5.1 Assess student learning
Year 8 German family speaking task
One of the first summative tasks that I do with my year 8 German class, is a speaking task, which is a conversation with them about themselves and their family. I assess students on their ability to pronounce the German correctly, as well as their ability to use a range of words, correct grammar, and correctly responding to questions. Prior to students completing the summative task, I get students to do a formative activity where they need to have conversations amongst themselves in Germany in a sort of speed dating way. I give students feedback, so that they are successful in the summative task. I also include the rubric in the assessment task to help students understand what is required to achieve a certain grade.
5.2 Provide feedback to students on their learning
Student work drafted with comments
For the Polynesian expansion unit in my year 8 I&S class, students needed to complete a journal entry assignment. Since this was a summative task, I allowed students to hand up a draft so that I could provide them with feedback. I would do this by downloading the document they handed up, then adding comments to their document, and reuploading it to Daymap. Once students had checked their drafts, I would double check with them to make sure that my comments made sense and give them some more guidance if they needed.
5.3 Make consistent and comparable judgements
Year 10 speaking moderation
As part of the IBMYP, we need to do cross-school moderation with other IBMYP schools. For this, one of my German colleagues and I moderated a speaking task from our Youth unit. We agreed on the grades for each of the students and included our initial thoughts of the work samples, what the student could have done to improve their grade, and how the assessment task might be modified.
5.4 Interpret student data
Whilst moderating the task above (refer to standard 5.3), we also looked at other student work. With that data, we discussed some modifications we could make to the task so that students can get a better grade. Instead of students simply answering pre-prescribed questions and answering them as if they were in an interview, we thought that students could bring a prepared visual stimulus, so that students can speak more freely, and therefore show a deeper understanding of the content.
I also participate in faculty meetings where PAT and NAPLAN data is unpacked to improve student learning.
5.5 Report on student achievement
Year 8 German student screenshot of report from Daymap
At the end of each semester, reports get sent out to all parents. This includes reporting on students’ ability to learn in class, as well as their academic achievements. I base my academic results off of summative tasks, which are a mix of assignments and tests.