How to Create Effective Maths Tests for Years 7-10: Expert Insights by John Absolon
Explore practical guidance on crafting math tests for students in Years 7-10, focusing on ACARA V.9 proficiency levels. John Absolon, a seasoned educator and former accountant, shares tips on test creation, student feedback, grading, and differentiation strategies. Gain valuable insights into aligning assessments with curriculum standards, leveraging resources, and fostering student success in mathematics. Presented at the SASTA STEM Conference, this resource-rich presentation delves into the nuances of test design to drive student achievement in math education.
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HOW TO WRITE A MATHS TEST YEARS 7-10 ACARA V.9 Maths Focus Presented by John Absolon jabsolon@cbc.sa.edu.au SASTA STEM Conference Friday 2 December BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
A BIT ABOUT ME Name: John Absolon Teaching middle and senior years: since 2005, maths, accounting, business Former Accountant: Ernst & Young Adelaide Corporate Finance Division Current workplace: Christian Brothers College since 2011 Side Hustle: TrialExams.com.au or TE, first sold exams in 2021 Passions outside of teaching: cycling to work, lawn bowls, seeing my children thrive, Star Wars fan, nft collector Motivation for this presentation: forms part of my Lead Teacher application BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
GO TO: HTTPS://WWW.SURVEYMONKEY.COM/R/PRETESTWRITING Pre-Presentation Quiz BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
PRESENTATION FOCUS Context (2023 transition year ACARA v.8.4 and v.9, leading into 2024 ACARA v.9) Creating the Test Informing Students Marking the Test Informing Students and communicating with parents Closing the GAP and differentiation BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
THE LAW Grades ACARA: Teachers must allocate a grade on the students report A, B, C, D, E, N Curriculum Content 2023 ACARA v.8.4 and or v.9 2024 ACARA v.9 BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
HOW TO DETERMINE A-E GRADE Marks converted to a % converted to a Grade Band questions together, allocate grade without marks based on correctness Mind set when determining grade: look for evidence that demonstrates standard of achievement, don t take marks off for what is not there, instead award marks for what is there ACARA Proficiencies: Understanding, Fluency, Reasoning, Problem Solving BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
ACARA V.9 RESOURCES New Website https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/ New Resources Website https://www.mathematicshub.edu.au/ BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
ACARA V.9 PROFICIENCY STANDARDS Understanding (all encompassing) Fluency (demonstration of strategy) Reasoning (explain, deduce, justify, adapt, transfer, prove) Problem Solving (identify a problem and formulate a mathematical solution) https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/teacher-resources/understand-this- learning-area/mathematics#accordion-d7aa646722-item-87b13efde3 BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
CREATING THE TEST New Test Old Test Re-purpose an old test Create new test (but with questions from a variety of old tests) Hybrid of all the above New Test each year (or at least 4 unique tests, have 3 on rotation and 1 continually available for revision) allows for brothers, sisters and cousins sharing tests Build up over the years, or each teacher write a new test each year to build resources quickly BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
TEST LAYOUT Cover Page (school logo, topic, year level, marks, grade, ACARA criteria, feedback section, student name, teacher name) Headers: Year level, topic Footers: Page numbers Question Groupings: C Questions, then B questions, then A questions Grid lines wherever students write Extra grid lines: space just for extra working out instead of white space Margins (narrow) Diagrams in colour where possible Font: Arial size 10-12 Question and space for working out below or to side BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
TEST LENGTH Maximum marks 1 mark per minute (ie 45 minutes, no more than 45 marks) BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
MIX OF A, B AND C STANDARD QUESTIONS Resources Test Evaluator Spreadsheet Go to thechalkie.com.au then Resources to download spreadsheet Choose Proportions Depends on class composition (mixed ability, streaming, General, Methods) C s 50%, B s 30%, A s 20% C s 40%, B s 30%, A s 30% BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
TYPES OF QUESTIONS 1 step questions 2 step questions Problem solving Stand alone questions Many parts questions (watch for follow through) Draw graphs Explain, analyse BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
USING KEY WORDS What do the following words mean when used in a question: Solve for State (usually a deifinition, or a formula Use Determine instead of Find, don t use Find Show that (means the answer is provided, and marks are allocated for showing working out steps, 2 ways to show that ), pro tip: Show that ... is approximately .. Evaluate BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
MARKS AND FEEDBACK Discussion: Ticks and marks, crosses, acronyms Do we allocate marks per question? Do we allocate a mark for each step? Do we write down what the student did wrong Do we write down what the student could have done to get the answer correct Do we circle where the student went wrong Do we suggest what the students could revise to improve knowledge Tip: focus on being positive in the way you write feedback BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
ALLOCATING MARKS WHEN MARKING When to use common acronyms when marking tests FAO Forward Answer Only TE Trivial Error FT Follow Through Taking marks off (limit to 1 mark per test) Units Decimals Rounding BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
VETTING AND SOLUTIONS Vetting: fresh eyes to prepare a set of solutions, give feedback, recommendations (not necessary most of the time) Vetting: fresh eyes take a look Set of solutions: Prepare a set of solutions, time yourself (60 minute test for me is 15 minutes) BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
MARKING THE TEST Cheeky Tip First Mark best students paper in whole (use it to check for mistakes) Methods Page by page (quicker, more consistent, easier to redo, no bias) Paper by paper Colour of Pen used for Marking Green is best Whole or full marks (key is consistency) BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
RESOURCE SHEET OR NOT Arguments for: Arguments for: Practice for year 12 (it s a skill) Can see who has revised, allows feedback to parents Confidence booster for students Allows for differentiation (for a non-resource sheet test) Arguments Against Students focus on preparing sheet instead of practicing questions for revision Potential to reduce automaticity Key Issue Consistency amongst colleagues, expectations set for different year levels (7-10 A4 one side, 11 and 12 A4 1 side) BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
ADVANCE NOTICE Discussion What do different schools do? Give 2 weeks notice based on program Negotiate with students change of date closer to the date if necessary How to give notice Release date in Learning System, and all Test Conditions (resource sheet, revision expectations) Advise students in person in class Best day of the Week to give test Tuesday Friday BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
INFORM STUDENTS Inform Students of the Test Conditions Date of test Chapters / topics covered Time length of test Resource sheet (yes / no) Access to calculator (yes / no) Layout and number of questions (might be too much information) Resource Sheet, BE SPECIFIC (hand written notes only, no copying, no gluing, no stapling, no printing, no photocopying, paper size, one or two sides) Revision expectations Students are to use pen Not to erase incorrect answer, but to cross out with a single line then re-attempt Marks are awarded for showing working out (but still award marks for an answer only depending on question) BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
REVISION FOR TEST Provide to students Past Test + solutions End of chapter review sets Advise students to prepare a Resource Sheet Revision Booklet or Practice Test or both Online / Paper (make same as test delivery) BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
RETURNING THE TEST Scan document, upload to Learning System (ie Seqta) Upload scanned solutions to Learning System Return Physical Test Allow student to find mistakes in marking and get extra marks when a mistake has been made Students who fail??? See next slide BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
STUDENTS WHO FAIL TEST Re test discussion: yes / no (I lean towards no except for exceptional circumstances) Test Score still gets uploaded to learning system Message parents/guardians file note on student account in learning system (no surprises) inform parents of differentiation opportunity Differentiation More opportunities to demonstrate ACARA C achievement standard (best possible grade is a C) C standard questions/tasks only (easiest possible . How long is the tail?? Where is the line drawn??) New Tasks (worksheet, scaffolded worksheet, reduce number of questions, allow open book, access to online resources, carefully targeted and limited assistance, extra time, take home) Upload to Learning System (separate task set for specific students only) BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
ADMINISTERING THE TEST Class room layout Rearrange desks to students are facing the teacher One person per desk where possible, separate desks Shared desks (maximum 2 per desk, sit opposite each other) Let students start straight away Watch for phones (all books, pencil cases, computers, bags on ground) Let students hand up test early and go on with other work For students: No talking Connect Laptop to TV: show count down timer Close door to keep outside noise to a minimum, get angry at students making noise outside class room Make students hand up their resource sheet with their test Walk around the class room and keep an eye on the students BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
ABSENT STUDENTS Keep test structure same Alter some of the numbers When to test (lots of options: next lesson, recess, lunch, after school) BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
SOMETHING PRACTICAL TO TAKE HOME Checklist Test Checker Example Test + Differentiated Tasks BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
GO TO: HTTPS://WWW.SURVEYMONKEY.COM/R/AFTERTESTWRITING Post-Presentation Quiz BROUGHT TO YOU BY JOHN ABSOLON AND TE TRIALEXAMS.COM.AU AND THECHALKIE.COM.AU
