Transcript Enabling successful communication of geographical understanding in written assessments AE SIG GA Conference 2013 The requirements for the assessment of quality of written communication (QWC) previously.

Enabling successful
communication of
geographical understanding in
written assessments
AE SIG
GA Conference 2013
The requirements for the assessment of quality of written
communication (QWC) previously appeared in The Statutory
Regulation of External Qualifications (2004) under the criteria for
the accreditation of GCSEs and GCEs.
GCE assessment arrangements require that:
Where learners are required to produce written material in
English, Welsh and Irish (Gaeilge), learners should:
• ensure that text is legible and that spelling, punctuation
and grammar are accurate so that meaning is clear;
• select and use a form and style of writing appropriate to
the purpose and the complexity of the subject matter;
• organise information clearly and coherently, using
specialist vocabulary when appropriate.
Transparency in the assessment
of QWC
• There should be a clear communication
to learners as to which assessments
will involve the assessment of QWC.
• Examiners should be made aware of
when they are to assess QWC through
the incorporation of the assessment
criteria into mark schemes.
• Marks for spelling, punctuation and the accurate use of
grammar must be allocated to written and externally
assessed units where there is a requirement for sufficient
extended writing to enable the accurate application of the
Performance descriptions. The marks allocated must
achieve a total weighting of 5% of the total marks for the
qualification.
• Marks for spelling, punctuation and the accurate use of
grammar will be allocated to individual questions. These
marks must be identified to candidates on the question
papers.
• No fewer than three marks for spelling, punctuation and
grammar should be allocated to any single question.
AQA
EDEXCEL
OCR
Geography specification A
Marks for SPaG will account for 5%
of the overall qualification but will
only be assessed in Unit 2 (and
Short Course Unit 4 in its final sitting
in June 2013).
Unit 2: nine marks (Short Course
Unit 4: six marks)
Edexcel’s GCSE Geography A,
SPaG marks will be assessed in Section B of
Units 1, 2 and 3.
SPaG is not assessed in Unit 4 (controlled
assessment).
SPaG marks are awarded across Units 1, 2 and 3
in order to give candidates an opportunity to be
rewarded for their SPaG across different elements
of the subject, rather than having all of the SPaG
marks in just one unit examination.
The SPaG marks will be allocated to the
question within each section that offers the most
opportunity for the use of extensive technical
vocabulary and gives candidates an opportunity to
demonstrate their writing skills.
Marks will apply to specific
questions, and candidates will be
made aware which questions will
include marks for accurate
Spelling, Punctuation and
Grammar.
Marks for Spelling, Punctuation
and Grammar will contribute
approximately 5% of the total
marks for the overall qualification.
Geography specification B
Marks for SPaG will account for 5%
of the overall qualification and will be
assessed in Units 1 and 2 - six
marks on each paper
Edexcel’s GCSE Geography B,
SPaG marks will be assessed in Section C of
Units 1, 2 and 3.
SPaG is not assessed in Unit 4 (controlled
assessment).
SPaG marks are awarded across units 1, 2 and 3
in order to give candidates an opportunity to be
rewarded for their SPaG across different
elements of the subject rather than having all of
the SPaG marks in just one unit examination.
The SPaG marks have been allocated to the
question within each section that offers the most
opportunity for the use of extensive technical
vocabulary and gives candidates an opportunity
to demonstrate their writing skills.
Assessment of spelling, punctuation and the accurate
use of grammar
Threshold performance
• Candidates spell, punctuate and use the rules of grammar with
reasonable accuracy in the context of the demands of the question. Any
errors do not hinder meaning in the response. Where required, they use
a limited range of specialist terms appropriately.
Intermediate performance
• Candidates spell, punctuate and use the rules of grammar with
considerable accuracy and general control of meaning in the context of
the demands of the question. Where required, they use a good range of
specialist terms with facility.
High performance
• Candidates spell, punctuate and use the rules of grammar with
consistent accuracy and effective control of meaning in the context of
the demands of the question. Where required, they use a wide range of
specialist terms adeptly and with precision.
SPaG Activity
Interpretation
and QWC
To reach Level 1, I have:
- written a brief
description to go with
my data presented e.g.
graphs with a
description of the trend
below
- included some reasons
to explain
what
my results show.
- used a limited range of
geographical terms
- written my sentences
using capital
letters
and full stops, as well as
other punctuation and
grammar
- spell checked and proof
read my work to make
sure it makes sense.
Reasonable accuracy in
the use of spelling,
punctuation and grammar
is evident.
(1 – 4 marks)
I have completed all of
Level 1 and I have:
- written a description for
all of my results and
have manipulated the
data to show
the
trends e.g. including
percentages,
fractions or ratios
- written a conclusion
which starts with a
‘summary of key
findings’, which answers
the question or
hypothesis at the start of
the investigation
- used geography terms
appropriately
from
the start of my
investigation in my
final write up. I have
written in full
sentences and
paragraphs which make
sense.
Considerable accuracy in
the use of spelling,
punctuation and grammar
I have completed all of
Level 2 and I have:
- written a detailed
description for all of my
results, which includes
detailed data analysis
- identified links
between data sets
- written a valid
conclusion based on my
‘summary of key
results’, which answers
the
hypothesis at
the start of the
investigation
- used a wide range of
geography terms
appropriately
- written in sentences
and paragraphs which
are clear and logical.
My writing is fluent and
makes sense.
accurate use of spelling,
punctuation and
grammar.
(9 – 12 marks)
1. How far does the QWC help or hinder the ability to
communicate geographical understanding?
2. How accurate is the spelling, punctuation and grammar?
Look at the answers written by students.
Award a SPaG mark for each answer.
Question C answers are pre-SPaG.
How did you do?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Question A
2
2
Question B
0
0
Enabling strategies
 Oral – if they are to understand fully geography’s concepts, ideas and
terminology students must regularly engage in talking about the subject,
as well as listening to the teacher and their peers. Talking is often the
precursor to both learning and to the production of good quality writing
.
 Questioning that pushes students into higher order thinking and
reasoning, often by making them engage in analysis, synthesis, decision
making and in formulation conclusion.
The opportunity to ‘play’ with language.
Set tasks that encourage and necessitate an extended form of response.
Good extended writing requires careful structuring, scaffolding and
repeated practice.
Memory and construction – opportunities to develop the skill of retaining
more than one important point in their short term memory, while making
decisions about the status of such information, and then attempting to
relate these points to each other before writing.
Relevance and selection – students need to develop the means to select
and to justify the selection of different facts or points.
Sorting – sorting and classification helps to develop students’ thinking skills
and is an important stage in marshalling information before they attempt to
write.
General and particular – practice using evidence to support a position
defining ‘larger points’ and ‘smaller points’
The language of discourse – students often need to develop greater
sophistication in the form of their writing, and therefore need to be exposed
to a variety of texts.
Examples of enabling strategies
Can you readily identify how the example contributes
towards enabling students to improve QWC?
Consider
The task,
The support offered to the student
The challenge offered to the student
What are the challenges posed in your own situation
and how far could any of these ideas be helpful?
“Too often as geography teachers we may
be fooled by students who appear to
have taken on the ‘language of
geography’ but whose written work does
not convey a depth of understanding
that we might hope would be associated
with that language, By helping students’
to develop their extended writing in
geography we may be provided with
evidence both of their geographical
understanding and their emerging
thought processes.”
Graham Butt 2001