GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Lesson Study and Assessment
Guidance Booklet
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Introduction:
In this trial we will be using lesson study to develop a novel approach to assessing the learning needs of pupils with learning
difficulties. This project has 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 Study strategy and then further refine the strategy in light of the evaluation;
Background and rationale:
LS was used successfully in the 2 phase MLD lesson study project as a systematic professional learning approach that enhanced
teachers’ knowledge and their teaching strategies for pupils with MLD. These teaching developments were associated with positive
pupil outcomes too (Ylonen and Norwich, 2012a; Norwich and Ylonen, 2012). That project was an application of LS as a
professional learning method to a novel area of teaching and learning; pupils with MLD. The use of LS was broadly as it has been
used originally in Japan, as it has been adopted internationally in the Far East (Takahashi and Yashida 2004) in North America
(Lewis, 2004) and used recently in the UK (Dudley, 2004; NCSL, 2005; Elliott, 2009).
Research in the MLD project showed that the LS method helped teachers to better understand the needs of pupils with MLD
(Ylonen and Norwich, 2012b). Some participating teachers also concluded from this that LS could also be relevant to a ‘diagnostic’
assessment of pupils’ learning needs. From this came the idea that as LS procedures involve the observational assessment of
learning in response to planned teaching in a classroom context, it could be adapted to act as an appropriate procedure for a
‘response to teaching’ or systematic formative approach to assessment.
The Lesson Study methodology, which originated in Japan over a 100 years ago focuses on teacher collaboration, in the form of a
Lesson Study team, involves examining and developing a series of lessons on a chosen topic with specific goals. It is a form of
practice research in the sense that pedagogic questions which are addressed through the planning and teaching the lessons. The
topic of the Lesson Study and the learning aims of the lessons are chosen by the team undertaking the Lesson Study, which, in
addition to the teacher of the research lessons, can include other class teachers, specialist teachers such as SEN coordinators,
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teaching assistants and senior leaders, for example. In the UK version of Lesson Study (Dudley 2004), a Lesson Study cycle
consists of 3 Research Lessons (RL) which are jointly planned and directly observed by the team. In this version (there are other
versions too) Lesson Study identifies one to two pupils to focus the planning and evaluation, the case pupils, who are identified
depending on the topic and aims of the Study; in the MLD LS project these were pupils with identified MLD. Pupils’ views about the
lessons and their learning are also an important part of the Lesson Study cycle – see Figure 1 below for the process. Lesson
planning is informed by evaluation of the previous lesson as well as ideas and strategies that derive from research and theory. In
this way Lesson Study provides the means of bringing research, theory and practice into the planning and evaluation of specific
lessons.
Knowledge base – teachers use knowledge and understanding (research informed) about
focus area and pedagogy
Review
previous
teaching
methods
and
pedagogic
planning
model
1st
Lesson
Interview
pupils
Review &
Planning
Meeting
Observation
(video)
2nd
Lesson
Observation
(video)
Create an
artefact
Interview
pupils
Review &
Planning
Meeting
3rd
Lesson
Observation
(video)
Whole school conditions / Senior Leadership support
1 Lesson Study
Figure 1: The Lesson Study process
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to
share
learning
The LS process is seen to encourage risk-taking and learning from what does not work as well as what does work. The aim of the
Lesson Study is not therefore to construct a perfect lesson, but to increase participants’ understanding of how pupils’ learning can
be improved – in other words, what works and why. This includes improving professional learning of the participants in the LS team
(Dudley 2012).
How Lesson Study can be used for assessment purposes
The key features of Lesson Study (LS) that can inform a novel assessment approach are:
i.
its collaborative model of planning, doing and reviewing short sequence of specific lessons in terms of pupil learning (3
research lessons make up a LS cycle).
ii.
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).
iii.
a collaboration that can bring 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.
iv.
the review and planning can also take account of the pupil’s perspective.
In the usual LS design, the monitoring and review of learning, through formative assessment, is used to adapt teaching, with
teaching knowledge and methods as the outcome. In the new assessment driven use of lesson study to be used in this trial,
variations in teaching are used to derive ideas about the pupil’s learning characteristics and needs.
It is useful to think about two dimensions of assessment to characterise the assessment by response to teaching (ART) approach
used in this trial:
1. 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.
2. Assessment method: static (unassisted) versus dynamic (assisted) assessment
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Static assessments involve administering some tasks and seeing how well the pupil does on this task. The focus here is
only on learner performance and attainments. By contrast, 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.
Assessment method
Two dimensions of assessment underlying assessment by response to teaching model
Context of assessment
Individual withdrawal
Class teaching
Static Assessment of individual
Assessment of curriculum
curriculum attainments
attainments in class teaching
context
Dynamic Response to teaching
Response to teaching in class
assessment to non
teaching context
curriculum tasks, e.g.
Feuerstein Learning
This is kind of assessment
Potential Assessment
used in this project
Device
Much educational assessment is of the static kind either in a whole class-teaching context or by withdrawal to enable more
intensive assessment of individual attainments. Though there has been much interest in dynamic assessment as a way of
interactively assessing learner needs in terms of pupil responses to varied teaching approaches, these approaches are not widely
used. Dynamic assessment is thought to be able to provide insights into the unique nature of individual learning and so enable
teachers to design individually tailored interventions (Campione and Brown, 1987).
Dynamic assessment methods are also related to what is called response to instruction (RTI) methods of assessing special
educational needs (Vaughn and Fuchs, 2003). These are based on an interactive model of learning difficulties, which assumes that
difficulties arise form the interaction of child and contextual factors, such as the quality of teaching and learning environment. This
model implies that assessment is not just about what a pupil can/cannot do but what can/cannot be done independently in
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response to varied and relevant teaching approaches, based on the Vygotskian idea of the zone of proximal development
(Vygotksy, 1978).
However, current dynamic assessment methods 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). There have
not been attempts to develop such interactive assessments strategies for teachers to use classroom contexts. So, a LS approach
has been developed to realise this kind of response to teaching (dynamic or assisted) curriculum focussed assessment approach –
called Lesson Study for Assessment.
References
Campione, J.C. and Brown, A.L (1987) Linking dynamic assessment with school achievement, in Dynamic Assessment: an
interactional approach to evaluating learning potential (Lidz, C.S. (ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.
Dudley, P. (2004) Lessons for Learning: research Lesson Study, innovation, transfer and meta-pedagogy; a design experiment?
Paper presented at the 5th Annual Conference of the TLRP, Cardiff, November 2004.
Dudley, P. 2012. Lesson Study development in England: from school networks to national policy. International Journal for Lesson
and Learning Studies 1, no.1: 85-100.
Hassan, N. and Joffe, V. (2007) The case for dynamic assessment in speech and language therapy. Child Language Teaching and
Therapy, 23, 1, 9-25.
NCSL (2005) Getting started with networked research lesson study. NCSL/CfBT
Norwich, B. and Ylonen, A (2012) Developing the teaching of pupils with moderate learning difficulties (MLD) through Lesson
Study: in terms of pupil, teacher and school outcomes and a design-based research approach. Teaching and Teacher Education
(submitted). Available at http://education.exeter.ac.uk/staff_details.php?user=bnorwich
Takahashi, A. & Yashida, M. (2004) Ideas for establishing lesson-study communities. Teaching Children Mathematics, May 2004,
436-443.
Vaughn, S. and Fuchs, L.S. (2003) Redefining learning disabilities as inadequate response to instruction: the promise and potential
problems. Learning Disability Research and Practice, 18(3), 137-146
Vygotksy, L. (1978) Mind in society: the development of higher psychological processes> Cambridge, MA: Harvard University
Press.
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Ylonen, A., & Norwich, B. (2012a). Using Lesson Study to develop teaching approaches for secondary school pupils with Moderate
Learning Difficulties: teachers’ concepts, attitudes and pedagogic strategies. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 27, 3,
310-319
Ylonen, A., & Norwich, B. (2012b) ‘The Lesson Study process: how it works and what it offers. Lessons from a development and
research project in England’. International Journal of Lesson and Learning Study (submitted). Available at
http://education.exeter.ac.uk/staff_details.php?user=bnorwich
=========================================================================================
LS FOR ASSESSMENT
The following steps have been developed to apply LS for assessment by response to teaching purposes. These steps are
organised into 3 phases:
1. Preliminary phase – collecting data relevant to assessment questions about case pupil
2. Lesson Study phase – conducting research lessons to address assessment questions
3. Personalised plan phase – using the assessment derived from the LS to plan and evaluate a short term teaching
programme.
The procedures in the steps making up these phases are represented in the figure below on page 8. A flow chart of the kind of
analysis being undertaken in this process is represented on page 9.
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PRELIMINARY
PHASE
1.Concerns
about learning
progress:
What has been
tried?
2. Select 2
pupils for LS
assessment
STEPS IN LESSON STUDY FOR ASSESSMENT
PROCESS
3. Collect
relevant
information
about 2 pupils
4. Review &
planning
meeting 1
LESSON STUDY
PHASE
7. Research
Lesson 2:
observation &
interview pupils
8. Review &
planning
meeting 3
(goes with assessment questions flow chart on page 4)
5. Research
Lesson 1:
observation &
interview pupils
6. Review &
planning
meeting 2
9. Research
Lesson 3:
observation &
and pupil
interview
8
10. Review LSs:
answer
assessment
questions:
meeting 4
11. Develop
personal
programme
based on
assessment
12. Review
learning
outcomes
PERSONALISED PLAN PHASE
Use
background
information to
select goals
for LS
Assessment questions to be addressed in using
Lesson Study as response to teaching assessment
strategy
Identify teaching
approach;
plan RL
(this goes alongside step procedure diagram)
Teach RL:
Observe RL
Consult pupils
Is pupil
engaged
and
progressing
?
N
O
Are teaching
methods and
conditions
appropriate?
YES
NO
o
Change goals for
next RL
NO
Extend goal for
next RL
Plan next RL
Keep RL goals;
change methods
NO
Are goals
appropriate?
YE
S
Have 3 RLs
been
completed?
YES
9
Draw together
findings:
Complete
assessment
based on LS
YE
S
What else
is going
on?
YES
Make other
changes
PRELIMINARY PHASE:
1. Concerns about learning progress
a. Class teacher to consider pupils about whom s/he has concerns about rate of learning progress in English/maths.
b. Various different teaching approaches have been tried and still progress considered to be puzzling and unexpected.
2. Selection of case pupils for LS Assessment
c. Pupils have attainments in the lowest quartile (25th centile) of their year groups for English/literacy and/or
maths/numeracy.
d. Pupils may have identified SEN (not necessary condition for trial selection).
e. Consult pupil and parents about what is to happen.
3. Collect relevant information about 2 pupils
a. Use Template 1 about child and environmental/ teaching factors to collect information about 2 pupils
b. Include test results teacher assessments and any other relevant sources e.g. pupils’ perspectives and parents’ views
c. Record hunches about what is going on.
LESSON STUDY PHASE
4. Team meeting 1: to identify assessment questions and plan
a. Review and integrate collected information
b. Create 2-3 challenging but realistic personalised target/s for each pupil in selected curriculum area for the lesson.
c. Formulate assessment questions about:
o where the pupils start from (relevant baseline)
o methods and conditions that could help each pupil progress in learning towards targets.
d. Plan a lesson for class that incorporates personal targets for 2 pupils to answer these questions.
5. Teach 1st Research Lesson
a. Class teacher teaches Research Lessons 1:(and videos case pupils’ activities and learning).
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b. Other LS team members, including SENCo, observe pupils’ learning.
c. Brief interview of pupils at end of lesson about learning.
6. Team meeting 2: to review and plan
a. Teacher and observers meet to discuss and evaluate pupil learning:
b. Consider:
o What were pupils' starting level?
o How pupils responded/did not respond – learned / did not learn?
o What approaches and conditions helped them learn/ did not help them learn?
c. What are answers to assessment questions for RL1?
d. Revise assessment questions (about baseline, methods and/or conditions)
e. Refine targets, methods and/or conditions that could help each pupil progress in learning towards targets,
f. Plan next lesson to answer these questions.
7. Teach 2nd Research Lesson (as RL1)
a. Class teacher teaches Research Lessons 3:(and videos case pupils’ activities and learning).
b. Other LS team members, including SENCo, observe pupils’ learning.
c. Brief interview of pupils at end of lesson about learning.
8. Team meeting 3 to review and plan (as team meeting 2)
a. Teacher and observers meet to discuss and evaluate pupil learning:
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b. Consider:
o What was pupil’s starting level?
o How pupils responded/not responded – learned / not learned?
o What approaches and conditions helped them learn/ not help them learn?
c. What are answers to assessment questions for RL2?
d. Revise assessment questions (about baseline, methods and/or conditions)
e. Refine targets, methods and/or conditions that could help each pupil progress in learning towards targets,
f. Plan next lesson to answer these questions.
9. Teach 3rd Research Lesson (as RL 1 and 2)
a. Class teacher teaches Research Lessons 3:(and videos case pupils’ activities and learning).
b. Other LS team members, including SENCo, observe pupils’ learning.
c. Brief interview of pupils at end of lesson about learning.
10. Team meeting 4: to review and summarise assessment conclusions
Review:
a. Teacher and observers meet to discuss and evaluate pupil learning:
b. Consider:
o What were pupils’ starting levels?
o How pupils responded/did not respond – learned / did not learn?
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o What approaches and conditions helped them learn/ did not help them learn?
c. What are answers to assessment questions for RL3?
Assessment conclusions:
a. Review all 3 RLs to answer initial and emergent assessment questions
b. Summarise assessment for each pupil: what learned about pupils’ learning needs not known at start?
PERSONALISED PLAN PHASE
11. Develop personal programme for each pupil
a. plan adapted teaching based on assessment conclusions
b. design personalised teaching plan: that fits with overall class lesson planning, Involves support of other colleagues
including TAs for trial over next 4 weeks
c. use Goal monitoring and evaluation (GME) scheme to set baseline and expected levels
12. Review learning outcomes
a. assess learning after 4 weeks on GME scheme
b. evaluate learning outcomes.
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Monitoring materials for supporting the steps in the LS FOR ASSESSMENT process (the step numbers relate to the steps
in the figure on page 8)
FOR STEP 3 OF PROCESS
ASSESSMENT FACTORS TEMPLATE FOR TEACHERS
PUPIL NAME
Environmental factors
What are barriers to learning or absent conditions
required for learning?
What facilitates learning?
School
Curriculum: content and
focus of learning
Teaching methods and
strategies
Class management
relationships and settings
Home
Immediate family
Extended family and / or
community
History of schooling,
changes of school etc.
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Pupil factors
Difficulties / needs?
Strengths?
Sensory and motor
functioning
Health conditions
Emotional states, self
perception and self
esteem
Motivation and interests
Approaches and styles of
learning (e.g. impulsive/
reflective,
independent/dependent..)
Cognitive and intellectual
functioning (e.g. memory,
reasoning, metacognitive strategies)
Expressive and receptive
communication and
language competence
Basic educational skills
(literacy, numeracy etc.)
Social skills and
interaction with others
(adults and peers)
15
FOR STEP 3 OF PROCESS
ASSESSMENT FACTORS TEMPLATE (parents)
PUPIL NAME
Environmental factors
What prevents learning or is needed for learning?
What helps learning?
School
Home
.
Pupil factors
Difficulties / needs?
Strengths?
Hearing, seeing and/or
movement; health
conditions
Emotions, self image and
self esteem;
Motivation and interests;
Approaches to learning
Memory, understanding
and reasoning,
Communicating and
language
Basic literacy and
numeracy skills
Interacting with others
16
FOR STEP 3 OF PROCESS
PUPIL PERSPECTIVE TEMPLATE
WHAT HELPS LEARNING?
ABOUT SCHOOL AND HOME
ABOUT YOURSELF
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WHAT STOPS / PREVENTS
LEARNING?
FOR STEP 4 OF PROCESS
Pupil objectives template: Research Lesson 1
Set objectives for RL1 for each pupil based on what you know from previous steps about the 2 pupils
that are relevant to the questions you have about them.
Learning Objectives Pupil 1
for RL1
Learning Objective 1
(1-2 per pupil)
Pupil 2
Learning Objective 1
Learning Objective 2
Learning Objective 2
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FOR STEPS 4 and 5 OF PROCESS
RL1 Planning and Observation template
Planning and observation relevant to these assessment questions for RL1 for each pupil:
1. Where does pupil start from in relation to the below objectives (part 1)?
2. What methods & conditions enabled learning in relation to these objectives (part 3)?
Part 1
Case pupil A
Case pupil B
Expected starting
Observed starting
Expected starting
What are starting
point in relation to:
point in relation to:
point in relation to:
points for these pupils (complete in step 4)
(complete in step 5)
(complete in step 4)
in relation to
objectives set in step
Lesson objective 1
Lesson objective 1
Lesson objective 1
4
Lesson objective 2
Lesson objective 2
19
Lesson objective 2
Observed starting
point in relation to:
(complete in step 5)
Lesson objective 1
Lesson objective 2
Part 2
Stage of lesson
sequence
Case pupil A
How you hope Case
pupil A will respond
(complete in step 4)
Case pupil B
Observations of how
responded
(complete in step 5)
Stage 1
Stage 2
Final stage:
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How you hope Case
pupil B will respond
(complete in step 4)
Observations of how
responded
(complete in step 5)
Part 3
What methods and
conditions enabled
learning?
(complete in step 5)
Case pupil A
Case pupil B
In relation to Learning Objective 1
In relation to Learning Objective 1
In relation to Learning Objective 2
In relation to Learning Objective 2
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FOR STEP 5 OF PROCESS
Pupil lesson perspective on RL1 template
Pupil 1
Pupil 2
What did you enjoy about this
lesson?
What did you learn?
How did you learn these things?
What part of the teaching and
learning activities helped you?
What did you not enjoy about the
lesson?
What did you find hard to learn?
Would you know why it was hard?
What part of the teaching and
learning activities did not help you?
What could change to help you learn
better?
22
FOR STEP 6 OF PROCESS
RL1 Post lesson discussion record form
Record your review of RL1 in preparation based on evidence collected in RL1 for planning RL2
Pupil A
Pupil B
What was the pupil’s
starting levels?
How did pupil respond /
not respond and learn /
not learn?
What teaching
approaches and
conditions helped / did
not help learning?
What changes will you
make to the planning for
the next research
lesson?
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FOR STEP 6 OF PROCESS
Pupil objectives template: Research Lesson 2
Set objectives for RL2 for each pupil based on what you know from previous steps about the 2 pupils
that are relevant to the questions you have about them.
Learning Objectives Pupil 1
for RL2
Learning Objective 1
(1-2 per pupil)
Pupil 2
Learning Objective 1
Learning Objective 2
Learning Objective 2
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FOR STEPS 6 and 7 OF PROCESS
RL2 Planning and Observation template
Planning and observation relevant to these assessment questions for RL2 for each pupil:
1. Where does pupil start from in relation to the below objectives (part 1)?
2. What methods & conditions enabled learning in relation to these objectives (part 3)?
Part 1
Case pupil A
Case pupil B
Expected starting
Observed starting
Expected starting
What are starting
point in relation to:
point in relation to:
point in relation to:
points for these pupils (complete in step 6)
(complete in step 7)
(complete in step 6)
in relation to
objectives set in step
Lesson objective 1
Lesson objective 1
Lesson objective 1
6
Lesson objective 2
Lesson objective 2
25
Lesson objective 2
Observed starting
point in relation to:
(complete in step 7)
Lesson objective 1
Lesson objective 2
Part 2
Stage of lesson
sequence
Case pupil A
How you hope Case
pupil A will respond
(complete in step 6)
Case pupil B
Observations of how
responded
(complete in step 7)
Stage 1
Stage 2
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How you hope Case
pupil B will respond
(complete in step 6)
Observations of how
responded
(complete in step 7)
Final stage:
Part 3
What methods and
conditions enabled
learning?
(complete in step 7)
Case pupil A
Case pupil B
In relation to Learning Objective 1
In relation to Learning Objective 1
In relation to Learning Objective 2
In relation to Learning Objective 2
27
FOR STEP 7 OF PROCESS
Pupil lesson perspective on RL2 template
Pupil 1
Pupil 2
What did you enjoy about this
lesson?
What did you learn?
How did you learn these things?
What part of the teaching and
learning activities helped you?
What did you not enjoy about the
lesson?
What did you find hard to learn?
Would you know why it was hard?
What part of the teaching and
learning activities did not help you?
What could change to help you learn
better?
28
FOR STEP 8 OF PROCESS
RL2 Post lesson discussion record form
Record your review of RL2 in preparation based on evidence collected in RL2 for planning RL3
Pupil A
Pupil B
What was the pupil’s
starting levels?
How did pupil respond /
not respond and learn /
not learn?
What teaching
approaches and
conditions helped / did
not help learning?
What changes will you
make to the planning for
the next research
lesson?
29
FOR STEP 8 OF PROCESS
Set objectives for RL3 for each pupil based on what you know from previous steps about the 2 pupils
that are relevant to the questions you have about them.
Learning Objectives Pupil 1
for RL3
Learning Objective 1
(1-2 per pupil)
Pupil 2
Learning Objective 1
Learning Objective 2
Learning Objective 2
30
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STEP 8 OF PROCESS: Pupil objectives template: Research Lesson 3
FOR STEPS 8 and 9 OF PROCESS
RL3 Planning and Observation template
Planning and observation relevant to these assessment questions for RL3 for each pupil:
1. Where does pupil start from in relation to the below objectives (part 1)?
2. What methods & conditions enabled learning in relation to these objectives (part 3)?
Part 1
Case pupil A
Case pupil B
Expected starting
Observed starting
Expected starting
What are starting
point in relation to:
point in relation to:
point in relation to:
points for these pupils (complete in step 8)
(complete in step 9)
(complete in step 8)
in relation to
objectives set in step
Lesson objective 1
Lesson objective 1
Lesson objective 1
8
Lesson objective 2
Lesson objective 2
32
Lesson objective 2
Observed starting
point in relation to:
(complete in step 9)
Lesson objective 1
Lesson objective 2
33
Part 2
Stage of lesson
sequence
Case pupil A
How you hope Case
pupil A will respond
(complete in step 8)
Case pupil B
Observations of how
responded
(complete in step 9)
Stage 1
Stage 2
Final stage:
34
How you hope Case
pupil B will respond
(complete in step 8)
Observations of how
responded
(complete in step 9)
Part 3
What methods and
conditions enabled
learning?
(complete in step 9)
Case pupil A
Case pupil B
In relation to Learning Objective 1
In relation to Learning Objective 1
In relation to Learning Objective 2
In relation to Learning Objective 2
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FOR STEP 9 OF PROCESS
Pupil lesson perspective on RL3 template
Pupil 1
What did you enjoy about this
lesson?
Pupil 2
What did you learn?
How did you learn these things?
What part of the teaching and
learning activities helped you?
What did you not enjoy about the
lesson?
What did you find hard to learn?
Would you know why it was hard?
What part of the teaching and
learning activities did not help you?
What could change to help you learn
better?
36
FOR STEP 10 OF PROCESS
RL3 Post lesson discussion record form
Record your review of RL3 in preparation for assessment summary
Pupil A
What was the pupil’s
starting levels?
How did pupil respond /
not respond and learn /
not learn?
What teaching
approaches and
conditions helped / did
not help learning?
What changes will you
make to the planning for
the next research
lesson?
37
Pupil B
FOR STEP 10 OF THE PROCESS
Assessment summary following the LS (the 3 RLs)
PUPIL NAME
SUBJECT AREA
Environmental factors
What prevents learning or is needed for learning?
What helps learning?
WIDER CLASS CONTEXT
PEDAGOGIC APPROACHES AND CONDITIONS
.
Pupil factors
Difficulties / needs?
Strengths?
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FOR EXAMPLE:
LEARNING
APPROACHES /
MOTIVATION
MEMORY AND
COGNITIVE FACTORS
COMMUNICATION –
INTERACTION WITH
OTHERS
39
FOR STEPS 11 AND 12 OF PROCESS
Monitoring learning outcomes of personalised plan using Goal Monitoring and Evaluation (GME)
Goal Monitoring and Evaluation (GME) is a method of monitoring the learning outcomes that arise from teaching or other that is tailored to the specific context
and goals of the teaching. This method was developed initially under the name Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS). It has been used in many kinds of programmes
and service contexts. Evaluation of GAS indicates that it is best used when it meets these criteria:
 there is advance specification of the expected goal,
 at least two goals are used,
 there is independent review/assessment of levels attained.
In this version – GME – you will identify 3 levels on an 11 point progression line; 2 before the programme starts – a Baseline level and an Expected level – and
one after the programme – an Achieved level.
Steps in using goal monitoring to evaluate the personal programme developed following LS cycles
BEFORE TEACHING THE PROGRAMME
1. You will have completed 2 LS based assessments for each pupil; for one of these pupils you will design a short 2-3 week personal programme based on
this assessment.
2. There is a template on which you can record the 1-2 goals for this programme, the teaching approaches that you will use and how the programme derives
from the LS based assessment.
3. Before starting to teach the programme you need to identify on the 11 point progression line:
a. a Baseline level for each goal that has been set
b. an Expected level for 2-3 weeks for each goal that has been set
Setting these levels before stating the teaching
Baseline level:
a. It is best to set the baseline above the lowest point, so there is scope to record change which could be below the baseline, if that is what
you find at the end of the LS. Put a cross in a Baseline box.
b. Given this Baseline rating write out what the starting baseline level is in the Baseline descriptor area. Below this write out what would
count as evidence or the criteria for this descriptor in the Specific evidence for the descriptor area. The evidence will be a qualitative
40
description of a problem or an attainment level. THESE LEVELS OR DESCRIPTORS DO NOT HAVE ANY LINK TO NATIONAL
CURRIUCLUM LEVEL OF APP LEVELS. .
Expected level:
c. Before you start the programme you also need to identify what level you expect case pupils to achieve by the end of the 2-3 week
programme.
d. When setting the Expected level, leave some scope for the pupil to achieve above your expected level. Where you set the expected level is
for you to judge depending on the goal, the pupil and the programme. The expected level is not a target; it is more of a prediction. Also
leave, some scope to record achievement below the Expected level.
e. As with the Baseline level you need to write a descriptor for this Expected level and give specific evidence for identifying this expected level.
AFTER TEACHING THE PROGRAMME
After teaching the programme you can record whether the pupil has made progress in relation to the 1-2 goals by rating and describing the achieved levels.
Achieved level:
f. After the programme you will record what learning each case pupil has achieved, using the progression line, giving an Achieved level
descriptor and specific evidence for this descriptor.
g. Ideally it is important that the Achieved level and descriptor be agreed by the class teacher and someone else, perhaps another
member of the LS team.
Summary:

At the start of programme you will give a Baseline and Expected level (and descriptor + specific evidence) for each of the 1-2 goals in the
provided template.

At the end of the programme you will give an Achieved level (and descriptor + specific evidence) for the 1-2 goals in the same template.
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Example of completed GME template
GOAL 1
Be more frequently engaged in group activities when emphasis is on using key
vocabulary
Rating scale:
Low
Baseline
Expected
Achieved
High
X
X
X
Baseline
descriptor
Is often disengaged in group activities when she needs to use
vocabulary
Specific
evidence
for
descriptor
Expected
descriptor
Specific
evidence
for
descriptor
Achieved
descriptor
Specific
evidence
for
descriptor
Because of problems in written and verbal language tends to be
disengaged and not participate
More frequent engagement in group activities
Increased participation, improved speech, increased confidence
More frequent engagement in group activities
Participated more during question and answer sessions;
vocabulary still limited but conversations contains more basic
structure; more willing to write and less anxious about her work
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TEMPLATE: Personalised plan and goal monitoring
GOAL 1
GOAL 2
TEACHING STRATEGIES AND CONDITIONS (RELEVANT TO GOAL/S)
HOW GOAL AND TEACHING DERIVE FROM LS ASSESSMENT
GOAL 1 Rating scale:
Low
High
Baseline
Expected
Achieved
Baseline
descriptor
Specific
evidence
for
descriptor
Expected
descriptor
Specific
evidence
for
descriptor
Achieved
descriptor
Specific
evidence
for
descriptor
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GOAL 2 Rating scale:
Low
High
Baseline
Expected
Achieved
Baseline
descriptor
Specific
evidence
for
descriptor
Expected
descriptor
Specific
evidence
for
descriptor
Achieved
descriptor
Specific
evidence
for
descriptor
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