What is the primary purpose of formative assessment in the classroom?

The primary purpose of formative assessment is to monitor student learning and provide ongoing feedback. This type of assessment occurs continuously throughout the learning process, allowing educators to identify students’ strengths and areas for improvement as they develop their skills and understanding. By assessing students informally and regularly during instruction, teachers can adjust their teaching strategies to meet the evolving needs of the students. This feedback helps guide students in their learning journey, fosters engagement, and supports the development of a growth mindset, ultimately leading to improved academic outcomes.

In contrast, measuring student performance at the end of a unit is more characteristic of summative assessments, which evaluate learning after specific goals have been met. Assigning grades based on student performance is a result of assessments but is not the primary purpose of formative assessment; rather, it often belongs to summative evaluations. Evaluating teacher effectiveness is not a direct aim of formative assessment, though teachers can use the insights gained to enhance their instructional practices.