4.1 Development of student assessment plans and strategies

An assessment plan is a document that outlines the learning goals and objectives to be evaluated during a specific term ("Assessment Plan," n.d.). Developing these plans is crucial for measuring student progress and performance throughout the school year. This includes daily assessments, as well as formative and summative evaluations. Teachers who are dedicated to their students' success understand that preparing thoughtful assessments is essential for fostering academic growth.

In my own teaching experience, I incorporate assessments into my daily lesson plans and at the end of each topic (see consecutive lesson plans). This approach allows me to gauge how well students have met the intended learning objectives for each lesson or unit. Through these assessments, I can identify students’ strengths and weaknesses, make necessary adjustments, and decide whether to move on to the next topic or continue revising the current one.

The core of my assessments includes strategies such as asking questions, brainstorming, individual sharing, using KWL charts, word race, presentation, mime, joint writing, and tests. These activities can be done individually or in groups. According to Ratcliffe (2017), when students engage in participatory activities like pair work or group work, they have the opportunity to learn new concepts, connect with the material, and retain the content more effectively.

To ensure that students achieve the intended learning outcomes, teachers should design assessments that evaluate both assessment for learning (formative assessments) and assessment of learning (summative assessments). This includes creating end-of-topic or end-of-term exams that align with the syllabus and what students have learned. These assessments are vital for measuring student development and progress. Both teachers and students should review the assessments so that constructive feedback can be provided, enabling students to recognize and address any learning barriers. Incorporating student feedback into the assessment process is crucial, as it helps students identify their mistakes, correct them, and continue to improve ("What feedback techniques could you use that make students think and take action?", 2020).

Therefore, careful planning and thoughtful design of assessment tasks—both for learning and of learning—are essential for supporting student progress and helping them overcome academic challenges. As a teacher trainee, I aim to support my students' intellectual development by fulfilling my role and responsibilities: providing constructive feedback, welcoming student input, and ensuring that clear and achievable learning outcomes are set.

 Bibliography: 

Assessment Plan. (n. d). Retrieved from https://tophat.com/glossary/a/assessment-plan/

Ratcliffe, M. (2017). Five reasons why interaction is important in training. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-reasons-why-interaction-important-training-ratcliffe-of-mrwed#:~:text=Interaction%20through%20pair%20and%20group,see%20things%20from%20multiple%20perspectives.&text=Motivation%20is%20a%20fundamental%20aspect,their%20progress%20against%20the%20requirements.

What feedback techniques could you use that make students think and take action?. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.teachertoolkit.co.uk/2015/07/08/marking-and-feedback/