Formative AssessmentWhat is it? What isn’t it?

Why is it important?

How can I use it?

What is Formative Assessment?

• Take a moment and write down 3 examples of formative assessment used in

your classroom…

Common FA Misconceptions

• Misconception #1: FA must be associated with a grade in order to get

students to “try”

• Misconception #2: FA is usually a test given that covers some pre-

determined chunk of material

• Misconception #3: FA must be teacher driven

Quickwrite

• Take 5 minutes and do a quickwrite about how any of the 3 common

misconceptions may have impacted your view of what formative assessments

are used in your classroom.

So, What is Formative Assessment?

Characteristics of Formative Assessment

• Separate from grading process

• Used primarily as an aid for teaching

• Integrated into effective instruction

• Evidence is used to adapt teaching to meet student need

• May be generated by teacher, learner, or peer

• Focuses on Decision-driven data collection (assessment is intended to collect specific information about where to go next in the learning process)

Key Strategies to Formative Assessment

Five Key Strategies (Leahy et al.,2005)

• Clarify, share, and ensure learner understands the learning intentions and

success criteria

• Engineer effective discussions, tasks and activities that elicit evidence of

learning

• Activate students as learning resources for one another

• Activate students as owners of their own learning

• Provide feedback that moves learning forward

Self Reflection 3-2-1

• 3 characteristics/strategies you do well for formative assessment

• 2 characteristics/strategies you don’t do so well for formative assessment

• 1 characteristic/strategy you are committed improving on formative

assessment in your classroom

Why is Formative Assessment Important?

• FA allows for real time adjustments to instruction based on learning target

achievement

• FA allows assessment for learning without having to stop instruction for a “test”

• FA supports self-regulated learning (ownership of learning)

• FA supports deliberate practice (targeted practices for specific results)

How Can I Use Formative Assessment?

• Brainstorm 5 instructional practices, that you are familiar with, which could

be used as formative assessment in your classroom (LFS, AVID, etc.).

Formative Assessment Strategies

• Thumbs up-Thumbs down

• Think-pair-share

• 4 Corners

• 3-2-1

• Give 1-Get 1

• Learning Logs

• Ticket out the Door

• Fist of five

• Collaborative Pairs

• 3 Truths and a stretch (lie)

Wrap Up

• 3 Truths and a Stretch (Three Truths and a Lie)

• Write down 3 things you now know to be true about formative assessment

• Write down 1 thing you now know to be untrue about formative assessment

Thank You!

• Please use the link at the bottom in order to receive credit toward in-service

points.

• Formative Assessment Form