Plan flexible assessment processes enabling students to demonstrate their understanding, knowledge, and skills
Suggestion for implementing the strategy ‘Develop curriculum and systems that respond to all students’ aspirations’
On this page:
On this page:
Current page section: Plan flexible assessments
Go to top of current page: Plan flexible assessments
Go to top of current page: Plan flexible assessments
Go to top of current page: Plan flexible assessments
Identify hidden barriers
Identify hidden barriers
Use UDL principles to surface barriers that may impact on students’ ability to demonstrate their understanding.
The barrier of handwriting
The barrier of handwriting
A student with dyslexia describes how technology removes barriers to demonstrating his understanding.
Offer options and supports
Offer options and supports
Make supports and options available to everyone.
- Where possible, set success criteria that enable students to demonstrate their understanding in multiple ways.
- Offer students a range of options for expressing ideas and demonstrating understanding – text, images, voice, video, animation or a combination of media.
- Ensure that the means of showing understanding is not itself a barrier to success. For example, “to pass this assessment you have to speak in front of the class”.
- If assessments require a written response, offer students tools and supports such as text-to-speech, word prediction, keyboard access for typing, graphic organisers, and planners.
- Support students to break down tasks and manage their time so that they can complete assessments in the required time.
- Offer extended time to complete tasks.
Effective assessment practices
Effective assessment practices
- Offer a range of courses that provide for students aspirations, interests, abilities, and needs.
- Ensure there is a transparent process for students to appeal assessment decisions.
- Teachers have mentoring conversations with students and provide course guidance that gives transparent information about relevant assessment pathways.
- Teachers provide students with pathways towards qualifications, certificates, and endorsements.
Consider students diverse needs
Consider students diverse needs
Ensure teachers provide equitable access for students who:
- use special assessment conditions
- have English as a second language
- need support in literacy and/or numeracy
- are gifted and talented or accelerated
- need supported learning
- arrive or leave during the year.
Source: NZQA: Effective practice in schools (opens in a new tab/window)
Useful resources
Useful resources
Effective practice in schools
This is an overview of effective assessment that ensures results reported to NZQA are credible. It includes examples of how schools effect this. It also outlines the support students can expect to receive.
Publisher: New Zealand Qualifications Authority
Special assessment conditions
NZQA information guide for school and families on Special Assessment Conditions.
Publisher: New Zealand Qualifications Authority
Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Develop flexible systems to support all students”:
-
Current page Plan flexible assessments
Return to the guide “Preparing students to leave school”
![11515 [Leaving-school3.JPG]](https://inclusive-live-storagestack-assetstorages3bucket-3uty0hejzw6u.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/public/inclusive-education/guides/featured-images/Leaving-school3__FillWzIwOCwyMDhd.JPG)
How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: Leaving school
Strategies for action:
-
Access research and recommendationsShow suggestions for Access research and recommend­ations
-
Support effective transitionsShow suggestions for Support effective transitions
-
Develop flexible systems to support all studentsShow suggestions for Develop flexible systems to support all students
-
Help students' identify aspirations and implement plansShow suggestions for Help students' identify aspirations and implement plans
-
Prepare students with future-focused skillsShow suggestions for Prepare students with future-focused skills
-
Explore work and study optionsShow suggestions for Explore work and study options
