Teachers know how students learn and how to teach them effectively Standard 1: Evidence 2

The above sentence is observing the methods the child was taking in attaining the answer. This method of observation/documentation was continued throughout the interview

By demonstrating observation and documentation I believe I have demonstrated that I am able to utilize appropriate strategies to get a better understanding of my students content knowledge, and this will impact on my future planning

This example of formative assessment indicates that I am developing my understanding the importance of assessment in childrens learning. I believe I will use this assessment and ones like this in my future teaching in order to inform future planning and gain a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the students in my classroom. This assessment can then inform what summative methods I will use in order to gain a better understanding of where children started and where they progressed.

Continuation of this evidence: The following report and evaluation in regards to the interview, are highlighting that I have a degree oh knowledge about what barriers there are to learning and the developmental steps students make. This links in with the role of literacy and language as I noted the she struggled with some of the mathematical jargon.

Brief report on students mathematical knowledge

The student I had (Sara) was one of the older grade 6 students. Throughout the one-onone interview she demonstrated great persistence, and concentration. Sara demonstrated some basic understandings of rational number. Specifically in the first question, she showed that she was confident with common fractions such as a quarter, which she explained was the answer of part B. When asked to explain this she offered a range of correct reasons. Such as, it has a 90 degree angle and when you divide the other side into two as well it makes four even parts. One area she struggled with was using the number line to portray fractions. Although she marked two thirds correctly, she did asked for reassurance and was not 100% confident in her answer. When asked to show six thirds and eleven sixths she spent a considerable amount of time attempting the answer however, replied Im confused I dont know. Sara also had some misconceptions concerning decimal language terms tenths, hundredths and thousandths. This was evident in both questions eight and ten, which demonstrated her misconception that adding a zero to the end of the number to find which is smaller or larger, is the best method. Thus, I feel as though her misconceptions should be rectified in order to help develop her skills in Rational Number. Word Count: 219

Critical evaluation of the assessment Interview

Assessments are crucial in observing childrens progression and development in learning. An assessment interview is a significantly beneficial way to collect information on the childs learning through verbal communication and a one-on-one setting. Conducting an interview with a student is a powerful way to learn about a students thinking (Reys, et al., 2007, p.71), as it allows teachers to gain a large amount of information regarding students understanding of mathematics, and in doing so, demonstrates to the teacher the strategies which the student is applying with this understanding. The strategies that children use in mathematics can say a great deal about their mathematical knowledge. When the interviewer asks questions in varying ways, they are able to formulate hypotheses about how the child is thinking about the task, and what [he/she] does and do not understand (Reys, et al. 2007, p.72). A way in which teachers can gain more knowledge about their students understanding is prompting them to verbalise their thinking, using phrases, such as, I am interested in knowing more about your thinking. Talk to me about it (Reys, et al., 2007, p.72). By undertaking an assessment interview with students individually, teachers are able to gain a wealth of knowledge on areas the student needs improvement, and adapt their teaching pedagogies to cater for this.

Word Count: 206 I believe that this evidence demonstrates that I have a knowledge of effective pedagogical approaches because I am recognizing that getting children to reflect more on their thinking using probing questions is crucial in the area of mathematics.