#Assessment Sliding scales
Nutshell:
Learners reflect on their understanding using a sliding scale.
How to do this:
This is an easy to make/deliver assessment tool which encourages learners to self assess a range of learning aspects.
Draw a horizontal line on your board to introduce this to learners.
On the left of the line write ‘I do not get this’ and on the right of the line ‘I totally get this’ (or words of your own choosing).
“From I don’t get it, to I totally get this!”
Ask the class where they would mark themselves on the scale. You could invite learners up to add their name on the line using your whiteboard pen when you first introduce this.
When using the scale in future you can adapt the question posed and labels on the line, here are some examples;
‘How would you rate your presentation?’
It is very confusing to me – I feel I really understand this well.
Useful for learners
The scale is useful as it can be used to self-assess in a way that learners perceive as non-critical. You can easily enhance the activity by adding ‘points’ along the scale, and even a follow up question such as ‘explain your position on the scale’.
Impact:
Your learners are engaging in self-reflection, which enables them to understand the progress they are making or the level of understanding they have achieved. It also acts as a self-diagnostic tool, indicating what learners need to improve upon in future. Like most assessment tools it enables you the teacher to develop follow up learning or intervention opportunities.
