Assessment for Learning

1.4
Explain the importance and benefits for assessment for learning.

It is a very important part of any teachers/teaching assistant’s job to assess the children’s work in order to support and help them to progress and raise their achievements.
The children need to know and understand what our expectations are and how to achieve them. It gives them the opportunity to develop and evaluate themselves, to make judgements about their own performance and improve upon it.
Assessment for learning is an essential part of education as it defines whether or not the objectives of teaching are being met. The assessment of work affects decisions about grades and the educational needs of the children and in some cases funding,
Assessment for learning is a significant way to raise a pupil’s academic achievement and it is my belief that in order for children to progress they must understand the purpose of their learning and where they are in relation to achieving their goal.
Assessments help the pupils to reflect on their own development which in turn will help them to recognise and appreciate their own strengths and areas that they need to develop.
Discussions with their teachers and peers will help them to achieve a deeper understanding which will build confidence and give them motivation.
Assessment will also identify individual educational needs, as well as informing them about their specific performance and achievement. The teacher is then able to tailor their teaching strategies to meet the individual child’s needs.
Assessment can be used to promote learning by teaching the pupils to ask questions as well as answering them.
You should encourage the pupils to ‘have a go’ at answering questions and that by giving the wrong answer is an opportunity to learn.