Use lesson study to develop a novel approach to
assessing the learning needs of pupils with learning
difficulties.
2 broad and inter-related aims:
1. to use Lesson Study (LS) principles and procedures to
develop a novel classroom based ‘response to teaching’
method of assessing the learning needs of pupils who
have difficulties in their learning;
2. to evaluate this assessment strategy and then further
develop it.
Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) lesson study project:
used LS as a systematic professional learning approach that
enhanced teachers’ knowledge and their use of teaching
strategies for pupils with MLD
Origin of assessment idea:
• MLD project showed that LS helped teachers
to better understand the needs of pupils with
MLD
• Some participating teachers thought that LS
could also be relevant to a ‘diagnostic’
assessment of pupils’ learning needs.
• As LS procedures involve observational
assessment of learning in response to planned
teaching in a classroom context,
• It can be adapted as a ‘response to teaching’ or
systematic formative approach to assessment.
What makes Lesson Study relevant for assessment
purposes?
• its collaborative model of planning, doing and reviewing of
short sequence of specific lessons in terms of pupil learning
(3 research lessons in a LS cycle).
• its focus on the learning of specific pupils (case pupils) that
enables a depth of assessment and analysis of pupil and
learning environment (pupil’s strengths and difficulties as
well as contextual supports and barriers).
• collaboration brings together and integrate different
assessment perspectives and knowledge bases: from a class
teacher, SEN teacher, such as a SEN coordinator, a teaching
assistant as well as an outside professional, such as
specialist teachers and educational psychologists.
• the review and planning can also take account of the pupil’s
perspective.
Assessment by response to teaching:
Formative : to promote learning – assessment for learning
Versus
Summative : to identify what has been learned – assessment of learning
2 dimensions of assessment :
i.
Assessment context: individual withdrawal versus class lesson
Assessments can be done:
- in a classroom context at the end of a period of teaching and learning
OR by the withdrawal of a pupil to an individual assessment setting.
ii. Assessment method: static (unassisted) versus dynamic (assisted)
assessment
Static assessments: administering some tasks and seeing how well the
pupil does on this task. The focus here is only on learner performance and
attainments.
Dynamic assessment involves monitoring how well a pupil responds to
teaching a challenging task. The dual focus is on the degree of learning
gain in relation to the kinds of teaching that support this gain.
Two dimensions of assessment underlying
assessment by response to teaching model
Context of assessment
Assessment method
Individual withdrawal
Static Assessment of individual
curriculum attainments
Dynamic Response to teaching
assessment to non
curriculum tasks, e.g.
Feuerstein Learning
Potential Assessment
Device
Class teaching
Assessment of curriculum
attainments in class
teaching context
Response to teaching in
class teaching context
This is kind of
assessment used in this
project
Dynamic assessment:
• interactively assessing learner needs in terms of pupil responses to varied teaching
approaches:
– provides insights into the unique nature of individual learning , and
– so enable teachers to design individually tailored interventions (Campione and
Brown, 1987).
•
related to response to instruction (RTI) methods of assessing special educational needs
(Vaughn and Fuchs, 2003) and Wave model adopted in National Strategies
•
interactive model of learning difficulties:
– difficulties arise from the interaction of child and contextual factors, such as the
quality of teaching and learning environment.
– assessment is not just about what a pupil can/cannot do,
– but what can/cannot be done in response to varied and relevant teaching
approaches (Vygotskian idea of the zone of proximal development)
•
have tended to focus on intellectual abilities and been confined to individual
withdrawal use:
– by educational psychologists (Elliott, 2003) or
– speech and language therapists (Hasan and Joffe, 2007).
PRELIMINARY PHASE
STEPS IN LESSON STUDY FOR ASSESSMENT PROCESS
(goes with assessment questions flow chart)
1.Concerns
about learning
progress:
What has
been tried?
2. Select 2
pupils for LS
assessment
3. Collect
relevant
information
about 2 pupils
4. Review &
planning
meeting 1
LESSON STUDY PHASE
5. Research
Lesson 1:
observation &
interview pupils
7. Research
Lesson 2:
observation &
interview
pupils
6. Review &
planning
meeting 2
8. Review &
planning
meeting 3
9. Research
Lesson 3:
observation &
and pupil
interview
PERSONALISED
PLAN PHASE
10. Review LSs:
answer
assessment
questions:
meeting 4
11. Develop
personal
programme
based on
assessment
12. Review
learning
outcomes
Teach RL:
Observe RL
Consult pupils
Is pupil
Is pupil
engaged
engaged
and and
progressing
progressing?
NO
Are teaching
methods and
conditions
appropriate?
YES
Are goals
appropriate?
YES
NO
Extend goal for
next RL
Plan next RL
Keep RL goals;
change methods
NO
NO
Change goals for
next RL
Have 3 RLs
been
completed?
YES
Draw together
findings: Complete
assessment based
on LS
YES
What
Whatelse
else
isisgoing
going on?
on?
YES
Make other
changes