Within the ELLE project, content development is ongoing across all partners. As INQS is developing content around assessing, evaluating and improving LESLLA training programmes for migrant women., we thought that we would share some of the developed content which is aimed at supporting teachers and trainers working in this area
AFL may sound a lot like the idea of summative vs formative assessment, which you may already be familiar with: Summative Formative Assessment activities given at the end of a programme of learning to identify to teachers what knowledge/ skills, etc. have been attained and provide a final grade. Assessment activities given during the course of a programme of learning to help students practice and to give them useful feedback so they can improve. But really AFL can be seen as more of a philosophy towards assessment instead of simply “just” formative assessment. It is basically a process by which assessment activities and results are used by both teachers and by students to adjust their learning strategies.
AFL does not mean you need to use a brand new set of assessment activities (compared to what you already use), but it does suggest that you select your assessment activities based on what will help the learner (rather than produce a final score). The UK Assessment Reform Group identified 10 principles of AFL in 2002, noting that AFL should:
- Be part of effective planning of teaching and learning
- Focus on how students learn
- Be recognised as central to classroom practice
- Be regarded as a key professional skill for teachers
- Be sensitive and constructive because any assessment has an emotional impact
- Take account of the importance of learner motivation
- Promote commitment to learning goals and a shared understanding of the criteria by which they are assessed
- Receive constructive guidance about how to improve
- Develop learners’ capacity for self-assessment so that they can become reflective and self managing
- Recognise the full range of achievements of all learners
For more on this, see: https://www.aaia.org.uk/content/uploads/2010/06/Assessment-for-Learning-10-principles.pdf
For more on the ELLE Project, please see https://www.elleproject.eu