How Literature is being assessed at Riverside Secondary School

In my school, there is no summative assessment for Literature. Students are not ‘assessed’ in the traditional way i.e. through exams. There are, in fact, no exams for Literature. Instead, students do a series of assignments (about two) and a class test which makes up the 100 per cent grade they get at the end of the term.

For instance, in term one – the Secondary 2s students were given two assignment tasks and 1 class test. The first assignment was to write a diary entry from the main character’s point of view. The second assignment was to create a pamphlet on disability because the main character’s brother was diabled. Their class test was a passage-based question. It is very much tailored to be a comprehension passage, with little room for creative response. Students are only required to know direct answer skills and low-level inference skills.

The Secondary 1 students were also given two assignment tasks and 1 class test – a) write a diary entry from the main character’s point of view and b) write a cover letter and resume (this has no link whatsoever to the Literature text students are studying) and the similar passage-based question test.

There is little differentiation between the levels and assessments taught/skills they are supposed to have.