What Do They Know?

This SYCD: Science Year Primary resource provides video clips of children working and on-screen text which focuses on evidence of children's development in a series of process skills.

Criteria are given for assessing the skills, and the next steps in learning are identified, with suggestions for helping the children take those steps. Managing the learning process is discussed and there are suggestions for practical activities to help the teacher try out the approaches covered.

With practical advice on assessing what children know in order to plan the next stage in their learning, this is a wonderful resource for whole school INSET. Although a Year 5 class is shown in the video clips, the techniques can be applied to any age group.

• Video clips of Year 5 children working with and without teacher interaction.
• A short video clip of children working without the teacher focuses on evidence of children's development in a particular process skill, via a voice-over commentary.
• An on-screen list of developmental criteria. These can be used to assess the skill and identify next steps in the learning. Suggestions are given for helping the children take those next steps.
• The same clip is used to focus on different skills.
• A video clip addressing the question 'What ideas were the children developing?'. Here, a teacher is shown talking with the children.
• A spoken commentary focuses on the teacher's questioning, and the responses to the children's answers.
• Management of the process is discussed.
• Suggestions for practical activities give the teacher some ideas for trying out the approaches covered.

This information is arranged as an introduction followed by five sections that can be called up in any order, depending on the teacher's priorities. The five sections are:

• Assessing enquiry skills
• Assessing understanding and ideas
• Sharing learning goals
• Self and peer-assessment
• Providing feedback

• URL: http://stem.org.uk/rxvy