Requirement 5: Individual Assessment Topic Investigation

1. How do you work out where children are at in their learning?

Assessment tools such as IKAN, Gloss, probe etc but also from observations. Observing the
students when they are on the mat asking and answering questions, listening to their
conversations when they are sharing with other students is really important. Assessment
data and observations form the basis of the NS OTJs.

2. How do you know children have learned?

Building in marking time (students and teacher mark their work together as a group) into
math is one way that my AT can review students work and see where the gaps are in their
learning. My AT also plans independent work for students, to be completed in the week
following a lesson. This allows my AT to gauge their understanding of a topic and also to see
how much information they have retained and whether it needs to be revisited.

IKAN
IKAN stands for Individual Knowledge Assessment of Number. The IKAN is an assessment
tool used in mathematics to assess which knowledge stage a student is at on the Number
Framework (MOE, 2010). The knowledge section of the Framework refers to the important
items of knowledge that students need to learn to progress through the strategy stages and
to develop more advanced strategies (MOE, 2007). The assessment can be used for
students that are in years 3 to 8 who are at the Advanced Counting (stage 4) or higher. The
assessment can be carried out with a whole class or with a small group. The test is divided
into five parts: stage 4-Advanced Counting, stage 5-Early Additive, stage 6-Advanced
Additive, stage 7-Advanced Multiplicative and stage 8-Advanced Proportional. Within each
part the four knowledge domains are assessed: number sequence and order, fractions,
place value, and basic facts. There are 4 versions of IKAN currently in use. It is
recommended that different versions are used across the year to avoid students becoming
familiar with the test questions (MOE, 2010).
My AT uses the data from the IKAN tests to complete a spreadsheet (see included). She
then identifies patterns and forms groups based on the data. My AT plans specifically for the
needs of these groups.

The Test
When: 1/6/2017
Where: Community Room
Who: 10 students (2 from my class and 8 from Mrs Cheesemans class)
How: I conducted an IKAN2 test this week with 10 students years 6 from Laingholm. I ran
the test independently of my AT in the community room. I provided all students with answer
sheets and made sure they arranged their seats so that they could all read the questions on
the laptop. I explained what I was doing the test in order to collect data so their teachers
would know what to teach them in math.I explained how to complete the answer sheet and
told the students not to worry about getting answers wrong. I also explained that it would not
make sense for anyone to copy their peers answers as this would give us false data which
would not help us or the students.
During the test, some students asked me questions. I explained that I was unable to answer
as I was not permitted to provide assistance during the test. My AT carries out this test
without the timer so the students suggested that when they had answered their question
they would put one hand on their heads. I agreed but was then worried that this might make
some students feel under pressure to hurry their answers, so I continuously reminded all
students to take their time. The test took over an hour. I discussed this with my AT
afterwards and she advised me that it usually takes about half an hour. Next time I would
give slightly less time to students so as not to have them out of class for too long.
After the test I marked the students answer sheets using the IKAN2 answer key and filled in
the stage they are at for each domain.

What does the data mean?

2 students from my class took part in the test. I have included anonymised copies of their
tests in my practicum folder.
Student A
In number sequence and order, fractions, and basic facts this student is working at stage 5.
In place value this student is working at stage 6.
Student B
In number sequence and order, fractions, and basic facts this student is operating at stage 5.
In place value this student is operating at stage 3.

How to use it in my future planning?

Student A
In relation to number sequence and order, fractions, and basic facts my teaching needs to
focus on moving this student from working at stage stage 5 to stage 6.
In relation to place value, my teaching needs to focus on moving this student from working at
stage stage 4 to stage 5.

Student B
In relation to number sequence and order, fractions, and basic facts my teaching needs to
focus on moving this student from working at stage stage 5 to stage 6.
In relation to place value, my teaching needs to focus on moving this student from working at
stage stage 3 to stage 4.

Using place value as an example I would group both of these students together and plan a
rotation that focuses on this topic. This is because both students are currently in year 6 and
both are working at a stage that is below the anticipated standard. According to the NZC
Mathematics Standard for years 1-8, students in year 6 should be working at strategy stage
6.

Warm Up Activities
Using warm up activities such as Cards to 24 will give these student an opportunity to warm
up their brains before getting into math teaching and activities. These warm up games
require students to practice their basic facts, which, according to the assessment is an area
that these student also needs to work on.
Small group teaching (see lesson plan included)
While working directly with these students during their teaching slot in the numeracy
rotation I will focus on counting tenths. To do this I will use a decimat, number lines (partially
completed and blank and a place value house (laminated so they can write on it). I will cut
up the decimat and use a cake analogy to explain how many tenths I have. I will ask them to
the complete the missing numbers (tenths) on the number lines and I will present them with
numbers such as 0.1, 1.11 and 0.01 that they must write on the laminated place value
house.

Rotation Activities
For the remaining slot in the rotation these students will work on a practice worksheet
(counting in tenths - see included). We will correct this worksheet together during our next
teaching slot.

References

Ministry of Education. (2007). Book 1: The numeracy framework. Wellington, New Zealand:
Ministry of Education.

Ministry of Education. (2010). Individual knowledge assessment of number. Retrieved from

https://nzmaths.co.nz/sites/default/files/Numeracy/IKAN/IKANinstructions.pdf