Marking XIL's is tricky due to the range of skill in the class and the nature of XILs. Any advice on this? 

Our A-E report criteria allows for this scope. However, not all tasks need to follow the report criteria rubric. Some aspects could be marked at a surface, deep and transfer level. Or perhaps for some elements- emerging and proficient would be suitable.

The key here is 

• what do you want the students to 'learn'? i.e. content, skills, enterprise skills?

• consistent with school wide policies.

• student friendly language.

• access to the full range of 'marks' for ALL students.

Benchmark Tasks, give a regular update on student learning as the XIL progresses. Not to mention data for teachers to develop workshops, scaffolds, and extensions where needed.

How do we find the balance between wanting to assist but also wanting our students to drive their own learning through XIL?

The key to this is assessment. HOW have you identified student understanding? How flexible is your XIL to cater for these differences? Does your XIL have scaffolding and extension opportunities?

Once these wonderings are ascertained, then workshops can be a good way to address support. 

Another important element here is exemplars. Have you shown students what you are looking for as a standard?  Or perhaps best practice. 

Know and Need to Know lists as a good gauge for you and students to drive their own learning.

Student calendar of tasks can also facilitate student independence. These calendars explain what students need to complete each lesson or stage, and ask them to reflect on their progress. Teachers can check them at regular intervals.

How to give students direction and guidance without boxing them in and restricting their inquiry? 

This is tricky and depends on the nature of the XIL, albeit structured, controlled, guided or free inquiries. 

Structured and controlled XILs will sit within our Unit of Work and address specific inquiry questions from our outcomes and syllabus. Whilst this may seems like they are 'boxed in', some aspects of the XIL could reflect student voice. 

• The final product could be reflective of student choice e.g. a presentation via slides, video, role play, speech. 

• A consideration of different contexts e.g develop a fitness program for a pregnant woman, a preschool play group, or injured athlete. 

• Rotating group roles.

Guided or free inquiry provides more flexibility and could be run by a class teacher, or collaborative team. These may extend beyond the syllabus to authentic contexts e.g. After a unit on Spanish colonisation in the Americas, students examine the legacy of colonisation in another context such as the African continent.

Or they may be completely born of student interest e.g After learning about the application of tax in Australia, students asked about whether other countries paid tax. This launched an inquiry into applications of taxes in other countries of student interest.