Moderation Checklist

Moderation Checklist

FAMILIARIZATION

You will need to consider carefully the text type or text form being explicitly taught. Consideration will need to be given to:

· Purpose of the ‘text form’

· Audience for the ‘text form’

· Language features of the ‘text form’

· Text Structure and organizational features within the overall structure and

· Expected conventions

BEFORE MODERATION

1. You will need several samples from one or two students only.

These samples will consist of at least one literary and one factual text from the student/s. You will need all samples from the planning stage to the completed sample. It is to be an independently produced piece of work.

2. Have the proforma attached and the BEFORE Moderation section filled out to contextualize the writing piece.

3. Consider the nature of the sample in that there is sufficient text to make an informed judgment.

4. Read the ‘Focus Statements’ close to where you think the piece of writing is likely to be placed on the map of development.

DURING MODERATION

1. We need to ask ourselves;

What is happening in this piece of writing?

What are its strengths and weaknesses?

Use the Moderating Proforma to guide your discussion and search for evidence (see Moderation proforma).

2. For an overall picture of the writing consider;

· Ideas and Information, first

· Text Structure and Coherence, second

· Language Features, third and

· Conventions (spelling, punctuation, grammar, handwriting or computer generated text and layout.), fourth.

3. Then look at the Progression Points

AFTER MODERATION

· It is important to have a ‘sense’ of the piece of writing (true moderation) before you use the Progression Point Guide and apply a point on the Map of Development.

· This is the end point of the moderation process

· When you select the Progression Point, it is a selection of ‘BEST FIT’. Remember that not all statements in the Progression Point analysis apply to all text types e.g. some apply to factual texts and some apply to literary texts and some apply to both.

· The team approach is the IDEAL. When moderating include different teachers views to promote a healthy understanding of the placement.

· If you have the luxury of two people moderating it could be an advantage for Person A to read the text to Person B to get a deeper understanding of the text.

HINTS and TIPS

1. You may find highlighting the different Aspects of texts helpful when moderating using VELS e.g. references to:

Use of Texts

Contextual Understanding

Conventions and

Processes and Strategies.

2. ‘Text Type’ posters and prompts may be very useful to assist the process.

3. Text type and text form pointers may be a great advantage to fine tuning the process.

ACTION to follow out Meeting – 15th August, 2006.

· Anne and Yvonne to identify gaps where we do not have a sample.

· Email out a coloured sample of the Focus statements (by Andrea Cox).

· Email out a coloured sample of the Aspects of texts (by Marion Vorwerk).

· Plan next day to include:

· What texts are we teaching and how are we teaching it.

· Examples of where Thinking skills and ICT are incorporated in to the English VELS planning that is happening in schools.

· Planning mechanisms for VELS

· Devote a full day to Moderation and planning issues in early term 4(suggested a day in week four).

Yvonne Madden – SMSN – 2006 – Moderation.