Formative Assessment Strategies
Also Called: "Feedback For Learning" Strategies
Feedback for you and students on their understanding
This tab is to help you with:
Many formative assessment strategies are also collaborative and are listed under the collaborative learning strategies tab. For example, any of the collaborative graphic organizers can be collected by the teacher to check for understanding.
- Finding out what students understand without marking
- Helping students be aware of their own understanding
Many formative assessment strategies are also collaborative and are listed under the collaborative learning strategies tab. For example, any of the collaborative graphic organizers can be collected by the teacher to check for understanding.
Assessment for Learning:
Entrance Slip (Pre-assessment)
At the beginning of a unit, the teacher creates a short quiz.
- Use concepts that have been covered in previous units or grades, and the introductory concepts to be presented in the current unit.
- First day of the unit, give students approximately 5 to 10 minutes to complete quiz
- Go over the answers to the quiz questions with the class
- Teacher reviews student answers and explains common mistakes the following day
Exit Slips (End of Class Survey)
Teacher creates small slips of paper with 2 to 4 simple/key questions from the concepts covered that day.
- At the end of instruction (or during work time before the bell), hand out paper slips
- Students answer questions and hand back to teacher before leaving class
- Teacher reviews student answers and explains common mistakes the following day
SEE-I (State, Explain, Exemplify, and Illustrate a Concept)
After teaching a concept, ask students to demonstrate their understanding individually on a separate sheet of paper using the following acronym:
- S - State the definition of the concept
- E - Explain what the concept actually means in student's own words
- E - Exemplify by providing an example and/or a non-example of the concept
- I - Illustrate by coming up with a metaphor or analogy of what the concept is like. A picture-in-words or drawing an image, symbol, or small diagram of this analogy can be useful to truly demonstrate understanding
Teacher collects students' SEE-I papers to review their understanding and find out if clarification is needed.
Word Cloud (Concept Review)
At the end or beginning of class, have a cloud of terms (randomly oriented word) on the board.
- Terms should be concepts from the previous instructional period
- Ask students to look at the terms and recall what they mean
- Have any student volunteer (or randomly select a student) to explain one concept
- Have another student explain a different concept and repeat until all terms have been reviewed
- Option: depending on class size, can have one term for each student or pair of students that need to be explained before students can leave class
- Make your own word cloud from: http://www.wordle.net/
Card Sort (Matching Activity)
Want students to know definitions without needing to write them out?
Benefits: students can learn or review definitions or conceptual examples in a kinesthetic activity
Preparation: Teacher creates decks of cue cards or laminate paper slips.
Each card has either one key term or one definition on it.
Benefits: students can learn or review definitions or conceptual examples in a kinesthetic activity
Preparation: Teacher creates decks of cue cards or laminate paper slips.
Each card has either one key term or one definition on it.
- Each pair of students gets a deck of cards (that has both terms and definitions)
- Students must match the term with the definition
- Students may use their textbooks to discover the definition
- Variation: create scenario examples instead of definitions
- Variation: have students come up with their own grouping of similar terms (see open card sort example to the right). The benefit of this variation is that students creatively devise their own groupings and extend their thinking to a higher level on Bloom's Taxonomy. A new way of grouping that the teacher had not thought of before may be discovered.
Whiteboards (Instant Feedback)
Need to see student writing in larger print? Want to know all student answers at a glance?
Obtain small whiteboards, package of white board markers, and some kind of eraser (kleenex or mini-mitt gloves)
Ideas:
Obtain small whiteboards, package of white board markers, and some kind of eraser (kleenex or mini-mitt gloves)
Ideas:
- Ask students (alone or in partners) to brainstorm words, generate a flow chart, or re-write a definition in their own words
- Write a multiple choice question on the board and ask individual students to answer by writing a, b, c, or d on their boards
- Ask students to draw a diagram or symbol of the concept being taught
- Ask students to complete a math problem by writing out steps (showing work)
Teacher can either ask class to hold up whiteboards so that teacher can visually scan, or can circulate and observe responses/offer ideas
Thumbs "Up-Side-or-Down"
Need a really quick check up?
- Ask students how they feel about the concept immediately after teaching it
- Student responses could be a thumbs up for understanding, thumb to the side if they are okay with the concept, or thumbs down if they are confused
- If mostly up with a few sides, teacher can move on (taking note of those who might need a refresher during work time)
- If as many as half the students show a thumbs down, reteach the concept using a different approach
I have... Who has... Class Review Cards
Need a whole-class domino-effect review?
- Teacher prepares and hands out cards that have an answer to a previous question and a new question on it.
- Teacher starts with: I have [this answer]. We will end with the question that has [this answer]. Let's start with who has the answer to [this question]?
- The student with that card will say "I have [that answer]. Who has [this question]'s answer?"
- If a math problem, students should have mini-whiteboards to work out the problem.
- There should be an accountability portion such as a recording sheet to avoid students from losing engagement after their card has been called.
- Example Trig Identities Cards: http://www.pleacher.com/mp/mlessons/trig/ihavewho.html
Tarsia
Leave them breadcrumbs during seatwork
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Concept Circles
Need students to describe the meaning and relationships between words?
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Heads Up! (Taboo Review Game)
Teacher creates decks of cue cards with 1 vocabulary work per card.
- Every pair of students receive a deck of cards.
- Student A has a card on his/her forehead.
- Student B describes the term on forehead without saying the term (i.e. taboo).
- Student A guesses the term.
- Student A keeps the cards separate between correct and pass/incorrect.
- Teacher circulates and offers hints at descriptive words when student B seems stuck trying to explain.
- Optional: Teacher may offer an award for the student with highest correct cards for motivation.
Row Sheet (also called Speed Dating Worksheet or Partner Game)
Need a partner check?
1) 4 - 2 1) 6 - 4 = 2 = 2 |
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Jeopardy
Double Up Brain Breaks and Formative Assessment for Learning with Movement!
Trade Up
Need kids moving to answer true and false questions?
- Teacher creates question and prints them out on cue cards with the answer.
- Each student receives one card.
- Students find a partner and each ask their true/false question.
- After reviewing, students trade up cards, raise their hands, and find a new partner.
If You Know You Must Go
Want to students to vote with their bodies what concept they can explain?
1. Divide the room into three or four sections with each section as one concept or definition
2. If a student knows a concept, ask them to move to that part of the room
3. Give fifteen seconds to let students discuss the answer in a group
4. Call upon one student from each group to share the correct answer, and give feedback
1. Divide the room into three or four sections with each section as one concept or definition
2. If a student knows a concept, ask them to move to that part of the room
3. Give fifteen seconds to let students discuss the answer in a group
4. Call upon one student from each group to share the correct answer, and give feedback
Human Statue Bar Graph
Need to teach a graph?
1. Split class into four or five groups depending on class size
2. Use desk or table edges to model x and y axes
3. Have tall students stand, then students crouch, then students kneel to model different heights of a bar graph
4. Teacher can give a verbal cue for increase/decrease of a value to have a representative student stand or crouch
1. Split class into four or five groups depending on class size
2. Use desk or table edges to model x and y axes
3. Have tall students stand, then students crouch, then students kneel to model different heights of a bar graph
4. Teacher can give a verbal cue for increase/decrease of a value to have a representative student stand or crouch
Whip Around
Want students to feel supported and have an opportunity to celebrate even if they get the question wrong?
1. Have students pair off and stand back-to-back
2. Ask a true or false question
3. If students think it is true, form a T with their arms, or if it is false, form an X
4. Teacher says "whip!" and students turn around to cheer if they had the same answer as a partner
5. Teacher explains correct answer
1. Have students pair off and stand back-to-back
2. Ask a true or false question
3. If students think it is true, form a T with their arms, or if it is false, form an X
4. Teacher says "whip!" and students turn around to cheer if they had the same answer as a partner
5. Teacher explains correct answer
Assessment as Learning:
Writing Window (Feedback Summary)
Wouldn't it be easier to have a single sheet that both you and your student can keep feedback on?
Benefits of strategy: individual feedback for long-term improvement all at-a-glance
Benefits of strategy: individual feedback for long-term improvement all at-a-glance
- The teacher gives each student a blank reflection sheet and a plastic sheet protector to keep it in (the transparent "window")
- After each written assignment, the student adds to the reflection sheet based on the feedback that the teacher has given
- Students write down their thoughts about how they think they did on the written assignment and how they can use the teacher's feedback to improve their future work.
- English Language Arts Example: Every summative paper can also be formative. Teachers want to provide students with individual feedback that helps them grow and improve as a writer. Keeping track of the teacher's descriptive feedback and reflecting upon it ultimately helps students improve on summative writing assignments.
"Quick" Quizzes
This is a self-testing study strategy that students can do in class or at home to memorize content
Benefits of strategy: students can self-measure their improvement (similar to using flash cards)
Benefits of strategy: students can self-measure their improvement (similar to using flash cards)
- Teacher photocopies an unlabelled chart or diagram for each student, places it in a plastic sheet protector, and gives one to each student
- Distributes a whiteboard marker and kleenex to each student
- The plastic sheet protector is used like a whiteboard
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Collaborative Graphs
See collaboration tab for graphic organizers.
Technology
Kahoot.it!
Want students to be really engaged?
Benefits of strategy: technological incorporation and no-stakes competition
Benefits of strategy: technological incorporation and no-stakes competition
- Teacher creates or copies a Kahoot quiz on https://getkahoot.com/
- In class teacher loads the quiz and launches it so that students see the login pin
- Students take out phones, laptops, or tablets to visit https://kahoot.it/ and login with pin on board
Quizlet
Need an online study tool for students? Want to check in on who completes study tasks?
- Quizlet is an online tool for creating a terms and definitions bank for your students to study from
- Students can click on "flash cards," "scatter game," or "speed racer game" to study at home (or in class)
- Teacher can keep track of student points from their quiz game
- https://quizlet.com
Plickers
Have only one smart phone in your classroom? Want to scan answers?
Socrative
Poll Everywhere
Kids too crazy and competitive with Kahoot? Don't have an internet connection, but students can text?
- Teacher creates a poll questionnaire
- Students text in responses, tweet responses, or answer via the personalized website url
- Need cell phones, tablets, or laptops
- https://www.polleverywhere.com/
Padlet
Students can give a short answer to a question
- Need cell phones, tablets, or laptops
- https://padlet.com/
Today's Meet
Students can give a short answer to a question
- Students can engage in an electronic conversation as a whole class
- Need cell phones, tablets, or laptops
- https://todaysmeet.com/
Quickfire App
Students can get involved in question and answer activities
- Students can share anonymous answers in different visual formats so everyone can learn from each other
- Need cell phones, tablets, or laptops
- http://spiral.ac/teacher/apps/quickfire
Storybird
Literacy? Writing?
- Students can create their own works using this online tool
- https://storybird.com