Question

All the tools of formative assessment

Answer 1

Formative assessment tools can be a part of every teacher’s toolbox. They needn’t be complicated or time-consuming. There are, however, a few things that are crucial to their effectiveness. Great formative assessment should have the following facets:

It should be goal-oriented. It is derived from what we do every day. It is directed at guiding students towards performing well. It should be specific, observable, and measurable.

It must focus on higher-order thinking skills. We’re not talking about just the nuts and bolts. We want to know if they are applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

It should hold students accountable for individual performance. Group assessment is useful in itself. Also, pinpointing the exact needs of the individual will give you direction to steer your instruction. This sets the students up for success.

It should be seamless. Don’t change your routine to fit the test. Some formative assessments have a steep learning curve Others are easy to grasp even with the most limited experience. You might need to build your formative assessment into your lesson. Some of it can be improvised, and some will need to be planned.