Why is it beneficial to integrate annual end of year standardised testing with the PLD process?
The success of any literacy program, should be supported by end of year standardised screening results.
Rather than testing at the beginning and end of each school year, annual end of year screening is a recommended time efficient approach. Following a full year of literacy instruction, the majority of students should increase in their reading and spelling ability by at least 12 months.
Step 1: Select a standardised reading and spelling assessment. When investigating time efficient and valid assessments ACER is recommended. ACER stocks a range of assessments and has offices around Australia. Visit ACER website.
Step 2: Preparation of the excel sheets. The literacy/admin team are to make the relevant changes to the set of excel sheets.
Step 3: Reception staff are to enter all student names.
Step 4: Schedule annual end of year standardised assessments, before the end of year report cycle commences.
Step 5: Classroom teachers enter the standardised spelling or reading age.
At a student level, this information will provide:
Insights into how students are comparing in comparison to their age.
When scheduled annually, how much on an increase in ability occurred within the full school year. A minimum of a 12 month increase in ability is what teaching staff are employed to deliver.
At a school level, this information will provide insights into:
How effectively are the school literacy programs being implemented? Is professional development required upskill the implementation process.
How are individual classrooms performing?
The information provides a starting point for the teacher in the next school year.
The data provides a longer-term view of student development.
Challenge: It is very difficult to locate standardised reading and spelling assessments for students in their first year of compulsory schooling. Some students will score at minus 6 years. For the students who do not secure a spelling* /reading age after listing -6 years, place in brackets how many words the student got correct.
Click here to request a set of prepared excel tracking sheets.
Rather than testing at the beginning and end of each school year, annual end of year screening is a recommended time efficient approach. Following a full year of literacy instruction, the majority of students should increase in their reading and spelling ability by at least 12 months.
Step 1: Select a standardised reading and spelling assessment. When investigating time efficient and valid assessments ACER is recommended. ACER stocks a range of assessments and has offices around Australia. Visit ACER website.
Step 2: Preparation of the excel sheets. The literacy/admin team are to make the relevant changes to the set of excel sheets.
Step 3: Reception staff are to enter all student names.
Step 4: Schedule annual end of year standardised assessments, before the end of year report cycle commences.
Step 5: Classroom teachers enter the standardised spelling or reading age.
At a student level, this information will provide:
Insights into how students are comparing in comparison to their age.
When scheduled annually, how much on an increase in ability occurred within the full school year. A minimum of a 12 month increase in ability is what teaching staff are employed to deliver.
At a school level, this information will provide insights into:
How effectively are the school literacy programs being implemented? Is professional development required upskill the implementation process.
How are individual classrooms performing?
The information provides a starting point for the teacher in the next school year.
The data provides a longer-term view of student development.
Challenge: It is very difficult to locate standardised reading and spelling assessments for students in their first year of compulsory schooling. Some students will score at minus 6 years. For the students who do not secure a spelling* /reading age after listing -6 years, place in brackets how many words the student got correct.
Click here to request a set of prepared excel tracking sheets.
Updated on: 01/09/2022
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