Formative assessment is a way for teachers to evaluate the learning process and make on-the-fly adjustments to classroom strategies. The methods of assessment vary widely, but there is always a view to improving learning outcomes.
Some examples of formative assessment methods include keeping notes on each individual student, conducting student interviews, asking open-ended questions to .
check the understanding of the class, and keeping charts on areas of weakness for each student. Teachers gain insight into the strengths and weaknesses of their teaching style and also into the overall progress of every member of each class.
Formative assessment is often a more qualitative way (compared to testing) for educators to track how effective they are. If used wisely, these methods allow educators to flexibly move between teaching styles to maximize learning outcomes.
More Reference Links: http://www.amle.org/publications/webexclusive/assessment/tabid/1120/default.aspx http://wvde.state.wv.us/teach21/ExamplesofFormativeAssessment.html
