The SLAR Process: Effective Participation

To support teachers in assessing students’ Classroom-Based Assessments, teachers engage in Subject Learning and Assessment Review meetings. SLAR meetings play a key role in developing a collegial professional culture and building up expertise about the judgements that teachers make about student achievement.
At these meetings, teachers share and discuss representative samples of students’ work and build a common understanding about the quality of their students’ learning. The SLAR meeting should take place no more than a month after completion of the CBA.
This elective will support SLAR participants to engage effectively in the process, including their preparation for the SLAR, their participation during the SLAR meeting and in their various responsibilities following the SLAR meeting. The emphasis is placed on the significant role the Features of Quality play in this entire process.
The elective includes teacher testimony and advice around Features of Quality, effective preparation for the SLAR and working collaboratively.
A key element of this support is experiential, where participants engage collaboratively in the process of applying Features of Quality to a sample student CBA.

The following documents will be referenced during this elective workshop:
• Circular 0017/2020: Guidance on the Junior Cycle Subject Learning and Assessment Review Process (https://www.gov.ie/en/circular/bfc17d-guidance-on-the-junior-cycle-subject-learning-and-assessment-review-/)
• Circular 0059/2021: Arrangements for the implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle with particular reference to the school year 2021/22 (https://www.gov.ie/en/circular/ba2a3-arrangements-for-the-implementation-of-the-framework-for-junior-cycle-with-particular-reference-to-the-school-year-202122/)
• NCCA Documentation pertaining to SLARs
• JCT SLAR support material.