Developing Readers in Middle Years Schools Using

Assessment For Learning

Developing Readers in Middle Years Schools Using

Assessment For LearningThompson Owensthompsonowens@gmail.com

Atlanta: IRA ConferenceMay 2008

Thompson Owensthompsonowens@gmail.com

Atlanta: IRA ConferenceMay 2008

Winnipeg FactsWinnipeg Facts

Number of Schools 77 Total number of students 33, 517 Inner City Schools 21 Inner City students 7066

Number of Schools 77 Total number of students 33, 517 Inner City Schools 21 Inner City students 7066

Ancestral/Cutural IdentityAncestral/Cutural Identity

Aboriginal 33% Filipino 23% British 12% Canadian 10% Ukranian 8% German 6% French 5%

Aboriginal 33% Filipino 23% British 12% Canadian 10% Ukranian 8% German 6% French 5%

Your Class?Your Class?

“Let’s discuss the field trip tomorrow; lets’ discuss the way you treated the substitute yesterday; and then, oh yes, today’s lesson, and what? You don’t have your book? Your pen? There’s a knock at the door? Why are you late? Where is your late slip? I guess I’ll have to enter that attendance… now where were we?”

“Let’s discuss the field trip tomorrow; lets’ discuss the way you treated the substitute yesterday; and then, oh yes, today’s lesson, and what? You don’t have your book? Your pen? There’s a knock at the door? Why are you late? Where is your late slip? I guess I’ll have to enter that attendance… now where were we?”

The Scaffolding StepsThe Scaffolding Steps Teacher understands the learning TASK and the learning

INTENT (why). Task/intent shared with students in accordance with the

students’ learning profile. Discuss, “What will it look like if we finish?”

Design and carry out ‘enabling tasks’ that lead students towards the learning goal(s).

Provide a first attempt for the students to show what they know.

INVITE COMPARISON. STUDENTS IDENTIFY THE NEXT STEP (S) Provide an opportunity for a second attempt to reach the

goal(s), using the chosen next step. Encourage the students to look back and reflect on

themselves as learners.

Teacher understands the learning TASK and the learning INTENT (why).

Task/intent shared with students in accordance with the students’ learning profile. Discuss, “What will it look like if we finish?”

Design and carry out ‘enabling tasks’ that lead students towards the learning goal(s).

Provide a first attempt for the students to show what they know.

INVITE COMPARISON. STUDENTS IDENTIFY THE NEXT STEP (S) Provide an opportunity for a second attempt to reach the

goal(s), using the chosen next step. Encourage the students to look back and reflect on

themselves as learners.

Main PointsMain Points Decide for yourself what you want the students to pay

attention to (the intent). Take lots of time to share the task and intent with the students. Keep your main lesson short (7 minutes). Re-teach for

individuals later in the class. Observe – don’t talk – and let the students work and get

“stuck”. Compliment successes in terms of your criteria. Take note(s) – what lessons will students need.

Listen to the student problem, repeat it aloud. Use questions to make the student search for “comparisons.” Have a variety of options visible in the room.

Wait, wait, wait, and let the student make a choice. Don’t try to be successful every time.

Let the student make the changes right away. (Change the mark?)

Take time at the end of class to celebrate successes, the problems encountered and the solutions.

Decide for yourself what you want the students to pay attention to (the intent).

Take lots of time to share the task and intent with the students. Keep your main lesson short (7 minutes). Re-teach for

individuals later in the class. Observe – don’t talk – and let the students work and get

“stuck”. Compliment successes in terms of your criteria. Take note(s) – what lessons will students need.

Listen to the student problem, repeat it aloud. Use questions to make the student search for “comparisons.” Have a variety of options visible in the room.

Wait, wait, wait, and let the student make a choice. Don’t try to be successful every time.

Let the student make the changes right away. (Change the mark?)

Take time at the end of class to celebrate successes, the problems encountered and the solutions.

A Learner is Someone Who:

A Learner is Someone Who:

1) Knows what they know and can do (with examples)

2) Identifies what they have difficulty with (specifically)

3) Identifies how to improve.(has multiple strategies)

1) Knows what they know and can do (with examples)

2) Identifies what they have difficulty with (specifically)

3) Identifies how to improve.(has multiple strategies)

Problems into LearningProblems into Learning

Intro: Restate Search for clarity – details

Intro: Restate Search for clarity – details

Problems into LearningProblems into Learning

Middle: Do you remember what I said? Have you seen this problem before? Is there a chart on the walls that

could help you? What have you tried so far?

Middle: Do you remember what I said? Have you seen this problem before? Is there a chart on the walls that

could help you? What have you tried so far?

“Star” Classrooms“Star” Classrooms

Teacher

FriendsSiblings“Experts

”

Memory

Notebook

ClassroomStrategy ListsCriteria ListsResourcesExemplars

Problems into LearningProblems into Learning

Conclusion I think you have a solution. Just so I

know we both agree, can you tell me what the solution is? Thank you for you thoughtful responses?”

Conclusion I think you have a solution. Just so I

know we both agree, can you tell me what the solution is? Thank you for you thoughtful responses?”

Thinking about IntentThinking about Intent

Intent of intentsTo help students think about more

than just finishing the task. To help students be successful

learners

Intent of intentsTo help students think about more

than just finishing the task. To help students be successful

learners

Thinking about IntentThinking about Intent

Getting started The most difficult way to find the intents is to look

for them alone. Teachers who work sitting alone at their desks complain: “I can’t come up with these”

Intents often require a deep understanding of a subject. The easiest way is to work with an expert in the field who can give you a range of possibilities

Short of having an expert handy, work with one or two colleagues. Often one teacher’s comments will inspire another: “As soon as Jacquie said…”

Getting started The most difficult way to find the intents is to look

for them alone. Teachers who work sitting alone at their desks complain: “I can’t come up with these”

Intents often require a deep understanding of a subject. The easiest way is to work with an expert in the field who can give you a range of possibilities

Short of having an expert handy, work with one or two colleagues. Often one teacher’s comments will inspire another: “As soon as Jacquie said…”

Thinking about IntentThinking about Intent

Brain storm questions What will you pay attention to? Why is this useful? We are learning to…

Brain storm questions What will you pay attention to? Why is this useful? We are learning to…

Thinking about IntentThinking about Intent Criteria to help you narrow your choices

Which on your list are more short term? which are long term?

Which refer to what the students are working on today? Which deal with the end result

Start small: choose only 1 intent to begin that deal with today’s work.

Pick something possible. You often don’t have the luxury of time to think carefully.

Use your knowledge of your students

Criteria to help you narrow your choices Which on your list are more short term? which

are long term? Which refer to what the students are working on

today? Which deal with the end result Start small: choose only 1 intent to begin that

deal with today’s work. Pick something possible. You often don’t have

the luxury of time to think carefully. Use your knowledge of your students

Thinking about IntentThinking about Intent

Ask, “Does the criteria match the intent?”

Ask, “Does the criteria match the intent?”

Developing Quality IntentsDeveloping Quality Intents

Start with one. Make the beginning and end of your lesson focus

heavily on the TIC’s Spend time during the lesson using the intent as your

lens to watch students List: Who is being successful? Who is off task? What

misconceptions/learning needs arise? Use this information to decide your next lessons and

incorporate the observations in to your next Task, Intents and Criteria

The intents are now based upon the observed learning needs of your students.

Start with one. Make the beginning and end of your lesson focus

heavily on the TIC’s Spend time during the lesson using the intent as your

lens to watch students List: Who is being successful? Who is off task? What

misconceptions/learning needs arise? Use this information to decide your next lessons and

incorporate the observations in to your next Task, Intents and Criteria

The intents are now based upon the observed learning needs of your students.

Thinking about IntentThinking about Intent

You can now build, layer, deepen the intent of your lessons – go wild and enjoy the learning.

You can now build, layer, deepen the intent of your lessons – go wild and enjoy the learning.

I Believe…I Believe…

When we help one child to understand how to learn, we give the child the gift of pride

To ourselves, the gift of joy And to the world, the gift of hope for

our future

When we help one child to understand how to learn, we give the child the gift of pride

To ourselves, the gift of joy And to the world, the gift of hope for

our future