Assessment With Learning, often referred to as formative assessment, is a powerful approach that places assessment at the heart of the learning process. It shifts the focus from simply measuring student achievement to actively using assessment to guide and enhance learning. In a classroom that embraces assessment with learning, educators create a supportive environment where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities, and students are empowered to take ownership of their progress.
Here are five key strategies to effectively implement assessment with learning in your teaching practice:
1. Strategic Questioning Techniques
Questioning is more than just checking for understanding; it’s a dynamic tool to uncover students’ current knowledge and stimulate deeper thinking. Thoughtfully designed questions can reveal misconceptions, encourage participation, and direct your instructional decisions in real-time.
There are two fundamental types of questions to consider:
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Closed Questions: These questions are designed for concise answers, often recalling specific facts. They are valuable for quickly gauging basic recall and understanding. For instance, in a science class, you might ask, “What is the chemical symbol for water?” However, it’s crucial to use closed questions strategically, as over-reliance can limit deeper engagement.
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Open Questions: Open questions encourage more elaborate responses, prompting students to express their opinions, explain their reasoning, and connect concepts. A history teacher might ask, “Why was the invention of the printing press a significant turning point in history?” Open questions foster discussion and provide richer insights into student understanding.
To maximize the effectiveness of questioning, consider the concept of ‘wait time’. Research by Mary Rowe indicates that extending the pause after asking a question to at least three seconds significantly improves the quality of student responses. This ‘wait time’ allows students to process the question, formulate thoughtful answers, and boosts participation, especially from those who might need more time to process information.
Alt: Students actively participate in a classroom activity by writing answers on mini whiteboards, demonstrating assessment with learning through immediate feedback.
One practical technique to enhance ‘wait time’ and ensure whole-class engagement is using mini-whiteboards or digital tools. Pose a closed question, have students write their answers, and then simultaneously display them. This method provides instant feedback on class comprehension, allowing you to immediately identify areas needing further clarification and adjust your teaching accordingly.
Furthermore, create a positive classroom culture where incorrect answers are viewed constructively. Instead of simply correcting a wrong answer, use phrases like, “That’s an interesting perspective, and it highlights a common misunderstanding.” This approach transforms mistakes into valuable learning moments, encouraging students to actively participate without fear of judgment.
Integrating ‘dialogic teaching’ is another powerful dimension of questioning. This involves fostering ongoing, purposeful conversations between teachers and students. By asking follow-up questions like “Tell me more about that,” or “What makes you think so?”, you encourage students to elaborate on their thinking, clarify their ideas, and engage in deeper analysis. Dialogic teaching helps you gain a much clearer picture of student understanding and address misconceptions effectively.
2. Effective Feedback: The Bridge Between Teaching and Learning
Feedback is the critical process that connects teaching and learning. It’s a collaborative dialogue between teachers and students to clarify learning progress, establish goals, and chart a path forward. Effective feedback moves beyond simple grades to become a powerful tool for student growth.
Before any assignment, ensure clarity by providing ‘success criteria’. These clearly defined expectations outline what constitutes successful work, aligning both teacher and student understanding of learning objectives and assessment standards.
While marking can be part of feedback, in an assessment with learning approach, prioritize ‘comment-only’ feedback, especially initially. Research suggests that students often focus solely on grades, overlooking valuable written feedback. By providing comments first, you encourage students to engage with your insights and understand areas for improvement before being influenced by a grade. If a grade is necessary, deliver it separately after students have had time to process and act upon your comments.
It’s essential to distinguish between task-focused and ego-focused feedback. Ego-focused feedback, such as “Excellent work, you’re the best in class,” while seemingly positive, can have unintended negative consequences. It can lead high-achieving students to become complacent or fear challenges, and may discourage struggling learners.
Instead, concentrate on providing task-focused feedback. This type of feedback praises specific aspects of the work and, more importantly, provides concrete, actionable steps for improvement. For example, instead of “Good essay,” try, “Your introduction effectively outlines the main arguments. Now, consider strengthening your analysis by providing more specific evidence to support each point.” This approach guides students on how to improve, fostering a growth mindset and promoting continuous learning.
Alt: A teacher engages in a one-on-one feedback session with a student at their desk, illustrating personalized assessment with learning in action.
3. Peer Assessment: Learning Through Collaboration
Peer assessment, or peer feedback, involves students evaluating each other’s work and providing constructive feedback. This process is not just about students marking each other; it’s a powerful learning experience for both the reviewer and the reviewed. The teacher’s role is crucial in guiding this process, ensuring it’s productive and focused on learning.
Peer feedback fosters crucial skills such as critical thinking and reflective thinking. By analyzing another student’s work against success criteria, students develop a deeper understanding of what constitutes quality work. They learn to identify strengths and areas for improvement, not just in others’ work but also in their own.
Giving students independence through peer assessment empowers them to take greater responsibility for their own learning. It also cultivates valuable social skills and higher-order thinking abilities. Students learn to articulate constructive criticism, receive feedback gracefully, and engage in collaborative learning.
To ensure effective peer feedback, guide students to ‘think like teachers’. Equip them with the success criteria for the task and train them to apply these criteria objectively to their peers’ work. The feedback should be focused on providing specific suggestions for improvement, rather than just assigning grades or making general comments. This process deepens both students’ understanding of the learning objectives and assessment criteria.
Peer assessment can be adapted for different age groups. In primary school, for example, students can use simplified feedback methods like using picture cards to represent positive aspects and areas for improvement. The core principle remains the same: to engage students in the assessment process and promote collaborative learning.
Alt: A group of students collaborates on a peer assessment activity, demonstrating assessment with learning through student interaction and feedback exchange.
4. Self-Assessment: Cultivating Reflective Learners
Self-assessment is a cornerstone of assessment with learning, empowering students to become active agents in their learning journey. It involves students evaluating their own work and reflecting on their learning processes. As Mary James aptly stated, “Students need to learn for themselves how they move up to the next level… they need to internalise the process. Learning cannot be done for them by the teachers.”
Self-assessment helps students make sense of teacher feedback, connect new learning to prior knowledge, and apply these insights to future learning. Ultimately, it fosters self-directed learning, enabling students to set their own learning goals and take ownership of their academic progress.
However, developing self-reflective learners is a gradual process. It requires explicit instruction, consistent practice, and ongoing teacher guidance. Introduce self-assessment thoughtfully and scaffold the process, especially in the initial stages.
One effective way to introduce self-assessment is by providing students with structured prompts or questions to guide their reflection. Encourage the use of ‘learning logs’ or ‘reflective journals’. These can be simple notebooks where students regularly document their learning experiences, responding to questions like:
- What concepts made sense to me, and which are still unclear?
- How does this new material connect with what I already know?
- What did I do well in this task, and what could I improve next time?
Individual conversations with students are invaluable for fostering self-assessment skills. Short, focused tutorials provide opportunities to ask probing questions that guide students’ reflection and help them develop deeper self-awareness as learners.
Following self-reflection, encourage students to set personal learning targets. These targets should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Targets can address various aspects of learning, from improving time management and study habits to actively seeking clarification when encountering difficulties in class.
5. Formative Use of Summative Tests and Exams
While this guide primarily focuses on formative assessment strategies within classroom activities, it’s crucial to recognize the formative potential of even summative assessments like school tests and exams. These assessments, often viewed as purely evaluative, can be transformed into powerful learning tools.
After tests and exams are marked, return them to students promptly and dedicate class time to analyzing the results. Encourage students to identify areas where they performed well and, more importantly, areas where misunderstandings occurred. This analysis helps students pinpoint specific knowledge gaps and areas needing further attention.
As a teacher, analyze the overall test results to identify questions or topics that were challenging for the majority of students. This collective feedback provides valuable insights into areas of the curriculum that require re-teaching or further clarification. You can then dedicate subsequent lessons to addressing these common areas of difficulty, ensuring that all students have a solid understanding of the core concepts.
Consider using exam questions as peer learning activities. Have students work in pairs or small groups to re-work challenging questions, discuss their approaches, and learn from each other’s strengths. This collaborative approach reinforces learning and promotes deeper understanding of the subject matter.
By strategically using tests and exams formatively, you transform them from high-stakes evaluation events into valuable opportunities for learning and growth.
Assessment with learning is not merely a set of techniques; it’s a pedagogical shift that places students at the center of the learning process. By embracing these five strategies, educators can create dynamic, learner-centered classrooms where assessment becomes an integral part of learning, fostering student growth, engagement, and a lifelong love of learning.
