What is formative assessment?

• A. It is used only for grading purposes
• B. It occurs after summative assessments
• C. It provides ongoing checks during instruction to monitor learning
• D. It evaluates students at the end of the term

Answer: (C)

Formative assessment is about ongoing checks during instruction to monitor learning and guide teaching. It involves gathering quick evidence of what students understand or can do while learning is still happening—so teachers can adjust pacing, revisit concepts, and provide targeted feedback to help students improve. Examples include quick checks for understanding, exit tickets, think-pair-share, and observed work that informs next steps in the lesson. This is different from assessments used for grading after a unit or term, or those that evaluate learning only at the end. Formative assessment focuses on growth and progress during learning, not final results.