What happens on KG1/FS1 assessment day? | ExpatWoman.com
 

What happens on KG1/FS1 assessment day?

18
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 March 2012 - 15:56
You don't mention the age of your DS but I'm assuming he has not started school yet. At the age of 3, 4 or 5, schools are mainly looking at how children interact with others, including the teacher. Separation from parent is also important - can the child separate with minimum anxiety? Literacy skills (letter recognition) and numeracy skills (number recognition, can child count number of objects in a small group, etc?) are usually assessed to some degree but are not always a huge factor if the child is 3 or 4. Talk to your child ahead of time (like every day for 1 or 2 weeks before the assessment) about the fun time he will have at the school playing the games and talking with the teachers. The more emotionally prepared he is, the better. If he can separate from you easily that is a very good sign. If he can interact with the teacher(s) and other applicants, that shows the school that he can function well in a group situation (like a classroom) without you there. Good luck and try not to stress too much, it will only make your DS more anxious.
2340
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 16 March 2012 - 12:26
Quizzme is right. It depends on the school. When my children had their FS assessments, it was very low key and very low stress. The children (with parent/s) were brought into a classroom in small groups where there were various activities they could choose. The teacher just took a little time watching them interact with each other then spent a couple of minutes at each station just talking to the children. After that, IF the parents and child were comfortable they took small groups to another area so the parents could talk to various members of staff. The children went to the library etc. It was all about assessing their level of communication - ability to follow basic instruction, ability to understand and answer simple questions, English ability (UK curric) etc.
435
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 16 March 2012 - 00:19
I guess it depends of school. DD was with a EC coordinator in the play area (because another child was struggling to settle in the class (parents with him) and she didn't want that to affect dd). I was sitting reading a book a few meters away and could hear what went on. The EC coordinator was really nice and asked simple questions to dd and played with her asking her to pick up shapes, colours and objects from the table, counting, chatting about what she liked. DD was very shy at the time and passed her assessment easily.
22
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 March 2012 - 00:08
Hiya, i dont know what the overall rule is but the 2 i took mine to for fs1, they were taken off to another room without me, I was really worried with my eldest because he is the same, knew everything if i asked him but infront of people he would just shrug his shoulders and say he didn't know or just say whatever he felt like whether it was the answer or what batman did in the last episode depended on how he felt. I don't know exactly what was done in the room, DS said he had built a tower of blocks, drawn a picture of himself and had to say what some letters were from pictures of them, that was all he said, then he went off to be spiderman again ha ha. I wouldn't worry about it i think for Fs1 it is more to see if they are ready to be away from you, and if they can interact, shyness is normal especially put in a classroom with a strange person i'm sure they get it all the time :)
78
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 March 2012 - 23:56
Will be registering our DS for next year... havent got a date for assessment yet, but wondering what happens then? what do they do? do they allow me to join him or he has to be by himself? do they take into consideration his shyness? he is such a smart boy, knows a lot as for his age but he doesnt open up in front of strangers that he sees for the first time, sometimes he doesnt een say a word and he gives wrong answers intentionally... i am worried about looking a space at school becasue of that!!!
 
 

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