A Look Into Methods for Assessing and Monitoring Pupil Progress in Secondary Schools

Essay from the year 2017 in the subject Romance Languages - General, University of Birmingham, course: PGDipEd Secondary (QTS) French, language: English, abstract: In this discussion, I evaluate my practice with regards to assessment and monitoring progress. I first consider the relevant literature and explore assessment of learning and assessment for learning, as well as suggestions for monitoring pupil progress. Assessment for learning (AfL) is defined by Driscoll, Macaro and Swarbrick as: ‘formative assessment and the practical implementation of this by teachers in classrooms’. Assessment of learning (AoL), often referred to as summative assessment, ‘identifies the standard of attainment achieved at a particular moment in time’. I then discuss my approach in my research design, followed by a critical evaluation of my progress so far, supported by my documentary evidence. As a key part of the teaching and learning process, assessment is a frequent focus in educational research, both generally and specifically in modern languages (ML). The Office for Standards in Education state that best practice includes ‘regular assessment of all four language skills’, while the Department for Education (DfE) make no specific mention of assessment in the National Curriculum. This shows that there are multiple viewpoints on the importance of assessment and monitoring.