Formative assessments, conducted by some of the International schools in Mumbai are the ‘heart of effective teaching’. They refer to the different methods that facilitators use to determine if learners have met learning objectives. Through assessing learners formatively, facilitators are able to see where they need to go next in their instruction.
Formative assessments provide the learners with opportunities for improvement. This in turn allows them to prepare themselves for any summative assessment, reflecting how well they performed in the concept.
Across some of the International schools in Mumbai , there is a need for learners to meet academic standards that are fairly rigorous.
Studies reflect that formative assessments produces significant, substantial and profound learning outcome improvements, especially for low achievers.
Snapshot of the Benefits of Formative Assessments
- It provides guided practice for the learners of all types.
- It allows the facilitators to periodically check up on conceptual understanding of the learners.
- Instructions can be adjusted to suit learning on the go.
Importance of Formative Assessments
Such assessments concentrate on specific areas of concern and deliver clear ways forward on how to improve in those areas.
This is essential in closing the achievement gap between high- and low-performing learners .
Formative assessments aid in invoking student engagement.
- Self-assessment is a kind of formative assessment used by some of the International schools in Mumbai . Such assessments provide a forward momentum as the learners are able to chart their progress, allowing them to drive their own learning.
- Feedforwards provided by the facilitators focus on descriptive feedback rather than judgmental feedback. This provides insights that are emotionally accessible.
- Allowing the learners to assess themselves, along with periodic feedback provided by the facilitators opens up communication channels between parents, learners and facilitators. Over time, the learners are able to articulate their own learning.
- Some of the International schools in Mumbai would agree that formative assessments pave the way for lifelong learning, as the learners assume responsibility for their learning, growing confident over time.
The Role of Technology in Formative Assessments
Assessment practices of the past have faced limitations. But technological advancements and innovations gradually helping in eliminating these shortcomings.
Through the use of Ed Tech tools such as Kahoot, Quizzes, etc. the learners are presented with interactive, rich media, stimuli to respond to. These platforms make it possible to assess skills and understanding. Furthermore, the feedback is visible and immediate.
A Few Formative Assessments utilized by some of the International schools in Mumbai
- Carousel Brainstorming – The class is divided into groups after which each group writes their answers on a chart. The chart is then passed to the next group who reads the previous answers and adds theirs to the end.
- Do’s and Don’ts – Learners list three do’s and three don’ts to apply the concept in real life.
- Anonymous Reviews – This is an assessment in which an anonymous piece is reviewed by all the learners of the class.
- Classroom Polls – Polls such as PollEverywhere and Mentimeter allow the learners to respond immediately and accurately
- Admit/Exit Tickets – These can be done through Google forms or on printed cards. On these tickets, the learners are required to express a key learning of the previous/current day’s lesson.
- Compliment Sandwich – Such feedback may be provided in written or oral form. Here, the facilitator is able to deliver feedback that contains two strengths and one area for improvement.
The Risks
While formative assessments have become the need of the hour and are practices adopted by some of the best schools in Mumbai, it is important to understand the risks of not conducting these assessments well. Improper execution can cause more harm than good.
Formative assessments should work positively for both facilitators and the learners. If conducted incorrectly, the results will leave the facilitators without any clue on how to proceed.
For the learners, badly conducted assessments create unnecessary confusion, frustration, and a sense of abandonment.
Some of the best schools in Mumbai religiously conduct of formative assessments to drive student engagement and motivation. That being said, it is important draw attention to the idea that no matter how influential instructors may be, learners ultimately have the power to render feedback as ineffective.
If learners believe that the material is out of reach or the risk of failure and embarrassment is too great, then they may check out leaving educators helpless, thereby stalling the teaching-learning process.
Conclusion
At the heart of it all, any type of assessment must instill confidence and willingness in the learners to keep trying.
By
Manisha Lasrado
Academic Coordinator – Middle School and English Facilitator
