Don’t label students with ‘failure’

Mandatory A-E student reporting risks discouraging some students from learning, writes KATHY DEACON.

Federal and state ministers for education are attempting to mandate the use of A-E reporting for all students. A-E reporting does not accurately report about the learning process and will not automatically result in parents being provided with a true picture of their child's learning and achievements. It will, however, automatically label students.

A-E reporting means that there will be students who will be given Ds and Es. Students of all ages know that D and E mean failure.

A student continually branded a failure, despite their best efforts, will probably stop taking the necessary leaps of faith required in the learning process.

Students learn because they take risks and try new things within the safe and supportive environment of the classroom. To take risks a student has to believe that they might be successful. Students also learn skills and knowledge in increments and build upon their achievements. A willingness to attempt new tasks is as important to the learning of a kindergarten student as to a year 12 student.

A six year old consolidating their reading skills will try to read a unknown word utilising knowledge of letter sounds and blends and whole language within the context and meaning of a sentence. Children will often misread new words. Teachers at this point assist the child to use the skills they have already developed to decode the word. The child is not told that they are a failure, that they are wrong. Teachers will often tell a child that they made a wonderful attempt, teach the child the necessary skill required and then assist the child to make another attempt. It is at this point where the learning takes place.

An eleven year old writing a scientific report may spell certain words incorrectly. The most important thing at this stage is that the child continues to write the report and does not allow the fact that they cannot spell unfamiliar words stop them from completing the task. A teacher when marking the writing will acknowledge the correctly spelt words. A child at that age knows when they have incorrectly spelt most words and they will be asked to read their writing and underline any words they need assistance with. The child is then taught various skills to correct their spelling such as looking up words in the dictionary. What is crucial is that the child continued to write the report using the appropriate words and made 'good spelling attempts' in the first draft and then corrected their errors using new skills learnt.

A-E is an inappropriate method of reporting upon the progress of students through the outcomes based curriculum. A-E reporting does not allow for the acknowledgement of the growth of a student through stages. A student could enter high school without mastery of the stage 3 outcomes which is the standard for students in year 6. In year 7 they could master stage 3, however, the standard in year 7 is working within stage 4. The student would have to be given a D or E even though they would have made considerable progress.

Student reporting isn't about labelling or ranking students. Student reporting should focus on supporting the learning of students and strengthen the congruence between home and school.

Kathy Deacon is a City Organiser.

©2000-2002 NSWTF Online is a resource for teachers
provided by the NSW Teachers Federation.
[Authorisation of election comment] [Privacy]

http://www.nswtf.org.au/journal_extras/dontlabel.html
Last Modified: 03 Aug 2006