"Formative Assessments"
“Formative Assessment isn’t an end in itself, but the beginning of better instruction.”
Formative assessments are ongoing assessments, observations, summaries, and reviews that inform teacher instruction and provide students feedback on a daily basis (Fisher & Frey, 2007). While assessments are always crucial to the teaching and learning process, nowhere are they more important than in a differentiated classroom, where students of all levels of readiness sit side by side. Without the regular use of formative assessment, or checks for understanding, how are we to know what each student needs to be successful in our classroom? How else can we ensure we are addressing students’ needs instead of simply teaching them what we think they need?
Traditionally, we have used assessments to measure how much our students have learned up to a particular point in time (Stiggins, 2007). This is what Rick Stiggins calls “assessment of learning” and what we use to see whether our students are meeting standards set by the state, the district, or the classroom teacher. These summative assessments are conducted after a unit or certain time period to determine how much learning has taken place.
Although Stiggins notes that assessments of learning are important if we are to ascribe grades to students and provide accountability, he urges teachers to focus more on assessment for learning. These types of assessment—formative assessments—support learning during the learning process.
Since formative assessments are considered part of the learning, they need not be graded as summative assessments (end-of-unit exams or quarterlies, for example) are. Rather, they serve as practice for students, just like a meaningful homework assignment (Chappuis & Chappuis, 2007/2008). They check for understanding along the way and guide teacher decision making about future instruction; they also provide feedback to students so they can improve their performance. Stiggins suggests “the student’s role is to strive to understand what success looks like and to use each assessment to try to understand how to do better the next time.” Formative assessments help us differentiate instruction and thus improve student achievement.
Traditionally, we have used assessments to measure how much our students have learned up to a particular point in time (Stiggins, 2007). This is what Rick Stiggins calls “assessment of learning” and what we use to see whether our students are meeting standards set by the state, the district, or the classroom teacher. These summative assessments are conducted after a unit or certain time period to determine how much learning has taken place.
Although Stiggins notes that assessments of learning are important if we are to ascribe grades to students and provide accountability, he urges teachers to focus more on assessment for learning. These types of assessment—formative assessments—support learning during the learning process.
Since formative assessments are considered part of the learning, they need not be graded as summative assessments (end-of-unit exams or quarterlies, for example) are. Rather, they serve as practice for students, just like a meaningful homework assignment (Chappuis & Chappuis, 2007/2008). They check for understanding along the way and guide teacher decision making about future instruction; they also provide feedback to students so they can improve their performance. Stiggins suggests “the student’s role is to strive to understand what success looks like and to use each assessment to try to understand how to do better the next time.” Formative assessments help us differentiate instruction and thus improve student achievement.
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