The Middle Years Program

What is assessment in the MYP?

Assessment in the MYP is a process to support learning and help teachers make judgements about student achievement. At the beginning of a unit, teachers will introduce the statement of inquiry which gives the content a unique context. Teachers will ensure that the assessment reflects this unique statement and provide students with an assessment sheet describing what is required, the relevant criteria and scaffolding.

Formative assessment refers to the variety of methods teachers use to gather and interpret information about student learning as learning is taking place. Formative assessment allows teachers to monitor student learning and adapt their teaching to meet student learning needs. Teachers provide feedback on formative assessment to support the growth of relevant skills, knowledge and understanding required. 

Summative assessments allow students to show their learning. They do not have to be at the end of the unit but should be after a significant learning period. Summative assessments should never be a surprise and they do not need to be done under timed/exam conditions - projects may be a better way for students to show their learning. They should be designed so that students can reach the highest level of achievement. They should be linked to the statement of inquiry and may contain the inquiry questions. These tasks include a variety of assessment strategies such as tests, laboratory reports, experiments, essays, presentations, performances, portfolios, artworks or group work.

As each MYP subject has different objectives, each subject has different criteria. Learning in each subject is assessed through four unique criteria which are the same in every International Baccalaureate school around the world (see diagram 1). Students’ work is assessed on a scale of 0-8 in each criterion which represents levels of achievement which describe what students can do, the descriptions become incrementally more complex.

During Terms 2 and 4 students receive a summary mark in each of the four criteria which indicates a holistic level of achievement in that subject (see diagram 2). There is no marking down for late work, poor behaviour or effort in the MYP.

For further information, please email me at: MFitzgerald@oakleighgrammar.vic.edu.au or watch the following video:

Melissa Fitzgerald

IB MYP Coordinator