Presentation to Wanganui Reading Association explaining how the concepts and principles of formative assessment can be incorporated to deliver an engaging and motivational writing programme.

1. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
IN WRITING
Wanganui Reading Association Regan Orr
Thursday 6 May, 2010. 2010

2. It was all about ‘stuff’!
• School was a place where we
learnt a lot of ‘stuff’ and could
regurgitate knowledge.
“Today there will be a test on the 20
largest urban areas in NZ”.
• There was a lot of emphasis on
contexts.
“Lets do a unit on Spiders and know
all the body parts”.

3. It was all about ‘stuff’!
Education
happened
to the
children.

4. There has been a change!
Our focus needs to be with providing children with the skills and
deeper understanding to contribute to a global society.

5. There has been a change!
Our focus needs to be with providing children with the skills and
deeper understanding to contribute to a global society.
Learning happens with
the children.

6. There has been a change!
Our focus needs to be with providing children with the skills and
deeper understanding to contribute to a global society.
Learning happens with
the children.
How can we begin to achieve
this.......?

7. Formative Practice
Beliefs and Good Practice
High Trust, supportive environment
Language of Learning
Deliberate Acts of Teaching
Exemplars, models of quality
Collaborative partnership
Feedback
Self/Peer Assessment
Time

8. The Learning Process...
Developing a formative culture to achieve success.

9. Check Point
Co-constructed
Discussed
Clarified
Deliberate Acts of Teaching
Scaffolded
Fear of Failure removed
Owned the process

10. The Learning Process...
...as the car came to a slow halt, my
eyes fell upon the bizarre house and
it’s eccentric owner Mr Brown...

11. Check Point
Actively Engaged and motivated
An awareness of success - knew what to achieve.
Optimised writing time
Success Criteria was visible
Self-assessed
Peer-assessed
Feedback and Feedforward

12. It works!
Children are more excited and engaged to write.
Children ‘own’ the learning process.
Children are not ‘left in the dark’ as to what they have to achieve.
Children can monitor their own learning and see where they can
improve - self-managing learners.
Actively encourages Higher Order Thinking
and questioning.
Higher achievement and engagement from boys - they know what to do.
Benefits for boys also assists the girls.
Greater support and collaboration amongst the children.
Slowing the pace of learning has led to improved quality of writing.

13. Back in Time...
2004: Use of LI and SC to guide writing. Needs based. MOE Exemplars implemented in
the classroom.
2004: Children assessing against SC and showing where they had met the criteria.
2005: Exemplars being sourced from a range of material. Buddy Assessment introduced.
2006: (Feb) Introduction to the children of our school-wide matrix - children
understanding what it meant.
2006: Matrix being used to guide writing, self and buddy assessment.
2006: (Sept.) Major shift - share exemplars for 2-3 weeks. Focus on one ‘text type’ for
the term. Co-construction with students of matrix. Children use ‘their’ matrix to guide
writing. Noticeable difference in children’s writing.
2007 - 2008: Each new term, separate matrix created according to text type focus.
Exemplars shared and analysed for at least 2-3 weeks. Writing programme changed:
Typical session - Exemplars shared, write for 20 minutes, buddy share, class share.
Greater emphasis placed on sharing the writing and providing evidence of how SC has
been met.

14. Questions?
For todays slides and further reading
on Formative Assessment, visit:
http://regano.edublogs.org