What are Informal Assessments?

Informal assessments are an assessment method in which teachers do not evaluate students performances on a grading scale. Instead, informal assessments are meant for teachers to observe students' performances and progress during different stages in the learning process. The purpose of informal assessments is for a teacher to take the results of the assessment and use it to monitor and adjust their teaching strategies and learning activities to best fit the student needs at the time.

Use in the CTE Classroom

• A great way to get a quick view of the room is to do a simple "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" to invite students to show their understanding of the content.

• A bell ringer at the beginning of class or an exit slip at the end of class is a great indicator of what students may be excelling in or lacking.

• A quick review game like Kahoot or Quizizz where you are able to download results and see individualized reports is a great way to see which student needs support.

• Project-based assignments are my favorite informal assessments for a CTE classroom. These really capture the students' understanding and allow them to demonstrate their proficiency.

During my internship, I preferred informal assessments over formal. After building respect and rapport with my students, they became more comfortable answering questions in class and actually telling me if they understood something or not. Attempting to have my ELL students sit down and take a 30 question test was unrealistic. That form of assessment was telling me what they had memorized, not all that they actually comprehended.

Is there a time and place for formal assessments? Of course. However, in my CTE classroom, for my ELL students, I prefer informal assessments to gauge what they know and for them to gain confidence in their knowledge as well.

For more information:

https://www.colorincolorado.org/using-informal-assessment-classroom

For a link to various formative assessments:

https://sites.google.com/view/2020cateinfo/my-favorite-formative-assessment-tools