Assessment in the PYP: Balancing Formative and Summative Approaches

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) emphasizes assessment as a crucial aspect of the teaching and learning process. In the PYP, assessment is ongoing, purposeful, and designed to enhance student learning through a balanced approach that integrates both formative and summative assessments.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐘𝐏?

Assessment in the PYP is all about understanding and supporting student learning in an ongoing, interactive way. It’s not just about giving grades; it’s about gathering real evidence of learning, making sense of it, and using that information to guide teaching and help students grow.

The PYP values assessments that feel real and meaningful to students. It’s about creating learning experiences where students actively

participate, reflect, and take responsibility for their own learning. Through continuous feedback and guidance, students gain a clearer understanding of their strengths, areas for improvement, and the steps they need to take to progress.

What’s unique about assessment in the PYP is its strong connection to inquiry-based learning. It’s designed to promote curiosity, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of concepts. The goal is to help students see assessment as a tool for learning rather than just a measure of achievement. Ultimately, it’s about empowering students to take ownership of their learning journey and become confident, reflective, and responsible learners.

𝐎𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 (𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠)

Ongoing Assessments (Assessment for Learning) provide immediate feedback, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and guide further instruction.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬:

Continuous and flexible.
Integrated within the learning process.
Provides timely feedback to students and teachers.
Encourages student reflection and self-assessment.

Example: During a Unit of Inquiry on "Ecosystems," teachers conduct regular check-ins through concept maps, discussions, and exit tickets to gauge students' evolving understanding of the topic.

Assessment of Learning

Assessment of Learning aims to evaluate student learning at the end of a learning period, providing a comprehensive overview of what students have achieved concerning the learning objectives.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬:

Occurs at the end of a unit or learning segment.
Provides evidence of overall learning and understanding.
Evaluative rather than diagnostic.

Assesses knowledge, skills, and conceptual understanding.

Example: At the end of the "Ecosystems" unit, students create a presentation explaining their chosen ecosystem, highlighting its components, relationships, and how human activities affect it.

𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬

The PYP emphasizes a balanced approach where formative and summative assessments work together to enhance learning. Effective assessment in the PYP:

Encourages student agency by involving learners in setting learning goals and reflecting on their progress.
Utilizes a variety of assessment tools such as rubrics, self-assessments, peer assessments, portfolios, and reflections.
Promotes collaborative planning between teachers and students.

Example: While working on a research project about "Cultural Diversity," students receive feedback through peer reviews (formative) before presenting their final project to the class (summative).

𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐘𝐏:

Supports differentiated learning by addressing diverse learning needs and styles.
Encourages a growth mindset by valuing progress over perfection.
Enhances student motivation by making learning goals clear and achievable.
Provides valuable data for teachers to refine their teaching strategies.

Example: Teachers use assessment data from student reflections and peer assessments to modify the upcoming Unit of Inquiry to address learning gaps and deepen understanding.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨n

In the IB PYP framework, assessment is more than a tool for evaluating learning; it is a fundamental part of the learning process itself. By effectively balancing formative and summative approaches, the PYP ensures that assessment fosters student agency, promotes inquiry-based learning, and drives continuous improvement.

𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬

𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗬𝗣 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘀? 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗨𝗽!

If you have missed any of our recent or earlier webinars, don't worry - we’ve got you covered! 🎥 Recorded sessions are now available,

Here’s what’s available:

Assessment in the PYP (2 hrs)
Designing Unit of Inquiry Planners (2 hrs)
Language in the PYP (90 min)
The PYP Exhibition (90 min)

📲 To access the recordings and resource kits, feel free to contact us on WhatsApp at +91 88948 78830. Let’s continue to learn, share, and grow together as a community of lifelong PYP learners and educators. 🌍✨

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 (𝐈𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦) 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐀𝐩𝐩 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐘𝐏 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬. 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤

𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗜𝗻𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺? 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁: https://lnkd.in/g2ijMEsW

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