How do I get started on Literacy and Numeracy Diagnostic Assessment – and Assessment 4 of the NCALNE (Voc)

If you’re like a lot of people doing the NCALNE (Voc) literacy and numeracy professional development, you realise there’s a bit of what I call “heavy lifting” to do when you get to this stage.

This not because literacy and numeracy diagnostic assessment is any harder than any other part (well… it might be), but the main thing is that you’ve got to start working with a couple of learners that you need to track through the test-teach-test format of Assessments 4, 5, and 6.

For Assessment 4 on LN Diagnostic you need to actually go and do a bunch of things including using the TEC assessment tool as well as a couple of more contextualised assessments of your own.

This is also the point where you need to start thinking about learning plans as well, so there’s quite a lot going on.

With this in mind, I’ve tried to compile a collection of various links and resources that might help if you need them.

1. As always, if you haven’t already, all of our course content is available for free in interactive modules on the Pathways Awarua literacy and numeracy learning platform. You can find the instructions on how to register here if you haven’t already. We have a unique ALEC join code so email us for it if you need it (assess@alec.ac.nz)
2. Don’t forget to check what’s already in your ALEC Study Guide and Assessment Guide for this part of the course.
3. We’ve also got a great one-page handout that summarises the connections between assessments 4, 5, 6 – email us for a copy if you haven’t got it already.
4. If you need a refresh on what’s required, I’ve got a short audio-only podcast of me talking through the assessment requirements here.
5. There are video clips on diagnostic assessment and Assessment 4 of the NCALNE (Voc) that you can watch on our Youtube channel.
6. And then there are various resources relating to diagnostic assessment on this blog including:
   • Relating to the TEC Assessment Tool (LNAAT)
     • Information on how to understand the box and whisker plots used by the Assessment Tool reporting system.
   • Numeracy diagnostic assessments that you could contextualise
     • Numeracy diagnostic assessment questions in a handy movie clip, keynote slideshow, or PDF you can print.
   • LN Attitude surveys
     • Printable learner attitude questions for reading and maths for adults
   • Literacy diagnostic assessments that you could contextualise
     • How to get started embedded vocabulary into your training by creating a word bank.
     • How to use the online vocab profiler to create targeted vocabulary diagnostic assessments. There are five parts to this and this link will take you to the final stage in the process. You can trace it back from there if you’re interested.
     • Speaking and listening observation checklists for single adult learners as well as for groups of adult learners.
     • Some ideas on how to write reading comprehension assessment questions
   • Learning Plans
     • How to create awesome literacy and numeracy focused learning plans.
7. If you’re working on this through the Pathways Awarua MOOC, your employer will need to have paid your course fee in order to unlock the assessment module.
8. And if you’re a paid up student and you’re not completing this through the Pathways Awarua MOOC, you can email us (assess@alec.ac.nz) for the latest version of the template for assessment Task 4.
9. Otherwise, give us a call to discuss (0800-ALEC-1-2) or email us anyway (assess@alec.ac.nz) and we’ll be in touch to help explain or clarify.