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Synopsis (from http://www.teachers.tv/video/566)

The second programme on formative assessment provides an opportunity to hear more from Paul Black and Chris Harrison, authors of the influential pamphlet Working Inside the Black Box.

They see questioning as essential to good formative assessment. They identify effective questions and discussion as key to good teaching and learning.

Next, four teachers give us an insight into how questioning and discussion this can be used and applied effectively in the secondary classroom:

At Lord Williams’ School, Oxfordshire, Jon Ryder uses open questioning to provoke discussion amongst his Year 11 science class. Karen Vear uses “wait time” as a strategy to encourage all her pupils to take part in her maths. At Bishop Hatfield School, in his history lesson, Alf Wood encourages pupils to generate their own questions as a way of involving them in their own learning. His colleague Carol Wilding uses whiteboards to allow all her pupils an opportunity to participate in their lesson.

Published: 30 May 2005

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Synopsis (from http://www.teachers.tv/video/3311)

Framwellgate School, Durham has pushed results even higher by developing their own style of AFL.

In this programme, we see students getting to grips with the hidden internal workings of formal assessment as they work towards exams.

The top Year 10 English group use GCSE grading criteria to look at their creative writing skills in coursework, and the students describe the value of “knowing what goes on behind the scenes”.

Headteacher, Joan Sjovoll explains the pressure she is under from aspirational parents, and an AS-Level group practice marking exam papers in Health and Social Care.

Head of Business Studies, Jonathon Knowler remembers a time when marking was “in the closet” and LEA advisor, Ron Rooney comments on the current results-driven climate in which schools must operate.

Published: 25 September 2006

Note: This video has been shortened by 6 minutes, a segment on science has been removed.

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Synopsis (from http://www.teachers.tv/clip/18177)

In this programme we visit Valentine’s High School in Ilford where the teaching and learning group are spearheading a whole-school strategy for Assessment for Learning.

At an evening meeting we see teachers brainstorming ideas and offering feedback on experimental work undertaken in their own departments.

Science teacher Richard Griffin uses Key Questions with Year 9, but also grapples with more complex ways of questioning pupils to deepen their understanding.

Maths teacher Vicky Inman combines “Traffic Lights” and “No Hands Up” techniques with her Year 9 class. She comments on their value as tools for inclusion in a subject that traditionally alienates many pupils.

In addition, Vicky discusses the excitement of getting positive responses from students rather than the usual sea of blank faces.

Back at the meeting, we hear views on the deeper meaning of AFL that lies beneath the surface “ticklist” of strategies.

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Synopsis: (from http://www.teachers.tv/video/572)

Assessment for Learning (AfL) explores new ideas on how to introduce effective AfL techniques into the classroom.

This programme follows one modern foreign language (MFL) teacher demonstrating a range of these techniques in action, including giving assessment criteria to her class and using pupils to assess each others’ reading and writing skills.
MFL teacher Maria Vaughton from specialist language college Royds School in Leeds is joined post-lesson by AfL in MFL expert Nicola Hobbs from Prince Henry’s Grammar School. They share and compare ideas and discuss the effectiveness of AfL as a tool to enhance language learning.

Published: 23 November 2005

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Synopsis (from http://www.teachers.tv/video/13759)

This series follows a group of maths teachers who are each working to improve their Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies.
The teachers, from Bromley in south east London, hope that by enhancing their teaching skills, they can make maths a more positive experience for themselves and their pupils.
In this programme, a Year 9 class from Bromley’s Ravensbourne School work on graphs, equations and coordinates as their teacher, Caroline Price, tests out new AfL techniques for the first time.
Will Caroline be able to change her traditional approach? And how will the pupils react to this new style of teaching and learning?

Published: 26 June 2006

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Synopsis (from http://www.teachers.tv/video/24765)

Former Teacher of the Year Andy Smith welcomes us into his classroom to demonstrate how creative teaching methods are helping his students with their Assessment for Learning.

Physics teacher Andy, who was named Secondary Teacher of the Year in 2005, has devoted much time and energy to making lessons more exciting and original. He believes that everything to do with physics, and indeed teaching in general, should revolve around fun and excitement.

Most recently, Andy has been using AfL techniques to help his pupils focus on their own learning. He has developed a range of games to help the children understand not only what they have learned about a topic, but what level of attainment they have reached.

Published: 3 March 2008

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Synopsis (from http://www.teachers.tv/video/24759)

Biology teacher Anita Kapila, a former bio-medical researcher, demonstrates her Assessment for Learning strategy, The Level Ladder.

With 15 years of bio-medical research behind her, Anita loves to regale her class with tales of her former career. Stories about harvesting cells from pieces of human umbilical cord and placenta fascinate them all.

But at Burnham Upper School, where Anita teaches, they have an additional way of engaging students. Their AfL strategy ensures that students are always inspired to raise their attainment.

The school’s tailored assessment model - The Level Ladder - allows children to not only know what level they’re at but gives them a guide as to how they can improve their grades and make progress. The result is an enthusiastic class continually striving to further their knowledge of biology.

Published: 3 March 2008

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Synopsis (from http://www.teachers.tv/video/2629)

Teachers who have switched the emphasis away from marking and grading to give comments and feedback are finding that their pupils try much harder. Public exams like GCSEs and A-levels give pupils a final grade, known as summative assessment.

Recent research, however, has focused more on formative assessment which happens every day, not just in a single ritual. Formative assessment can range from a smile or a raised eyebrow to detailed feedback about how and what a child is learning. It’s extremely effective in raising pupil’s eventual achievement in tests and exams as well as capturing their interest and commitment.

Published: 5 August 2005

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Synopsis (from http://www.teachers.tv/video/23176)

A visit to Ashton Park School in Bristol, where we examine the effectiveness of the Enquiring Minds project through the observation of three lessons.
Now in the second year of a three year programme, the Enquiring Minds project aims to create opportunities for learners to be independent, take responsibility for their own learning, create their own knowledge and conduct their own research in the context of a digital information landscape.
Students involved in the project each choose a question to research for their enquiry. The questions are diverse and include the following:

• can we reverse global warming?
• how do we think?
• why do we get old?
• do ghosts exist?

As part of their enquiry, the students will need to interview experts in their chosen field. In the final lesson we observe, watch as they are given tips on interviewing from a communications expert.

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Synopsis (from http://www.teachers.tv/video/23882) 

A visit to Holgate School near Nottingham, where Mike Endy’s Year 10 history class have recently finished a local history unit on the impact of coal mining in the 19th and 20th century.

During the 12-week unit, which is part of the OCR GCSE History Pilot, pupils completed three assessment tasks. Watch as Mike hands their results back and devotes the lesson to AfL.

Mike explains to the class how the three tasks were assessed holistically, a new concept to these pupils, and asks them to consider how to improve their work through peer and individual assessment. Meanwhile, Mike reflects how the process worked out for him too.

Published: 28 January 2008