literacy learning progression and can be used to record observations of students’ literacy capabilities. This tool can be used by teachers in all key learning areas to analyse student needs and teaching priorities. Secondary teachers can create an Area of focus in PLAN2 to support monitoring of reading development in the context of NSW syllabus outcomes.
Narrator:
Planning for Literacy and Numeracy (PLAN2) is an online application designed by the NSW Department of Education (DoE).
PLAN2 supports teaching and learning in literacy and numeracy across the curriculum using the National Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions.
PLAN2 allows teachers to analyse observations of student learning made by teachers or DoE online assessments, plan for explicit teaching and learning beginning with NSW syllabus outcomes and to observe and maintain evidence of student learning against the specific literacy and or numeracy observable behaviours represented by the literacy and numeracy learning progressions.
In addition, PLAN2 supports whole and cross school collaboration by allowing teachers to see observations from multiple sources, including those from other teachers in other contexts and from Department of Education assessments which are mapped to PLAN2.
PLAN2 allows teachers to see the mapping of NSW K–10 English and mathematics syllabus outcomes and content points, where available, to the literacy and numeracy progression sub-element levels.
This supports teachers in establishing individual students’ starting points in relation to the syllabus outcomes, identifying the priority skills for explicit teaching and learning, and monitoring every students’ progress towards their achievement of learning outcomes.
To begin using PLAN2, identify your focus in the teaching and learning cycle, select from the available features and enter the required information.
PLAN2 allows teachers to be in control of their analysis, planning or observation focus.
Teachers specify the students or cohorts of students and the specific literacy or numeracy progression indicators which they would like to focus on.
By default, PLAN2 generates the last observations which have been received against the selected indicators, but the observation sources filter allows teachers to take full control and to specify the precise source of observations, as well as the date of observations which they would like to analyse.
They can select from observations made by themselves, by other teachers, or observations made by any of the online assessments mapped to PLAN2.
The PLAN2 observation scale allows teachers to enter observation statuses against progression indicators representing the literacy and numeracy learning being demonstrated by students.
PLAN2 screens are embedded with learning assets to support the use of features and to provide advice on best practice and additional understanding.
PLAN2 is an iterative tool and continues to undergo enhancements.
For latest up to date, step-by-step guides on use of individual features, to find out more about PLAN2 or to request support, visit the ALAN help desk by selecting ‘Help' from the PLAN2 menu.
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NAPLAN is an annual assessment for all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. NAPLAN reading data can be used by teachers to know and understand student strengths and weaknesses and to plan for effective teaching and learning.
The Check-in assessment is an online reading and numeracy assessment for students in Years 3–9. The reading assessment is mapped to the NSW syllabuses and the National Literacy Learning Progression. The data from this assessment can be used by schools to strengthen teaching and learning practices and to inform whole school literacy priorities.
The HSC Results Analysis Package (RAP) can be used by teachers and principals to compare their school’s performance to State candidature in an HSC course. Through question-by-question analysis and historical course comparisons teachers can reflect on and assess how their Stage 6 students read and responded to exam questions. This data can be used by teachers and schools to strengthen teaching and learning practices, programs and assessments, and inform future school literacy priorities.
Short reading assessments are available for Stages 4 and 5. These assessments are aligned with the National Literacy Learning Progression and NSW syllabus outcomes. Teachers can group together or modify these short assessments to suit the learning needs of their students. Teachers can use the information from these assessments to inform planning and programming, as well as provide immediate feedback to their students.
Assessment resources: