There are multiple ways which student learning can be assessed both formatively and summativley. Formative assessment most commonly takes places with students on a day-to day basis, through means such as verbal feedback, self-assessment and in class discussion. According to Black and Williams (2010) formative assessment is most effective for learners when it is utilised as a strategy for planning based on children’s understandings and any gaps within this. Once this planning for future learning has been designed and implemented with students, summative feedback takes place in order to assess students learning and whether or not the student has met the desired outcomes of the learning (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL] n.d.). Most often, summative assessment is marked against the Australian Curriculums relevant achievement standards to ensure students are meeting the criteria expected of them at their current year level. The collaborative use of formative and summative assessment enables students to be provided with consistent, specific feedback regarding where they are currently, where the are going next and how they can progress there. (Black and William 2009).

To assess students understanding of number, I supported my supervising teacher in running some assessments with students which were then marked against the numeracy continuum. The numeracy continuum was a useful tool to mark against as it provided clear outlines of where the child should be at with their number knowledge and what their next goals will be for the following year level. Within the assessment, students were individually asked to perform a series of tasks involving number such as counting from 1 up to 30, counting backwards from 23, arranging numeral cards into order and subitising using counters. Each of these individual tasks aimed to assess the students’ knowledge of concepts and skills which had been learnt in the year and revealed any gaps in the student’s knowledge that may be beneficial to fill before the end of the year. For example, I noticed that some students struggled with the skill of counting back and so I used this information to inform my planning for the next week by incorporating a number of maths lessons which worked to develop this skill. 

AITSL (n.d.) Spotlight: Reframing feedback to improve teaching and learning, accessed October 5 2020, https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/research-evidence/spotlight/spotlight-feedback.pdf?sfvrsn=cb2eec3c_12

Black, P & Williams, D 2009, ‘Evaluation and Accountability’ in Developing the theory of formative assessment, vol. 21, pp 5-31.

Black, P & Williams, D 2010, ‘inside the black box: Raising standards through classroom assessment’, Phi Delta Kappan, pp. 81-90.