Formative Assessments

Why should I use formative assessment?

• to make decisions about current instruction
• to check for understanding of student learning
• to make decisions about future instruction
• all of the above

Teachers should use the same formative assessments every time.

• True
• False

Why is formative assessment important? 

• It is used to guide instruction
• Adds a grade to the gradebook
• Tells teachers who their advanced learners are
• Shows administration evidence of teacher planning

Formative Assessments must be graded.

• True – Students and their parents want a grade for all work that is completed.
• False – FA are just a snapshot of student progression and used to edit instruction towards educational goal.

Formative assessment is assessment

• given prior to instruction

• used during instruction

• used for standards based grading

• given at the end of a unit

Which of the following is NOT a typical example of formative assessment?

• K-W-L Chart

• Student Response Cards

• Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down

• Unit Test

Of the following statements, identify which of these are TRUE of formative assessment.

• A.  They must always be graded
• B.   They provide valuable feedback for students
• C.   They provide valuable feedback for teachers
• D.     B & C

What is required for an assessment to be considered a formative assessment?

• A.  Data is reported
• B.  Data is used to influence instruction
• C.  Data changes curriculum mapping
• D.    A & C

Frequent feedback is always formative.

• False
• True

To be formative, assessment must include

• a written product
• norm-referenced criteria
• a recipe for future action
• a graphic organizer