Teaching and Learning at PMACS 2022 by PMACS

Table of Contents Teaching and Learning Peter Moyes Anglican Community School ........................................................ 4 Routine practices for teachers at PMACS .............................................................................................. 4 PMACS Visible Learning Action Plan ..................................................................................................... 5 Visible Learning Time 1........................................................................................................................... 5 School Aspiration ............................................................................................................................... 5 Focus areas ..................................................................................................................................... 5 Visible Learner ................................................................................................................................ 6 Know thy Impact ............................................................................................................................. 6 Visible Teaching and Leading ......................................................................................................... 6 Effective Feedback .......................................................................................................................... 6 Mindframes of Visible Learning .............................................................................................................. 6 The common language of assessments at PMACS ................................................................................. 7 Formative Assessment ........................................................................................................................ 8 Summative Assessment ...................................................................................................................... 9 Common Assessment ...................................................................................................................... 9 Rubrics .............................................................................................................................................. 10 Feedback ........................................................................................................................................... 10 Learning Intentions ........................................................................................................................... 10 Success Criteria................................................................................................................................ 11 Key Features of Quality Learning Intentions and Success Criteria................................................... 11 Visible Learning Time 2......................................................................................................................... 13 Levelled Success Criteria ................................................................................................................. 13 Step 1: Write learning intentions in student-friendly language ............................................ 14 Step 2: Write levelled success criteria at surface, deep and transfer learning ................. 14 Step 3: Refine learning intentions by ensuring the verbs are aligned to deep or transfer and refine success criteria by removing tasks, activities, and contexts ............................. 14 Step 4: Create a driving question that presents students a rationale for meeting transfer expectations ................................................................................................................................ 15 Step 5: Receive feedback from colleagues to ensure alignment of learning intentions and success criteria ................................................................................................................... 15 Process Success Criteria .................................................................................................................. 15 Teacher clarity ...................................................................................................................................... 17 Clarity of organisation....................................................................................................................... 17 Clarity of explanation........................................................................................................................ 17 Clarity of examples and guided practice .......................................................................................... 17 2

Clarity of assessment of student learning ......................................................................................... 18 In summary: How will I be a more effective teacher this year than I was last year? ....................... 19 Feedback in SEQTA ............................................................................................................................... 20 Pre-assessment................................................................................................................................. 20 Post-Assessment (prior to marks release) ........................................................................................ 20 Other questions that may be useful for reflection ............................................................................. 20 Three Instructional Levels .................................................................................................................... 21 Some ways of gathering feedback from your students ......................................................................... 21 3-2-1: A Metacognitive Strategy........................................................................................................ 21 Comments on Comments ................................................................................................................... 22 Feedback 5 ........................................................................................................................................ 22 SEQTA expectations for course pages.................................................................................................. 24

Teaching and Learning Peter Moyes Anglican Community School The five qualities over which a person has control in their daily life are attitudes, words, actions, manners and effort. Therefore, with every student interaction we have, both in and out of the classroom, we should both model, challenge and expect that our students uphold the same qualities. It is important to hold our students to the highest expectations in class activity, completed tasks and respectful interactions.

Routine practices for teachers at PMACS The effective implementation of: • Learning Intentions and Success Criteria that are clearly discussed with students • Regular opportunities for students and teaching teams to reflect on student progress and performance through feedback and data • Regular interrogation of the level of explicit teacher clarity in course programmes and lessons • Increase a practice of student voice in their learning through Success Criteria • Collaborate in teaching teams and across learning areas to strengthen teacher capacity in teaching and learning Visible Learning drives our teaching practices and student learning. It is our aim to have a common language of learning. This includes a whole school approach to providing ongoing effective feedback to students and parents through SEQTA and the use of embedded rubrics which ensure our students know the next steps in their learning. To use Learning Intentions and Success Criteria to frame our lessons, promote independent learning and to assist in student feedback. Our teaching is awash with data about our student learning. Departments should be using the data that is available to know where their students are situated in the classroom. We should use the data to extend our students and close the gaps in their learning. Our ongoing Visible Learning PD provides many strategies for student learning and in our learning teams we should ensure that a cooperative approach be strengthened. The School Capability Assessment Time 2 strongly pointed to an improved development in the language of learning between teacher and student. A continued deliberate routine practice of Learning Intentions, Success Criteria and effective feedback should further embed the common language that we wish to engender.

PMACS Visible Learning Action Plan The summary of the action plan developed by staff is below. This provides a useful checklist for staff to assist them in assisting them to monitor the adoption of key Visible Learning tenants for the expectations of each lesson.

The following aspiration and focus areas drive Visible Learning in the School. They were developed in 2021 by the teaching staff, led by Heads of Departments and Impact Coaches.

Visible Learning Time 1 School Aspiration Our aspiration is that all students at PMACS can articulate what is a successful learner (where they are going, how they are going and where they will go next), and for all students in Years 3 – 9 demonstrate a year’s growth (0.4) in NAPLAN Literacy and Numeracy. In achieving this, our students will demonstrate that they have the learning dispositions and characteristics of a successful learner who are assessment capable.

Focus areas Develop a shared language of learning across the School through consistent and clear Learning Intentions and Success Criteria that demonstrate surface, deep and transfer learning. Students understand Learning Intentions and Success Criteria and why they are important. They use these to inform learning and measure their progress. Students know how to use Success Criteria to enable them to understand their learning goals.

To achieve these goals, teaching staff at PMACS will continue to develop the four key areas that we formulated in 2021:

Visible Learner Develop a clear picture and shared understandings of the type of learners the School is aspiring to have and ensure staff, students and parents are consulted in identifying the related learning dispositions.

Know thy Impact Develop shared understandings and processes of ongoing analysis of student progress and achievement data to inform planning.

Visible Teaching and Leading Develop a clear picture and shared understanding of the quality of practice expected from teachers. Develop shared understandings and practices of the effective use of Learning Intentions and Success Criteria to build teacher clarity so that all students are clear about what they are learning and how they will know if they are successful.

Effective Feedback Articulate a clear picture of the type of feedback culture and practice the School aspires to have, involving input from all staff, students and families.

Mindframes of Visible Learning The Visible Learning mindframes aim to have teachers make the greatest impact on teaching and learning. They underpin every action and decision in a school; it is a belief that we are evaluators, change agents, adaptive learning experts, seekers of feedback about our impact, engaged in dialogue and challenge, developers of trust with all and that we see opportunity in error and are keen to spread the message about the power, fun and impact we have on learning. (Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximising Impact on Learning p159) The four key focus areas of Visible Learner, Know Thy Impact, Visible Teaching & Learning and Effective Feedback encompass the mindframes of effective teachers and successful learners: • • • • • • • • • •

Assessment for teaching Awareness of growth Challenge vs do your best Dialogue not monologue Errors are welcome Fixed vs growth (change agent) Focus on learning High expectations for all Know thy impact Student voice

In December 2020, all teaching staff undertook the Time 1 Mindframes Survey. While it was evident that our staff agreed with many of the mindframes listed above, there were four beliefs where we diverged from a common alignment with many other schools. The contrasting mindframes reveal that our staff at that time believed: • • • •

student voice not prominent in our classrooms our students do not need to make errors to learn there is a fixed mindset towards student ability and progress in learning student data is not regularly access and used

This year, it is hoped that these beliefs will become more positive. In addition to the Mindframes Time 1 Survey, PK-12 teaching staff collaborated to define and develop a common language around the practice of Assessments – Formative Assessments, Summative Assessments, Rubrics, Feedback, Learning Intentions and Success Criteria. The following includes the actual wording, as well as the summarised agreed sentiments, that resulted from this teamwork.

The common language of assessments at PMACS Assessments should be both formative and summative. Assessments must be relevant to contemporary pedagogical practice. The number and type of assessments per subject/term is important. Marking summative assessments should be completed in a timely manner - no more than 2 weeks. Consistency with marking across a cohort is essential – regular moderation should take place to ensure that the assessment is fair and valid. Common Assessment is essential for ATAR subjects that have more than one class group. Assessments are used to guide future learning activities. They must be relevant and linked to the teaching program. There needs to have consistency between staff when preparing for assessments. It is important for Departments and teaching teams to consider, reflect and discuss various elements of assessment theory, practice and procedures. Staff are encouraged to engage in regular professional development (internal and external) to keep up to date with current best practice. Assessments should use Blooms Taxonomy and be framed with an emphasis on the metalanguage of the syllabus. Encourage a staff culture of sharing resources in order to benefit whole groups of students. All tasks should follow a common format – a PMACS branding. Assessment needs to reflect what has been taught. Visibility of task requirements to students so that they understand you are assessing. Do not over assess. Assessments should be a collaborative effort between staff to ensure consistency. Common assessments sat at same point in curriculum not necessarily same day/week. Teachers using common assessment will moderate to ensure consistency of marks. The teachers of the course should develop formation of common assessments. Assessments should be developed collaboratively in departments.

Attention needs to be given to the moderation of marking using Common Assessment with consensus among delivering teachers. Moderation must be completed for every assessment. Assessment across multiple classes should be moderated using methods such as common marking keys, rubrics & cross-marking. Assessments must match content. Assessments to reflect a syllabus that students know. Scaffold assessment tasks to meet different learning levels, ability and approaches. Assessments should allow students to demonstrate their understanding/knowledge in a range of contexts and use several assessment tools across the year/course. Teachers will follow the requirements of the School’s Assessment Policy to ensure consistency in terms of penalties/lateness. Approved leave for students should be at the discretion of the Associate Principal – unapproved leave should result is a 0%. (Please note a holiday in Bali is not approved leave for a student). Standard approaches with respect to missed assessments should be applied, with the onus the student, not the teachers.

Formative Assessment There is a common understanding of what is a formative assessment, being formal and informal assessment procedures in order to modify teaching and learning. Formative assessment is integral to teaching and learning. It should be used to help understand where students are at with their learning. Teachers should make use of formative assessment in order to monitor progress and steer future teaching activities. How do we know if students in our classes are learning or making progress? • •

Know where students are at and assess where they currently are. Collect work and compare it over the term. Set clear objectives and measure consistently throughout the term.

How do we adapt our teaching based on formative assessment? • Revisit gaps in knowledge. • Reasses teaching style if some students did not understand. • Pace delivery differently to suit student needs. Examples of determining how we know students make progress using formative assessment include informal discussion, exit passes, use of a game format, question and answers, pop quiz, book trawls, program trackers, frequent monitoring, reading journals, comprehension questions and base-line testing. Other forms of formative assessment used to modify teaching and learning include think pair share, practice pictures, classroom discussions, having students teach a lesson, individual whiteboards, traffic lights, observation, self-assessment, peer assessment, pre-test, roaming/conversations, homework, starter questions and selecting a student to recap the lesson from previous day. After formative assessment, we need to adapt our teaching program. It is important to hold discussions with individual students, return to previous steps to support and target methods for improvement, explore other areas or subjects in which students show greater interest and engagement. This enables differentiation for each student and to devise different formats of assessments to assess core skills and knowledge. If gaps are highlighted by the: 8

• •

Whole class o Recover o approach in different way Individual/Group o Direct to an appropriate task o Small group focus o Teaching o Peer teaching o Adapt a homework task o Differentiate work

If all content is known by all students already, then the following is required: ▪ ▪

Extension tasks Modification of the teaching programs/assessment outlines

Not all classes are streamed. Technologies wrote that in this case, all the students start at same level; however, teachers should look to differentiate based on formal assessments – with a pre-test, sewing/knife licence, for example. Formative assessments should demonstrate relevance. Technologies do this by using demonstration/guided instructions and sample projects. Prior Learning using reflective or informal questioning should be used to know where students are at, ideally at the beginning of the term or a new segment of content, then plan for assessment. Reflect on how effective are the assessments that are created and used. Can they help us distinguish between where students are and their grades? Determine what knowledge your students have by looking over prior work and assessments. Begin with small tasks where you can conduct formal assessment.

Summative Assessment Again, there is a common understanding of what is a summative assessment. Summative Assessment occurs at the end of a section of learning, a term, semester or year. It is an integral part of the learning process. The teaching staff focused their attention on common assessment.

Common Assessment A Common Assessment task is one type of summative assessment. It is any assessment that is almost the same in content and timing for a cohort. It increases the chances that students will acquire the same knowledge, sit assessments of the same rigour and enable validation of judgements in order to rank a student group. It allows for surety that a “B Grade” is definitely a “B Grade”. Common Assessment enables comparison between: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Year Groups Teachers Teaching Styles Program Success

Common assessments need to allow for differentiation, extension and support for our students.

Consistency is the main objective with an effective Summative Assessment. Collaboration and consistency with year groups are essential; consistency across the Department; and consistency with assessing literacy and numeracy. Common Assessments must be agreed by all teachers of that common cohort and created collaboratively. They must be planned prior to the commencement of units and discussed by all those teachers who are responsible for that unit’s delivery. When common assessments are delivered, it should be under common controlled conditions, with differentiation to suit the needs of the cohort. Summative assessments should comply with requirements expected by SCSA. Assessment weightings should mirror ATAR courses, especially in MESH courses. Ensure assessment standards are mapped to the judging standards. Departments should inform students of the judging criteria in order to improve performance and be transparent. Assessments should be incorporate different learning styles, as required. Assessments should include: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Clear task/brief Time Type Weighting Due date Marking key/rubric (if possible)

Rubrics Rubrics are a fair part of any assessment. Students need to know the objectives so that they can work towards achieving them. Rubrics take out the need for the student to “guess what the teacher wants”. Examples of visible learning rubrics to improve students learning. Include: • • • • •

Demonstration in practical artworks Show previous student work Go through rubric with the class – always explain the upcoming assessment Use examples to show where student work can be improved Self/ peer assessment using rubrics

Additionally, rubrics can be used as an explanatory tool for parent feedback on their child’s completed task. The rubric should be achievable at some level by all students. Rubrics should be available to students at the beginning of the assessment. Careful design of a rubric needs to allow for creativity.

Feedback Feedback is key to achievement. Teachers should be providing regular and specific feedback to students to inform them about their progress. Constructive feedback should be provided, highlighting ways to improve. All feedback must be meaningful and understandable for students.

Learning Intentions Explicit learning intentions should be provided for every lesson or series of lessons. Develop clear, visible and attainable learning intentions. All learners need to independently answer three fundamental questions: •

Where am I going in my learning? 10

• •

Where am I now in my learning? What’s next to improve my learning?

Success Criteria Clear success criteria for student progress. Students must see the link between effort and results. Otherwise, why bother to try? Success criteria must be explicit.

Key Features of Quality Learning Intentions and Success Criteria Learning Intentions Key Features Notes Learning Intentions describe what Learning Intentions are not the task or activity or students will learn. what students will do. (ie knowledge, concepts, skills, and Examples: dispositions) We are learning about the key events of World War 1. (knowledge) We are learning about the impact of conflict. (concept) We are learning how to simplify equations. (skill) We are learning how to persevere when learning becomes challenging. (disposition) Learning Intentions directly link to the curriculum/syllabus

Develop these as a team for a unit of work and/or one discrete lesson Example: A learning intention for a series of lessons, taken from the relevant English curriculum document, may be Identify the point of view in a text and suggest alternative points of view.

Learning intentions are deconstructed with students

Ensure students understand the language used

Learning intentions are decontextualised so that students can transfer their learning different contexts and different subject areas

Avoid including the context or activity in the learning intention. Example: We are learning to write a persuade text about whether or not students should have homework. Do not include ‘about whether or not students should have homework.”

Learning intentions can be closed or open

Examples: Closed: Use capital letters (with compulsory success criteria. eg capital letters are used at the beginning of a sentence, titles, names of people and places). Open: Identify the point of view and suggest alternative points of view.

Key Features Success criteria are a breakdown of the learning intention; they provide further details related to the knowledge and /or skills that are the focus of the learning.

Success Criteria Notes Success criteria may contain the subcategories of knowledge and/or skills that are embedded in the learning intention, or they may provide a process that leads the learner to the learning intention. Success criteria are not the requirements/activities of a specific task.

Success criteria provide challenge by being focused on the surface, deep and transfer levels of learning (eg using SOLO taxonomy or depth of knowledge [DOK] taxonomy).

Examples of Success Criteria: Surface: Identify the key events in a text from the point of view of the main character. Deep: Compare and contrast how different characters might view the events in the text. Transfer: Create the text from another perspective.

Success criteria are supported by examples, exemplars and models.

Examples, exemplars and models might include teacher-created examples, samples of student work (current and previous), pictures, modelling the skills, exemplars available in curriculum documents and so on.

Success criteria are taught and/or co-constructed with students (increasing the likelihood students will understand and internalise their meaning).

Teaching or co-constructing success criteria with students might include: • sorting success criteria by relevance to a learning intention (to hoe build understanding). • Showing excellent and different examples and asking’ ‘What features can you identify in these examples?’ • Demonstrating a technique or skill and stopping after each step and asking, ‘What did I just do?’ • Demonstrating or showing good and poor examples. • Retrospective co-construction (give it a try and share strategies).

Visible Learning Time 2 In 2022, the School will continue to develop its expertise in crafting clear Learning Intentions, Success Criteria, providing effective feedback and using rubrics that are embedded into SEQTA, the School’s learning management system. Our professional learning opportunities in Visible Learning will continue with guidance from Corwin and their consultants, the primary person being Kim Edwards. Effective feedback and teacher clarity will be two areas of focus for our School this year. In preparation, information about teacher clarity, learning intentions and levelled success criteria are provided below, taken from various Visible Learning sources. If learners are not focused on their actual learning, they would be unable to develop long term memories of the core ideas, and unable to apply those ideas in different situations. The priority is for learners to be clear on teacher expectations or teacher clarity. Teacher clarity may be best defined as a learner’s ability to know the outcomes of learning (learning intention) and the expectations (success criteria) for meeting the outcomes of learning. Teacher clarity as an influence has been found to be linked to almost two years’ growth in one year’s time (Hattie, 2009). Teacher clarity is a misnomer in that it’s not about how clear teachers are on outcomes for learning, but that the students themselves are clear on what they are learning. Moreover, clarity of outcomes is an essential ingredient to other variables that have a powerful influence on student learning including: • • • • •

Feedback Assessment capabilities Scaffolding Seeking help from peers Classroom discussion

Levelled Success Criteria Levelled success criteria ensures that students are aware of complexity and that all students are meeting complex expectations. A simple taxonomy that articulates complexity for students uses a version the SOLO taxonomy, based on three levels of learning, and articulates a student’s ability to understand, relate and apply ideas or skills. The taxonomy may be best represented in the following way: • • •

Surface: I know one or more ideas/skills but am unable to relate or apply them. Deep: I can connect ideas/skills together but am unable to apply them. Transfer: I can apply ideas/skills in different situations.

To assist students to understand the complexity of learning and to support them in tracking their own learning needs and progress over time, it is important to articulate references for learning expectations across surface, deep, and transfer using levelled success criteria. The process for designing levelled success criteria is described below:

Step 1: Write learning intentions in student-friendly language Take the outcomes of your syllabus and convert them into “I will” statements. Ensure that the verb that is used after “I will” requires deep or transfer expectations (see the list below for potential verbs). Example: I will apply multiplication of fractions.

Step 2: Write levelled success criteria at surface, deep and transfer learning Once the learning intention has been written, write the success criteria to ensure that students know ‘what to know’ and ‘be able to do’ to meet your expectations. Use verbs at each level of learning (surface, deep and transfer). Refer to the following selection of verbs to assist in this process. Surface Name Tell Restate Define Describe (what, where, who, why, when) Identify Recall Recite Recognise Label Locate Match Measure Use rules to… List Give examples to describe Perform a procedure Summarise Estimate Construct

Deep Use supporting evidence Organise Interpret Outline Explain connections or procedures Verify Revise for meaning Show cause and effect Synthesise Analyse Argue Assess Draw conclusions Infer Predict Solve Justify Estimate

Transfer Evaluate Research Generalise Formulate Reorganise into new structures Critique Hypothesise Reflect Collaborate Design Produce Apply in a different context

Step 3: Refine learning intentions by ensuring the verbs are aligned to deep or transfer and refine success criteria by removing tasks, activities, and contexts Review the draft learning intentions and levelled success criteria. Ensure to align verbs and expectations at each level of the success criteria. Write the learning intention at the highest expected level of learning. Success criteria should not include assignments or products in their descriptors. Assignments, products and activities are demonstrations by students of their learning, but not a learning intention nor success criteria. For example, if students are learning to write a balanced argument, the success criteria are not to “write a paper”. Instead, the criteria that should be demonstrated in their writing is to form an opinion in their closing paragraph, relate two opinions and to back up expert opinions. The students’ focus should be the success criteria during class and when writing their paper. 14

Step 4: Create a driving question that presents students a rationale for meeting transfer expectations This may be viewed as an optional step, but it is critical in presenting the learning intention as important for learning. Driving questions positioning the learning intention as a question rather than a statement and often show students one or more contexts (or situations) in which they will engage to meet the learning intention. Driving questions are usually presented to students at the beginning of a unit to frame their learning. Example: How do we apply multiplication of fractions [when converting units in chemistry to demonstrate the relationships between quantities]?

Step 5: Receive feedback from colleagues to ensure alignment of learning intentions and success criteria Before building other parts of your unit of work, such as tasks and activities, ask colleagues to review your work and look for the following: • • •

Learning intentions: Does the learning intention require deep and transfer learning? Success criteria: Do the success criteria align to surface, deep, and transfer? Are the success criteria devoid of contexts and tasks? Driving Question: Does the driving question align to the learning intention? Does it require surface, deep, and transfer learning to answer?

Process Success Criteria To further develop skills in the creation of success criteria, aim to have students measure their learning via processes or what they need to do during their learning. Consider the following process success criteria examples: Learning Intention: To be able to multiply two-digit numbers using the column method Success Criteria: Remember to… • Estimate a ball park answer first • Multiply in the units column first and carry any tens • Then multiply the tens (don’t forget to add on the carried number) • Check your answers Learning Intention: To be able to use effective adjectives. Context: Jungle description Success Criteria: Remember to… • Make sure the adjectives come before a noun • Use adjectives that tell the reader something they don’t know (don’t say wet water!) • Use our adjective wall to help you • Help the reader imagine what you are describing by using your senses These examples of process success criteria told the students both how you would assess their work and guided them to achieve the learning intention. To shift some of our less visible mindframes beliefs, explore co-constructing criteria with your students. Ways that this can be incorporated into your teaching include: • • • •

comparing two contrasting examples (good and poor) analysing two or more excellent examples and drawing out their features analysing what is missing or what has gone wrong in an example demonstrating the steps involved OR, demonstrating how not to do something 15

To transfer our students’ learning from surface to deep learning, it is important to separate skills from knowledge. In the example below, students learning is focused on the skills about an effective poster creation using the current teaching context. Learning intention: To create an effective poster Context: Holiday in Bali When criteria are co-constructed show an effective poster as well as a poor example. In discussing which poster is better, say in pairs, students will recognise the features of an effective poster that is relevant to different contexts. Students will come up with, for example: • • • •

All the relevant information is there (date, time, place, price) It is eye-catching (pictures, graphics) The font chosen is easily legible Contrasting colours have been used for the words

Some learning intentions have compulsory success criteria – grammar, punctuation, procedures. For example: Learning Intention: To use speech marks. Remember to… • Put speech marks before and after speech. • Start each new person’s speech on a new line. • Start speech with a capital letter, unless it follows a linking phrase (eg ‘What?’ she yelled, ‘is the meaning of this?’) • Include any punctuation before the final inverted commas. Where your criteria require a choice, allow students to select those aspects they wish to use. You may * those which are essential. For example, in a narrative writing exercise: Learning Intention: To write a characterisation Choose: • Describe the face/hair/voice • Describe the body • Describe the clothes • Use 3rd person • Describe their actions • Show their personality (eg, likes, dislikes, attitudes to people, introvert, extrovert, sense of humour) In the Bali poster example, knowledge can be incorporated using the following examples: • Tourist hotspots • Leisure activities • Bali resorts • Climate and landscapes • History • Wildlife • Balinese traditions

Teacher clarity The challenge (or aspiration) for 2022: How will I be a more effective teacher this year than I was last year? The deliberate practice of fostering teacher clarity is a strategy towards achieving the teaching gaol of being a more effective teacher you were last year. There is a correlation between teacher clarity and student clarity. Clarity is defined as a measure of the communication between teachers and students for learning to occur. Hattie notes that teacher clarity exercises a strong influence on learning, with an effect size of 0.75. When the teacher and the student possess a shared understanding of where they are headed in a lesson, a unit or a course, learning happens, and goals are achieved. The four dimensions of teacher clarity are: • • • •

Clarity of organisation Clarity of explanation Clarity of examples and guided practice Clarity of assessment of student learning

Clarity of organisation Learning tasks should align to learning intentions. Clarity of organisation is demonstrated through a logical sequencing of tasks that align with learning intentions and success criteria. Teachers must understand how acquisition and consolidation of skills and concepts looks from their students’ viewpoint.

Clarity of explanation Clarity of explanation is signified by cohesiveness and accuracy. The teacher needs to know their content well, explain and highlight difficult concepts in a developmentally appropriate manner. Pacing is essential. Too much too soon can result in information overload for the learner. Clarity of explanation involves frequent checking for understanding with active opportunities for the student to explain a concept to a partner and for the teacher to listen. The gaps or misconceptions becomes your feedback to guide you about what needs to happen next.

Clarity of examples and guided practice Students need illustrative examples in order to link concepts to application. They also need non-examples to contrast when a concept or skill does not apply. One strategy is outlined below. It is a method used in vocabulary instruction in which students construct a four-part example. This student example concerns the term: sonnet. The top right quadrant is the definition in her own words: A poem with 14 lines. It’s a “little song.” The bottom left is an illustration she devised to help her recall the term. And the bottom right is her contrastive—what a sonnet is not. In her case, she wrote open verse poem that doesn’t rhyme.

Another strategy is through guided practice. This moves your students toward increasing levels of independence. The questions, prompts and cues we offer them scaffold their understanding and deepen their knowledge. When there are gaps or misconceptions, the student should be questioned robustly to spur their thinking. “How might you find out if you’re correct?”, “How does [a previously learned concept] relate to your explanation?” When questions and prompts don’t advance students’ thinking, overt guided instruction is required. Divert students to an information source. “Take a look at the diagram on page 32 and see if that aligns with your explanation.” When all else fails, (which is feedback in itself) provide your student with the answer!

Clarity of assessment of student learning Formative assessment is key to teacher clarity for our students’ learning needs. Listen, adjust instruction, check for understanding, guide student thinking. Exit slips are valuable feedback to formatively evaluate student learning, but it doesn’t tap into students’ reflective thinking. One nuanced strategy to gain added feedback is for each student to place their exit slip in one of four labelled containers, based on their own analysis of their understanding: • • • •

I’m just learning (or I need more help) I’m almost there (or I need more practice) I own it! (or I can work independently) I’m a pro! (or I can teach others)

Using this system, the teacher knows where and how to concentrate their attention for the next class that is based on this needs-based data. • • •

teacher guided small group instruction (Level 1) peer tutors (Level 4) for these who need more practice (Level 2) pairing Level 4 peer tutors with Level 3 student to stretch/challenge their skills

In summary: How will I be a more effective teacher this year than I was last year? Teacher clarity results in student learning. Communicating learning intentions and organising tasks in alignment with teaching and learning goals highlight each student’s learning path. The incorporation of cohesive and precise explanations, examples and non-examples into teaching practices strengthens and deepens our students’ learning. Guided instruction based on formative feedback on progress advances students toward increasingly independent learning and mastery.

Feedback in SEQTA The expectation is that all course assessments will show feedback in SEQTA. The following student feedback guideline questions are suggestions in eliciting relevant and effective feedback for pre-assessment and post-assessment (prior to marks release):

Pre-assessment • •

Name up to three strengths in your current learning for the upcoming assessment Name two areas that you are not confident in your current learning for the upcoming assessment

Post-Assessment (prior to marks release) • • •

Name the areas that you were confident about in completing your assessment Name the areas that you were least confident about in completing your assessment Name two areas that you will need to improve in for future assessments

Other questions that may be useful for reflection • •

Explain why you were awarded the mark you were given Explain how you could have prepared differently for this assessment

Three Instructional Levels Students will have the best chance of understanding the feedback they get when it is targeted to their instructional level. When students understand the feedback they receive, it increases the changes that they will act upon it.

New Material →

How well have the tasks been performed? Are they correct or incorrect?

→Task

Some degree of → proficiency

What are the strategies needed to perform the tasks? Are there alternative strategies that can be used?

→Process

High degree of → proficiency

What are the strategies the student needs to plan, monitor and evaluate his/her own learning?

→ Self-regulation

Some ways of gathering feedback from your students 3-2-1: A Metacognitive Strategy One way of getting feedback from your students is by asking them the three questions at the end of a lesson. You could ask them to write down their responses to the questions and put them into an "exit box" as they leave the class. You can then collate the information to help you plan the next lesson. Question sets could include the following: • • •

What are 3 ideas that have captured your attention from today's class? What are 2 questions that you are still thinking about related to these topics? What was 1 thing that you will remember long after this class is over? 21

• • • •

Are you able to teach the concept to another student? List 3 things you won’t have trouble remembering from today’s class. What are two clear points from today's lesson? What is one "muddy" point from today's lesson?

Comments on Comments Comments on comments is a written dialogue between teachers and students. Teachers do not provide a grade but only written feedback on student work. Students read the teacher's feedback and reply to the teacher about his/her comments. Students' replies could include the following:

• • • •

Information from the student to the teacher about the usefulness of the feedback Additional questions the student has about the feedback/work How the student is acting upon the feedback Whether or not the student agrees with the feedback

It takes time and modelling, but it is worth the effort!

Feedback 5 The Feedback 5 concept is used to find out from your students what you have taught and how well they understand. It is a quick way to get feedback from your students. By asking students to also indicate if they would be able to teach the concept to another student, you are reinforcing the idea that collaboration and teaching others is an effective way of learning. It asks learners to think metacognitively about their learning. The Feedback 5 strategy provides a simple means of gathering feedback from your students about the effectiveness of your teaching. students simply show by the number of fingers they raise who well they have understood the learning intention.

Five Fingers key:

My Level of Understanding

I could teach this to someone else

5 – totally got it

5 – no worries, I could teach that

4 – got most of it

4 – pretty sure but might need to check my work

3 – got 50% of it

3 – with some help

2 – you need to go over it again

2- hmmm, I could teach parts

1 – you lost me

1 – no way; I couldn’t teach it

Students can also keep a copy of the template below and recording their learning from each lesson/learning intention. You can use this information as feedback to you. From it, you will develop a clear picture of who has mastered specific learning intentions and where you might need to strengthen your teaching. Date

Course

Learning Intentions

30/5/2021 Multimedia The role of costume & makeup in film

My level of understanding

12345

I could teach this to someone else 12345

12345 12345 12345 12345 12345 12345

SEQTA expectations for course pages The following expectations were set in place in 2021 and by now should be customary in rolling over and updating course and subject pages for 2022. 1. Cover Page (as per style guide) • • • • • • • • •

Course Code Department theme applied Course Title Course Overview (eg Unit 1 Descriptor, Unit 2 Descriptor) PMACS Course & Assessment Documentation SCSA or Western Australian Curriculum Documentation Progressive Score Resources (eg items such as a glossary that is relevant to the whole course) Other resources that may be relevant to your course (eg Past Examinations Papers, ESTs)

2. Overview of Assessments All assessments for the course should be set up in a consistent manner. • • • • • • • • • • • •

Assessment Title Placed in correct assessment group Assessment Weighting Assessment Date Assessment marks available Assessment overview (eg information about the assessment) Any assessment resources attached (eg Storyboard template or web link) Numeric assessment rubric, wherever possible Online Submission, wherever possible Student expectations & reflection turned on with text comment for both A linked discussion forum, if it is a group assignment A checklist of items to be submitted or criteria to be included in the assessment

3. Planner The planner is a teacher document’ it is not to be seen by students and parents • • • • • •

Add All to add all instances of a class to the planner Used to enter teacher notes Used to leave work for relief teachers Does not have to be used every day Homework can be entered here Lesson templates can be cloned

4. Online Lesson Editor • • • • • • •

Consistent Department theme Lesson titles for all lessons. Heading for Learning Intentions & Success Criteria One Learning Intention, maximum 3 At least one Success Criteria, maximum 3 Any resources to be shared with students Web links embedded for students 24

•

Video content embedded for students Homework can be entered here

5. Lesson Organiser • •

Used to place templates Move lessons due to timetable interruptions

6. Marksbook • • • • • • • • • •

All assessments are sitting in correct assessment group Weighting should be correct for every assessment Current course % is displayed in first column of marks book After marks are entered, they are copied from the purple % column on the right-hand side of the Marksbook and pasted into the Current Course % to keep data accurate Feedback should be given to students via Marksbook Student expectation and reflection can be viewed Student e-submissions can be downloaded Rubrics displayed for marking Enter private notes for assessment exemption Used for end of Semester Reports

7. MyEdOnline • • • • • • • • • • • •

Should be linked to classes through the link on bottom right of Cover Page menu Topic based quests and content Multiple-choice and short answer tests or quizzes Links directly to SEQTA Marksbook Allows tracking of student engagement in content Useful tool for homework tasks Can be shared with multiple classes Excellent for sharing web links for research tasks as links are tested, valid embedded Share documents and resources to specific students Share work with individual students or groups Excellent tool for differentiation Used for sharing content with schools in SGM partnerships