school based assignment

School Based Assessment (SBA)

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In 2011, CXC implemented an SBA policy that outlines the way SBAs should be conducted. The following are key components of the policy:

• Group/team work of SBA should be encouraged and utilized where appropriate.
• Students doing more than one subject in a cognate group (for example, the Sciences) should submit one SBA per cognate group.
• Each SBA across levels should be of consistent size. Word count should not exceed 1000 for CSEC and 1500 for CAPE subjects.
• The term School-Based Assessment replaces other terms used at various levels for internal assessment.
• The use of portfolios, observations, learning journals, presentations, observations, peer evaluations and research assignments in the SBA should be endorsed and implemented.
• Students should be allowed to submit SBA electronically.
• SBAs for Mathematics and English will take effect from the revision of those syllabuses (Teaching begins in September 2016 and first examination in 2018).
• A thematic approach should be employed in the development of SBAs.

Click here to access the CSEC SBA Do’s and Don’ts Manual and SBA Manual for Principals

Comments 21

I am very impressed with the SBA guidelines. Your records for the 1990’s to early 2000’s will indicate my role (with others) in revolutionizing SBA Agri.Sc. My Med Thesis in 2000 was also was based on SBA at CXC with particular reference to Agri. Copy was sent on verbal request to our then chairman. Pity no one saw it fit to engage me in the conversation. My services are still available. Best wishes.

I’m curious as to how applicable the stated word count will be in the completion of the Caribbean History SBA. Furthermore, the revised syllabus still states 1500 as the word limit.

Hey can U help me with my sba

SBA seems to be drifting away from its moorings.

I recall the Chief Examiner at the time for CSEC History (around 1984) telling a group of CSEC Geography Table Leaders and Markers that the SBA was not only to give the candidate credit for course work but also to ensure the whole course was taught. (The recent decision to have no choice in the examinations is said to have the same intent).

Art, to my knowledge, achieves that purpose in its SBA. CSEC Geography having ONE field project as THE SBA may not do so. The policy decision to require candidates to submit one SBA per cognate area will not either. I know that Council makes its decisions based on professional advice. So the question arises, What is the SBA?

Teachers see SBA as a CXC imposition and as an extra task and not as part of the assessment they normally make. SBA is not a creature created by CXC. Reports sent home every term in each form are the RESULT OF SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT. CXC, to my mind, is seeking to use that assessment but has set a common design to facilitate comparability and ensure validity but has not sold the idea. Some teachers see it as something to help the students with and some do not grade it as an assignment submitted to them as part of the course work.

CXC, as an external examination body, pioneered SBA as a part of the final assessment but seems to have been overtaken by other examination bodies in refining it. Other examination bodies have moved to reduce ghost writers and plagiarism by having the assignments done under supervision. The CXC syllabuses do not guide the teachers adequately on how to deal with plagiarism, resting on the attitude teachers would normally have to receiving such work. That has not worked. The syllabuses also speak about marks for the quality of the presentation but this is countered by permitting electronic submission where spell check and grammar checks remove errors.

The academic subjects could learn a lot from the technical subjects, Sports, Art and Music in making meaningful school based assessment. I think our Teacher Colleges need to spend more time on the topic of Assessment and CXC should have special discussions across all subjects on how SBA can be meaningful and less stressful for candidates and teachers. The policy set in 2011 is not adequate.

I completely agree with everything Michael Clarke has stated. Especially the section where he states the recent decision to make the entire paper compulsory already ensures that the entire syllabus has to be taught.

In addition I believe CXC policy makers must also acknowledge the changing attitudes of candidates. The SBA especially for Geography is for the most part homework. Although the teacher supervises the process, much of the report is supposed to be done at home. An increasing number of students would prefer to have ALL school based assessment actually done at school during school time. What then should I do, when a student refuses to submit drafts and then submit a dubious document that may or may not be his/her own at the eleventh hour? Principals frown on giving someone zero (It would be after all a waste of money).

I also beg to ask the question “what is School Based Assessment?” If what I send home as a mark is a School Based Assessment then simply use my marks. I am sure it will be a more comprehensive assessment than just a single project on one topic. I thought the intent of the Geography project was to expose students to practical skills and the field research process concerning Geography.

The decision to use group work as a means to reduce the load of the teacher can be counter productive. Not only does it fail to distinguish the differences between each candidate’s ability, the teacher is forced contend with candidates who are unable to work effectively with others, and those who would rather sit back and have some group members do all the work. As a result our load may be increased rather than reduced.

The word account of 1500 words is ridiculous for advanced level work. Once the student has completed 2 typed pages for each of the following: The literature review, the analysis and the discussion, we have already hit the 1500 mark. Most educators agree that this is not a wise decision. Is it that those at the helm are unaware of what is going on on the ground when they make these critical decisions? Are we sacrificing quality for quantity?

The office Administration syllabus says 1000 – 1200 words. I am therefore hoping that if students submit SBAs above the 1000 word count as you have stipulated will not penalize them. Not all teachers would have been privy to this information.

Teachers would appreciative it if samples are available, from CXC, for access.

Some clarification is needed on the second point, “Students doing more than one subject in a cognate group (for example, the Sciences) should submit one SBA per cognate group.” As far as what we were instructed through revision panels and workshops, students doing more than one subject in a cognate group “may opt to carry out ONE investigation” (pg 55, CXC 22/G/SYLL 13). The “investigation” for the sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) is the investigative lab, formerly known as the investigative project. This is a planning and designing SBA lab carried out in Year One and executed in Year Two which is assessed under AI. Since the student may opt to carry out only one investigation, the AI grade is submitted per cognate group.

If there has been any recent amendments to the process for carrying out, grading and submission of SBA, I strongly believe all teachers should be duly informed. However, if this is misinformation, I strongly urge CXC to remove this point.

As it pertains to the SBA requirement for English A and English B, teachers would like a sample of each as they make preparations for the English A 2018 SBA submission. There are still many unanswered questions on the requirements of the SBA

what are the key principles that teachers need to follow in the implementation of SBA?

I really want to know if their is an implementation of sba for math and English?

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Where can the SBA topics for each subject be located?

Totally agree with Michael Clarke. I have a quick question re the new addition to the SBA: Introduction. Can someone shed some light on what is expected to be included in this section. Thanks.

Can someone help me with my English A sba my topic is Technology

Inam a student that will be writing cxc in that year, since 2018 will be the first year of this exercise WHERE will the students obtain information on the guidelines about how they should yes not can but should finish or complete their sba, I dont see this possible.It doesn’t make sence, why should one do something like that not providing all the necessary information

I am a student that will be writing cxc in that year, since 2018 will be the first year of this exercise WHERE will the students obtain information on the guidelines about how they should yes not can but should finish or complete their sba, I dont see this possible.It doesn’t make sence, why should one do something like that not providing all the necessary information.Thank you.

A need help with my English sba

I need help with my geography sba on river 🙁

i need help in my agr

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CSEC English School-Based Assessment (SBA) Outlined

 Paper 031,  School-Based Assessment  –  (SBA – 21% of Total Assessment)  

One  SBA will be required to complete both aspects of the English Syllabus: English A and English B. 

A student who does English A only OR English B only OR English A and B will be required to submit ONLY one SBA.  The SBA will be credited for both English A and B. 

The SBA is expected to be done by each student working as an individual, and as a member of a small group approved by the teacher where:   

1. individual refers to each student, who has responsibility for his/her own portfolio;   

2. group refers to 4 – 5 students sharing a general topic, who work together to discuss and solve problems, explain ideas, learn from peers, improve oral skills, and practise social skills and leadership roles.    

The marks assigned to a student will consist of:    1. his/her individual mark (Plan of Investigation, Oral Presentation, Reflection, Participation Measure);   

2. the mark assigned to the group ( Quality of Group Behaviour, Written Report).   

PORTFOLIO   Each student will create a Portfolio on an issue/topic/theme/event selected by the students in the group and approved by the teacher.  The issue/topic/theme/event will also be orally presented.  The issue/topic/theme/event selected should allow for meaningful research and presentation.   

The Portfolio should include the following:  

1.  PLAN OF INVESTIGATION:

An introduction to the issue/topic/theme/event (A satisfactory response should be no more than 100 words).  

(a) Why did you choose this issue/topic/theme/event? 

(b) What are the expected benefits to you as a student of English? 

(c) How do you intend to collect relevant information on your issue/topic/theme/event and use this in your presentation?  

2.  PARTICIPATION MEASURE  – A measure of the candidate’s individual participation assessed by self and teacher.  

3.  INDICATORS OF GROUP ACTIVITY  :

A minimum of THREE pieces of material, for example, print, audio, visual media must be collected and presented in the Portfolio and should address the issue/topic/theme/event selected.  

One of the three pieces must be printed.  

These pieces will form the basis for the process of enquiry and group work activities (cognitive, psychomotor, affective) in which students will become aware of and practise English language skills.  

4.  REFLECTION  : THREE  entries in which the student reflects on the issue/topic/ theme/ event selected should be completed.

In the first entry, the student must indicate how each piece of material helped to shape his or her thinking about the issue/topic/ theme/event. 

The second entry should discuss the use of language in the material selected and the third entry should state how the process of doing the SBA helped the student to become a better person.

The reflection should be written in class under the teacher’s supervision.   

5.  WRITTEN REPORT:

A written report of the investigation should be a summary of the processes, procedures and outcomes of the research. 

It should include the material collected, reasons for selection and analysis of the material. 

A satisfactory report should be about  250-300 words  in total.  

6.  ORAL PRESENTATION:

A personal response related to the issue/topic/ theme/ event should be delivered orally in 3 to 5 minutes.  

The oral presentation should be delivered predominately in standard English and in a genre of the student’s choosing, for example, drama, poetry, prose, role play, speech, argument, or exposition.  

The student should deliver a brief overview of the presentation including the genre chosen, the sources used and a comment on the kind of language used. 

A brief plan of the Oral Presentation must be submitted in the Portfolio. 

97 thoughts on “CSEC English School-Based Assessment (SBA) Outlined”

Hey I need help writing my sba I’m doing online class and the teacher stop come class since she tell us to do the sba, she gives we sample but that alone can’t get me to fully understand what its about.

Hi Demetri,

You can check out our SBA video lessons. This will help you to understand how to write the SBA. Here is the link: https://csecenglishmadeeasy.com/2022/02/how-to-write-the-csec-english-a-b-sba/ . You can also check out our YouTube for other lessons: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSgy4YqpiAwTzGSWbB7_K4g

http://csecenglishmadeeasy.blogspot.com/2016/10/a-breakdown-of-csec-english-sba.html This post should answer all your questions. ]]>

http://csecenglishmadeeasy.blogspot.com/2016/10/a-breakdown-of-csec-english-sba.html%5D%5D >

http://csecenglishmadeeasy.blogspot.com/2016/10/a-breakdown-of-csec-english-sba.html I how you find this helpful.]]>

I need help my topic is effects of teenage pregnancy on the family

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Home » School Based Assessment (SBA) Tasks for all Phases

School Based Assessment (SBA) Tasks for all Phases

The Department of Basic Education has released subject exemplar booklets for School Based Assessment (SBA) to assist and guide teachers with the setting and development of standardized SBA tasks and assessment tools. The SBA booklets have been written by teams of subject specialists to assist teachers to adapt teaching and learning methods to improve learner performance and the quality and management of SBA.

The primary purpose of these SBA exemplar booklets is to improve the quality of teaching and assessment (both formal and informal) as well as the learner’s process of learning and understanding of the subject content. Assessment of and for learning is an ongoing process that develops from the interaction of teaching, learning and assessment. To improve learner performance, assessment needs to support and drive focused, effective teaching.

School Based Assessment forms an integral part of teaching and learning, its value as a yardstick of effective quality learning and teaching is firmly recognized. Through assessment, the needs of the learner are not only diagnosed for remediation, but it also assists to improve the quality of teaching and learning. The information provided through quality assessment is therefore valuable for teacher planning as part of improving learning outcomes.

Assessment tasks should be designed with care to cover the prescribed content and skills of the subject as well as include the correct range of cognitive demand and levels of difficulty. For fair assessment practice, the teacher must ensure that the learner understands the content and has been exposed to extensive informal assessment opportunities before doing a formal assessment activity.

The exemplar tasks contained in these booklets, developed to the best standard in the subject, are aimed to illustrate best practices in terms of setting formal and informal assessment. Teachers are encouraged to use the exemplar tasks as models to set their own formal and informal assessment activities.

Foundation Phase SBA’s

Get phase sba’s, fet languages sba’s, fet non – language subjects sba’s.