For students to progress confidently and be responsible for their learning, it is essential that teacher and students have shared clarity about what is to be learnt. They need to be clear about the big picture of learning, and the day-by-day learning steps towards it.
"For students truly to be able to take responsibility for their learning, both teacher and students need to be very clear about what is being learnt, and how they should go about it. When learning and the path towards it are clear, research shows that there a number of important shifts for students. Their motivation improves, they stay on-task, their behaviour improves and they are able to take more responsibility for their learning."
Absolum, M. (2006). 'Clarity in the Classroom'.
These resources support the development of shared clarity. They can be used by teachers to help explain and create effective learning intentions and success criteria.
The examples are focused on literacy, and aimed at junior primary students, but can be adapted to suit other purposes and learning levels.
These examples show how teachers can explain to students the purpose and importance of learning intentions and success criteria as part of their learning journeys.
Importance of learning intentions
(PDF 289 KB)
Understanding the learning journey
(PDF 297 KB)
Learning journey analogy for older students
(Word 2007 75 KB)
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These examples show ways of presenting junior literacy learning intentions and success criteria.
I am learning how to write a story
(Word 2007 71 KB)
I am learning how to write a story in order
(Word 2007 107 KB)
I am learning how to write new words in my writing
(Word 2007 120 KB)
I am learning how to work out a word I do not know
(Word 2007 192 KB)
Learning how to check my work against success criteria
(Word 2007 41 KB)
Learning how to come up with an idea for my writing
(Word 2007 170 KB)
Learning how to self assess against success criteria
(Word 2007 41 KB)
LI - (I am learning how to) report writing
(Word 403 KB)
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These examples were developed for new entrants by Charlene Boyd from Greenhithe Primary School.
LI - Writing 1
(Word 496 KB)
LI - Writing 2
(Word 344 KB)
LI - Writing 3
(Word 512 KB)
This example maps out the teacher's steps for teaching her students how to write a conclusion to a piece of persuasive writing.
Clarity Planner - conclusion to persuasive writing
(Word 2007 79 KB)
These videos from the Pasifika Education Community provide examples of Assessment for Learning strategies with Pasifika students.