Example assessment & marking criteria
|Assessment type: |Learning portfolio |
|Subject: |EML110 English Curriculum: Understanding Language and Literacy |
| |This subject introduces foundational concepts about language and literacy as sociocultural practices, and theories and models of language acquisition and early literacy |
| |development. Students will explore contextual factors that impact language and literacy development such as cultural and linguistic diversity, and the influence of |
| |globalisation and new technologies on literacy teaching and learning. Students will critically engage with English Curriculum documents to understand the intent and |
| |organisation of English through the strands of language, literacy and literature. Students will develop core practices related to collecting, analysing and interpreting |
| |data in order to understand children's early language and literacy experiences in a range of contexts. They will connect these experiences to pedagogical approaches that |
| |support literacy learning in Years K-2. |
|Subject learning |On successful completion of this subject, students will be able to: |
|outcomes: |demonstrate understanding of language and literacy as sociocultural practices |
| |critically analyse the role of literacy |
| |demonstrate understanding of first and second language acquisition and early literacy development |
| |understand pedagogical approaches to teaching |
| |understand language and literacy experiences |
| |understand the influence of cultural and linguistic diversity |
| |critically engage with English curriculum documents. |
| | |
|Assessment task: |1: Learning portfolio |
|Value& length: |40%; variable length |
|Task description: |You will develop and maintain a portfolio that provides evidence of your understanding of key concepts and content related to the subject learning outcomes. The portfolio|
| |will consist of 6 items and a 1,500 word critical reflection essay. The portfolio will be submitted using Pebblepad. |
| | |
| |The portfolio will consist of: |
| |A. Six (6) tasks chosen from tasks embedded in subject content, via the first two learning modules in Interact. You will choose three (3) tasks and your lecturer will |
| |choose three (3) tasks for inclusion in the portfolio. The tasks will incorporate the use of a range of media and provide opportunities for you to demonstrate your |
| |competence in multimodal communication, as well as understanding of subject content. |
| | |
| |The tasks support subject content and are designed to scaffold your engagement with and understanding of key concepts related to: |
| |theories of language and language acquisition, |
| |functional models of language, |
| |theories and models of literacy learning and teaching, |
| |cultural and linguistic diversity, |
| |the impact of technology and globalisation on language and literacy. |
| | |
| |B. A 1,500 word essay that critically reflects on your new and developing understandings about language and literacy teaching and learning in the 21st century, and |
| |discusses how the tasks have contributed to your meeting these learning outcomes of the subject: |
| |demonstrate a critically informed understanding of literacy and language as sociocultural practices; |
| |explain theories and models of first and second language acquisition and early literacy development; |
| |explain the influence of cultural and linguistic diversity on English language and literacy development; |
| |critically analyse the role of literacy in the 21st century as shaped by globalisation and new technologies. |
| | |
| |This essay should be written in the first person, and make reference to subject readings and materials to support your ideas. |
| | |
| |Guidelines |
| |1. The first thing you must do is login to the Pebblepad site (via the subject Interact site), click on 'view' and go to 'gateways'. Find and click on the link to EML440 |
| |BD for the session you are enrolled in. Look for the gateway resources and the link to 'Your name - EML440 Assessment 1'. Beside this is a button that says 'copy and |
| |publish', click on this to save the assessment webfolio to your Pebblepad assets. Then change the name to put your own name in so the file is saved with your name on it! |
| | |
| |This webfolio will be the place where you will put your artefacts for the assignment, including your reflective essay. You can do this by writing directly into the |
| |webfolio or by creating links to the completed portfolio tasks that you have saved as assets in Pebblepad. Once saved into your assets, the webfolio will automatically |
| |update back to the gateway any time you make changes to it. You MUST click 'copy and publish' for this to happen. |
| | |
| |2. Throughout Modules 1 and 2 there are a range of portfolio tasks to complete that are designed to enhance engagement with subject content. You should complete all tasks|
| |and keep them as assets in Pebblepad. You must choose 3 portfolio tasks from the modules that will become assets to be shared as part of your e-portfolio. NOTE: Portfolio|
| |Task 1.3 is compulsory for everyone. In the first 3 weeks of the subject, the coordinator will nominate 2 other portfolio tasks to be included in the final portfolio |
| |submitted for summative assessment. |
| | |
| |NB: Only the portfolio tasks count towards the assessment. Other learning activities are designed to enhance your engagement with the content, but are not assessed. |
| | |
| |3. When you have assembled your 6 tasks, write a 1,500 - 1,800 word reflective report that justifies and critically evaluates each task, discusses how each task |
| |contributes to your development as a teacher and describes what each one demonstrates about your learning with regard to the points in B above. |
| | |
| |You will submit your portfolio with reflection on two occasions: |
| | |
| |Friday 28th March - three assets from Module One with 800 - 1,000 word reflective report for formative feedback. |
| |Monday 27th April - completed portfolio of 6 assets, 3 each from Modules 1 and 2, with 1,500 - 1,800 word reflective report for summative marking. |
|Rationale: |Literacy is a multifaceted and complex part of teaching and learning. Competence in teaching writing can be demonstrated in a number of ways linked to the range of skills|
| |and understandings required. A portfolio is an effective way of representing individual understandings and skills. Teachers are also required to be reflective |
| |practitioners who are able to think critically about their own practice, in order to continuously improve. This assignment will build students’ skills and understandings |
| |about teaching literacy through a range of tasks linked to subject outcomes that students will critically reflect on. Pebblepad is a digital tool that is part of the BTch|
| |Course. It offers an effective and efficient way for students to maintain artefacts that demonstrate their growing competence as teachers. This assignment will build and |
| |develop students’ skills in using Pebblepad for an authentic purpose. |
| | |
| |This assignment meets the following learning outcomes: |
| |demonstrate a critically informed understanding of literacy and language as sociocultural practices; |
| |explain theories and models of first and second language acquisition and early literacy development; |
| |explain the influence of cultural and linguistic diversity on English language and literacy development; |
| |critically analyse the role of literacy in the 21st century as shaped by globalisation and new technologies. |

Marking criteria & standards of performance
Developed by Dr Jae Major

|Marking criteria |HD |DI |CR |PS |FL |
|Task completion reflects |Six tasks are completed with |Six tasks are completed with |Six tasks are submitted and all are|Six tasks are submitted although |Some tasks are missing. |
|familiarity with and |attention to the instructions and |attention to the instructions and |complete in terms of the |there maybe responses which are |There is little evidence that |
|understanding of subject content|requirements. All tasks are |requirements. The majority of tasks|instructions and requirements. |limited or lacking detail and |subject content related to the |
|and materials. |completed to a high standard |are completed to a high standard, |There are minor lapses in detail or|relevance. There is sufficient |outcomes is understood and few |
| |reflecting an in-depth |and the majority reflect an |relevance, but solid evidence that |evidence that most subject concepts|relevant materials have been used |
| |understanding of the relevant |in-depth understanding of the |subject concepts and content |and content related to the subject |in task completion. |
| |concepts and content related to |relevant concepts and content |related to most of the subject |outcomes are understood, and some | |
| |each of the subject outcomes. |related to each of the subject |outcomes are understood. Relevant |relevant subject materials have | |
| |Connections to and beyond relevant |outcomes. Some connections beyond |subject materials have been used to|been used to complete the tasks. | |
| |subject materials are evident. |subject materials are evident. |complete the tasks. | | |
|Evidence of critical reflection |Own learning is critically |Own learning is critically |Own learning is discussed with some|Own learning is described with |Own learning is not described or is|
|on own learning and |discussed with connections to wider|discussed, and some connections are|evidence of critical reflection. |limited levels of critical |described in limited ways. There |
|understandings in relation to |experiences and learning. |made beyond the immediate subject |All subject outcomes are addressed |reflection. Connections to subject |are limited connections made to the|
|subject outcomes and portfolio |Connections between tasks, own |context. The subject outcomes are |but some may lack detail, and |outcomes tend to focus on tasks |subject outcomes and not all |
|tasks. |learning, and subject outcomes are |addressed clearly with some |connections to own learning and |rather than learning/ |outcomes are addressed. |
| |meaningful and synthesised in the |integration and connections to |tasks tend to be discrete rather |understanding, and some links are |Implications for classroom practice|
| |discussion. Implications for |tasks and own learning; however |than integrated. Implications for |tenuous or not clearly explained. |are not considered, or are |
| |classroom practice are discussed |there may be lapses. Implications |classroom practice are described in|Obvious implications for classroom |considered in a brief and |
| |with clear and useful detail. |for classroom practice are |general terms. |practice are described but may lack|superficial way. |
| | |discussed with some detail. | |detail. | |
|Professional standard of |High level of accuracy and control |High level of accuracy and control |Ideas are clearly articulated using|Lack of clarity in places. Text |Lack of clarity that impedes |
|presentation including academic |in articulation of ideas. Logical |in articulation of ideas. Logical |accurate sentence structure. Text |structure may lack clear |understanding of ideas. Significant|
|literacy and the use of APA |and coherent text structure. |and coherent text structure. |structure is clearly organised. |organisation. Minor spelling, |number of spelling, punctuation or |
|referencing. |Sustained evidence of correct |Consistent approach to citation and|Consistent approach to citation and|punctuation or grammatical errors. |grammatical errors per page. Text |
| |citation and referencing. |referencing. |referencing with few errors. |Mostly consistent approach to |structure lacks appropriate |
| | | | |citation and referencing with few |organisation. Inadequate citation |
| | | | |errors. |and referencing |