Using assessments to promote learning

This shift towards a continual "Assessment for Learning", where assessment is used as a means to promote learning, applies to the new primary school Chinese Language curriculum as well. Previously, we had mainly relied on "Assessment of Learning" where assessment was administered mostly to measure pupils' performance for ranking and placement purposes. Now, while written test scores still serve as important and objective measures of learning attainment, the new curriculum also aims to cultivate a healthy interest in the language and motivate pupils to improve their Chinese skills even after they leave school.

To achieve this end, pupils take part in various types of assessments that offer regular feedback on how well they understand their lessons and areas that need improvement. Through these assessments, teachers also get to adjust their teaching strategies, identify and help pupils who are weak in particular areas and improve the overall learning process.

“Assessment for Learning” is thus a continual approach that lets pupils improve their learning over the course of a term, recognise their strengths and weaknesses and ultimately work more effectively towards achieving the learning objectives. What’s more, pupils are assessed not only by their teachers but also by their peers and themselves. During group exercises, teachers might supervise peer assessments or self-assessments. These sessions allow pupils to learn from each other, appreciate the differences between individuals and reflect on what they have learnt.

It’s not just about grades: Using rubrics for qualitative assessment

Progressive assessment methods are taking root in more schools, as teachers see the value of more flexible means of assessment apart from tests. Instead of simply giving numerical grades, teachers are also starting to mark assignments using rubrics. These are sets of qualitative criteria that help students evaluate their own performance and pin-point areas that need improvement.

Classroom presentations help teachers assess a pupil's Chinese ability.

Rubrics are especially useful in open-ended assignments such as essays and project work that do not have standard answers. Teachers can clearly define the objectives and standards for a particular assessment. Based on their demonstration, pupils also receive specific recommendations and suggestions for improvement.

Under the new Chinese Language curriculum, teachers assess pupils using a mix of written tests and continual assignments. This combination provides a balanced view of the pupils’ abilities and progress over the school term. Teachers and pupils enjoy timely feedback about how well they are faring, and the rubrics provide pupils with descriptive comments and practical suggestions for future improvement.

Doing well in school is no longer simply about “mugging” for a big exam at the end of the term. Pupils now have the opportunity to perform in various exercises that tap on other skills such as creativity and verbal fluency. It’s also a chance for teachers and pupils to interact more and explore ways to improve the learning process. The result, for all parties, is less stress and the satisfaction of a job well done.

Rubrics: how do they work?

Using the example of a CL exercise on “writing a New Year greeting card”, a teacher would provide a detailed explanation of the qualities required instead of just the general format. For instance, the teacher could explain that pupils should integrate real-life elements into the card and that the writing should complement the given pictures. Pupils will then be able to understand the objectives and standards of the assessment before participating in the learning activity.

When pupils hand in their work, the teacher uses the following rubric to score the cards:

Scoring criteria for new year cards (total score: 30)

So, instead of just a numerical score, the rubric shows pupils how well they did, as well as the quality and creativity they have shown. Pupils would see where they could work on to do better in future exercises.

Contributed by:
Tay Yuan Zhuang
Chinese Language Curriculum Planning Officer
MOE

促进教与学的评价

Pupils can be assessed on their creativity, as well as Chinese language ability.

一谈到教育制度里的“评价”（Assessment），很多人仍然持有这样的印象：评价如果不是等于测验与考试，就是为了在同侪之间做出比较，以便给学生进行排名。

其中，第一种印象尤其根深蒂固。基本上，能力的鉴别仍然被视为评价的主要功能。然而，就现在的教育形势来看，这样的看法是不够全面的。

评价不只是测验和考试

究竟什么是评价呢?简单地说，评价是根据教学目标来衡量学生课业表现的过程，而测验和考试其实只是众多评价手段中的两种。

换句话说，评价绝对不只限于测验和考试。专题作业、学习档案、课堂报告，甚至是平日的课堂问答、小组讨论等，也都是不同形式的评价。相对于一般的纸笔测试，多元化的评价活动已慢慢走入学生的日常学习生活。这意味着评价是持续性的过程，而不是一次完成的。这样的评估方法可与正式的测试互为补足，以便更全面地考核学生的能力。同时，它也可以让学生展现特长，并可降低考试的风险。因此，学生不会感觉压力过大，也能因而提升学习的动力。

让评价兼顾促进学习的功能

在强调以考试作为升学的重要手段的社会中，考试往往成为教与学的指挥棒。新加坡也不例外。这种衡量学生表现的筛选与选拔取向是“对学习的评价”（Assessment of Learning），关注的是学习的结果。

在新小学华文课程中，我们重视的是培养学生的语言能力，及学生在离开学校后继续学习华文的兴趣。如何让测验、考试及其他评价形式发挥其正面的功效以促成这一愿景，是我们关注的重点。

Interaction can help improve the learning process for pupils.

诚然，测试能准确检验学习目标的达成和鉴别学生的能力，但评价还必须发挥另一项重要的功能，即改进学生的学习和教师的教学：学生通过积极参与各种评价活动，得到教师适时的反馈，从而了解自己的表现和改进的方法；教师也从中得到信息，进而调整日后的教学策略。

因此，评价除了在学习结束时以分数或等级来告诉孩子他的表现水平之外，也应该关注学习的过程，并清楚地告诉他个人的不足之处及应该如何改进学习。这种信念可以通过“促进学习的评价”（Assessment for Learning）来落实。与上述“对学习的评价”不同的是，“促进学习的评价”更能让学生在每个学习阶段中不断进步，并且有机会体验成功，最后学有所成。

此外，在促进学习的理念下，评价也不限于教师对学生的评价。教师在进行小组学习活动时，也可让学生互相评价，或是评价自己的表现。这让学生有机会在过程中向彼此学习，尊重差异，也让他们反思自己的学习。

评价提供的反馈应更加具体

可喜的是，更为开放的评价观念已经开始在学校扎根。越来越多的教师不再依赖单一的测试，而开始运用更灵活多样的评价形式。此外，他们在批改学生作业时，也开始采用评量表（rubrics），而不只是纯粹打分数或等级。评量表通过简单的说明，明确地提出要求和标准，让学生更了解自己的表现。特别是在开放式的，没有标准答案的作业中，评量表的作用就更明显了。

在新课程里，教师将在明确学习目标的前提之下，在作业与活动中适当地兼顾“对学习的评价”和“促进学习的评价”，从而对学生在不同方面的能力和学习有更全面的了解。这样一来，教学中的评价就能够更准确、更及时地给教师和学生提供反馈。学生不再只是得到冰冷的分数或等级，而能获得生动的水平描述以及可行的改进建议。当互动与反馈成为改善学习与教学的基础，评价在促进学习时也就能发挥更全面的功能。

评量表及其指导作用

在布置作业时，教师能够更细致地向学生解释作业里所应该包含的元素和可能达到的水平，而不再只是笼统地说明形式和要求。比方说，如果教师希望通过结合生活实际进行语文学习，而布置了“贺年卡写作”的作业，教师可设计一份这样的评量表：

贺年卡作业评分标准（总分30分）

（评量表以正华小学提供的为参考）

评量表的好处是：
1) 教师使用评量表 (rubrics) 来明确评价的要求与标准，并在布置作业时向学生说明
2) 孩子一开始就能从评量表中理解评价的目标与标准，从而积极参与学习活动
3) 针对学生的表现提出明确具体的改进建议与学习策略，适时给予有效的反馈

例如，在“贺年卡写作”的活动中，老师若只在分发作业时打上一个等级或分数，对学生没有太大的指导意义。可是，如果学习的过程带入了评量表，学生就能更清楚自己的表达有多流利、用词有多恰当、创意有多精彩等。日后，他也知道自己应该在什么方面继续努力。

课程规划与发展司
华文课程规划员
郑元壮