Formative Assessment

Formative assessment is assessment carried out during the teaching and learning process, with the primary purpose of improving learning rather than measuring it. It answers the question: Where are learners now, and what do they need next?

Often called "assessment FOR learning" (Black & Wiliam 1998), in contrast to Summative Assessment ("assessment OF learning").

Core Principles

• Ongoing, not one-off. Formative assessment is embedded in daily teaching, not confined to test days.
• Informs instruction. The data collected feeds back into planning. If most learners cannot produce past tense questions, the teacher adjusts.
• Low-stakes or no-stakes. Grades are not the point. When learners fear judgment, they hide their weaknesses, exactly the information the teacher needs.
• Involves learners. Effective formative assessment helps learners understand their own progress and take ownership of next steps.

Techniques

Technique	What it reveals
Monitoring during tasks	Real-time production, common errors, engagement levels
Questioning (targeted, open)	Depth of understanding, misconceptions
Exit tickets	What was learned (or not) in a specific lesson
Mini whiteboards / quick polls	Whole-class understanding at a glance
Peer assessment	Learners internalise criteria; reveals their understanding of quality
Self-assessment	Metacognitive awareness; surfaces perceived vs actual ability gaps
Error analysis	Systematic patterns in learner output that indicate developmental stage
Observation checklists	Structured tracking of specific skills during communicative activities

Why It Matters

Black & Wiliam's (1998) meta-analysis found that formative assessment produces significant learning gains, among the largest effect sizes of any educational intervention. The mechanism is straightforward: it closes the gap between where learners are and where they need to be by making that gap visible to both teacher and learner.

In language teaching specifically:

• It allows teachers to respond to Interlanguage development rather than following a fixed syllabus blindly
• It provides the evidence base for differentiating instruction within mixed-ability classes
• It makes Corrective Feedback more targeted: you correct what the data tells you learners are ready to work on

Formative vs Summative: Not Either/Or

The same instrument can serve both purposes depending on how it is used. A writing task graded and filed is summative. The same task analysed for error patterns, discussed with the learner, and used to plan the next lesson is formative. The distinction is in the purpose and use of the information, not the format of the assessment.

Common Pitfalls

• Collecting data without acting on it. Formative assessment that does not feed back into instruction is just busywork.
• Making it high-stakes. The moment formative tasks are graded, learners optimise for grades rather than revealing genuine understanding.
• Over-relying on self-assessment. Learners, especially at lower levels, often cannot accurately judge their own abilities. Self-assessment works best when learners have clear criteria and training.