Formative assessment is a continuous process of gathering evidence of student learning. It involves observing students, questioning them, and collecting work to determine what they have and have not learned. Teachers use this evidence to provide descriptive feedback to students to help close learning gaps and improve understanding. The goal is for students to understand learning targets and criteria for success so they can independently monitor and improve their own learning.

1. Formative Assessment:
Where Students Are the Center of
Attention

2. What is formative assessment?
• Formative assessment is the continuous
systematic process of gather evidence that
students are or are not learning the skills and
knowledge necessary from the lessons that
are being provided.

3. Benchmarks and summative assessments are used to gather information
from a moment in time unlike formative assessment.

4. Formative Assessment
Observing students put into practice what they have learned.

5. Feedback projects
Think pair share
peer/self assessment
Exit/admit slip
learning/response log
What Formative Assessment looks like

6. Formative Assessment
Observing Questioning

7. Learning Targets and Criteria for
Success
Learning targets are what we want students
to learn. The learning goal should be
separated from the instruction. Learning
targets are stated in student friendly terms.
Success criteria should improve the students learning. The students should
be empowered to learn independently. Students are in charge of their
learning.

8. Learning targets will help students
answer questions that will let them
know they are learning.

9. Learning Targets
I can fill in the plot for the
story “Eleven”.
I can identify the
landforms on the map of
coast of North Carolina.

10. Collecting and documenting evidence is the way to
be certain students are learning.

11. Collecting and Documenting Evidence helps the
teacher stay on top of student learning and knowing if
there is incorrect information or misinformation and
then correcting it.
Teachers who do the constant checking , observing, reviewing ,
questioning, and keeping evidence of what students learn or don’t learn
will see greater student growth.

12. With the formative assessment, the teacher must
analyze the evidence collected then offer descriptive
feedback to help the student’s learning.
• You stated the plot and I see you have done a
well-defined description of the plot. You need
to reread the story to find the climax and
state it again on your plot chart.
• Descriptive feedback must be clear and
concise so the student knows what needs to
be done to correct the learning.

13. How will the teacher effectively examine student learning?
- Effectively examine student work;
- Understand the differences
between evaluative and
descriptive feedback;
- Enhance student learning through
descriptive feedback;
- Plan instructional modifications
to address learning gaps or enrich
instruction.

14. Students need to understand where their learning is going so they will ask questions:
Where am I going?
Where am I now?
How can I close the gap?
How will I know I’m getting there?
How can I keep it going?

15. Formative assessment is a practice for students to get it write. It improves
student learning because they get daily feedback that allows them to adjust
the learning and show growth. Formative assessment gives a teacher the
“chance to reflect on students strengths and weaknesses with respect to
specific learning goals and success criteria…” Formative assessments center
the learning around the student.