‘Students gradually acquired the habits and skills of collaborative learning and through peer-assessment developed the objectivity required for self-assessment.’ (Black and Harrison: 2004)

At its simplest, peer and self-assessment involves pupils checking each other’s answers. At the next level, pupils discuss positive aspects and areas of improvement in a piece of work (two stars and a wish). For this, the learning intentions and success criteria must be clearly displayed. Targets need to be well understood and achievable. Pupils should be taught how to adopt the role of supportive partner. They should be open, constructive and make suggestions for how to effect improvement to meet targets.

Children can be taught to peer assess from an early age. This allows the teacher to check their understanding of ideas and concepts.

Children can give instant feedback through observation, talking in pairs or looking at each other’s work.

The teacher has to ensure that targets are kept very clear and straightforward.

Both pupils benefit from this process; the child who is the assessor reinforces their own learning and the child being assessed receives constructive feedback in their own language.

Traffic Lighting is a simple visual means of self-assessment. The colours are used to indicate a pupil’s level of understanding.

Red                        I don’t understand and need help.

Amber                     I think I know but I’m not totally sure.

Green                      I totally understand.

The teacher can then pair Ambers with Greens to work together, while the teacher works with the Reds.

There are many different ways of using traffic lighting :-

• colours can be placed on tables during independent working to show the teacher who needs help,

• after some teacher input they can be used to group pupils for the next stage of the lesson,

• they can be used to assess prior learning in a list of questions and so avoid repetition,

• the same list can be give after input to assess progress,

• they can be used to highlight areas for revision when a list of key words or topics are given before a test,

• pupils can use colours as an indication of self evaluation of a task,

• after a lesson pupils can indicate their understanding to the teachers by putting a counter in a box as they leave the classroom to be used by the teacher to prepare the next steps,

• teachers can use the colours to monitor behaviour levels

• colours can be on cards, crayons or on the sides of a triangular prism.

Amber/Green pupil pairings benefit both pupils. The ‘Amber’ pupil receives information and explanations in pupil-friendly language and a chance of one-to-one support. The ‘Green’ pupil reinforces his or her own understanding by having to teach someone else.

The following examples show :-

• A SHEET USED BY AN S2 CLASS BEFORE AND AFTER A TOPIC ON CELLS AND GENETICS

• A SCIENCE LEARNING LOG

SEE ALSO LESSON PLAN RESPIRATION OF YEAST LEVEL F

Use the colours red, yellow or green to indicate to what extent the following statements are true for you.
 

Learning Outcome	Beginning Unit	Finish Unit
I know how to set up a microscope I know why stains are necessary when looking at cells I can draw and label an animal cell I can draw and label a plant cell I can state the differences between a plant and animal cell I know the function of parts of a cell I can describe three different types of cell and their function I know where chromosomes are found in the cell I know the function of a chromosome I know the name of the chemical that a chromosome is made from I know the meaning of the terms phenotype and genotype

This is a technique used in ‘Critical Skills‘ to encourage focused, useful feedback to groups. In the DVD example, pupils have completed a challenge by making a poster to explain the usefulness of micro-organisms to the general public. Each group at the end of the challenge ‘huddle’ around another group’s poster and decides which aspects of the work meet the success criteria and which may be improved. Each group in turn provides oral feedback, explaining not just what should be improved, but also how this might be achieved.