Top 10 Formative Assessment Methods
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How to use
How to use
Home
Peer-assessment
Entry tickets and exit slips
Dipsticks
Think, pair, share
Traffic light system
Keep the questions going
Elevator pitch
Quizzes
General comment forms
Misconceptions
1 Entry tickets and exit slips
Entry tickets and exit slips
Click for an example
What are they?
Use in practice
Entry tickets and exit slips
Entry tickets and exit slips are opportunities for students to reflect on their understanting of content learned, used at the beginning or end of the lesson Students can be asked to respond to particular prompts, e.g.:
- What are three things you have learned, two things you are curious about, and one thing you don't understand?
- What I found interesting about yesterday's lesson was...
- What I have been struggling with is....
Entry tickets and exit slips
Entry tickets and exit slips
This method is well suited to in-classroom teaching, where physical slips / tickets can be handed out for students to complete. Alternatively, Microsoft Forms can be easily utilised for asking students a few short questions before / after class. Click on the Microsoft Forms icon for an example!
Dipsticks
Dipsticks
Click for an example
What are they?
Use in practice
Dipsticks
In this context, dipsticks are quick and easy measures of students' understanding while the lesson is in progress, so-called because they are as straightforward as checking the oil in your car. They give less detailed feedback than entry tickets and exit slips, as dipsticks are shorter, more immediate checks of students' understanding which can be taken throughout a lesson
Dipsticks
An example of taking a dipstick measure of a class's understanding is to pause the lesson, and ask students to indicate how well they feel they are understanding the material with a thumb up, down, or middle. Or, The teacher could go around the class asking each student to say one thing they have found most interesting so far, or what they have found most difficult
Entry tickets and exit slips
3 Traffic light system
Traffic Light System
Click for an example
What are they?
Click for another example
Traffic light system
The traffic light system could be thought of as a continuous dipstick. That is to say, it has the potential to me a continuous measure of the class's understanding, as easy as looking up while driving to see if the light is green or red.
Traffic light system
When in the classroom, students could have red, yellow, and green cards on their desk with one card on display, andthe other hidden.
Red suggests that they are finding the current topic difficult, or that they are struggling, green that they feel confident, and yellow for somewhere in between. Students are encouraged to display the most appropriate card to display their level of understanding with the topic currently being discussed. This measure could also be taken at intervals throughout the lesson as a dispstick, rather than being continuously updated.
Traffic light system
If the lesson is taking place online, students can make use of features such as Zoom's reactions button to indicate their level of understanding, or by indicating their level of understanding with an emoji in the chat box. The teacher should then have an instant gauge of the class's level of understanding, and can adjust the lesson accordingly, if necessary.
4 Summarisation
and the elevator pitch
Summarisation and Elevator Pitches
Click for an example
What are they?
Use in practice
'If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough'
Summarisation and Elevator Pitches
Whether or not Einstein actually said that, summarisation in order to pitch their ideas to the class is a useful tool to prompt students to deconstruct their ideas, thinking critically about them from different angles. Giving an ‘elevator pitch’ is to give a short statement describing an idea, product, company etc. in such a way that any listener should be understand in the time taken for an elevator ride.
Summarisation and elevator pitches
In class, we could ask students to prepare a short speech of around 30 seconds to a minute, on an aspect of what they have learned in the lesson or on a particular topic we wish to gauge class understanding of. This could also take the form of a message sent in the chat box of a virtual classroom, or as notes posted on a collaborative virtual board such as padlet or Miro.
Click either for examples
Summarisation and elevator pitches
5 Misconceptions and errors
Misconceptions and errors
Click for an example
What are they?
Use in practice
Misconceptions and errors
A misconception is defined as 'a view or opinion that is incorrect because based on faulty thinking or understanding'. Misconception checks are useful ways of checking to see if students understand why a statement is incorrect. As well as highlighting areas where the class, or individual students are struggling, misconception checks normalise the fact that making mistakes are an inevitable part of learning, and therefore encourage students to be more ambitious in partipating when they are unsure about an answer.
Misconceptions and errors
We could carry out a misconcption check by putting a false statement about the current topic on the board, and asking students whether it is true or false, and to explain their reasoning. Another way of using the misconception strategy could be to ask students to list three things about the topic they think could be misunderstood by other students
In other words...
6 Peer assessment
Peer assessment
Click for an example
What is it?
Use in practice
Peer assessment
In informally evaluating each other’s work, students think about what criteria are required for success, and critiquing a peer’s work allows the student to consider what is required for success in a context that is less emotionally charged in comparison with if they were to deconstruct their own work
Peer assessment
A peer feedback process could take the form of ‘two stars and a wish’: two strengths Student A identifies in Student B’s work that they may want to apply to their own, and one aspect of Student B’s work that they feel could be improved. Peer assessment methods work particularly well in the classroom, but can be facilitated remotely thorugh the use of break-out rooms in Zoom or similar
Peer assessment
7 Think, pair, share
Think, Pair, Share
Click for an example
What are they?
Use in practice
Think, Pair, Share
Think, pair, share, is a collaborative learning strategy in which students are encouraged to discuss ideas and challenge each other. As with peer-assessment, this activity allows students to broaden their understanding through considering another’s viewpoint.As with peer-assessment, this activity allows students to broaden their understanding through considering another’s viewpoint. Additionally, having the time to speak about their responses in their pairs, students can learn in greater depth how their peers came to their understanding of the topic.
Think, Pair, Share
To begin, the teacher gives a question, prompt, or task to the class. Students are given time to think about their responses. Students will then pair up to compare ideas, which may indirectly involve some peer-assessment. The teacher can observe these interactions. Alternatively, students may come back and share their responses with the class. Zoom break-out rooms can be used to facilitate this strategy if the class is being held remotely.
Watch the video below for an example of Think, Pair, Share in the classroom
8 Keep the questions going
Keep the questions going
Click for an example
What are they?
Use in practice
Keep the questions going
This is a method well-suited to keeping the whole class engaged as the teacher gauges class understanding. This method is well-suited to maintaining class engagement, as all students know they may be picked to participate, and therefore should be thinking of an answer to the next question.
Keep the questions going
1) The teacher asks Student A a question
2) Teacher then asks Student B if they agree with Student A's answer
3) Teacher then asks Student C to explain why they believe Student B has agreed or disagreed
Another approach is to simply keep the questions going: Ask a question, and once a student has answered, prompt them to give further detail by asking another question. This may appear an overly interrogative method if focussed on individual students, but the follow-up questions could equally be directed to other classmembers. This may then not be as time-efficient at gauging the understanding of a whole class, but it is, as mentioned, effective in encouraging whole class engagement.
Keep the questions going
currently missing use in practice video or image
Quizzes
🤔
Quizzes
Click for examples
What are they?
Quizzes
Short, informal quizzes are an effective means of measuring both the class’s and individual students’ understanding of a topic, and highlighting common weaknesses which would benefit from revisiting in class. Quizzes built on digital platforms are suitable for completion either in the classroom, if students have access to devices, or from home, making them valuable in remote-learning envionments. Informal quizzes, which are explicitly for formative rather than summative assessment, should encourage students to be comfortable with identifying gaps in their understanding.
Click the icons to see exmples of quizzes built in...
Microsoft Forms
Genially
10 Comment forms
Comment forms
Click for an example
What are they?
Comment forms
Why not ask your students exactly what you'd like to know?
Distributing feedback forms to students serves the dual purpose of prompting students to recalll and reflect on the material learned, as well as generating qualitative and quantitative insight into a class's experience of the lesson.These questionnaires can ask students about any areas they are struggling with, what they have most enjoyed, what they are most looking forward to, what they feel could have been done differently in class, or would have liked to spend more time on. The responses from these can help form an understanding of any common areas of struggle or enjoyment, which may therefore warrant revisiting in class. Online forms may encourage contribution from students who have struggled to contribute in class.
Below is an after-lesson comment form in Microsoft Forms
(started how to use section) Formative assessment methods
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Transcript
Top 10 Formative Assessment Methods
Click the arrow to start
How to use
How to use
Home
Peer-assessment
Entry tickets and exit slips
Dipsticks
Think, pair, share
Traffic light system
Keep the questions going
Elevator pitch
Quizzes
General comment forms
Misconceptions
1 Entry tickets and exit slips
Entry tickets and exit slips
Click for an example
What are they?
Use in practice
Entry tickets and exit slips
Entry tickets and exit slips are opportunities for students to reflect on their understanting of content learned, used at the beginning or end of the lesson Students can be asked to respond to particular prompts, e.g.:
Entry tickets and exit slips
Entry tickets and exit slips
This method is well suited to in-classroom teaching, where physical slips / tickets can be handed out for students to complete. Alternatively, Microsoft Forms can be easily utilised for asking students a few short questions before / after class. Click on the Microsoft Forms icon for an example!
Dipsticks
Dipsticks
Click for an example
What are they?
Use in practice
Dipsticks
In this context, dipsticks are quick and easy measures of students' understanding while the lesson is in progress, so-called because they are as straightforward as checking the oil in your car. They give less detailed feedback than entry tickets and exit slips, as dipsticks are shorter, more immediate checks of students' understanding which can be taken throughout a lesson
Dipsticks
An example of taking a dipstick measure of a class's understanding is to pause the lesson, and ask students to indicate how well they feel they are understanding the material with a thumb up, down, or middle. Or, The teacher could go around the class asking each student to say one thing they have found most interesting so far, or what they have found most difficult
Entry tickets and exit slips
3 Traffic light system
Traffic Light System
Click for an example
What are they?
Click for another example
Traffic light system
The traffic light system could be thought of as a continuous dipstick. That is to say, it has the potential to me a continuous measure of the class's understanding, as easy as looking up while driving to see if the light is green or red.
Traffic light system
When in the classroom, students could have red, yellow, and green cards on their desk with one card on display, andthe other hidden. Red suggests that they are finding the current topic difficult, or that they are struggling, green that they feel confident, and yellow for somewhere in between. Students are encouraged to display the most appropriate card to display their level of understanding with the topic currently being discussed. This measure could also be taken at intervals throughout the lesson as a dispstick, rather than being continuously updated.
Traffic light system
If the lesson is taking place online, students can make use of features such as Zoom's reactions button to indicate their level of understanding, or by indicating their level of understanding with an emoji in the chat box. The teacher should then have an instant gauge of the class's level of understanding, and can adjust the lesson accordingly, if necessary.
4 Summarisation
and the elevator pitch
Summarisation and Elevator Pitches
Click for an example
What are they?
Use in practice
'If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough'
Summarisation and Elevator Pitches
Whether or not Einstein actually said that, summarisation in order to pitch their ideas to the class is a useful tool to prompt students to deconstruct their ideas, thinking critically about them from different angles. Giving an ‘elevator pitch’ is to give a short statement describing an idea, product, company etc. in such a way that any listener should be understand in the time taken for an elevator ride.
Summarisation and elevator pitches
In class, we could ask students to prepare a short speech of around 30 seconds to a minute, on an aspect of what they have learned in the lesson or on a particular topic we wish to gauge class understanding of. This could also take the form of a message sent in the chat box of a virtual classroom, or as notes posted on a collaborative virtual board such as padlet or Miro.
Click either for examples
Summarisation and elevator pitches
5 Misconceptions and errors
Misconceptions and errors
Click for an example
What are they?
Use in practice
Misconceptions and errors
A misconception is defined as 'a view or opinion that is incorrect because based on faulty thinking or understanding'. Misconception checks are useful ways of checking to see if students understand why a statement is incorrect. As well as highlighting areas where the class, or individual students are struggling, misconception checks normalise the fact that making mistakes are an inevitable part of learning, and therefore encourage students to be more ambitious in partipating when they are unsure about an answer.
Misconceptions and errors
We could carry out a misconcption check by putting a false statement about the current topic on the board, and asking students whether it is true or false, and to explain their reasoning. Another way of using the misconception strategy could be to ask students to list three things about the topic they think could be misunderstood by other students
In other words...
6 Peer assessment
Peer assessment
Click for an example
What is it?
Use in practice
Peer assessment
In informally evaluating each other’s work, students think about what criteria are required for success, and critiquing a peer’s work allows the student to consider what is required for success in a context that is less emotionally charged in comparison with if they were to deconstruct their own work
Peer assessment
A peer feedback process could take the form of ‘two stars and a wish’: two strengths Student A identifies in Student B’s work that they may want to apply to their own, and one aspect of Student B’s work that they feel could be improved. Peer assessment methods work particularly well in the classroom, but can be facilitated remotely thorugh the use of break-out rooms in Zoom or similar
Peer assessment
7 Think, pair, share
Think, Pair, Share
Click for an example
What are they?
Use in practice
Think, Pair, Share
Think, pair, share, is a collaborative learning strategy in which students are encouraged to discuss ideas and challenge each other. As with peer-assessment, this activity allows students to broaden their understanding through considering another’s viewpoint.As with peer-assessment, this activity allows students to broaden their understanding through considering another’s viewpoint. Additionally, having the time to speak about their responses in their pairs, students can learn in greater depth how their peers came to their understanding of the topic.
Think, Pair, Share
To begin, the teacher gives a question, prompt, or task to the class. Students are given time to think about their responses. Students will then pair up to compare ideas, which may indirectly involve some peer-assessment. The teacher can observe these interactions. Alternatively, students may come back and share their responses with the class. Zoom break-out rooms can be used to facilitate this strategy if the class is being held remotely.
Watch the video below for an example of Think, Pair, Share in the classroom
8 Keep the questions going
Keep the questions going
Click for an example
What are they?
Use in practice
Keep the questions going
This is a method well-suited to keeping the whole class engaged as the teacher gauges class understanding. This method is well-suited to maintaining class engagement, as all students know they may be picked to participate, and therefore should be thinking of an answer to the next question.
Keep the questions going
1) The teacher asks Student A a question
2) Teacher then asks Student B if they agree with Student A's answer
3) Teacher then asks Student C to explain why they believe Student B has agreed or disagreed
Another approach is to simply keep the questions going: Ask a question, and once a student has answered, prompt them to give further detail by asking another question. This may appear an overly interrogative method if focussed on individual students, but the follow-up questions could equally be directed to other classmembers. This may then not be as time-efficient at gauging the understanding of a whole class, but it is, as mentioned, effective in encouraging whole class engagement.
Keep the questions going
currently missing use in practice video or image
Quizzes
🤔
Quizzes
Click for examples
What are they?
Quizzes
Short, informal quizzes are an effective means of measuring both the class’s and individual students’ understanding of a topic, and highlighting common weaknesses which would benefit from revisiting in class. Quizzes built on digital platforms are suitable for completion either in the classroom, if students have access to devices, or from home, making them valuable in remote-learning envionments. Informal quizzes, which are explicitly for formative rather than summative assessment, should encourage students to be comfortable with identifying gaps in their understanding.
Click the icons to see exmples of quizzes built in...
Microsoft Forms
Genially
10 Comment forms
Comment forms
Click for an example
What are they?
Comment forms
Why not ask your students exactly what you'd like to know?
Distributing feedback forms to students serves the dual purpose of prompting students to recalll and reflect on the material learned, as well as generating qualitative and quantitative insight into a class's experience of the lesson.These questionnaires can ask students about any areas they are struggling with, what they have most enjoyed, what they are most looking forward to, what they feel could have been done differently in class, or would have liked to spend more time on. The responses from these can help form an understanding of any common areas of struggle or enjoyment, which may therefore warrant revisiting in class. Online forms may encourage contribution from students who have struggled to contribute in class.
Below is an after-lesson comment form in Microsoft Forms