Summary of Key Ideas About Formative Assessment:
Reasons for Assessing – To promote increases in achievement to help students meet more standards. Support ongoing student growth and improvement.
Audience – The students are the main audience and are trying to learn about their own learning so far. Teachers use this assessment to know how to give feedback and help students know what to do next.
Focus of Assessment – Specific achievement targets selected by teachers that enable students to build toward standards.
Place in Time – A process built into the learning on a daily/weekly basis.
Typical Uses – To provide students with insight to improve achievement and to help teachers diagnose and respond to student needs. To help parent see progress over time and to help parents support the learning at home.