e-asTTle writing assessment

This year we are going to be trialing the new e-asTTle writing tool. We are going to be using a recount for this terms writing.
We watched 2 videos introducing the assessment tool and going over the user manual.
The results of e-asTTle can be used to provide feedback highlighting the next steps in learning for each individual student or for groups of students for each element.
Rubric for marking covers a range of elements students use in writing. It is based on the NZ curriculum and the learning progressions.
Annotated exemplars are given to be used in conjunction with the rubric in order to give a clear O.T.J of where the students are working at for each element they are using in writing.
There are 7 elements that need to be marked against. They are ideas, structure and language, organisation, vocabulary, sentence structure, punctuation and spelling.
As this is a one off test it only provides information of what each student was capable of doing at the time of the test. However the video mentioned that the test is 70% accurate highlighting the specific needs and strength each writer has.

Reciprocal Teaching

I have spending the morning reading about reciprocal teaching in reading. (BES Exemplar 4 Reciprocal teaching and Reciprocal teaching a schoolwide core teaching and learning strategy)
Next Monday our senior school which I am apart of will be visiting Edgecumbe Primary school to spend a day learning more about this reading/teaching strategy.

My first thoughts are that it seems like a great strategy to use. First of all it is evidenced based and secondly it can be used across the curriculum subjects, not just reading.

The main ideas behind this approach is that the teacher teachers the skills of 'Clarifying, Questioning, Summarising and Predicting to students. Students then use this approach themselves and in turn taking on the role of the teacher.

I feel that this is very empowering for the student. The reading stated that when well implemented, reciprocal teaching has been shown to improve students' skills in reading, comprehension, metacognition(learning about learning), social participation, and self management.

I was particularly interested in the case study of the year 5 and 6 students and the students comments.

One student said, "It helps me understand what I am reading" (year 5 student), another said,"I used to think I was dumb; now I know I am not".

Success using this programme will be based on the quality of teacher scaffolding.
So my first job will to gain a deeper understanding of this process in order to have greater success of implementing it into my class reading programme.