Diagnostic assessments are used at the beginning of the school year or unit to determine students' knowledge, skills, interests, and learning needs. Formative assessments are used during instruction to monitor progress and adapt teaching to meet student needs. Summative assessments are used at the end of a unit or term to evaluate what students have learned compared to curriculum objectives and provide feedback to students, parents, and teachers.

1. Type of Assessment Purpose Classroom Examples
Diagnostic - usually occurs at the beginning of -Writing Strategies
the school year and before each unit Questionnaire
of study. - Reading
- to determine students' knowledge Interest/Attitude
and skills, their learning needs, and Inventory
their motivational and interest levels.
- provides information essential to
teachers in selecting relevant
learning objectives and in designing
appropriate learning experiences for
all students, individually and as group
members
Formative - to monitor and improve progress (to -teacher observation,
gain an understanding of what questioning, classroom
students know, and don't know, in discussion, writing
order to adapt teaching and future assignments, peer
student learning) assessment ,
portfolios, student
- the information gathered from
interviews, homework
formative assessment is used to
adapt teaching and learning to meet
student needs
Summative - to determine knowledge, skills, -Performance Tasks,
abilities, and attitudes that have Projects,
developed over a given period of time Demonstrations, and
Informal Tests
- to summarize student progress
-Folders and Portfolios
-to report this progress to students,
parents/guardians, and teachers -Observations,
Checklists, and
- occurs most often at the end of a
Anecdotal Records
unit of instruction and at term or year
end when students are ready to -Conversations,
demonstrate achievement of Conferences, and
curriculum objectives. Interviews
-Effective evaluation should:
• reflect the learning objectives
• focus on what students have
learned and can do

2. • be congruent with instruction
and be based on meaningful
tasks
• be based on appropriate
criteria that students know and
understand
• reflect a range of tools and
methods of assessment and
evaluation
• provide multiple opportunities
and ways for students to
demonstrate their learning
• be ongoing and continuous
• inform practice and
instructional decisions
• inform others (e.g., students
and parents) in a clear,
accurate, and practical way.