Renaissance Learning - AlphaSmart Primary Assessment for Learning (AfL)

Primary Assessment for Learning (AfL)

Primary AfL involves using assessment in the classroom to raise all pupils’ achievement.

It is based on the idea that pupils will improve most if they understand the aim of their learning, where they are in relation to this aim and how they can achieve the aim (or close the gap in their knowledge).

AlphaSmart have created an AfL package called 2Know! This enables teacher to get immediate and effective feedback from pupils, which can be displayed for the teacher and class to see that gives a complete picture of how learning is progressing in the class.

AfL in the Primary Classroom
For teachers AfL is integral to all lessons – 2Know! can be used in any lesson at any time.

Children are aware of learning objectives and success criteria and use these as the basis of self-assessment feedback – 2Know! will support ’on the fly’ questions and is well suited to asking verbal rather than written questions.

Formative assessment depends on children knowing where they are, where they want to be and how to ‘close the gap’. This involves both the teacher and children in a process of continual reflection and review about progress. – With 2Know! teachers can check knowledge and understanding before a lesson and then check again at the end to clearly show pupils the progress they have made. With good selection of questioning teachers will be able to raise awareness about lesson by lesson progress.

Effective questioning develops children's thinking. – 2Know! works well with verbal questioning so teachers can begin to push pupils with challenging questioning and really make them think before answering.

Quality feedback is used by children, and feeds into future learning. – Pupils can use 2Know! to ask their own questions of others and can easily give feedback to the teacher on how the lesson is being understood.

Teachers adjust their plans in response to formative assessment. – Teachers can use 2Know! all the way through a lesson. It provides immediate feedback so time is not wasted. At any key point in a lesson teachers can check for understanding and, from these results either move on or re-teach Research shows that AfL is most effective when pupils:

Show changes in their attitudes to learning and in their motivation, self-esteem, independence, initiative and confidence – Teachers have found that the Classroom response System and NEO 2 raise self esteem, motivation and confidence in answering questions.

Show changes in their responses to questions, in contributions to plenary sessions, and in explanations and descriptions – Children are much more willing to suggest answers and take risks in answering.

Improve their attainment - Children have a better understanding of the learning process and are aware of the criteria for success.

Ask relevant questions – With 2Know! it is not just teachers who can ask the questions, children can ask them too.

Are actively involved in formative assessment processes – Children can see for themselves how they are progressing using the 2Know! toolbar.