Literacy

Guide to Literacy Planning, Teaching and Assessment

Step 1

Meet with teachers working at a similar stage from both schools at Moderation Planning Meeting. Identify what the focus for your assessment is for that term in literacy using the assessment map.

Core Writing Focus

Each term, there is either one or two specific genre is identified as the primary focus for teaching and assessment depending on the level you are teaching.

Breadth of Learning: This is the core priority, but it should not be the only type of writing pupils experience during the term.
Flexibility: We encourage you to be responsive to your class. If an alternative genre better aligns with pupil interest or your IDL themes, you have the option to adapt the plan.
Documentation: If you choose an alternative focus, please record this change on the cover pages of your Red Folder. See Red Folder Guidance notes.

Core Reading / Listening and Talking Focus:

Each term you will find that there are different reading and listening and talking focuses.

For example at second level (in terms 1 - 3) one of the assessment focus will always be linked to Reading Circles e.g. Clarifying or Questioning. The other focus will be on an additional focus such as "Note Taking" or "Main Idea and Purpose".

Tools for Reading Writing and Listening and Talking

The tools for reading, writing and listening and talking are taught all year round. In term 2 and term 4 children's progress towards these core tools should be recorded in the Red Progress Records. See red Folder Guidance.

Second Level Assessment Map

First Level Assessment Map

Early Level Assessment Map

Red Folder Guidance

When you click on the Hyper Links in the Curriculum Assessment Map for your Assessment Bundle it will take you to the Red Literacy Progress Records.

Here you will be able to see the Benchmarks for Reading ( Orange), Listening and Talking ( Green ) and Writing ( White ) for each specific bundle.

Some of the Bundles contain just one aspect such as writing e.g. Bundles 10 - 13 in second level. Other Bundles will include reading, listening and talking and writing such as Bundle 1 Finding and Using information.

It is really important that you remember to look at all the different benchmarks and how you are going to teach and assess them.

Second level Progress Records

First Level Progress Records

Step 2

At the moderation meeting agree the Rubrics for that term and how you are going to gather the assessment evidence. E.g. piece of writing, listen to a group discussion, observation of play or jotter work for reading circle jobs.

Make sure the rubrics are adapted and relevant for your children. Carefully consider all your learners as some may require an adapted rubric.

Termly Overview - On your termly overview detail the Assessment Bundles you are focusing on and a brief outline of the lessons you have planned. See Termly Overview Guidance.

Termly Overview Guidance

This is an example of a second level Reading / Listening and Talking Rubric that could be used for assessing Bundle 1 - Finding and Using Information and Bundle 3 - Main Idea and Purpose.

Below is an example of a Pro Forma that you could use for gathering evidence for assessing listening and talking. The skills needed for this kind of task would need taught and broken down. The children would need a number of attempts at this kind of task and highlighting the rubric to show how they were doing and what they still needed to work on ( Formative Assessment ).

Rubrics

Click here to learn more about how we use Rubrics and importantly how we co create them with children.

Step 3

Over the course of the term teach and assess the bundles using rubrics, jotter work, observation. Gather evidence where appropriate e.g. pieces of writing with rubric. Reading assessment with rubric.

In particular it is important to gather evidence of progress in the aspect of literacy you are focusing on. The Rubrics and accompanying evidence should show this.

However, you may well have other pieces of evidence that happen over the course of the term that really capture significant progress and this should be gathered too.

Presenting at an IDL showcase is great evidence of Bundle 8 - creating spoken texts

Step 4

Towards the end of the term pull together your assessment for this term. Amber or Green the progress records for relevant bundles. Here are some examples below :

Here is an example of a highlighted rubric ( Report Writing) at the end of term 1 in Primary 6. This Rubric was created with learners at Phase 1/2 Second Level.

In the literacy progress records for Phase 2 the teacher has Dotted and dated green where they have achieved 3 stars on the rubric. Where they have Dotted and dated it orange the teacher would look for opportunities during the term to revisit this so that they could move this to green.

Step 5 - Moderation Meeting

A moderation meeting is in the Working Time Agreement towards the end of each term. At this meeting staff should meet with their SLT link and other teachers across the campus working at the same stage. Teachers should bring 6 red folders that they have already assessed.

At this meeting:

Rotate Folders: Teachers will take turns passing their 6 Red Folders to colleagues for peer moderation.
Review Evidence: Peer assess the work against the rubrics, checklists, and benchmarks provided.
Professional Dialogue: Discuss the assessment judgments. If there is a disagreement (disparity), involve the SLT link member for a final decision.
Finalize: Mark the front cover as "Moderated," then add the date and the moderator's name.

Planning for Core Tools

The Steps outlined above are there to guide the planning and assessing of the Core Focus of Assessment in Writing, Reading and Listening and Talking.

In addition to this you the teaching of the Core Tools for Reading, Writing and Listening and Talking need to be taught.

Reading

Writing

Spelling

Listening and Talking

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