Renaissance Learning - AlphaSmart Assessment for Learning and Special Needs

Assessment for Learning and Special Needs

Assessment for Learning (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 Assessment for Learning 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.

Where Special Needs (SN) children are integrated into mainstream classes 2Know! can have an important effect on leveling the playing field for SN children. In a SN class there is ample opportunity to make the very best use of AfL.

Formative Teacher Assessment (AfL)
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. In this way the ‘knowledge playing field’ is leveled and teachers can check understanding from children who may find reading questions and writing answers difficult.

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.

Assessment for Learning is 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 CRS it is not just for teachers to ask 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.