Computer-Based Assessments Literacy / Numeracy Autumn 2012

1. Computer-Based AssessmentsLiteracy / NumeracyAutumn 2012 Principals’ Information Seminars 3-21 May 2012

2. Overview of the Seminar 9.30 1.30 Setting the context for the CBAs 9.45 1.45 NILA / NINA Assessment Overview 10.45 2.45 Tea/Coffee Break 11.15 3.15 Assessment Outcomes / Reports 11.30 3.30 Preparation for the Autumn Term 12.00 4.00 Feedback from Trials & Developments 12.15 4.15 Guidance & Support 12.30 4.30 Evaluation & Close

3. Learning Intentions At the end of this session principals will be aware of the: • NINA, the new computer-based numeracy assessment for introduction in 2012/13; • NILA, the new computer-based literacy assessment for introduction in 2012/13; • Feedback and developments from the Trials; • Quality Assurance in May; • Timescales involved; and • Guidance and support available from CCEA. 

4. Part 1 Setting the Context for the CBAs

5. Legislative Context “Pupils shall be assessed in the autumn term, using such computer-based assessment method [for literacy and numeracy] as the Department may specify …” The Education (Assessment Arrangements) (Foundation to Key Stage 3) Order (Northern Ireland) 2007 SR 2007 No. 45

6. Focus on Raising Standards “The use of data from computer-based assessments remains a key aspect of the Department’s school improvement policy” Paragraph 3 – DE Letter to Principals Nov 2011

7. New Providers The Department of Education (DE) initiated a public procurement process in 2011 (as the InCAS contract with CEM ended in January 2012) and this procurement process identified two new suppliers for the computer-based assessments in Literacy and Numeracy: • Tribal Education Ltd. for the literacy assessment (NILA); and • Rising Stars UK Ltd. in partnership with Ardluce for the numeracy assessment (NINA). Information can be found at : www.nicurriculum.org.uk

8. Computer-Based Assessments

9. Computer-Based Assessments Northern Ireland Literacy Assessment – NILA Northern Ireland Numeracy Assessment – NINA • Assessments will be available in English & Irish Mediums. • To be completed by all Year 4 to Year 7 pupils in the Autumn Term 2012/13. • The purpose of the computer-based assessments is to help teachers plan the learning and teaching during the school year to meet the needs of pupils in their classrooms.

10. Statutory Assessment Exemptions • Pupils with a statement of special educational needs who have been assessed as having severe learning difficulties. • Pupils exempted from any of the requirements of the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006. Paragraph 21 - DE Circular 2011/15 • A new DE Circular is expected in August 2012.

11. Computer-Based Assessments The questions items in the Numeracy / Literacy Assessments have been developed using the following criteria: • Definition of Numeracy / Literacy as set out by CCEA; • The expectations of the NI Mathematics & Numeracy / Language & Literacy Curricula; • CCEA’s revised Lines of Development; • Advice from ELBs regarding expectations at the end of each academic year; and • Levels of Progression.

12. Key Dates January 2012 Small observation trial March 2012 Trial with 200 schools May 2012 Principals’ Information Seminars (3-21 May) May 2012 Quality assurance process (8-18 May) May 2012 Irish Medium Trial (21-25 May) May – Oct 2012 Online Teacher Training (modular course) Autumn 2012 Use of NILA / NINA in schools 2013/14 onwards Ongoing training support (principals, teachers, assessment coordinators, classroom assistants etc.)

13. Part 2 Literacy / Numeracy Assessment Overview

14. Introduction to the Literacy Assessment

15. The Literacy Assessment • There will be two age related bands in the assessment, one for Primary 4 and 5 and one for Primary 6 and 7. • The questions will have a range of difficulty within each band, designed to help pupils show what they can do whatever their ability. • As they go through the assessment the pupils will be given questions adapted to their responses. • The assessment should take the majority of pupils less than 50 minutes.

16. The Literacy Assessment • It uses the potential of the on-screen presentation to provide interactive and engaging experiences in different ways. • It draws varied topics from across the Northern Ireland Curriculum. • It is varied in form, ranging from everyday texts, such as advertisements and signs, to high quality literary passages. • It assesses crucial aspects of Literacy from the Reading, Writing and Listening elements of the NI Curriculum and provides teachers with diagnostic information about the skills and understanding of their pupils.

17. From the Reading Curriculum … • Read, explore, understand and make use of a wide range of traditional and digital texts. • Use a range of reading and comprehension strategies and skills for different purposes. • Locate, select and use texts and sources for a particular task. • Understand how texts are structured and identify features of written language. • Use evidence from the text, and in key stage 2, inference and deduction.

18. NILA assessment of Reading Focuses on understanding explicit and implicit meanings and how texts are organised. The questions relate to these four strands: • Understanding information and ideas; • Finding and using information; • Understanding different types of texts; and • Responding to different layers of meaning.

19. Question focus – Reading: understanding information and ideas

20. Question focus – Reading: finding and using information

21. Question focus – Reading: understanding different types of texts

22. Question focus – Reading: responding to different layers of meaning

23. From the Writing Curriculum … In the context of learning to write for a range of purposes in different forms … • Use a variety of skills to spell words correctly. • Develop increasing competence in the use of grammar and punctuation to create clarity of meaning.

24. NILA assessment of Writing Focuses on technical accuracy in punctuation, spelling and grammar. The questions are related to these three strands: • Punctuation; • Spelling; and • Grammar.

25. Question focus – Writing: punctuation

26. Question focus - Writing: spelling

27. Question focus - Writing: grammar

28. From the Listening Curriculum …(within Talking and Listening) • Listen and respond to a range of fiction, poetry, drama and media texts. • Respond to guidance, directions and instructions. • Respond to ideas and points of view, using evidence.

29. NILA assessment of Listening Involves listening to and understanding information and ideas that pupils hear. The questions for the Listening strand focus on a range of skills such as: • retrieving; • summarising; and • inferring meanings.

30. Question focus - Listening

31. NILA Question Types • Question Types & Answer Techniques: • Click one • Click multiple • Cloze • Drag into order • Drag to box • Drag punctuation • Match • Select word • This means looking at the instruction and also at how the mouse is controlled to make the right selection of answer.

32. NILA Practice Assessment

33. Admin / Teacher Section

34. Pupil Details & Assessment History

35. Introduction to the Numeracy Assessment

36. The Numeracy Assessment • Samples the key concepts of Numeracy through two assessments / strands: • Strand 1 Understanding & Using Number • Strand 2: Shape & Space, Measures; Handling Data • Each strand will be assessed using an adaptive approach to assessment. • Assessment for each strand will take approximately 30 minutes. • Assessment will include a variety of interactive questions and a range of responsetechniques.

37. Strands and Threads Strand 1 includes: Counting & Understanding Number; Facts and Mental Calculations; Operations with Whole Numbers, Integers and Decimals; Fractions, Decimals, Percentages, Ratio & Proportion; and Problems – including Money, Function Machines & Algebra. • Strand 2 includes: • Shape & Space; • Measures; and • Handling Data.

38. Threads and Objectives • Within each thread, there are objectives covering Years 1 - 7. (Some threads do not appear in the early years e.g. there are no questions on Fractions in the early years as Fractions is not taught until later.) • Each Objective is targeted at a particular curriculum year and has questions of varying difficulty. As these assessments are taken early in the first term, the target curriculum year is the one below the pupil’s current curriculum year.

39. Counting & Understanding Number From Year 3 curriculum – Order 2-digit numbers. Know where a number should lie on a number track, number line, 50 array or 100 square.

40. Number Facts, including Mental Calculations From Year 5 curriculum - Use knowledge of addition and subtraction facts and place value to derive sums and differences of pairs of multiples of 10, 100 or 1000.

41. Operations with Whole Numbers, Integers & Decimals From Year 6 curriculum - Exact division of whole numbers and decimals to 2DP by a single digit.

42. Fractions, Decimals & Percentages From Year 4 curriculum - Understand and identify fractions of shapes; use diagrams to compare fractions and establish equivalents.

43. Problems From Year 7 curriculum - Understand that a letter can represent an unknown number.

44. Shape & Space From Year 5 curriculum - Identify and draw lines of symmetry in shapes. Given a mirror line, show a shape's reflection.

45. Measures From Year 4 curriculum - Read the time on analogue clocks - including hour, half and quarter hour intervals.

46. Handling Data From Year 2 curriculum - Sort objects into groups using one criterion.

47. NINA Practice Area

48. Admin / Teacher Section

49. 2 Assessments (Numeracy)

50. Assessment Status