The lesson was the last in a series of lesson in preparation for a Level F test and so the confidence of the pupils was the focus. Pupils had written their own questions in a previous lesson, perhaps ones they thought were challenging, and after vetting the questions I handed them back and ensured the pupils were experts in their questions. They then moved around the room sharing their question with other pupils and if anyone was stuck they were able to show them how to do the question.
Tag Archives: Formative assessment
Science – Good Practice
Keith Varty – Biology/Science Teacher
When you watch this video you will observe a Science lesson where S2 pupils were actively engaged in learning about cell biology, specifically microscopy and cell structures. This lesson began with sharing the learning intentions, both visually and verbally, in the form of questions to allow pupils to recognise what their specific targets for successful learning would be.
Afterwards, the lesson progresses to the identification and description of parts of animal and plant cells and shows how I used an innovative approach to Smartboard use and Show Me Boards. This approach captivated pupils and focused them on their learning, whilst ensuring that they were actively engaged in activities that would allow formative assessment of the knowledge and understanding, which they had developed during the course of the topic.
Pass the Parcel – AifL
Laura Williamson Modern Languages Department
I recently observed a colleague in the Modern Languages department using a rather novel and fun way of assessing pupils’ knowledge. The activity, as the name suggests consists of a box that is passed around the room while music plays. The box is filled with sentences to translate, when the music stops the pupil holding the box must open the box and pick out a random sentence to translate. This activity works well because it is fun and the pupils do not realise they are practising their language work. It also helps the teacher avoid always picking the same pupils to answer whilst helping more shy pupils to be become more confident.
This is a great activity for revision and consolidation. The sentences can be of varying difficulty and tenses to suit all learners. The chosen phrase if translated unsuccessfully or answered incorrectly can then even be passed to other pupils, this promotes peer learning. This type of activity can be utilised in other subject areas by substituting the sentences with questions about specific topics.
Using CAT data effectively – Presentation
John Slavin Faculty Leader Raising Attainment
This was a brief introduction to how the CAT data that the school has for each pupil could be used to aid teaching and learning.
Initially, I explained that there are three batteries of tests: Verbal examples, Non-Verbal examples and Quantitative examples and briefly described examples of each. Pupil profiles are generated from this data and strengths / development needs can be identified.
Data for whole classes can be graphically represented in a Scatter graph to give a powerful visual interpretation of the results. The results can be analyzed with the help of the scatter diagram.
I have produced such scattergraphs for each class in S3/4 and will do likewise for S2 in time. If anyone is interested in looking at CAT data and how it can be used to highlight achievement / underachievement, Dr. Ben Doody and myself (John Slavin) are running a workshop on 07 September 2012. This will provide teachers with an opportunity to gain further experience of using this data and can hopefully aid the identification of the pupils’ needs.
Active Learning using Tarsia cards in Science
Mr Varty’s S2 Science class have recently been learning about plastics as part of the Chemistry Compounds unit that they have been completing. One of the learning intentions from this lesson was that pupils should be able to identify the name of a plastic when provided with the name of the monomer. Pupils were formatively assessed using Tarsia cards that required pupils to work collaboratively with their peers to match the correct monomer to the polymer that it could form. If successful each side of every triangle would have a correct match. The following video shows two groups working on this activity.
Here is an example of one groups cards that were about to be formatively assessed.
Tarsia cards for any subject or activity can be made using the software from the following website that can be accessed by clicking here.
