Four Types of Formative Assessment

Formative assessment, structured throughout a unit of study, allows teachers to adapt instruction to address immediate, individual needs. Review four categories of formative assessment, applications to lesson planning, and specific examples. Given students' varied learning styles and readiness levels, it is necessary to plan instruction to reach every student. Only then can we ensure that content/instruction for a student is individualized. In order to appropriately differentiate learning experiences, educators must engage in consistent assessment. Data collected from assessment, particularly during unit implementation (formative assessment), will inform instructional choices and support student progress. While summative assessment occurs at the end of a unit to evaluate student mastery, formative assessment occurs throughout the unit to drive instruction. Formative assessments allow the teacher to gather a constant flow of information about what students are learning. This information