Reflections on an Action Research Project: Improving Understanding of Art Terminology with a Low-ability Year 8 Class

Formative assessment is known to have an impact on pupil attainment (Hattie, 2012; Black et al., 2004; Wiliam, 2011). As such it is frequently written about, and its importance was reiterated throughout my Initial Teacher Training (including a module on formative assessment) and subsequent professional development programmes. This article reports on an action research project working with my low-ability Year 8 class, many of whom have Additional Learning Needs (ALN). I developed, implemented and evaluated formative assessment strategies aimed at improving motivation, confidence and the quality of the work made by these pupils. As Bell (2010: 6) states, action research is 'carried out by practitioners who have themselves identified a need for change or improvement'. My particular concern was the gap in understanding, motivation and progress between the pupils in my low-ability Year 8 class and mainstream classes. In this article I will, first, briefly discuss my methodological approach and the key literature that informed the decisions I made. I will then discuss the findings, and give more detail on the process of the development of the intervention. In conclusion I consider the importance of practitioner research for teachers and teaching.