Learning Stories as a Formative Assessment Method in Czech Pre-primary Education

Abstract

In the last decade, formative assessment methods have gained international prominence in pre-primary education. The Learning Stories method is a formative assessment method which was designed specifically for pre-primary education. It was developed in the late 1990s in New Zealand and has been used in Canada, Australia, in the United States and some Western European countries. The aim of the article is to introduce the results of a two-year action research (2019-2021) that focused on the implementation of the Learning Stories method in six Czech pre-schools and the documentation of its impact on teacher's assessment processes and children's learning. The research data indicate that this method is an effective tool that reinforces child-centred approach to assessing children's learning. The method enhanced the teachers' understanding of the importance of formative assessment, guided them to re-evaluate their concepts of assessing children's development and learning. The method enabled the teachers to have a deeper understanding of children's learning processes and increased participation of children in assessing their own learning.