Assessment

Use your existing assessment tools in Literacy and Numeracy. Assessments used for earlier stages may be required if students are achieving well below grade level.

In the Assessment section of the Literacy and Numeracy Plan, write their present level of functioning in the relevant area.

Plotting the student’s skills on the Literacy Continuum and Numeracy Continuum can be a useful way of both assessing what they can do and what skills are the next steps in learning.

Goal Setting

Setting a small number of simple goals over a short time period (e.g. 3-4 simple goals per month) encourages all involved to focus on key skills.

The student goals for the Literacy and Numeracy Plan are SMART goals.

Specific: Clear description of the knowledge or skills to be learned.

Measurable: Outcome must be observable and able to be measured.

Attainable: Goal must be realistic for the student.

Relevant: Based on the child’s current needs.

Time-based: Progress can be monitored over time and time limit keeps people on track.

The benefits of writing goals in this way are:

• Focus on acquiring specific skills or knowledge.
• Progress is easier to monitor.
• Simple evaluation of whether the goals have been achieved or not.
• Consistency and clarity of communication between student, teachers, and parents/carers.
• Large goals seem insurmountable, smaller goals make change easier.