Formative Assessment: Practical Tips and Strategies for Teachers

Formative assessment is the ongoing process of gathering and using evidence of student learning to improve teaching and help students reach their learning goals. This guide explains its four basic components and gives practical tips you can use in any grade level or subject.

On this page 5 sections

Formative vs. summative assessment

The two kinds of assessment do different jobs:

	Formative assessment	Summative assessment
When it happens	Throughout the learning process	At the end of a unit or course
Main purpose	Give ongoing feedback and guide teaching	Evaluate what students have learned
What it leads to	Timely changes to instruction and support	A final judgment of learning

The key point is that formative assessment is a process, not a single event. It happens again and again while students are still learning, so there is time to act on what you find.

The four components of formative assessment

1. Setting clear learning goals and expectations. Define clear, measurable goals that follow the curriculum standards. Share them with students in language they understand.
2. Gathering evidence of student learning. Use a variety of methods: observation, questioning, self-assessment, peer assessment, and formative quizzes or tests.
3. Providing feedback. Give timely, specific feedback tied to the learning goals. Good feedback is actionable, easy to understand, and based on evidence of what the student actually did.
4. Adjusting instruction and support. Use the evidence and feedback to change your teaching to meet the needs of individual students or groups.

Practical tips for teachers

1. Set clear learning goals and expectations

Let the curriculum standards guide your goals, but tailor them to your students and your classroom.

• Use student-friendly language. Students should be able to explain the goal in their own words.
• Make goals measurable. Tie each goal to a specific learning outcome you can check.
• Show examples. Share samples of high-quality work so students can see what meeting the goal looks like.

2. Use a variety of assessment methods

No single method shows everything a student knows. Mix them.

• Formative quizzes or tests. These work best when they match your learning goals. Use them to check understanding, not to grade.
• Observation and questioning. These give insight into skills that are hard to measure with a written test, such as reasoning or group work.
• Peer and self-assessment. These help students build metacognitive skills (thinking about their own thinking) and take ownership of their learning.

3. Give timely and specific feedback

Feedback is most useful while students can still act on it.

• Use a rubric. A rubric keeps feedback specific and linked to the learning goals.
• Use technology. Digital tools can speed up feedback, especially in large or online classes.
• Take a growth mindset approach. Comment on effort, progress, and improvement, not only on scores or grades. This helps students see that ability can grow.
• Vary the format. Give feedback verbally, in writing, or through audio or video recordings, depending on what suits your students.

4. Adjust instruction and support

The whole point of formative assessment is to improve teaching and support.

• Let data guide you. Use the evidence you gathered to decide what to reteach, review, or move past.
• Differentiate instruction. Offer extra resources or scaffolding for students who need help, and extension activities for those ready for more.
• Build a culture of learning. Make your classroom a place that values growth and improvement, where students feel safe to take risks, ask questions, and ask for help.

Putting it together

Set clear goals, gather evidence in several ways, give feedback students can use, and adjust your teaching based on what you learn. Then repeat the cycle. Formative assessment works best when you treat it as continuous reflection and improvement, both for your students and for your own teaching practice.

Frequently asked questions