Breaking Free 3: The Future of Key Stage One Writing Assessment
Jul 8, 2023
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Neil Almond, an expert in primary education assessment, and Christopher Such, a specialist in early learning methodologies, dive into the transformative shifts in Key Stage 1 writing assessments. They discuss the recent removal of KS1 SATs, emphasizing how this opens the door for schools to enhance reading evaluations. Key topics include innovative teaching strategies like 'colourful semantics' to teach sentence structure and the importance of holistic assessments that consider students' overall writing development, from handwriting to creativity.
The removal of KS1 SATs allows for a transformative approach to writing assessment, shifting focus towards developing sentence construction skills over mere text length.
Emphasizing the relationship between spoken language and writing, the podcast advocates for targeted strategies that enhance students' understanding of sentence structure and writing mechanics.
Deep dives
The Future of Writing Assessment
Discussing writing assessment at Key Stage 1 reveals issues with current practices, such as the lack of formalized writing standards compared to Key Stage 2. There is an acknowledgment that teachers often face pressure to align student assessments with arbitrary targets, leading to superficial results that don’t accurately reflect students’ capabilities. Many students leave Year 2 without mastering essential sentence structures or basic punctuation, often creating poor writing habits due to these rushed processes. This results in unreliable data that affects students' transition to higher grades, indicating a need for a more thoughtful approach to assessment.
The Role of Spoken Language in Writing
The podcast emphasizes the strong connection between spoken language and writing development. It highlights that children who articulate their thoughts well verbally often experience difficulty translating those thoughts into written form under pressure. As a result, many students are forced to produce longer texts that ignore their developmental stage, leading to confusion and difficulty in expression. This mismatch could contribute to a cycle of poor writing skills, reinforcing the importance of addressing spoken language alongside writing instruction.
Shifting Focus to Sentence-Level Skills
A key insight from the discussion is the need to focus on sentence construction rather than only on producing longer texts. By prioritizing the fundamental unit of meaning through sentences, teachers can cultivate a deeper understanding of writing mechanics. This involves demonstrating various sentence types and constructing sentences as meaningful units of communication. Teaching children to enjoy and excel in constructing sentences can foster improved writing skills and confidence that serve as a foundation for more complex writing tasks.
Effective Strategies for Writing Instruction
The conversation explores various strategies for enhancing writing instruction in primary education. Techniques such as using dictation to isolate writing components and implementing visually engaging methods, like colourful semantics, can clarify students’ understanding of sentence structure. Additionally, the importance of regular handwriting practice underscores how fluency affects overall writing effectiveness. By helping students develop writing habits and instincts through smaller, manageable tasks, educators can significantly improve their writing quality and confidence.
Episode 132: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Neil Almond and Christopher Such as we delve into the exciting changes happening in the world of Key Stage 1 assessment.
With the removal of KS1 SATs, schools now have the opportunity to reimagine how they assess reading proficiency in their early learners. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in assessment at KS1, whether you're an educator, a parent, or simply curious about the evolving landscape of primary education.
Join us as explore the potential benefits of this significant shift, discuss the challenges faced by schools during the transition and share insights into the various approaches that can be taken to ensure effective assessment without the traditional SATS framework.
Whether you're new to the profession or an experienced senior leader, you won't want to miss this one!
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If you would like to submit a question, email us at thinkingdeeplyinfo@gmail.com or join the TDaPE discord!
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