Assessment for learning

This summer I'm going to be training teachers on a course run by the Spanish Ministry of Education.

The basis of which is all about Assessment for learning.

 

 

This means looking at how we learn and how important it is to get children involved in the learning process.

This is a completely different direction from the one chosen by main stream education here in Spain where kids more and more have to face external exams which only test memory and not understanding

The idea is that teachers always share the learning objective with the students in every session so they know what they are supposed to be learning we calll this WALT(What I'm learning today).

Then we also have WILF which means what I'm looking for or in other words the teachers expectations of the kids during the class or what we want them to do things like only speak in English talk in pairs, listen to the explanation.

  Try this out it's amzing how kids react.

Another of the pilars of AFl is to ask the kids what they want to learn during a science topic.

Work from their previous knowledge  so brainstorm ideas at the beginning of a topic  and ask what they would like to learn,  then at the end check that they have reached their personal goals and write or tell  what they have learned.

At all costs avoid ticks, red or, green or any marking on their work. 

Use plenary sessions or discussions at the end of each session to reflect on their learning and your teaching.  Did the kids enjoy the class?

I know we think we're great but somtimes the kids come up with great ideas to improve our teaching practise.