Module 5 – Making learning visible

The purpose of this activity is to explore assessment for students with additional learning needs and to prioritise strategies for ensuring assessment works for all students in your school. 

In the activity, teachers and leaders consider key ideas in relation to making the learning of all students visible. They consider the shifts in practice this requires, they share questions about these shifts, and they work together to decide how they might achieve them in their school. 

        Resources required 

• See Materials that come with this resource to download printed copies of Making learning visible from "Implementing an inclusive curriculum" (preferably the complete section, but at least pages 52–53 and 75).

        Task 1: Connecting with the key messages 

1. Read pages 52–53 of Making learning visible.

2. Working in small groups, complete one or more of the following activities: 

• Each participant in the group identifies three key points from the reading and shares them with the group. The group then summarises their discussion for reporting back to the wider group. 
• Complete a mind map to show what "assessment for learning" looks like in your school context. 
• Discuss the following statement and its implications for practice in your classrooms and school:

“Inclusive schools confidently use assessment as an ongoing process for making the learning of all students visible.” (page 53) 

        Task 2: Where are we at currently? Where to next? 

1. Asking questions: 

• Work in pairs and select three rows of the "Moving from … Towards … " table on page 75. Discuss each row using an example of practice from a classroom or school-wide setting.  
• This discussion is likely to raise questions about how these practices will work in each setting. Choose two of these questions and capture them on sticky notes or a shared digital board such as Padlet. 

2. Take some time to read each pair’s questions (for example, over a short break), and identify the themes arising from them. Select two or three key questions for further discussion. 

3. Finding solutions: 

• Join two pairs together to form a group of four. Take one of the key questions and brainstorm and record possible next steps and strategies to answer the question and achieve the desired shifts outlined in the table. 
• Bring everyone back together and ask each group to share their solution with the whole group. 

This activity explores the characteristics of effective assessment identified in The New Zealand Curriculum. 

In the activity, teachers and leaders select and discuss the most relevant characteristics for their context and identify next steps to ensure that, for each characteristic, they are meeting the needs of all their learners. 

Resources required 

• Copies of page 40 (‘Some characteristic of effective assessment’) from The New Zealand Curriculum 
• See Materials that come with this resource to download copies of page 56 of Making learning visible from "Implementing an inclusive curriculum."
• A3 sheets of paper 

Task: Exploring assessment for students with additional needs 

1. Select two or three of the characteristics of effective assessment that appear to be most important for you to work on as a team or school. 
2. Form into small groups and ask each group to explore one of the characteristics. 
   • Read the matching description for the characteristic on page 40 in The New Zealand Curriculum. 
   • Discuss the corresponding questions for the characteristic on page 56 in Making learning visible.
   • Capture the group’s responses on A3 paper. 
   • Identify and record any next steps that need to be addressed so that, for this characteristic, your team or school is meeting the needs of all your learners, including those with additional needs. 
3. Each group then shares their thinking with the wider group to confirm and refine your team's or school’s next steps for developing the selected characteristics of effective assessment. 

The purpose of this activity is to examine and improve the balance of assessment approaches used in teams, syndicates, departments, or school-wide. 

In the activity, teachers and leaders identify their existing assessment approaches and reflect on the extent to which they are inclusive of all students. They then build their knowledge of particular approaches and plan next steps for further developing them. 

Resources required 

• See Materials that come with this resource to download copies:
  • Making learning visible (.pdf) from "Implementing an inclusive curriculum" - one per participant
  • Resource sheet 5.3 Assessment approaches (.pdf) - one per small group, enlarged to A3
• small sticky notes 

Task 1: Reviewing current assessment approaches 

1. Read pages 57–58 in Making learning visible (up to the heading "Discussions and observations"). 
2. In small groups based on syndicates, teams, or departments, brainstorm the assessment approaches you use. Remember to consider all the assessment approaches used with all students. Write each assessment approach on a sticky note. 
3. As a group, place the sticky notes onto the A3 grid and discuss: 
   • What do you notice about the balance of approaches? 
   • How does your use of each approach match the suggested frequency (from ‘continually’ to ‘periodically’) on the grid? 
   • Is the learning of all students recognised and captured? 
   • Are there any changes that need to happen? Why? 
   • What are the strengths within the team to draw on in making any changes? 

Task 2: Planning next steps 

1. As a group and based on your discussions, identify the areas or approaches on the grid in which there is a need to develop knowledge and practice (for example, ‘Tasks & artefacts’ or ‘Teacher observations’). 
2. Read and discuss the matching subsection in the Making learning visible download. 
3. Plan next steps for improving your team’s, syndicate’s, or department’s practice in the identified area or approach. 
4. As part of these next steps, consider developing a mini-team team-inquiry around the identified area or approach. 

Task 1: Differentiation and adaptation for national assessment tools 

1. Read pages 72–74 in "Making learning visible". 
2. Facilitate a whole-group discussion using the following prompts: 
   • What were the key points in this section? 
   • What was affirming? 
   • What was new learning? 
   • Are there any examples within your existing practice of differentiating or adapting a national assessment tool? 

Task 2: Unpacking a tool 

1. In small groups based on syndicates, teams, or departments, select a national tool you use.   
   • Discuss a possible scenario in which you may need to consider differentiation and/or adaptation to ensure all students are able to access the tool (or a task within the tool). The examples on pages 72–74 may support this discussion. 
   • Discuss how these changes may impact the validity of the results you obtain from the tool. 
2. If a group wishes to explore a specific tool in more depth, they may find the following links helpful: 
   • the assessment tool selector on Assessment Online
   • the assessment resources maps on Assessment Online.