Assessing Mathematics in Grades 4 to 6


Assessment is about collecting evidence of the learners’ learning. It is an integral part of teaching and learning, and should be planned when planning the lesson content. Assessment helps to identify the needs of the learners. It also provides evidence of progress, enables teachers to reflect on what they are doing, and provides for feedback and reporting to all stakeholders.


Good assessment practice in Mathematics includes:


• assessing whether skills and aims are applied to content knowledge • determining whether learners can apply this knowledge to procedures and problems


• providing feedback.


The four steps of assessment 1. Generating and collecting evidence of achievement. 2. Evaluating the evidence. 3. Recording the findings. 4. Using the findings to guide future learning and teaching.


Types of assessment Assessment


Baseline assessment


Description


y Establish whether learners meet basic skills and knowledge level required


y Helps teacher plan for the year and for each learner


y Administered at the beginning of the year and before a particular topic


y Results used as a guide for teaching and not for promotion purposes


Diagnostic assessment


y Informs the teacher about certain specific problem areas that may hinder performance


y Can help determine whether a learner’s problems are content or psycho-social based


y Appropriate interventions should follow on from diagnostic assessment


y Results should inform interventions and not used for promotion purposes


Formative assessment


y Used to aid the learning process and not for promotion purposes


y Usually informal to provide the teacher and learner with a more frequent account of where the learner is at


y Teachers can use the this form of assessment to modify and adapt their own teaching


Use the daily activities as formative assessment; mark these often as a class, using peer or self-assessment. We recommend taking in the learners’ exercise books at least once a week to check on individual learner performance. Use the revision activities included in the Learner’s Book as additional formative assessment, and to help learners prepare for formal assessments.


Section 2: Planning and assessment 13


Diagnostic assessment should be conducted when learners are demonstrating problems with a certain section or topic. It can help pin point the exact problem area and appropriate remediation can be implemented.


Assessment tips


Use more formal written tasks for number work, and informal discussions to gather background knowledge for content areas such as measurement, space and shape, and data handling.


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