Formative Assessment in Language Teaching

This assignment delves into the significance of formative assessment in second/foreign language education. It highlights how teachers can utilize formative assessment to cultivate student interest, track progress, identify areas needing improvement, and ultimately enhance the learning experience. The importance of understanding student performance and addressing specific needs is emphasized throughout.

Implementation of
Formative assessment

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Main Body.......................................................................................................................................1
Formative and summative assessment.........................................................................................1
Implementation of formative assessment....................................................................................2
Theories.......................................................................................................................................4
Steps to be considered by teachers..............................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
With time, there are many changes that have taken place in relation with the educational
system that are followed in each of the countries. In this aspect there are certain set of issues that
are faced. It is the responsibility of educator to make sure that they understand the requirement of
students and take up appropriate steps with the help of which they are able to grow and develop
in effective manner (Horwitz, 2010 ). To carry out the essay, focus is made on implementation of
formative assessment. In this aspect, there are issues faced. One of the main issue is related with
lack of understanding among educators about formative assessment. Educators are not able to
differentiate between formative and summative assessment. There are different types of journal
articles that are taken in to consideration, it will enable to develop in depth understanding form
the topic selected.
Main Body
Formative and summative assessment
Both summative and formative assessments are different from each other and these are
helpful enough to make analysis of the performance made by students and teachers. More
specifically, formative assessment is determine as a method that are used by teachers to make in
process evaluation of students need for learning, academic progress or their comprehension at the
time of course, unit or lesson (Hill, 2017). It enables teachers to understand the requirement of
students and the modification that are needed in teaching activities. Further, summative
assessment is focused on evaluation of students learning and this is done during the end of
instructional unit by making comparison against benchmark or standard. As per a research
conducted by Hill and McNamara, (2012) there were 12 teachers were selected and they
interviewed in order to determine the knowledge they have in relation with summative and
formative assessments. It was found that majority of the teachers had confusion and
understanding they had was low. From this, it can be stated that the type of training they teachers
get is not effective enough to support students to grow in effective manner. More specifically, it
can be started that formative assessment enables students to identify weaknesses, strengths and
areas in which they need improvement. Further, it also supports educators to know the problems
and struggle that are made by students immediately (Horwitz, 2010). On the other hand,
summative assessment makes evaluation of the students learning during the end of an
instructional unit.
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Formative assessment is carried out on frequent basis and summative is conducted at the
end. This way, it can be stated that the total time that is consumed for conducting formative
assessment is more when compared with summative assessment. It can be stated that the
formative assessment is an on-going process and take up evaluation at the learning process. On
the other hand, summative assessment takes place in different type ( Ketabi and Ketabi, 2014). It
is important to make sure for the teachers to understand the requirement of students. In formative
assessment, it enables the teachers to make evaluation of the performance and the improvement
or decline in the performance taken place.
Implementation of formative assessment
Main idea for formative assessment is to determine what students know and what they do
not. Further, it enables understand what is it they need to develop or know. In order to plan for
formative assessment, it requires to have proper plan and skills for setting up steps that can be
implemented with the help of which it can be effectively implemented. In order to make a
formative assessment there are five different type of strategies that can be followed and they are
as follows:
 Clarifying, understanding and sharing intentions and discussion of criteria for success. It
requires the teachers to share their plan of assessment that will be made (Tran, 2012).
This is helpful enough to make up students mind and prepare themselves accordingly.
 Requires effective classroom discussion, learning tasks and activities that are helpful
enough to elicit evidence of learning. It is important that there are strong bond among
teacher and students so that they are able to understand the requirements. Further,
involvement needs to be made so that as it helps in making the activities planned to be
implemented effectively.
 Providing feedback, is also an important aspects that enables to understand the areas or
type of performance that was carried out by students (Lipnevich, McCallen and Smith,
2014). Further, it also helps to determine a particular area in which they need to work on.
 Making learners are instructional resources for one another. Each of the student has their
own set of understanding. One may be able to perform a particular task given and other
may not be able to perform. In such condition when there are activate participation and
each of the student is supportive for other learners, then it becomes favourable enough for
the teachers to enact the formative assessment in effective manner.
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 Making learners as owners if their own learning. It is important for students are trained or
directed in such a manner that they have self evaluation and skilled to determine the areas
in which improvement is required.
Apart from these strategies there are certain set of aspects that can be followed by teachers so
that they are able to make sure that formative assessment can be enacted effectively and
efficiently. In this context, below given are the few considerations that can be made by teachers:
Start small: To implement any type of practise, it requires to selecting the techniques that
the educator is willing to implement (Shelton, Smith and Lester, 2016). When the set plan is
formed on slow basis, then it becomes favourable enough for the students to understand them
and make is acceptable.
To be transparent with teachers: In formative assessment, it requires to have proper
planning for the complete year so that students are able to understand the requirements and take
up appropriate steps so that they are able to make sure that in each of the intervals there are these
type of activities that will be included (Hill, 2017). All the information related with the steps that
will be taken or activities that have to be undertaken by students should be conveyed.
Making students understand about formative assessment: Before conveying them about
this, it requires to have proper information to educators. When any type of aspect is conveyed,
then there are different type of doubts that students may have and the teacher need to have proper
understanding for the same so that they are able to clarify all the doubts that students have. When
students get to know about formative assessment, then they are able to understand the
requirement and steps that they should take for better performance.
Initiating it each day: Formative assessment is day to day planning that requires to be
implemented each day. When teachers do not take appropriate steps to perform them each day
then the involvement that was expected from the side of students will get reduced (Hill and
McNamara, 2012). In addition to this, the development or learning or the performance of the
students will not have much difference.
Celebrating shifts: When students are proper guided or directed for the assessment, then
it becomes favourable enough for the students themselves to become asset for other students. It
requires to have celebrations made as the student will be able to support others to make
development in the areas that they require improvement.
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The scheduling that is made by the schools are in such a way that it consist of exams on
frequent basis. For assessment it requires to have proper time so that they will be able to take
time and work the improvements that are needed by each student (Horwitz, 2010). Assessment is
a long process in which it requires to have proper support from the side of both students and
teachers so that they are able to develop and learn in effective manner.
Theories
There are different types of theories that are used in formative assessment and these are
helpful enough to make proper analysis of the performance of students. In this context, it
includes learning theory is determined to be the conceptual frameworks describe the ways
through which knowledge is processed, absorbed and retained at the time of learning. Further,
emotional, cognitive and environment plays vital role so as to make sure that students are able to
develop their skills and capabilities in effective manner (Ketabi and Ketabi, 2014). In learning
theory it includes behavioural theory, cognitivism, social learning theory, etc. that included. As
per behaviour aspect, there are students who need to be motivate and encouraged so that teacher
are able to boost up the more and increase involvement of students. In order to make proper use
of formative assessment, it is important that proper consideration is made in which students are
rewarded or punished as per their contribution that is made by them. Motivation can be
determined to be an important aspect that each of the students should have so that students put on
their full efforts with the help of which they are able to develop and grow. The type of learning
that students have is different (Tran, 2012). There will be some of the students who have develop
their understanding when there are practical teaching with examples provided and there will be
so of the students who develop with the help of theoretical teachings. As per cognitivism theory,
it is important that teachers make use of both aspects and understand the requirement of students
and teach them accordingly. In formative assessment, it is important to make sure that educators
are able to analyse the condition of student’s preference and make an effective plan that can
enable to support them to grow and put on their full efforts for their development. In this context,
another effective theory that is effective enough in this aspect is Measurement theory. This is a
type of branch that is applied mathematics that is helpful enough for data analysis and
measurement. Main identification from this theory is that measurement is not same as the
attribute are being measured (Lipnevich, McCallen and Smith, 2014). It is helpful to make
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proper measures for each of the subjects that are taken. With the help of measures taken, it
requires to understand the importance areas in which improvement needs to be made.
Steps to be considered by teachers
Teachers who are willing to make use of formative assessment need to for an effective
plan for the complete year and it should be properly communicated with students. This way, they
make up their mind regarding the type of activities that will need to perform due the year.
Further, educators should not mix formative and summative assessment. Both are different and
teacher needs to select one for their assessment (Shelton, Smith and Lester, 2016). All the
teachers should be provided with proper training so that they are able to develop plan for
developing formative assessment in effective manner. Further, educators should understand the
purpose for conducting assessment and take initiatives to involve parents. This way, they will be
able to guide their students for their growth and development. When frequent assessment is
made, then it becomes favourable enough to focus on those areas which require improvement.
Students should be encouraged so that they also contribute and support other students so that
they are able to work on attaining the goals and objectives.
CONCLUSION
From the above carried out topic, it can be stated that there are certain set of aspects that
are identified by teacher or educators. When they do not take up appropriate framework, then it
becomes difficult to make sure that students are able to follow them. Further, it is the
responsibility of the teachers to develop interest and willingness for the students so that they can
develop their requirements. In addition to this, formative assessment enables to understand the
performance that is made by each of the student and the areas can be determined in which
improvement is required.
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REFERENCES
Hill, K. (2017). Understanding classroom-based assessment practices: a precondition for teacher
assessment literacy. PAPERS IN LANGUAGE TESTING AND ASSESSMENT, 6(1), 1-17.
(http://arts.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/2349862/6_1_SI1Hill.pdf)
Hill, K., & McNamara, T. (2012). Developing a comprehensive, empirically based research
framework for classroom-based assessment. Language Testing, 29(3), 395-420.
(http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0265532211428317)
Horwitz, E. K. (2010). Foreign and second language anxiety. Language Teaching, 43(2), 154-
167. (https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/language-teaching/article/foreign-and-
second-language-anxiety/3782D56F94F86BFA6765E5F32910DB39)
Ketabi, S., & Ketabi, S. (2014). Classroom and formative assessment in second/foreign language
teaching and learning. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 4(2), 435.
(https://search.proquest.com/openview/c5764df827d7195eacdc2b29f87f81b3/1?pq-
origsite=gscholar&cbl=2026476)
Lipnevich, A. A., McCallen, L. N., & Smith, J. K. (2014). Mind the gap! Students’ use of
exemplars and detailed rubrics as formative assessment. Instructional Science, 42(4),
539-559. (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11251-013-9299-9)
Shelton, A., Smith, A., & Lester, J. (2016). Drawing and writing in digital science notebooks:
Sources of formative assessment data. Journal of Science Education and
Technology, 25(3), 474-488. (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10956-016-9607-
7)
Tran, T. H. (2012). Second Language Assessment for Classroom Teachers. Online Submission.
(https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED545800)
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