Juliet Twist

Readers need to focus their attention on detail if they are to engage with big ideas. When a reader interprets details they produce knowledge; the production of knowledge allows them to gain insight; and a reader with insight is one who will be able to access and critique ideas.

NZCER is committed to developing new assessment tools for use by New Zealand schools. Here we describe three of the development projects that are currently underway that may be of interest to teachers and school managers.

Over the last two years researchers at the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) have been involved in a complete revision of the Progressive Achievement Test of Listening Comprehension (PAT:Listening Comprehension). Last reviewed in 1992, the tests have been a trusted part of the New Zealand assessment tool kit for 40 years, providing valuable insights into students’ language development. The new edition continues this tradition, with new material carefully chosen and trialled to ensure its relevance for today’s students.