Formative Assessment

Formative assessment is assessment for learning rather than assessment of learning. The central purpose is to help teachers effectively respond to students learning needs. In formative assessment it is important that we, as teachers, provide our students with feedback that will give students clear suggestions about what can be improved. As stated in the article these assessments can be used in a few different ways, "For example, a rubric that lists criteria for evaluating writing can be used formatively to help students understand.what is expected and summatively to assign a grade." One strategy to help formative assessment be more effective is to stress the quality of the students work rather than focusing on the amount they have done. Some advantages of formative assessment is that it allows teachers to identify students who are struggle and make the proper changes to help and it also, for students, increases both confidence and the feeling of control. Challenges in implementing Formative assessment arise when it becomes hard to distinguish between high quality formative assessment and assessment that is not fully developed.