Year 2 Diagnostic Net
Education Queensland is committed to exploring ways to improve learning and teaching in all sectors of schooling. An important part of this commitment is finding ways to ensure that all children achieve the highest possible standards of literacy and numeracy.
It is now widely acknowledged that a crucial aspect of improving literacy and numeracy standards is the early identification of children who may require additional support in these areas.
In 1995, the Queensland Government initiated a process of early monitoring and assessment of children's development in literacy and numeracy. This process is known as the Year 2 Diagnostic Net.
The Year 2 Diagnostic Net is a process of assessment and intervention to support children's literacy and numeracy development during the early years of schooling in Queensland. It identifies and provides additional support for, those children who are experiencing difficulties in literacy and numeracy.
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The Year 2 Diagnostic Net involves a four-step process in which Years 1, 2 and 3 teachers:
- observe and map children's progress using developmental continua for literacy and numeracy;
- involve identified Year 2 children in specifically designed assessment tasks and identify children who require intervention;
- provide support to children requiring additional assistance;
- report to parents about their child 's development in literacy and numeracy.
Through the Year 2 Diagnostic Net, teachers of children in Years 1, 2 and 3 monitor children's progress in Reading, Writing and Number. To monitor a child's progress, teachers use commonly agreed milestones, or key indicators, of literacy and numeracy development. These indicators of development provide teachers with a framework for observing the literacy and numeracy achievements of children in the early childhood years.
The indicators are grouped into phases of development. The way the indicators are grouped reflects the general patterns of learning that are typical in young children. The complete set of phases for a focus area is referred to by teachers as a developmental continuum.
The Queensland Studies Authority (QSA) has been responsible for the development and revision of a number of Year 2 Diagnostic Net processes and associated materials. All activities and processes up to and including validation of children are now the responsibility of the QSA.
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Processes such as moderation, reporting and intervention continue to be managed by Education Queensland.
As part of the Year 2 Diagnostic Net processes, all parents of Years 1, 2 and 3 children receive standard written reports. For each of the focus areas in literacy and numeracy, the written report tells parents the phase at which their child is operating and provides a brief description of that phase. The report may also contain teacher comments on the child's progress in each area.
The Year 2 Diagnostic Net has proven to be a integral part of assessment and reporting of children in the early years of schooling. It has provided early childhood teachers with a common language when discussing child learning development in literacy and numeracy. As a result of the Net, improved students learning outcomes continue to be identified within Education Queensland schools.
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