Student Self-Assessment of Reading & Writing

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1 Student Student self-assessment is a critical part of developing a student s responsibility for his or her own learning. Self-assessment procedures can also provide teachers with insights into the student s development as a writer that otherwise may not be apparent. The reading and writing formats outlined should be modelled and students explicitly taught how to record information and reflections. With teacher support and guidance, students can develop the skills necessary to assess their own reading and writing. There are three learning outcomes that are specifically relevant to student selfassessment of reading and writing: R.5. Engage in sustained private reading as a pleasurable and purposeful activity, applying what they have learned about the effectiveness of spoken and written texts to their own experience of reading. W. 2. Discuss their own and other students written work constructively and with clear purpose. W. 13. Evaluate their own writing proficiency and seek remedies for those aspects of their writing they need to improve.

2 Log Formats The simplest form of self-assessment is the student s log to record work completed. Logs can be extended to reveal individual interests, preferences, attitudes or understandings. Students are not only asked to record completed work but also to reflect on some aspect of the task.

3 Goal-Setting Frameworks Personal goal-setting is another form of self-assessment suitable for all Junior Cycle English students. Before students can independently create learning goals it is essential for teachers to provide ongoing modelling and scaffolding. Helping students to identify achievable goals that are linked to personal and shared targets promotes a sense of ownership. Goal-setting frameworks can provide a focus for beginning goal-setting in the classroom.

4 Journals Journals also provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their own reading and writing. The process of inviting students to reflect and write about an aspect of their Junior Cycle English course can provide further information and insights into individual development. A written conversation between teacher and student may also occur as a result of the journal entries. Journals can take many forms, each providing a different focus for reflection. The purpose and desired outcomes of using a journal in the classroom can direct the type of journal used. A range of journals can be used including: Reading Response Journals A simple record of thoughts and questions about the texts students are reading. Post-it notes make an excellent tool for students to record these thoughts as they read. Reading Response Journal Sentence Starters When I was reading this page/chapter/extract it reminded me of I loved I really liked I didn t understand I wonder why I m not sure about A question I have is What I learned is. My questions are

5 Dialogue Journals A conversation in writing conducted with a peer or teacher. A student writes a response or question about a text and the teacher or peer writes a short response back. Student: Dialogue Journal Teacher: Metacognitive Journals Encourage students to think about and become aware of their own thought processes when constructing and comprehending texts. What have I learned? and How did I learn it? are two key questions for students to consider. Metacognitive Journal Framework - Learning How to Learn in Writing Choose a piece of writing you have recently completed. Record the steps you took to complete this piece. Share your process with a friend, explaining exactly what you did.

6 Reflective Journals Have a focus on particular literacy activities reflecting on the process, feelings and outcomes of the event. Words, phrases, lines noted and liked Comments on, reactions to words and expressions Drawings, diagrams Personal anecdotes linking the work to personal experiences, other texts, thoughts, issues You could ask yourself some of the following questions: Were you surprised by what happened? What do you think will happen next? What were your feelings at that moment? What kinds of memories or images did the reading bring to mind? What questions come to mind? What did you learn about X (character or place or )? If you were in the character s shoes, what would you do? Is there something that surprises you in this extract? Did this page/chapter remind you of anything else you read or saw? What, do you think, will happen next? What kind of story do you expect to read now? (having read the opening) Summative Journals May be completed at the end of a theme, unit of work or period of time. Students reflect on a series of past writing events and consider future application of new learning.