A.L.A.R.M.

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ALARM = A Learning And Responding Matrix 

(Costello 2019)

ALARM - Developed by Max Woods.

ALARM is a cognitive scaffold for:
- writing
- learning
- deconstructing questions
- feedback
- reflection.

ALARM is a powerful tool that helps improve literacy and assists students with composing written responses for assessment tasks and exams. By using the ALARM scaffold, students are guided to compose more sophisticated written responses that will help them progress from a Band 4 or 5 to a Band 6.

All too often, students do not know how to move beyond a 'C Grade' paper that simply describes and explains. To get top marks, students need to be able to show analysis and evaluation of concepts. By using the ALARM framework, students will be able to confidently break down questions to determine exactly what is being asked and how to approach writing a higher order response. ALARM uses NESA Key Words to explicitly teach students to identify, describe, explain, analyse, interpret, critically analyse and evaluate. This hierarchy of thinking and writing skills is aligned with Bloom's Taxonomy to enable students to understand the different complexities required for different questions. This helps students produce more sophisticated extended responses in secondary school, the HSC and beyond.

ALARM is not just a literacy tool, it also helps students to view learning as a process. It promotes deeper understanding by employing higher order thinking skills, such as analysis and evaluation, and it enhances student inquiry and reflection. ALARM helps students go from the level of content to the level of concept. School subjects are often content driven. ALARM, however, uses the content to arrive at the level of concept. This provides students with a big picture learning map.

In addition, ALARM provides students with a skills set that is transferable across school subjects and school years. Another major benefit of using ALARM is that it increases metacognition by making the learning process explicit. Understanding HOW to learn is integral for students to become lifelong learners.

It is recommended that ALARM be used in conjunction with PEEL paragraph writing.

See also Academic Writing.

Max Woods Introduces A.L.A.R.M.

ALARM Scaffold

Download the ALARM matrix

alarm_scaffold_blue_writing.pdf
File Size:	70 kb
File Type:	pdf

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blank_alarm_scaffold.pdf
File Size:	62 kb
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See - Glossary of NESA Key Words

alarm_a_brief_explanation_of_bos_key_terms.doc
File Size:	69 kb
File Type:	doc

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Use PMI as an evaluation tool.

alarm_scaffold_for_evaluation.docx
File Size:	58 kb
File Type:	docx

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Breaking Down the Question

Breaking down the question helps you to determine:
i. What exactly is being asked
ii. The highest order ALARM level you will need to use in your written response

This requires you to determine the VERB, SUBJECT, CONTENT and CONCEPT in your question.

See the examples provided below.

Let's take a closer look at question (b) below
At first glance, it appears that the VERB, 'explain', indicates that the question is operating at the EXPLAIN ALARM level. The SUBJECT 'the importance of effective workflow planning', however, pushes the ALARM level up to CRITICALLY ANALYSE. This is because you are asked to 'explain the importance of' something, rather than simply explaining how or why. (The same is true for question a)
The CONTENT of question (b) is "preparation and presentation of menu items" while the overarching CONCEPT is "Processes and Practices."

A Band 6 sample response to question (b) can be found below.