Khalaf Alanazi

Dr. Sheryl

The 20 Techniques
of Formative
Assessment
1

Distribute index cards and ask students to

write on both sides, with these instructions:
On Side 1 asks the student to list a big idea that they
understand from the unit of study, and word it as a
summary statement.

On Side 2 students identify something about the unit topic

that they do not yet fully understand and word it as

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

The teacher gives the students a designated

concept, principal, or process. The student
must then come up with an analogy to
explain what the concept is like, and then
explain why.
This can be done with any content area. Here are a few
examples:

Finding the line of symmetry is like finding a matching shoe

because both sides are now the same size and same shape.

Spelling correctly is like washing your hands after using the

facilities because your mom always reminds you to go back

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

and wash and the computer always puts that red squiggly
line under those misspelled words. You'd be better off just
doing it the first time. The analogy connects learning to what
students know, and it provides the teacher a picture of those
connections, which can be used as checking for
understanding and formative assessment.

Frequently assess your students in order to get

feedback on their learning with this formative
assessment! Are your students constantly making
the same mistake over and over again? Try a
misconception check in order to reduce common
errors.
Present students with common or predictable
misconceptions about a designated concept, principle, or
process. Ask them whether they strongly agree or strongly
disagree and explain why. The misconception check can
also be presented in the form of a multiple choice or truefalse quiz

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

Learning to observe closely, to see beyond

assumptions and predictions, is central to
development of a formative assessment stance
Observations take many forms:
Field Notes: Teachers record (in journals, on computer, or on sticky
notes) descriptions of classroom interactions, avoiding judgment
and interpretation until later. Some teachers scribble notes during
class, some wait until the end of the day, and others videotape and
then later take notes, based on viewing particular segments.
Running Records and Miscue Analysis: Teachers take quick notes
about student reading while listening to their oral reading and to
their retelling of what has been read.
Checklists and Observation Guides: Teachers gather information
about pre-selected learning behaviors or interactions by marking
tallies on a chart or keeping a record of examples of specific student
actions (such as the types of questions being asked or the particular
strategies being used).

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

Based on questions they have about student

learning, teachers may specifically ask students for
further information by conducting surveys,
interviews, or conferences. These may take a
broad-brush look at general assessment
information or a targeted look at specific aspects
of learning.
Among the conversational tools teachers use for
assessment are these:

Surveys: Written or oral surveys can be helpful in gathering

general information about reading or writing preferences or
attitudes toward classroom literacy experiences. Data on surveys
may show general trends in a class or for a group of students across
time. Ideally, teachers would use this information to plan more
focused follow-up assessments or observations.
Interviews: Conducted one-on-one, interviews often provide a
more targeted look at assessment. Teachers may work with openended questions, such as When you are reading and you come to
something you dont know, what do you do? (Burke) or What
would you like to do better as a writer? or other questions based on
specific questions they have about student learning.
Conferences: In reading and writing conferences, teachers invite
students to share specific information about their intentions,
processes, and/or products in order to help both teacher and
student better understand the students learning and identify next
steps. Teachers often talk with students about the processes they

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

use to select a topic for a writing piece, or the writing strategies

they learned in a recent writing project. Through reading
conferences, teachers learn why a student chose to abandon a
particular book or what a student is working to understand in a
current reading selection

6
Artifacts of Learning
Working alone or, preferably, with others, teachers
review data about individual students or groups of
students for the
purpose of planning future learning experiences.
For example, teachers may:
Collect a variety of sources of information on a single
learner (case study) in order to identify patterns of
understanding across the data set. Data may include
samples of student work, notes based on classroom
observations, input from other adults including parents, as
well as standardized assessment data.
Review a class set of work samples or observations in
order to group students for further instruction or to plan
learning experiences for the entire group.
Look back at a variety of points along a students
learning journey over the school year or over several
years in order to see patterns of growth and to identify
important next steps.

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

Think, Pair & share

Students think individually, pair (discuss with
partner), and share with the class.

For example:
1. Ask a question. Be aware that open-ended questions are more likely
to generate more discussion and higher order thinking. A think-pairshare can take as little as three minutes or can be longer, depending
on the question or task and the class size.
2. Give students a minute to two (longer for more complicated
questions) to discuss the question and work out an answer.
3. Ask students to get together in pairs or at most, groups with three
or four students. If need be, have some of the students move. If the
instructor definitely wants to stick with pairs of students, but have
an odd number of students, then allow one group of three. It's
important to have small groups so that each student can talk.
4. Ask for responses from some or all of the pairs or small groups.
Include time to discuss as a class as well as time for student pairs to
address the question.
"Why did the ancient Egyptians create pyramids?
Everyone take a moment and think about the question.
Turn to the person next to you and tell them what you are thinking
Teacher will heard many ideas
Last thing teacher will ask Who would like to share what you talked about?"

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

Use the following questions and follow-up probes

regularly to check for understanding:
- How is __________ similar to/different from
_____________________________? - What are the characteristics/parts of
____________________________________? - In what other ways might we
show show/illustrate ________________________? - What is the big idea,
key concept, moral in ______________________________? - What
ideas/details can you add to _____________________________________? How does ________________ relate to - Give an example of
_________________________________________________? - What is wrong
with _________________________________________________? - What might
you infer from ___________________________________________? - What
conclusions might be drawn from _________________________________?
- What question are we trying to answer? What problem are we
trying to solve? - What are you assuming about
_________________________________________? - What might happen if
_______________________________________________? - What criteria
would you use to judge/evaluate ____________________________? What evidence supports
_____________________________________________? - How might we
prove/confirm ________________________________________? - How might

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

this be viewed from the perspective of _______________________? What alternatives should be considered
________________________________? - What approach/strategy could
you use to _______________________________? Follow-Up Probes - Why?
- What do mean by _____________? - How do you know? - Could you
give an example? - Do you agree? - Tell me more. - Explain. - Can
you find that in the text? - Give your reasons. - What data support
your position? - But what about ______________?

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

RSQC2 is an assessment strategy that encourages

students to recall and review class information
comprehensively.

The Recall, Summary, and Question sections are

amplifications of the One Minute Paper. The Connect
feature is key because it forces students (and the
instructor) to confront course structure.

10

You mentioned this kind of formative assessment

in class

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

Student Data Notebooks is a tool for students to

track their learning: Where am I going? Where am I
now? How will I get there?

11

The teacher makes two sets of cards. One set contains questions
related to the unit of study. The second set contains the answers to
the questions. Distribute the answer cards to the students and
either you or a student will read the question cards to the class. All
students check their answer cards to see if they have the correct
answer. A variation is to make cards into a chain activity: The
student chosen to begin the chain will read the given card aloud and
then wait for the next participant to read the only card that would
correctly follow the progression. Play continues until all of the cards
are read and the initial student is ready to read his card for the
second time

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

12

Given a set of vocabulary terms, students sort in to given

categories or create their own categories for sorting

13

Triangular Prism (Red, Yellow, Green)

Students give feedback to teacher by displaying
the color that corresponds to their level of
understanding

14
Slap it

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

Students are divided into two teams to identify correct answers to

questions given by the teacher. Students use a fly swatter to slap
the correct response posted on the wall like the picture

15

Flag It
Students use this strategy to help them remember
information that is important to them. They will
flag it on a sticky note.

16
K-W-L & KWL+
Students respond as whole group, small group, or
individually to a topic as to What they already

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

Know, what they want to learn, what they have

learned

PLUS (+) asks students to organize their new

learnings using a concept map or graphic organizer
that reflects the key information. Then, each
student writes a summary paragraph about what
they have learned.

17

Students jot down 3 ideas, concepts, or issues

presented. Students jot down 2 examples or uses

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

of idea or concept. Students write down 1

unresolved question or a possible confusion

18

Ask students to display a designated hand

signal to indicate their understanding of a
specific concept, principle, or process

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

19

Ask students to write one word to summarize a

lessons content

20

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl

A process in which students collect information about their

own learning, analyze what it reveals about their progress
toward the intended learning goals and plan the next
steps in their learning

http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Positions/formative-assessment_single.pdf
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Misconception-Check-FormativeAssessment-Template-125765

References
http://www.levy.k12.fl.us/instruction/Instructional_Tools/60FormativeAssessment.pdf
http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/10-assessments-you-can-perform-in-90-seconds/
https://www.nwea.org/blog/2013/22-easy-formative-assessment-techniques-for-measuringstudent-learning/
http://slideplayer.com/slide/2561514/
http://thoughtfulclassroom.com/PDFs/TIP_2_TTA%20Tools.pdf
http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/increase-student-interaction-think-pair-shares-andcircle-chats

Khalaf Alanazi
Dr. Sheryl