NCEA

Implementing an assessment programme for the Literacy and Numeracy unit standards

This page provides guidance for schools on implementing an assessment programme for the literacy and numeracy standards.

Step One: Determine a management system to lead the implementation

Step Two: The implementation process – factors to consider

Step Three: Identification of Students

Principal nominates/empowers a group to make decisions on how to work with these standards.

Possible options are:

English department = Literacy Maths department = Numeracy
A cross curricular committee of HODs and/or teachers
Literacy and Numeracy co-ordinators take responsibility for how this will work in their school
Principal’s Nominee and/or member of SMT team takes responsibility
Deans of pastoral houses or academic level Deans take responsibility
A group of people from all levels of the school’s structure are involved.

This group need to consider:

The intent of these standards.
Who will be involved in the implementation process
What the implementation involves i.e
- Who are the students? How do we identify these students? How will progress be tracked in Years 9-11?
- How is evidence going to be gathered, moderated and verified – within the school and in the workplace/community context?
- A process for the transfer of student portfolios for students who change schools.

Key things to consider:

The group/staff members' understanding of the intent of the literacy and numeracy standards.
What are some of the key things that should be included in such a discussion?
- that they are intended to be a “success step” into further learning and assessment
- what is considered “naturally occurring evidence” within the school’s context
- what is a ‘manageable’ way for the school to implement these standards
What steps might lead to a cross-curricular approach to the gathering of evidence?
What steps might lead to students (and their whanau/family) taking an increasing level of responsibility for the gathering of their own evidence towards these standards?

Understanding of the literacy and numeracy standards, their intent and design.
Understanding of adolescent literacy and numeracy, and every teacher’s role in developing this.
Understanding of how the evidence for these standards might be gathered and clear identification of where the evidence is going to come from across the curriculum areas, and/or in workplace and training contexts.(Standards could be assessed in one subject classroom and the folios managed by that subject teacher. However, the intent of the standards is to have them as naturally occurring evidence across the curriculum and in workplace or other contexts/areas).
Decisions regarding moderation and verification of evidence – within school and in external contexts.
Processes for tracking of students.
Initial whole staff professional development is required to support whole school understanding of the above. Literacy and numeracy implementation should involve all teaching and support staff.

Yr 11 year and above students who are not expected to gain literacy and/or numeracy through Achievement Standards from their previous achievement.
Yr 11 year and above students for whom achieving these standards will provide a ‘step’ to success.
Yr 11 year and above students working on alternative education pathway.
Yr 11 year and above students who begin on the Achievement Standards (which have been identified as meeting the literacy and numeracy requirements), but are identified during the year to be unlikely to meet the NCEA Level 1 literacy and/or numeracy requirements.

Students who are expected to meet the literacy and/or numeracy requirements through the Achievement Standards NCEA Level 1.

Assessment Resources Maps are a resource for schools and teachers to help select the most appropriate assessment tool to suit their particular purposes. Assessment Resources Maps can be found here.
School assessment scores and teacher judgement at end of year 10 – indicates students are not likely to meet NCEA Level 1 literacy and/or numeracy requirements through the Achievement Standards pathway.
English language learners in school assessment processes who are not expected to gain literacy through Achievement Standards e.g. they may be working at stage 3 or below of the English Language Learning Progressions.