asTTle Writing

Student writing in Years 4-6 is formally assessed in Terms 1 and 4 using the asTTle writing test from 2008 onwards. Teachers use this information to inform learning programmes and identify the next steps in the development of written language. Throughout the year, teachers continue to monitor and assess writing on an ongoing, informal basis.

asTTle (Assessment Tools for Teaching and Learning / He Pūnaha Aromatawai mō te Whakaako me te Ako) is a Ministry Of Education approved software tool designed for assessing reading, writing and maths in years 5 to 10 (curriculum levels 2 to 5). For guidance and an explanation of the curriculum levels relevant to your child, scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Students' scores can be compared over time to measure progress.

After an asTTle assessment, teachers can:

• compare individual and group performance with the national average and other groups such as gender and ethnicity
• compare student performance to the New Zealand Curriculum
• identify student's achievements, strengths, and gaps, such as spelling, punctuation, grammar, and deeper features such as writing structure, audience & purpose and effective use of language.
  
• access resources for the next stages of learning.

asTTle Writing tests can be used to assess writing un a number of contexts, such as narrative, persuasive writing, instructional writing etc. To view examples of student writing in each context and at each level of attainment, please click the link below:


About Curriculum Levels

Achievement Objectives

Each "strand" of the English curriculum includes descriptions of achievement objectives which span eight levels of achievement. These objectives are of two types: language functions, and processes.

The language functions specify what students are expected to be able to do as they use and respond to English language. For example, the objectives for written language specify the ability to use language for expressive, poetic, and transactional purposes. The Curriculum describes "achievement objectives" for each of the eight levels.

The processes underpin the language functions and are crucial for students' language development. For each strand, the curriculum sets out three processes (exploring language, thinking critically, and processing information.) For example, through exploring spoken language, students will learn to adapt spoken language to their audience.

The achievement objectives provide the basis for planning programmes and for assessing a student's language development at any one time. Learning is enhanced when students have clear concepts of their learning goals.

The achievement objectives are based on the recognition that language is a developmental process and that students within a single class will be operating at different levels of learning. The objectives are intended to be seen as cumulative, and express learning as progressively more complex language behaviours and skills.

They enable teachers to determine whether the language aims are being achieved, to establish what an individual student can do, and to decide what the next step should be.

The following diagram indicates approximate parallels between levels of achievement and class and age bands. It is not expected that all students of the same age will be achieving at the same level at the same time. The level statements assist teachers in identifying a student's progressive development, and therefore to provide the most appropriate programmes.

Approximate Range of Curriculum Levels by Year Group

Students will show progress through:

• their increased vocabulary, their use of increasingly elaborate and cohesive sentence structures, and their control over a variety of types of text;
• the range and variety of the contexts in which they use language;
• their continuing growth in independence and ability in using language for different purposes;
• their ability to select precise vocabulary and idiom for the purpose and situation;
• the movement from familiar, personal contexts to exploring new ideas and impersonal or abstract concepts;
• the range and complexity of their ideas and responses;
• their ability to apply language skills to new learning;
• their developing ability to interpret layers of meaning in complex texts.

Source: Adapted from TKI English online. For the full link, see below: