Assessment, Teaching and Learning: from Principles to Practice

Planning Effective Teaching / Learning Activities

At the beginning of each year it is useful to draw up a schedule of proposed teaching, learning and assessment activities – including plans for when the school-based assessments will be held, with which students, and over what period, but also what needs to be taught and how. These schedules may differ from school to school, or even from class to class.

Example: Teaching, Learning and Assessment Schedule appropriate for Part A (Reading and Viewing Programme)
Before school starts School sets up extensive reading programme, buys range of suitable texts
Term 1
  1. Teacher uses short class reader to model use of logbooks and practise extensive reading skills
  2. Teacher highlights effective communication strategies by showing students' sample clips of good and not so good speaking assessments (from introductory DVD) and asking students to discuss and evaluate them using assessment criteria
  3. Teacher conducts specific activities on using / improving intonation, dictionary and note-taking skills
  4. Students choose first text
Term 2
  1. Students grouped into reading circles (4-5 students per text) and support each other's reading / viewing of first text
  2. Students in same group discuss things they like / don't like about text (audio-taped by students)
  3. Students review their discussion and do self / peer assessment using modified assessment criteria
  4. Teacher listens to sample of assessments and gives whole-class feedback on key areas for improvement
  5. Teacher reviews how to describe and compare / contrast in writing and orally
  6. Teacher groups students into threes, all having read different texts, teacher asks them to find three most significant similarities and differences between their texts
  7. Students audio or video tape their discussion
  8. Teachers may assess each group over a week as a trial assessment, while other groups are doing related reading and writing tasks e.g. an investigative project on comparing two cities in Asia. Students can also be asked to conduct self / peer assessment
Term 3
  1. Teacher gives feedback to groups with common areas needing improvement e.g. intonation, communication strategies, etc.
  2. Students divide into five groups according to interests and go to see a film
  3. Students regrouped with 5-6 other students who have all seen different films. They have to decide which film wins the class 'Academy Award'
  4. Students tape each other, do peer assessments and ask / answer questions freely
  5. Teachers assess each group over a week, while other groups are doing related reading and writing tasks e.g. an imaginative essay or letter to a friend about their night at the Academy Awards
  6. Feedback on assessment through whole class discussion / reviewing of excerpts
May / June Within-school standardisation meeting


To view Mr Ricky Lam talking about the process of planning for teaching and learning.

It is important that the teacher considers what needs to be taught to students based on both a needs analysis, that is, an assessment of students' current language levels and learning needs, and a means analysis, that is, an assessment of what resources, including time, and materials, will be needed to implement the programme.

To view Ms Anne Chan and Ms Lita Chau talking about the resources available to support the development of appropriate learning and teaching activities and for the integration of SBA into the regular curriculum.

Click here to view a document on suggested schemes of work developed by the Education Bureau for the Elective programme incorporating formative assessments and more formal summative assessments, including some suitable SBA activities.


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