Now that the course has some definite starters Ros spends some more time planning the course. In her planning she decides to:

• take a project orientation based on the real interest of the parent in participating in their child’s education
• collect appropriate material from local schools and the education department
• introduce the idea of developing a portfolio as an explicit part of the course and as part of formative and summative assessment
• set criteria for using Indicators of Competence, drawing on the features and performance strategies and conditions of performance
• set aside time with each student for selecting pieces for the Portfolio

She sets up a collection of sample authentic oral and written texts from local schools and education authorities, for example: weekly newsletters; notices of meetings; child’s reading log books; reports; making appointments for parent /teacher interviews; invitations to concerts and parents and friends associations, requests for voluntary help such as clean up days, literacy and numeracy programs; Canteen rosters; dealing with absence, sickness and bad behaviour.

The learning strategies and activities are constructed using the materials outlined above to build on the skills and knowledge that the students already have and lead toward developing or practising new skills and knowledge in the context of communicating with their child’s school.

The existing skills and aspirations of the learners have been identified in the initial assessment and have been plotted onto the course Learning Outcomes using the NRS to form individual Student Progress Maps

Sample activities:

Students bring samples of written communication from their child’s school for group discussion. Teacher collects sample material from schools and the Education Department.

Discussion on common types of communications from schools, what these indicate about school/systems, and the rights and responsibilities apply to parents as they respond to each request.

Sample texts might be selected and used to develop skills and strategies by looking at the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Features and Performance Strategies at level 2 & 3 such as:

• Structure and layout of text Language features
• Key words Graphics
• Mathematical content

Activities could include reconstruction exercises e.g. jumbled texts, cloze, prediction of the message; matching exercises to check time, money, dates maps etc; practice telephone inquiries, parent teacher interviews, written responses to common school forms, absence notes, and reading reports.

Classes are conducted for two hours per day on two separate days of the week. The time is broken up into a variety of activities: class activities such as discussions, presentations or visits; groups activities such as group writing, role playing; and individual activities such as practising particular skills, drafting, reading and recording.

This community program has adopted a developmental assessment process using a portfolio approach for collecting evidence of progress. This meets the negotiated learning philosophy held by the Community Committee of Management and provides plenty of opportunity for feedback to the learners on their progress and the next steps they will take.

Personal Communication

Procedural Communication

The assessment process should be introduced as early as possible in the program. The student and teacher select those items that demonstrate increasing repertoire of competence in reading & writing oral communication, learning strategies and numeracy. Each sequence of reading, visits, presentations and drafting new texts become formative assessment tasks in which the teacher and learner discuss improvement to the text (oral and written) to make improvements. The process of developing and selecting of items for the portfolio is the perfect vehicle for assessing Indicators of Competence for Learning Strategies.

The range of items to be included in a portfolio is almost limitless but may include written responses to reading, reading logs, selected daily work, a number of drafts of written texts, classroom activities or exercises, projects and audio and video tapes.

There are many ways of carrying out formative assessments. Providers need to select methods that fit the philosophies and curriculum model adopted. Individual items in the folio can be commented on and assessed using the resources of the NRS. Mary, for example, wants to be able to write note to the school explaining that her daughter has had measles. A writing activity is set up for her.

Write a note to the school to explain your child’s absence for three days when your child had measles

Incorporates communication supports as required

Authentic task, the final of three drafts will be sent.

Written in class time

Uses simple verb tenses and sentences of one or two clauses

Uses adjectives, pronouns and prepositions

Conveys overall meaning despite possible variations in spelling and grammar

Writes legibly

Constructs text with statements linked by simple cohesive devices such as and & but

Identify stages in the sequence of learning for reaching expected performance levels (Summative assessment)

The portfolio approach provides a means for collecting evidence for summative assessment. The items in the portfolio can either be assessed as finished pieces relating to particular criteria and sequences of learning or they can be assessed holistically, ie. all the pieces assessed together at the end or as a complete project.

The formative writing task for the program outlined above could be considered for inclusion in the portfolio. Such pieces demonstrate progress towards the goals set and sometimes provide multiple examples of reaching the learning outcomes across different Aspects of Communication.