Curriculum and how it is assessed Summative Assessments are given periodically to

Curriculum and how it is assessed. Summative Assessments are given periodically to determine how a student has progressed up to a given point at any point in time. Many associate summative assessments are based on standardized tests, such as state assessments. They are also used at and are an important part of district and classroom programs. Summative assessment at the district/classroom level is an accountability measure that is generally used as part of the grading process. Formative Assessment is part of the instructional process. When incorporated into classroom practice, it provides the information needed to adjust teaching and learning while they are happening. In this sense, formative assessment informs both teachers and students about student understanding at a point when timely adjustments can be made. These adjustments help to ensure students achieve, targeted standards-based learning goals within a set time frame. (Cited in reader 1 chapter 15) Kay (2013, p104) points out that this form of assessment can help show where additional needs are required. While summative assessments are important in gauging what level of learning a child has attained, they are less effective than formative assessments in providing regular feedback to children and parents as they only occur at the end stage of learning.Assessment learning cycle (70 words) (study topics 10-page 40 figure 10.1). Curriculum learning: Describing the children: On the 24th of March 2019 I went to the Global English town teaching centre for young children and observed a small group of children aged 10 to 12. The children attending class were learning English as an additional language. (Study topic 7, p. 200 growing up bilingually). When I first entered the room, the children seemed well behaved as they were focussed on the teacher who was introducing me. After the introduction the children started doing a reading activity with the teacher, I observed the children engaging in the activity and where very keen to learn new words and combinations. The teacher started reading to them once the teacher had finished reading the book, she started writing words on the board and asked the children questions based on the story she just read to them. The children are now talking among themselves to gather information to answer the teacher’s questions although there were some issues from 1-2 of the students, the rest of them continued to mind their own work and answered the questions being asked. When the reading activity was over the teacher asked the children to get out there note books to do a written spelling test at the same time some simplified joining of words. The children then broke in to smaller groups. The children lost interest and focus getting more curious and wanted to investigate what was going on elsewhere in the classroom due to the fact that some were seriously distracted by new equipment that was brought in to the classroom. The teacher told the children if they finished the task they could explore and play. The children got excited and could not wait to try out the new toys and books the new teacher had brought to the class, the teacher used some of the items to incorporate fun and enjoyment back in to the lesson for the children’s full attention and played a word wall game. Adult participants.There was only one main teacher within the class as the class size was small (between 8-10 students). The teacher was female and aged in her thirties, she has a multilingual background and is capable of speaking numerous languages which include: Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese and English. I was present throughout the class as an observer of the lesson and if I was needed as a support teacher, I would have been happy to help with the lesson. The teacher was very confident and set a good atmosphere within her classroom. She was very good at leading her children to learn new topics, words and combinations to build up sentences. She is a really good role module for the children to learn from. The Teacher has 6 years work experience as an English teacher and said she loves her job. The context of the lesson.It is easy to discover what interests’ younger children because they are so eager to share everything with great enthusiasm. So, the teacher listened! This is how the teacher knew that her students would immediately be drawn into word wall games. When the teacher used some sticky ball’s that were supplied to the classroom. She then wrote words on the board for the children to throw at to hit the correct spelling of words in the story she had previously read to the children. Whilst observing the lesson noticing the children would learn a lot faster the way the teacher used the idea to the children’s advantage when helping her students learn to spell or say new words. The children have to be able to hook on to new information for something they already know in order for the learning to be retained by the child. (Study topic 14, p. 161 Life wide creativity) (Craft 2002). Life wide creativity is relevant to adults as well as children alike. It reflects an inclusive view of learners: It assumes that all learners are capable of being creative and should be offered opportunities to develop and express their creativity. It seems like such a small thing, by using a gadget or toys with which they can identify really helps place activities – in this case, those with word walls – in their context. (The benefits of ICT study topic 12, p. 112) In order for children to learn to love reading and comprehend what they read, the stories must be in their context. Having children write their own stories is a great way to place reading into the context of their lives. Younger students can dictate their own stories to write down, and group stories are fun to write, too, because everyone contributes. Reading improves writing and writing improves reading.Play in the curriculum (study topic 13, p. 146). Research has shown that the quality of practitioner interactions within play-based learning makes a significant contribution to the ‘development of a child’s understanding. Communicative grammar.While observing in the classroom, I noticed the teaching style was based on the communicative approach to the teaching English as an additional language. Language structures are taught in isolation and integrated into four skills of learning a new language. Which are as follows listening, speaking, reading and writing. In the way the structure was practiced by the teacher was in oral and written form. Certain balances between pre-communicative and communicative activities: the first preparing the learners to handle the language rules for actual communication and the latter enables the children to use the structures in real communication. The students must not only do drills and pre-communicative exercises in class, the children interacted and communicated with peers. Classes are planned in a way that the children use the structures naturally and not artificially, the children required time and practice to internalize those patterns by using a process in which grammatical structures are recycled with a variation of complexity. Regarding the teaching of grammar, what has been done is in the additional language classes it was evident that presentation of grammatical patterns, followed by some drilling and structural exercises where being used to the best interests of all the children within her care. The above observation, there is some forms of play incorporated in the lesson. (Study topic 13, p. 144 types of play by Bob Hughes 1996). Student’s Learning Outcomes. Conversation and grammar:1. Demonstrate through face-to-face conversations comprehension of simple words and phrases used in common everyday context.2. Ask grammatically structured questions related to basic needs and respond appropriately using short phrases and sentences. 3. Use words that signal differences between present and past in simple statements related to common activities. Reading: 1. Interpret isolated vocabulary words and phrases in familiar contexts.2. Predict meanings of unfamiliar words in familiar contexts using context clues.3. Use learned strategies to identifying the topic, the main idea, and supporting details to interpret short narrative or descriptive passages on familiar topics. 4. Identify time sequence in a simple narrative passage. Writing: 1. Generate simple sentences containing learned vocabulary and using appropriate grammatical structures. 2. Write a series of simple sentences on personal experiences or a familiar topic. 3. Use chronological order when writing about daily activities or narrative paragraphs. The lesson.When the teacher introduced new books to the children, they were all excited and eager to start reading them, so much so one of the children picked up a really tough book for his age and struggled to read it. The teacher and peers helped him and he managed to succeed in the task and finished the book. The children struggled with new words at first then the teacher read again with the children which helped them understand better she wrote the new words on the board from the books.New words the children did not know the teacher wrote them on the board and asked the children to break the words down to be able to pronounce.For instance knocking at the door. She wrote it and explained the silent k.k no ck ing This is how She wrote the example.As I watched the teacher model the sounds for the class, I noticed that she realized that a few of the students were having difficulties grasping the terminology.The teacher was concerned about some of the words in the book, she would help the children write the words on the board and blend them together and clearly explained what the words meant. When I watched the children learning they had a determined look on their face and you could tell they wanted to learn the new words the teacher was teaching them.Long term goals.Long term goals How to achieve them Course of actionGet a teaching qualification. Participate in all open university courses to complete this qualification. Study over the next 2 years to complete all relevant course work allowing 18 hours of study time a week.Participate in new training programs if required. Teachers need constant evolving so courses may be issued throughout a teacher’s career. Partake in all new training and courses provided by the school and the open university.Finding a teaching job either in Nurseries, primary education (early years) or primary schools. Use the internet search engines to look for adequate jobs. Search career centres or apply directly at the school. Attend all interviews, go to them well prepared to have the best chance in getting a job. Become a teaching assistant. Whilst applying for a teaching jobs I would also advertise for T. A’s and nursery work. Go to job interviews well prepared to have the best chance in a teaching career.Become a temporary T.A volunteer to acquire work experience. As a volunteer I would offer a certain amount of time to gain relevant experience. Apply at local schools and Kindergartens, learn the skills of becoming a teacher. Build on skills I have used whilst teaching English as an additional language whilst in China. Become a full-time child minder. (This I my back up plan). I would sit a course on child minding in a relevant company. CBD checks and Ofsted registration.My role as a teacher is just starting to develop, I still need to reflect on many aspects of the teaching profession. (Study topic 2, p. 60) PDP support the idea that learning is a lifelong and life wide activity.I have many aspects to consider in a teaching career and would like to become an early year’s teacher gearing children up and preparing them for primary education and teaching young children how to read, write and do simple maths. I did notice the spider diagram in study topic 19 chapter 2.2 to help build my soft skills further and it has come in very useful in this assignment referring to it at times.