Formative Assessment

Formative Assessment Assessment carried out during the instructional process for the purpose of improving teaching or learning. (Shepard, 2008)

Formative Assessment Assessment that is specifically intended to provide feedback on performance to improve and accelerate learning. (Sadler, 1998)

Formative Assessment Assessment that is designed to be an effective partnership between the teacher and the student that leads to improved learning.

Formative Assessment Occurs during instruction Partnership between Teacher and Student Two way feedback Guides the Learning

Seven Strategies

Where Am I Going? 1. Provide students with a Clear and Understandable Vision of the Learning Target

Where Am I Going? Convert learning targets into student-friendly language. Share the targets with students during instruction and/or at the beginning of independent practice. Check to make sure students understand targets.

Where Am I Going? To check for understanding ask: 1. Why are we doing this activity? 2. What are we learning?

Where Am I Going? 2. Use Examples of Models of Strong and Weak Work

Where Am I Going? Begin with samples that demonstrate strengths and weakness in common problem areas. Students analyze samples and justify their answers. Teacher models creating a product with beginning, development, and revision part.

Where Am I Now? 3. Offer Regular Descriptive Feedback

Where Am I Now? Effective Feedback: Information provided to students that causes an improvement in learning as a results.

Where Am I Now? Directs attention to the intended learning, point out strengths and offering specific information to guide improvement Occurs during learning, while there is still time to act on it

Where Am I Now? Addresses partial understanding Does not do the thinking for the student Limits corrective information to the amount of advice the student can act on

Where Am I Now? 4. Teach Students to Self-Assess and Set Goals

Where Am I Now? Identify their own strengths and areas for improvement prior to and after teacher has provided feedback Action by Students:

Where Am I Now? Write in a response log or journal at the end of class, recording key points they have learned and questions they still have Action by Students:

Where Am I Now? Using established criteria, select a work sample for their portfolio that proves a certain level of proficiency, explaining why the piece qualifies Action by Students:

Where Am I Now? Offer descriptive feedback to classmates Action by Students:

Where Am I Now? Use teacher feedback, feedback from other students, or their own self-assessment to identify what they need to work on and set goals for future learning Action by Students:

How Can I Close the Gap? 5. Design Lessons to Focus on One Learning Target or Aspect of Quality at a Time

How Can I Close the Gap? Adjust instruction to target identified need Work on one building block at a time with multi-aspect targets

How Can I Close the Gap? At the end of a multi- aspect target, make sure students understand how all parts of the target come together

How Can I Close the Gap? 6. Teach Students Focused Revision

How Can I Close the Gap? After focused instruction on a need, student works in small segments and teacher offers feedback

How Can I Close the Gap? Students work in pairs to critique an anonymous sample and revise it using their own advise. Student Practices:

How Can I Close the Gap? Students write a letter to the creator of an anonymous sample they have just critiqued, suggesting how to make it strong for the aspect of quality discussed. Student Practices:

How Can I Close the Gap? Students analyze teacher’s work for quality and make suggestions for improvement. Teacher revises work based on their suggestions. Student Practices:

How Can I Close the Gap? 7. Engage Students in Self-Reflection, and Let them Keep Track of and Share Their Learning

How Can I Close the Gap? Students track, reflect on, and communicate about their own progress.

How Can I Close the Gap? WHY is this strategy so important?

How Can I Close the Gap? Helps students to develop insights into themselves as Learners

How Can I Close the Gap? Gives students opportunities to notice their own strengths, to see how far they have come, and to feel in control of the conditions of their success.

How Can I Close the Gap? By reflecting on their own learning, students deepen their understanding, and will remember it longer

How Can I Close the Gap? Sample Activities

How Can I Close the Gap? Students write a process paper, detailing how they solved a problem or created a product or performance.

How Can I Close the Gap? Students write a letter to their parents about a piece of work, explaining where they are now with it and what they are trying to do next.

How Can I Close the Gap? Students track their own progress toward mastery of learning targets.

How Can I Close the Gap? Students help plan and participate in conferences with parents and/or teachers to share their learning.

Why Assessment for Learning?

The research on goal orientations, feedback, and self-assessment comes together to support assessment for learning as the BEST use of assessment in the service of student learning and well-being.

Remember the 3 key questions for Assessment FOR Learning: Where Am I Going?

Remember the 3 key questions for Assessment FOR Learning: Where Am I Now?

Remember the 3 key questions for Assessment FOR Learning: How Can I Close the Gap?

Book: 1 al.], J. C. (2012, 2007). Classroom Assessment for Student Learning. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, Inc.