Assessmen

t
strategies

Purpose

Benefit

Limitation

Implementat
ion
Constraints

NAPLAN test

Diagnostic
assessment
serves a
purpose of
ensuring
teachers are
aware of
students
strengths and
areas of need
throughout the
year.

Diagnostic
assessments
allow for the
teacher to
assess their
own teaching
style, and
identify what
areas need
improving.

Diagnostic
assessments
can be
inconclusive as
many factors
may contribute
to the results
tested on that
day.

NAPLAN test
results take 3
months to get
back to the
teacher. It will be
a constraint on
the teaching
practice, as the
teachers have to
wait a long time
before they are
able to
implement the
results of the
NAPLAN tests.

Draft copy of
work

The purpose of
formative
assessment is
for teachers to
provide
ongoing
feedback to
students to
improve their
learning.

For example if
NAPLAN results
show a teacher
that her
students are at
a level lower
than expected,
she can
change her
teaching style
to ensure
students are
comprehendin
g what they
are being
taught.
Students can
gain comments
from the
teacher on
improvement
for the final
assessment
piece.
For example a
student hands
the teacher a
draft copy of
their work. The
teacher can
then proof read
and correct the
draft copy and
make any
comments
regarding
further
improvements.

For example a
child may feel
stressed or
anxious on the
day of NAPLAN
testing and
therefore not
perform to the
best of their
abilities,
resulting in
inconclusive
results.

Childrens
ideas can
change, and by
handing in a
draft copy of
work a student
is limited to
the amount of
change they
can make to
the
assessment.
For example if
a student
hands the
teacher their
draft copy, and
then decide to
completely
change their
idea, they are
limited to the
amount of
change they
can do.

With a classroom
full of students it
may be hard to
provide
constructive
feedback to each
student by a
certain date.

Checklist

The purpose of
assessing skills
is for teachers
to assess
specific skills
required to
complete a
specific
process.

Assessing
students skills
gives a teacher
an insight into
what level a
student is at
during a
specific skills
process.
For example a
teacher uses a
checklist to
assess how a
student goes
through
specific steps
of learning
addition by
placing the
number on top
of the next
number.

Observations

The purpose to
assessing a
students
understanding
is for the
teacher to
record detailed
evidence of a
students
progress
throughout a
unit or year.

Teachers can
critically
evaluate
students
learning in
detail by
observing each
student
individually or
within a group
setting. This
ensures
teachers are
aware of a
childs physical
ability as well
as mental
capacity.
For example a
teacher sits
down and
observes three
students over
the course of
an activity. She
does this to
ensure each
student has
the ability to
perform the
task, and is
aware of the

There is no
depth to the
assessment
when using
checklists.
For example a
prep student
may not grasp
the concept of
addition, but
have learnt
numbers.
Using a
checklist
doesnt show
the
progression
this student
has achieved
by learning
their numbers,
it solely labels
them as they
still cannot do
addition.
It can be time
consuming to
assess a
students
understanding
of a topic.
For example a
teacher can
only observe a
few children
throughout the
course of a
day. This will
take a teacher
a while to
complete
observations
on all the
students within
the classroom.

Using a broad
checklist to
assess students
within the
classroom isnt
appropriate as
students learn at
different stages.
Its hard to
determine a
students
developmental
level through a
checklist as there
is many
underlying
factors which
should be taken
into
consideration
when assessing
students.

A teacher can
create
observations of a
number of
children over a
period of time,
but its not
possible for a
teacher to
observe each
student in the
course of a day.

students
weaknesses
within this
specific task.
Portfolio

Selfassessment
serves a
purpose for
students to
reflect upon
the unit using
examples of
their own
achievement
as evidence of
understanding
the unit.

Students learn
how to
critically
evaluate
themselves
and their
achievements,
as well as
incorporate
selfassessment
into the final
evaluation
process of a
unit.
For example
students look
through their
evidence of
achievement
portfolio and
based on that
write a selfevaluation on
the individual
success
measured by
this portfolio.

It can be hard
for a student
to be honest
and determine
areas of
improvement
when
assessing
themselves.
For example it
may be hard
for a student
to
acknowledge
an area that
needs
improving
when
assessing
themselves.

It could be hard
for a teacher to
determine the
level a student is
at, if they dont
have any
evidence in their
portfolio to prove
achievement
throughout the
unit.