How can you use formative assessment to improve English language instruction?

One thing I have found helpful is to reframe the title of formative assessment to 'assessment for learning'. This wording has allowed me to visualise the intention of this type of assessment to inform the teacher (and student) of gaps and strengths in learning, and how these should be addressed.

Formative assessment is vital for dyslexic students, offering a tailored approach to meet their learning needs. Traditional methods often miss dyslexia's signs, such as reading, spelling, and writing difficulties. Formative assessment's ongoing, interactive nature allows real-time observation and evaluation of students' learning processes. This method provides immediate feedback, helping teachers customize instruction to address the unique challenges of students with dyslexia.Formative assessment enables early intervention and support, enhancing academic success and boosting confidence and motivation in dyslexic students.

As an educator since 1993 & currently a high school teacher, I've always been an advocate of continuous assessment, in addition to the summative exams at the end of each term. Learning is organic, the students, are all works in progress. They gain knowledge & develop confidence & skills in the classroom in different ways & varying stages. Formative assessment gives an opportunity for them to grow without the onerous pressure of one exam. Many students, who might have been attentive & diligent members of a class during the term can 'freeze' when faced with a paper & a limited time to write. Formative assessment, through a range of assignments, enable them to display their abilities, without the stress of only a final summative test!

I’d like to think of formative assessment like a friendly guide on a learning journey. It's like the moments when a teacher checks in with students, not just to grade them, but to understand how they're doing and offer helpful tips along the way. It's about making learning a collaborative process, where everyone adjusts and grows together.

Formative assessment refers to the process of monitoring and assessing students’ learning in order to know the strengths and weaknesses of the learners.

Sometimes, Examinations might not necessarily be a true test of what a child has learnt, however; the ability to use and apply knowledge can be seen through formative assesment. It is a wide known saying that there is no education until there has been a change in behaviour. Summative assesment alone cannot measure this but carefully thoughout and planned formative assesment will.

Formative assessment is used to monitor student learning and provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning. It helps educators identify where students are struggling and address problems immediately. By integrating formative assessment consistently, teachers can adapt instruction to meet students' needs in real-time, ultimately enhancing learning and improving student outcomes.

The aim of formative assessment is to monitor the areas of strengths and weaknesses of the learners and to provide feedback to relevant stakeholders. Formative assessment should be planed and designed appropriately, to suit the need of the learners.

Many students feel intimidated by the mere word assessments, especially if they are marks driven, so I believe I can test my students through different activities including, but not only, written essays , presentations, discussions etc. Yes there needs to be a constructive rubric but it also has to be a bit flexible.

Pour l’élève, l’évaluation formative permet à ce dernier d’apprendre à s’auto-évaluer (points forts et faibles) et de se situer par rapport à son apprentissage. Donc de connaître ses acquis et ses difficultés. Il apprend alors à surmonter ses difficultés afin de progresser Pour l’enseignant, l’évaluation formative permet de faire le point à un moment précis de l’apprentissage et du degré de maîtrise des compétences. Elle lui permet d’identifier les faiblesses et points forts de chaque élève. Elle lui permet de s’interroger sur son action pédagogique. Doit-il prévoir des activités de remédiation ? Une différenciation pédagogique pour valoriser les progrès de chaque élève et les encourager?

1. Start with the end in mind. Think of what the student needs to know and understand by the end of the lesson. 2. Think of ways the student can show that they understood the lesson.

L'évaluation formative est une activité permanente. Elle a lieu pendant le processus d'apprentissage. Pas seulement une fois, mais plusieurs fois.

Look for empty procedural time in your plans. Eg. -Putting up physical flash cards? Instead of turning your back to the class and losing their attention, invite them to be part of it by saying the words. -Explaining assignments? Ask them why you might have the success criteria or the order the assignment is in.

To plan formative evaluation, start by defining clear, measurable learning objectives. Design various assessment tasks aligned with these goals, such as quizzes, discussions, and peer reviews. Inform students about the purpose of these assessments and provide timely, constructive feedback. Use the insights gained to adapt your teaching methods and address any learning gaps. Regularly reflect on the assessment outcomes to enhance your teaching strategy and support students' progress effectively.

La planificación de la evaluación formativa requiere de un enfoque cuidadoso y estratégico. Es necesario considerar aspectos como los objetivos, las herramientas de evaluación, los criterios, la participación de los estudiantes y la retroalimentación. De esta manera, se podrá generar un proceso de evaluación efectivo y formativo que fomente el crecimiento y el desa de los estudiantes.

Una buena estrategia para la recogida de datos es la observación y el uso de rubricas detalladas tya que esto permite a los alumnos saber en qué punto están de su aprendizaje y que deben hacer para seguir mejorando. También es una herramienta fabulosa para potencia la autoevaluación y la coevaluación

Formative Assessment for ESL is based on the requirements in society, so facilitating assessments based on the need to communicate clearly and to be understood is imperative. Note however these requirements should be evident in curriculum design and development and then scenarios staged in assessments to evaluate the learner's ability. These include: role-playing, understanding and responding to a staged scenario - in verbal and written responses, peer assessment for if they are communicating clearly; the peer noting what they understood by what was communicated. The list goes on - the key is to be creative and apply that creativity to real world scenarios.

Formative assessment is essential for dyslexic EFL students. Key strategies include: Observation: Identify specific challenges like phonemic awareness issues. Open-Ended Questions: Assess understanding and encourage self-expression. Short Quizzes: Gauge understanding of language concepts. Authentic Tasks: Apply language skills in real-world scenarios for practical insights. Self-Assessment Tools: Use rubrics or checklists for student self-awareness of progress. Peer Review and Collaboration: Foster peer support for an inclusive learning environment.

Formative assessments can be oral, written, pictorial, or interactive. It depends on the grade level, content and student ability.

Formative assessments should not "feel" graded. Do it informally. The only formal formative assessment should be "practice" for the actual assessment, which should only be to teach procedure. If students can't "pass" a formative assessment, they aren't ready for the summative assessment.

I have found it useful to start with a piece of writing to gage the general level of the class. Feedback should be individual as much as this is possible... Explicit and constructive comment. I start with strengths of the writing THEN the weaknesses signposting the way.. how to fix and correct.

Provide formative feedback by being specific, timely, and constructive. Highlight strengths, identify areas for improvement, and offer clear guidance on how to progress. Use rubrics for consistent criteria, deliver feedback through one-on-one conversations, written notes, or digital platforms, and ensure it is actionable, allowing students to understand and apply your advice to their learning. Encourage self-reflection and set goals with them for continuous improvement.

One way of providing constructive feedback is to do one to one consultation and explain to the students why they lost mark and write the methods in which they can improve. Writing notes/ commentaries help learners to review their work and build on the feedback given. Having done this many times, my students are improving…

In English instruction, effective formative feedback is key for student development. Start by acknowledging students' strengths, celebrating what they've done well. Be specific about areas for improvement, offering concrete examples. Set clear, achievable goals, tailored to individual needs, and encourage reflection on their choices. Emphasize a growth mindset, framing mistakes as learning opportunities. Provide timely feedback, combining written and verbal comments. Foster a dialogue, inviting students to seek clarification or discuss their work. Monitor progress over time, revisiting previous feedback to assess improvement. This continuous, personalized approach ensures students see feedback as a tool for growth and improvement.

How to only be positive / encouraging: Completely correct: acknowledge / praise Partially correct: acknowledge correct part, ask for more information (or for someone else to continue with it) Completely incorrect: ignore answer (not student) and ask for other ideas. Their motivation will often match their level of success. If you point out success, you'll have a motivated class. If you highlight failure, nobody will want to listen.

1. Collaborative Goal Setting: Engage students in setting personalized learning goals, aligning them with their interests and aspirations. Encourage discussions to help them understand the relevance of these goals in their language learning journey. 2. Self-Monitoring Tools: Introduce self-assessment tools like rubrics or checklists that enable students to track their progress independently. Provide guidance on how to use these tools effectively, fostering a sense of responsibility for their own learning. 3. Promote Feedback Seeking: Foster a culture of feedback by encouraging students to actively seek input from various sources, facilitating a more comprehensive understanding of their strengths and areas for improvement.

One of my favorite formative assessment systems that allows for my students to take ownership of their learning and has many other uses is lights on their tables (my students almost always sit in groups). I’ve used lights that are pressed to light up or lights that when pushed once are green, then twice are red. When I finish up a section of the direct teach, I ask the students for questions and they click the lights. When we’re doing group work, I ask them to press the lights when they have a question, so I know when we need to pause and go over something (the more lights, the more questions, the more important it is for me to address something as a class). Green = understanding No color = sort of understanding Red = I have questions

Es importante que ellos conozcan los objetivos de aprendizaje y los criterios de éxito con anterioridad. Esto les ayuda a focalizar su trabajo y su capacidad e interés

1) Peer Review Experiences: Implement structured peer review sessions where students assess and provide constructive feedback on each other's work. This not only enhances their analytical skills but also promotes a collaborative learning environment, allowing them to gain insights from diverse perspectives. 2) Student Conferences: Foster metacognition and a profound understanding of their learning processes through one-on-one discussions. Collaboratively set goals and regularly monitor their progress – For example, consider implementing a visible writing progress wall in the classroom, allowing students to actively track their advancements.

It is important to mirror behavior and emotions correctly, especially in situations where things are not going really well. It is not about mirroring any negative behavior, but about neutrally naming or confirming the emotional aspects of the students, because they are feeling what they are feeling. The pupil (this applies to everyone, by the way) first will get a feeling of being seen, that it is okay, what they feel. Then, and only then, can solutions regarding the stress be worked out together with the student. Experience has shown that this can even happen very quickly, within a few days or weeks. Everyone involved will experience a sense of achievement relatively quickly and, above all, an enormous reduction in stress.

Let's not forget about the washback effect in formative assessment. We must always strive for fostering a positive effect on our students. While it's true that there are clear objectives to be met when sitting a formative (it also applies to summative) tests, teachers also need to focus on the underlying skills that help students feel at ease and improve on their language skills. By placing emphasis on the development of these skills, teachers can create a supportive and nurturing environment that encourages students to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from them, i.e. creating a positive washback. This recognizes the importance of the learning process itself, rather than solely focusing on the outcome of the assessment.

In my role as an educator and curriculum developer, I've found that formative assessment is an invaluable tool for improving English language instruction. By incorporating regular, low-stakes assessments, such as quizzes, oral presentations, and writing assignments, teachers can gain real-time insights into students' understanding and proficiency. This ongoing evaluation allows for immediate feedback and personalized instruction, addressing individual learning gaps and reinforcing concepts as needed. Formative assessments also encourage active learning and self-reflection among students, helping them to identify their strengths and areas for improvement in their language journey.

Formative assessment is detective. It can be used to identify students' weaknesses in areas of grammar and writing. In this way, students become aware of what they need to improve. After feedback, students will be less likely to repeat similar mistakes.

As a coach and curriculum specialist, it is crucial that we assist all teachers in enhancing the effeciency and accuracy of data collection and then how to use that date to inform and enhance instruction. As instructional leaders, we also need to pay attention to providing time and strategies in tackling these skills.

Formative assessments allow you to support the learner consistently... Enjoy the process and the end result will be great . Soft goals spread overtime put less pressure on the learner . After assessing think of playing games to learn.