Using self-assessment as a starting point

One of the key benefits of the Skills Builder framework is that by breaking skills down into structured learning outcomes, it’s then possible to assess what students can or can’t already do.

Understanding students’ starting positions is important for teaching effectively. We can’t do this if we don’t understand what students already know. When we know this, we can target what to work on next.

It’s the same with the core skills. If we don’t know which of the skill steps students can do and which need working on, we could waste a lot of time teaching steps that they already know, or trying to build skill steps which need knowledge that students don’t have. There are several possible approaches to assessment. In this video, Jonah talks about the pros and cons of two types of self-assessment.

• What approaches does he talk about?
• When would these approaches be helpful?

Share your ideas in the comments below.