Formative assessments are used to gauge student understanding and to provide feedback for further learning. Formative assessments are informative for the teacher; the teacher uses the student learning data gained from formative assessments to shape his/her instruction for the students. These assessments help students move forward in their learning for a specific goal. Formative assessment FOR learning happens while learning is still underway.

Examples...

• Conference
• Cooperative Learning Activities
• Demonstrations
• Exit Card
• Graphic Organizers
• “I Learned” Statements
• Interviews
• Journal Entry
• K-W-L’s (Know, Want to Know, Learned)

Formative Assessments:

• are conducted throughout teaching and learning to diagnose student needs
• plan the next steps in instruction
• provide students with feedback they can use to improve the quality of their work
• help students see and feel how they are in control of their journey to success

This type of assessment is NOT about accountability… it is about GETTING BETTER!

Additional Examples...

• Oral Attitude Surveys
• Oral Presentations
• Peer Evaluations
• Problem Solving Activities
• Products
• Questioning
• Quiz
• Response Groups
• Learning Logs