Abstract:

The main purpose of formative assessment is to be positive, promote learning, and feedback. Therefore, students need formative assessment that allows them the opportunity to build their confidence and have a good and meaningful learning experience at the end of a unit or a course.

This presentation leads its objective to develop some strategies in which teachers can enhance the way they give their formative assessment to the class.

When you hear the word assessment, you can think of a synonym of formal testing; all those written tests provided at the end of a period or course. Still, formative assessment tends to be positive, promote learning, and feedback, but it also affects academic decisions, instructional needs, students’ placement, etc.(1) However, as mentioned before, formative assessment should focus more on students’ outcomes to reflect in our teaching and promote better learning for them. Therefore, students need formative assessment that allows them the opportunity to build their confidence and have a good and meaningful learning experience at the end of a unit or a course. This presentation leads its objective to contribute to some strategies in which teachers of all education levels (mainly university level) can enhance the way they give their formative assessment to the class.

These strategies may include the following(2):
- Observation and writing of students’ strengths and difficulties in class work.
- Asking for clarification to promote “self repair”.
- Creating portfolios with samples of students’ works.
- Praising or rewarding good performance.
- Assessment techniques for different learning styles.
- Etc.

At the end of the presentation, teachers should have gained another perspective of formative assessment and some strategies that can put in practice with their students.

“Nothing we do to, or for our students is more important than our assessment of their work and the feedback we give them on it. The results of our assessment influence students for the rest of their lives” (3)

References:
[1] L. Shepard, S. L. Kagan, and E. Wurtz, Principles and Recommendations for Early Childhood Assessments (Washington, DC: National Education Goals Panel, December 14, 1998), 5-6.
[2] Kang, J., and Crandall, J. (2014) Teaching Young Learners English. From Theory to Practice. USA: Cengage Heinle
[3] Race, P. Brown, S. and Smith, B. (2005) 500 Tips on assessment: 2nd edition, London: Routledge.

Keywords:

Formative, assessment, confidence.