UNPACKING ASSESSMENT CAPABLE LEARNERS
“When students self-assess regularly and track and share their progress, their confidence in themselves as learners grows and their motivation to do well grows along with their rising achievement.”
Stiggins & Chappuis, 2008
To encourage assessment capable learning, teachers can use the 7 strategies listed below to provide students with information to answer where they are going, where they are now, and how to close the gap. These three questions of ACL are supported by Sadler’s “indispensable conditions” for improving learning. The student (1) comes to hold a concept of quality roughly similar to that of the teacher (Where am I going?); (2) is able to monitor continuously the quality of work produced during the act of production (Where am I now?); and (3) has a repertoire of alternative learning strategies to employ when faced with incomplete mastery (How can I close the gap?).
The Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning comes from the work of Jan Chappuis. While the seven strategies seem like a continuum of when to use each strategy, the strategies can actually be used at various points of instruction. For example, Strategies 5 and 6, can happen at any time and often use Strategies 1-4 as part of the lessons.
Where Am I Going?
Strategy 1: Provide Clear Target
I provide a clear and understandable vision of the learning target.
Strategy 1 in Student Friendly Language
I know what I am supposed to be learning and it makes sense to me.
Strategy 2: Use Student Work
I use examples and models of strong and weak work.
Strategy 2 in Student Friendly Language
I know what quality work looks like.
Where Am I Now?
Strategy 3: Descriptive Feedback
I offer regular descriptive feedback.
Strategy 3 in Student Friendly Language
It is clear to me what I am doing well and what I need to do next.
Strategy 4: Self-Assessment
I teach students to self-assess and set goals.
Strategy 4 in Student Friendly Language
I self-assess and set my own learning goals.
How Can I Close the Gap?
Strategy 5: Student Needs
I use evidence of student learning needs to determine next steps in teaching.
Strategy 5 in Student Friendly Language
I know what the next step is for my learning.
Strategy 6: Focused Instruction
I design focused instruction, followed by practice with feedback.
Strategy 6 in Student Friendly Language
I rework, refine, and revise my work to reach my learning target.
Adapted from: Chappuis, J. (2009). Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning. Boston: Pearson.