When planning assessments, using the who, what, where, why, when and how strategy can be useful.
Who is being assessed? – You have to consider who the person you are assessing is, what level are they at now, compared to the level they must attain? Do they have individual learning needs? Once you have this information you can begin making a formative assessment of them.
What is going to be assessed? – What are they going to be assessed on? Is this assessment and its criteria suitable for the individual? Are they on the right course?
When will the assessment take place? – Is there sufficient time for all the training required for the learner to be ready to pass the assessment?
Where will the assessment take place? – Does the learner know where the assessment is going to take place? Is this a suitable venue for the learner? Is there ramp access and toilet facilities for disabled learners?
Why are they being assessed? – Are they being assessed because they want to be? Or, are they there because they have to be?
This could make a huge difference in their attitude to passing the assessment. As a driver trainer this comes up a lot, as some firefighters feel they are being forced to drive, because if they don’t, they feel their place on the watch could come under threat, and they could be moved.
How are they going to be assessed? – Does the learner know how they are to be assessed? Is there an alternative assessment method more suitable for the learner?
