Recipe for Success - formative assessment in the nursery
Lynn Jamieson of Glenlee Primary School, Hamilton, writes about a South Lanarkshire Early Years Assessment is for Learning project.
Take six enthusiastic headteachers, six digital cameras, six early years practitioners, throw in five thousand pounds from the Scottish Executive, mix, and then give to anyone up for the challenge of leading a group determined to improve the quality of questioning in early years: and that is where I started.
Supported by Jim Reid and Andrea Reid, our headteachers, Karen Byrne (Depute at Castlefield Primary) and I began combining the ingredients for a recipe that had never yet been tried and tested.
Expanding the team
The aim of this project was primarily to improve the quality of adult–child dialogue within our nurseries by reflecting on current practice and researching ways in which this could be improved.
However, before this project had even begun, news was spreading and the Early Years Team of South Lanarkshire not only funded our launch day at the Hilton but offered the services of Veronica Coogans and Marion Barker, development officers with wide-ranging experience in early years.
We also had the support of Lorna MacDonald, a development officer from South Lanarkshire. Although Lorna has a secondary background, with her expertise in formative assessment and with Veronica, Marion, and six first-class early years practitioners, we set out to create a recipe to take forward formative assessment in the nursery. It was that very thought that became our first hurdle.
Starting points
Did the principles of formative assessment support the values that the blocks of an early years education are founded on? The group debated this dynamically, and the meaning of words such as ‘lesson’ and ‘play’ and the difference between ‘doing’ and ‘learning’ promoted professional discourse which any team leader would be challenged mediating.
At this point we had not even begun to discuss questioning, ultimately concluding that before thinking about improving our questioning, we as practitioners must know in which direction our questions should lead the learning. What were our learning intentions and could we interlink these with responsive planning? We were certain we could.
Sharing learning intentions
The practitioners began by experimenting with orally sharing learning intentions for one week. The following week these were pre-written and in the third week they wrote them with the children. Feedback from this concluded that having the learning intention pre-written was most effective in the playroom, but that practicalities required further debate.
Drawing from one practitioner’s previous experience, we decided to produce cards which would outline in pictures and child-friendly text what the specific learning intention was for a planned experience. The practitioners placed these cards at the relevant location and found that, along with other adults in the nursery, they were more focused on the intended learning for that particular activity. They are currently taking this further by observing the interaction at activities with learning intentions displayed and comparing them to those where they are not.
During this action research, it was observed that as well as the adults being more focused, the children were also taking a keen interest in the cards and were in fact beginning to self-assess by pointing to some of the cards and saying, for example, ‘Look, Mrs Purse, me and Amy are sharing.’
Finally we have decided as a group not to use the acronym WALT as used in many primary classes and instead encourage the staff and children to use the core language ‘we are learning to . . .’ in its entirety.
Reviewing practice
Reflecting on progress, we now have in place a strategy to allow us to focus on the learning, but how do we as practitioners move our learning forward?
It is now time to add the digital cameras, a resource we have found invaluable for observing our interactions and then (with peer support) deciding on the next steps in developing quality questioning strategies: these steps being very specific to each practitioner. After watching themselves on video all the practitioners within the group identified a different area of questioning to focus on.
Next steps in developing practice
We are presently researching this method and plan to compare it with planned peer observations at each other’s nurseries. Whilst this is happening, Karen and I will meet with the six enthusiastic heads to discuss the project in general. One topic for consideration will be whether our research supports the practice of observations being carried out by managers and indeed if the model of video and self-reflection with peer and management support would be more effective.
Nonetheless, the most important agenda item will be celebrating success. Not only has this project led to improvement in daily practice for our children, but it has tested the very principles of formative assessment against early years philosophy and shaped a group of people who now consider themselves effective practitioners, believing it is their responsibility to take this initiative forward to improve the quality of early years experience provided for their children.
Assessment is for Learning
Online resources and information to support AifL - Assessment is for Learning.