Section 22 of the Education Act, 1998, states that the principal and teachers in a school shall
- encourage and foster learning in students
- regularly evaluate students and periodically report the results of the evaluation to the students and their parents.
Assessment for learning promotes a culture of fuller and more meaningful reporting to both students and their parents in so far as it recognises the complementary nature of the aims set out in the Education Act. The essential goal of feedback and reporting is the promotion of more effective learning. The reporting process should provide for school, student and parent a record of achievement and an opportunity to plan for the further stages in the student's development. As a matter of policy schools should inform parents of curriculum objectives and expectations, and on the mechanisms by which they will report to parents. Decisions about how to record and report on the progress of students are professional matters for each school as a whole to consider. Although the reporting approaches of schools will of necessity differ, some general principles of good practice can be identified.
Reporting to Students
A considerable amount of the school's reporting to students happens through the normal subject-by-subject monitoring and assessment of class-work and homework. Typically, this kind of feedback to students tends to be:
Oral:where the teacher responds to the questions or answers of students, or responding to classroom or homework assignments, or where the teacher draws attention to the quality of student involvement in classwork. Generally speaking, focused oral feedback makes the most powerful impact on the learner.
Marks or grading:where the teacher offers measurement of student achievement in tests or homework assignments. There is considerable evidence to suggest that reliance on marks or grades does little to improve learning.
Written comment:where the teacher offers feedback on student assignmentsThe frequency of reporting is not at all as significant as the quality of the feedback given to students. It is important, then, to consider some ways of improving the quality of reporting to the student.
Sharing learning intentions with students is an important means of preparation for accurate assessment and reporting of achievement. The criteria for success in any given task (or series of tasks) will emerge directly from the learning intention. Students who are clear about learning intentions and who know the criteria for success can focus more fully on the purpose of classroom and homework tasks and are thereby encouraged towards greater involvement in their own learning. Feedback (reporting) to students, in oral or written form will be most effective when it is clearly related to the learning intentions and success criteria.
Although it can offer an accurate measurement of achievement, a simple grade or mark without supporting comment provides students with little support or guidance for future learning. The effective monitoring of homework and the adoption of a policy of comment-only marking can provide the kind of positive and constructive feedback that will assist students to understand their own abilities and learning needs.
Classroom strategies that encourage students to engage in peer or self-assessment can enable students to record and stay in touch with their own progress. (See, for example, Sample Assessment Materials 2) To this end the development of a student learning portfolio will allow students to play a more active role in the assessment of their progress, thereby promoting more independent learning.
Reporting to Parents
All schools report to parents on the progress of students and indeed reporting is a crucial part of the relationship between school and parents. The value of regular discussions, both formal and informal, between parents and teachers cannot be overemphasised. Generally speaking, parents want to be involved in decisions that will have an impact on their child's schooling and they should be provided with opportunities that will facilitate this involvement.
Parents need to be informed in broad terms about the ways in which the school plans to meet the learning needs of all its students. They need to receive information about decisions and developments, and about the kinds of educational issues,which directly and indirectly affect the students. It is particularly important that policies on homework, assessment and reporting are clearly articulated and understood by school and parents alike.
Parents should be given regular, timely and accurate information about their child's intellectual and personal development. Traditional school mid-term or end-of-term reports that take the form of a grade or mark and a generalised comment for each subject can be reassuring and supportive for the parents of students who are clearly achieving well. These reports, however, are rarely comprehensive enough to give either parent or student a thorough understanding of what has been achieved and what remains to be done. Therefore, the traditional school report card should be seen as only one part of the reporting process between school and home.
Parent/teacher meetings offer valuable opportunities for the school to move beyond the marks, as it were, and to present more comprehensive assessments of progress. As well as allowing a focus on progress achieved, such meetings provide an opportunity to nominate areas that need specific attention and to indicate what needs to be done by teacher, parents and students to improve student performance.
It is worthwhile, however, giving consideration to the functions and content of report cards with a view to making them more meaningful for parents, students and teachers alike.
In general, it will be helpful for parents if report cards:
- are positive in tone, recognising students' strengths and interests
- use a wide variety of styles and content - commenting on attitudes, values, skills and knowledge
- use plain language, so that they are easily understood
- include explanations of symbols or grading codes
- include explanation of assessment methods
- contain descriptive statements of student achievement
- have an interactive dimension - allow space for student and parent to comment
- convey clearly the learning that has taken place
Documentation
What is standard; Article from info@ncca (January 2006)
Assessment in primary schools; Article from info@ncca (January 2008)
Assessment for learning; Article from info@ncca (April 2007)
Assessment for learning; Article from info@ncca (January 2007)
Key principles of AfL
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