How Do New Zealand Teachers Assess Children’s Oral Language and Literacy Skills at School Entry?

Abstract

Teachers of year 0/1 students in English-medium schools in New Zealand (1896 schools) were invited to participate in a survey focussed on assessment of new entrant children’s oral language and emergent literacy skills, with an estimated 21% response rate (N = 745). Teachers indicated using a variety of methods for assessing children’s skills at school entry, from standardised measures to informal teacher judgements. In response to open-ended questions several dominant themes were identified: (a) concerns regarding the skill development of many new entrants; (b) a desire for tools to assess oral language and phonological awareness; (c) preferences for tools that were current, efficient, user-friendly and appropriate for use with young children in New Zealand; (d) the need for more time outside the classroom for assessment and reflection on assessment results; and (e) interest in professional learning and development, and teaching resources to support oral language competencies.