Handouts-ClassroomAssessment-IP3.pdf

5 Induction Program for Teachers (Phase III)
HANDOUTS
Handout 1.1
Definitions of Classroom Assessment
Assessment
Following are definitions of assessment and the role it plays in teaching and learning:
1. Assessment involves the use of empirical data on student learning to refine programs and
improve student learning. (Assessing Academic Programs in Higher Education by Allen 2004)
2. Assessment is the process of gathering and discussing information from multiple and diverse
sources in order to develop a deep understanding of what students know, understand, and
can do with their knowledge as a result of their educational experiences; the process
culminates when assessment results are used to improve subsequent learning. (Learner-
Centered Assessment on College Campuses: shifting the focus from teaching to learning, by
Huba and Freed 2000)
3. Assessment is the systematic basis for making inferences about the learning and
development of students. It is the process of defining, selecting, designing, collecting,
analyzing, interpreting, and using information to increase students' learning and
development. (Assessing Student Learning and Development: A Guide to the Principles,
Goals, and Methods of Determining College Outcomes, Erwin 1991)
4. Assessment is the systematic collection, review, and use of information about educational
programs undertaken for the purpose of improving student learning and development.
(Assessment Essentials: planning, implementing, and improving assessment in higher
education by Palomba and Banta 1999)
Classroom Assessment
1) Classroom assessment is the process of collecting and interpreting information about
learning and teaching as it occurs in a classroom for the purpose of making decisions that
improve opportunities for learning.
2) Classroom assessment is a tool that enables instructors to determine their prior knowledge
before instruction and to gauge students’ progress (Nelson and Price-2007).
3) Lambert and Lines, (2000) explains that classroom assessment is the process of gathering,
interpreting, recording and using information about pupil’s response to educational tasks.

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Induction Program for Teachers (Phase III)
Importance of Classroom Assessment
Classroom assessment is an on-going process through which teachers and students interact to
promote greater learning. The assessment process involves using a range of strategies to make
decisions regarding instructions and gathering information about student performance or
behavior in order to diagnose students’ problems, monitor their progress or give feedback for
improvement. The classroom assessment is primarily concerned with qualitative judgments that
are used to improve students' knowledge and learning.
In classroom assessment, since teachers themselves develop, administer and analyze the
questions, they are more likely to apply the results of the assessment to their own teaching.
Thus, assessment also gives teachers useful information about how to improve their teaching
methods. Therefore, it provides feedback on the effectiveness of instruction and gives students
a measure of their progress.
Through using appropriate classroom assessment strategies and techniques, teachers can
increase their students' motivation and show them how well they have learned. Learning
outcomes will be enhanced when learners are able to connect the relevance of the learning with
assessment activities.
As Biggs (1999) maintains, two major functions can be pointed out for classroom assessment:
One is to show whether or not the learning has been successful, and the other one is to clarify
the expectations of the teachers from the students (Dunn et al., 2004).
The purpose of classroom assessment is to give students the opportunity to show what they have
learned rather than catching them out or to show what they have not learned.
Purpose
a. To monitor student learning-measure what students have and have not learned and grade
them
b. To provide feedback of student’s performance
c. To motivate the students by giving them positive reinforcement
d. Serves as a diagnostic and monitoring tool for instruction
References:
1. Training Manual for Elementary School Teachers, pedagogical Skills, Developed by the
Directorate of Staff Development, Govt. of the Punjab.
2. The importance of classroom assessment and evaluation in educational system -2009 by
taghijabbarifar.
3. Classroom Assessment (5th ed) by James H. McMillan.
4. Classroom teaching Skills, International Edition, James M. Cooper General Editor.
5. Educational Evaluation and Monitoring, Concepts and Techniques, by Sarfaraz Khwaja

Handout 1.2
Components of Classroom Assessment
There are four essential components to implement classroom assessment: purpose,
measurement, evaluation and use.
→ → →
FIGURE 1.1: Components of Classroom Assessment
A. Purpose
Whether done before, during or after instruction, the first step in any assessment is to clarify the
specific purpose of gathering information. A clear vision is needed of what the assessment will
accomplish. Why are you doing the assessment? What will be gained by it? What type of teacher
decision making is enhanced by the information gathered through the assessment process?
There are many reasons for doing classroom assessment, some of which are traditional (such as
the first four listed below), and others that have become important with changes in learning and
motivation theory, curriculum alignment, and the current context of high-stake testing.
 To diagnose students` strengths and weaknesses
 To monitor student progress towards achieving objectives
 To assign grades
 To determine instructional effectiveness
 To provide student feedback
 To prepare students for high-stake tests
 To motivate students
Knowing the reason for assessment is crucial because this will determine what the assessment
should look like, how it is administered and scored and how the results will be used.
Measurement
What technique
should I use to
gather
information?
Purpose
Why am I
doing this?
Evaluation
How will I
interpret the
results? What
performance
standards and
criteria I will
use?
Use
How will I
use the
results?

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B. Measurement
Measurement is the process by which traits, characteristics, or behaviors are differentiated.
The process of differentiation can be very formal and quantitative, such as using a thermometer
to measure temperature, or can consist of less-formal processes such as observation (“It is very
hot today”). Typically, measurement is used to assign numbers to describe attributes or
characteristics of a person, object, or event. A variety of techniques can be used to measure a
defined trait or learning target, such as tests, rating, observations, and interviews.
C. Evaluation
Once measurement is done to gather information, you will need to place some degree of value
on different numbers and observations, based on a specific frame of reference. This process is
identified in the given as evaluation, the making of judgments about quality how good the
behavior or performance is. Evaluation involves an interpretation of what has been gathered
through measurement, in which value judgments are made about performance. For example,
measurement often results in a percentage of items answered correctly. Evaluation is a judgment
about what each percentage correct score means. That is, is 75% correct good, average, or poor?
Does 75% indicate “proficiency”?
An important determinant of how you evaluate a performance is the nature of the performance
standards you employ. Performance standards are used to determine whether a performance is
“good” or “bad”. Increasingly such standards refer to high, specific, and valued measurable
results that indicate a specific level of performance.
Criteria also play an important part of the evaluation process. Criteria are the specific behaviors
or dimensions that are evidenced to successfully attain the standard. These criteria may be the
most important influences on evaluation. They may be called scoring criteria, scoring guidelines,
or rubrics. For example, take as a standard that students know all state capitals in the United
States. The criteria are what the teacher uses to conclude that the student does, indeed, know
the capitals. For one teacher this may mean giving the students a map and having them write in
the capital for each state; for another teacher it may mean answering 20 multiple choice
questions correctly. Often teachers use criteria for scoring tests and papers without a clear
standard. In fact, if only informally, teachers must have some type of criteria in mind to make
assessment evaluations.
Both standards and criteria communicate to students the teacher`s expectations of them. The
nature of questions and feedback, the difficulty of assignments, and the rigor of the criteria tell

students what the teacher believes they are capable of achieving. These expectations are
important in motivating students and in setting an academic achievement climate in the
classroom.
D. Use
The final stage of implementing assessment is how the evaluations are used. The use of test
scores and other information is closely tied to the decisions teachers must make to provide
effective instruction, to the purposes of assessment, and to the need of students and parents.
These decisions depend on when they are made; they can be categorized into three major
classroom uses: diagnosis, grading, and instruction.
1. Diagnosis
Diagnostic decisions are made about individual students as well as about group strengths,
weaknesses, and needs. The diagnosis includes an assessment of why a student may be having
difficulty so that appropriate instructional activities can be prescribed. For example, teachers use
homework diagnostically to determine the extent of student understanding and to identify
students who do not understand the assignment. Students are closely monitored to check
motivation, understanding, and progress.
2. Grading
Grading decisions are based on measurement-driven information. There is a great amount
variability of in what teachers use to determine grades, how they use the process of grading to
motivate students, and the standards they use to judge the quality of student work. Some
teachers, for example, use grading to control and motivate (e.g., “This assignment will be
graded”), and often teachers use completed work as a basis for privileges and otherwise
rewarding students (e.g., “good” papers are posted). Grades and associated written comments
also provide feedback to students and parents.
3. Instruction
Teachers constantly make instructional decisions, and good teachers are aware that they must
continuously assess how students are doing to adjust their instructions appropriately. One type
of decision, called a process instructional decision, is made almost instantaneously, such as
deciding to end a lecture or ask a different type of question. Planning instructional decisions are
made with more reflection; they might include changing student seating arrangement or
grouping patterns, spending an extra day on a particular topic, or preparing additional work-

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sheets for homework. It is hoped that teachers will use credible measurement information with
clear standards to evaluate student behavior accurately.
Reference:
Classroom Assessment (5th ed) by James H. McMillan

Handout 1.3
Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation in Education
Measurement:
Measurement is the process of quantifying the degree to which someone or something possesses
a trait, i.e. quality, characteristic, or feature. Measurement permits more objective description
concerning traits and facilitates comparisons. Thus, instead of saying that A is underweight for
her age and height, we can say that A is 16 years old, 5.8 feet tall, and weighs only 85 pounds.
Further, instead of saying that A is more intelligent than B we can say that A has a measured IQ
of 125 and B has a measured IQ of 88. In each case, the numerical statement is more precise,
more objective, and less open to interpretation than the corresponding verbal statement.
There is some professional disagreement about whether all traits of interest can be measured.
Can we really measure elusive qualities such as empathy, appreciation, motivation, and interest?
Can we really measure values and attitudes? The answer is yes but it is not easy. Supporters of
this position basically put forth the following argument. If something exists, it exists in quantities,
or amounts; if it exists in quantities, it can be measured. Thus the purpose of educational
measurement is to represent how much of something is possessed by a person or entity─ very
little, some, a great deal─ in a numerical way.
The term measurement is not synonymous with the administration of a paper pencil test. Data
may also be collected via processes such as observation and analysis and rating of a product (such
as science project). In many cases, however, some combination of standardized and /or self-
developed test is required. The word test is not necessarily a written set of questions to which
an individual respond in order to determine whether he or she passes. A more inclusive definition
of a test is a means of measuring the knowledge, skills, feelings, intelligence, or aptitude of an
individual or group.
Assessment:
Assessment is a process by which information is obtained relative to some known objective or
goal. It is a broader term and includes measurements and testing also. It focuses on learning,
teaching and outcomes. It provides information for improving learning and teaching. Assessment
is an interactive process between students and teachers that informs teachers how well their
students are learning what they are teaching. The information is used by teachers to make
changes in the learning environment, and is shared with students to assist them in improving
their learning and study habits. This information is learner-centered, course based, frequently

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anonymous, and not graded. Whether implicit or explicit, assessment is most usefully connected
to some goal or objective for which the assessment is designed.
Evaluation:
Evaluation is perhaps the most complex and least understood of the terms. From an instructional
point of view, evaluation may be defined as “a systematic process of determining the extent to
which instructional objectives are achieved by the pupils”. There are two important aspects of
this definition. First, note that evaluation implies a systematic process, which omits casual,
uncontrolled observation of pupils. Second, evaluation always assumes that instructional
objectives have been previously identified. Without previously identified objectives, it is patently
impossible to judge the nature and extent of pupil learning.
This definition indicates that evaluation is a much more comprehensive and inclusive term,
including measurement, testing and assessment with some other processes of making
comparisons. Its results enable us to make decisions for changes. For example change of course
outline or materials.
Evaluation includes both qualitative and quantitative description of pupil behavior plus value
judgments concerning the desirability of that behavior. Measurement is limited to quantitative
description of pupil behavior. It does not include qualitative description nor does it imply
judgment concerning the worth or value of the behavior measured.
Generally, any evaluation process requires information about the situation in question. A
situation is an umbrella term that takes into account such ideas as objectives, goals, standards,
procedures, and so on. When we evaluate, we are saying that the process will yield information
regarding the worthiness, appropriateness, goodness, validity, legality, etc., of something for
which a reliable measurement or assessment has been made. For example, I often ask my
students if they wanted to determine the temperature of the classroom they would need to get
a thermometer and take several readings at different spots, and perhaps average the readings.
That is simple measuring. The average temperature tells us nothing about whether or not it is
appropriate for learning. In order to do that, students would have to be polled in some reliable
and valid way. That polling process is what evaluation is all about. A classroom average
temperature of 75 degrees is simply information. It is the context of the temperature for a
particular purpose that provides the criteria for evaluation. A temperature of 75 degrees may not
be very good for some students, while for others, it is ideal for learning. We evaluate every day.
Teachers, in particular, are constantly evaluating students, and such evaluations are usually done

in the context of comparisons between what was intended (learning, progress, behavior) and
what was obtained. When used in a learning objective, the definition provided on the ADPRIMA
site for the behavioral verb evaluate is: To classify objects, situations, people, conditions, etc.,
according to defined criteria of quality. Indication of quality must be given in the defined criteria
of each class category. Evaluation differs from general classification only in this respect.
The main emphasis on classroom evaluation is on the extent to which learning outcomes are
achieved. How much more accurately and quickly can a pupil do multiplication problems? How
much greater is his understanding of the number system? Has he made any improvement in using
his time effectively? if so, how much? Is his handwriting more legible? If so, how much more?
These questions are typical of those which we must be prepared to ask ourselves and to answer
about each of our pupils. A variety of methods are therefore necessary, and a sound evaluation
program will include both measurement and non-measurement techniques, each to be used as
appropriate.
Evaluation plays an important role in many facets of the school program. It contributes directly
to the teaching-learning process used in classroom instruction, and it is useful in programmed
instruction, curriculum development, marking and reporting, guidance and counseling, and
school administration.
It is important to clarify the distinction between evaluation and assessment. These terms are
often used interchangeably, but they are technically different. Assessment of an individual
student’s progress or achievement is an important component of evaluation: it is that part of
evaluation that includes the measurement and analysis of information about student learning.
For example, the primary focus of assessment in Teaching English Language has been language
assessment and the role of tests in assessing students’ language skills. Evaluation goes beyond
student achievement and language assessment to consider all aspects of teaching and learning
and to look at how educational decisions can be made by the results of alternative forms of
assessment and evaluation.
Assessment versus Evaluation
Depending on the authority or dictionary consulted, assessment and evaluation may be treated
as synonyms or as distinctly different concepts. As noted above, if a distinction exists, it probably
involves what is being measured and why and how the measurements are made. In terms of
what, it is often said that we assess students and we evaluate instruction.

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This distinction derives from the use of evaluation research methods to make judgments about
the worth of educational activities. Moreover, it emphasizes an individual focus of assessment,
i.e. using information to help identify a learner's needs and document his or her progress towards
meeting goals.
To sum up, we measure distance, we assess learning, and we evaluate results in terms of some
set of criteria. These three terms are certainly share some common attributes, but it is useful to
think of them as separate but connected ideas and processes.
References:
1. https://www.scribd.com › doc › Measurement-Assessment-Evaluation-Kizli...
2. http://www.adprima.com/measurement.htm
3. Apple, D.K. & Krumsieg. K. (1998). Process education teaching institute handbook.Pacific
Crest
4. Measurement and Evaluation in Teaching (3rd ed) by Norman. Gronlund

Handout 1.4
Assessment VS Measurement VS Evaluation
Reference:
https://farahhhanis702.wordpress.com/2017/12/07/assessment-vs-measurement-vs-
evaluation/

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Worksheet 1.1
Instruction:
Write your responses in your pads. Time: 10 mints
Questions Responses
Q1. How can we know about mental level of a
student?
Q2. How can we identify weak areas of the
students?
Q3. What strategies are used to engage students
in the classroom activities?

HANDOUTS
Handout 2.1
Formative Assessment
1. Formative assessments are tests, quizzes, games, or group work designed to evaluate how
well a student is learning the material in a class. The goal of this assessment is to understand
what your students know and what you’ll have to review before the class concludes.
2. During the October 2006, inaugural FAST SCASS meeting in Austin, Texas, the following
definition of formative assessment was adopted, without dissent:
Formative assessment is a process used by teachers and students during instruction that
provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’
achievement of intended instructional outcomes.
A Closer Look at the Definition
The primary purpose of the formative assessment process, as conceived in this definition, is
to provide evidence that is used by teachers and students to inform instruction and learning
during the teaching/learning process. Effective formative assessment involves collecting
evidence about how student learning is progressing during the course of instruction so that
necessary instructional adjustments can be made to close the gap between students’ current
understanding and the desired goals. Formative assessment is not an adjunct to teaching but,
rather, integrated into instruction and learning with teachers and students receiving frequent
feedback.
One key feature of this definition is its requirement that formative assessment be regarded
as a process rather than a particular kind of assessment. In other words, there is no such thing
as “a formative test.” Instead, there are a number of formative assessment strategies that
can be implemented during classroom instruction. These range from informal observations
and conversations to purposefully planned instructionally embedded techniques designed to
elicit evidence of student learning to inform and adjust instruction.
A second important part of the definition is its unequivocal requirement that the formative
assessment process involve both teachers and students. The students must be actively
involved in the systematic process intended to improve their learning. The process requires
the teacher to share learning goals with students and provide opportunities for students to
monitor their ongoing progress

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Formative assessment refers to the ongoing process students and teachers engage in when they:
1. Focus on learning goals.
2. Take stock of where current work is in relation to the goal.
3. Take action to move closer to the goal.
The best formative assessment involves both students and teachers in a recursive process. It
starts with the teacher, who models the process for the students. At first, the concept of what
good work "looks like" belongs to the teacher. The teacher describes, explains, or demonstrates
the concepts or skills to be taught, or assigns student investigations—reading assigned material,
locating and reading materials to answer a question, doing activities or experiments—to put
content into students' hands. For example, the teacher shares the aspects of a good descriptive
paragraph and tells students how their work compares to the ideal. Gradually, students
internalize the learning goals and become able to see the target themselves. They begin to be
able to decide how close they are to it.
A student's self-assessment process marks the transition to independent learning. When
students monitor their own learning and make some of their own decisions about what they need
to do next, they are using metacognitive skills. These are important skills in their own right.
Learning how to learn—that is, learning the metacognitive skills that will ultimately contribute to
lifelong learning—begins with specific acts of self-assessment. Students learn how to monitor
their own performance first with respect to specific learning goals they understand; for example,
they learn to check sentences for specific comma faults or to check math problems for specific
errors. These specific acts of self-assessment during the formative assessment process are critical
building blocks as well as strategies for achieving the immediate learning goals. Gradually,
students begin to be able to monitor more and more aspects of their work at once.
This process is the essence of learning—the continuous process of assessing one's own mastery
of content and skills, and discerning and pursuing next steps to move forward toward a goal. The
goal may exist only as an objective in a teacher's lesson or unit plan at first, but as students focus
on their work, see and monitor their progress, and understand both what they are learning
and how they learn, they become full participants in formative assessment and true learners.
Not for Grading
Formative assessment is not used for grading. Students need—and deserve—an opportunity to
learn before they are graded on how well they have learned. Formative assessment is used
before instruction, to find out where students are, and during instruction, to find out how they

are progressing. The fact that the results of formative assessment are not used for grading makes
it even more useful for learning, especially for less-able students. They are free to pay attention
to figuring out how they are doing and what they need to work on without worrying about a
grade. There is some evidence that good students use all information, including graded work,
formatively. This is not the case for students who experience negative feelings after failure. These
feelings get in the way of processing additional information about their learning. For such
students, the value of feedback is lost, overshadowed by the low grade.
Some experts call assessment before instruction "diagnostic" assessment and reserve the term
"formative" for assessment during instruction. Others use "diagnostic" to mean the kind of
assessment that, whenever it occurs, gives information to teachers to inform specific lesson
plans, the main idea being that diagnostic assessment identifies student weaknesses for teachers
to address. Because an important aspect of formative assessment is that both teachers and
students use the information, this action tool will use the term "formative assessment" to mean
collecting any information, before or during instruction, that can be shared with students and
used for improvement.
References:
 https://schoolturnaroundsupport.org/resources/attributes-effective-formative
 http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/accountability/educators/fastattributes04081.pdf

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Handout 2.2 (a)
Formative Assessment: Process and characteristics
The Formative Assessment Process is a deliberate process used by teachers and students during
instruction that provides actionable feedback that is used to adjust on-going teaching and
learning strategies to improve students’ attainment of curricular learning targets/goals.
Formative Assessment Cycle:
Clarify
Determine Learning Goals—what students will know by the end of the lesson. The goals describe
“big ideas” or concepts and reflect academic standards. Learning goals are written in student-
friendly language, beginning with, “I understand.”
Establish Success criteria—the evidence that teachers and students use to determine how
students are progressing toward the learning goals. They are also written in student-friendly
language, beginning with “I can.”
Elicit
Engage in a learning event or activity that prompts and generates evidence of learning. Evidence
should be tightly aligned to the learning goals and guided by success criteria.
Consider student needs, interests, and learning styles when deciding how to elicit evidence so
that students can demonstrate their understanding in different ways to meet the success criteria.
Use multiple sources of evidence to draw accurate conclusions about student learning.
Interpret
Review the evidence to determine students’ progress toward learning goals and success criteria.
Interpreting is about analyzing evidence of learning, and identifying the gap between where

students are and where they need to be. Students can analyze evidence of their own learning
and discuss their interpretations with teachers and peers.
Interpreting evidence is not a single event but part of an ongoing process throughout instruction.
Act
Teachers determine and initiate appropriate instructional next steps. These may not be the same
for all students and must take into consideration each student’s readiness, interests, and learning
preferences.
Students receive feedback that is specific about what they need to do next in the learning
process.

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Handout 2.2 (Part B)
Formative Assessment Process and characteristics
Characteristics of formative assessment
Five Attributes of Formative Assessment (Note: teachers should strive to use all five attributes
in their formative assessments.):
1. Learning Progressions: Learning progressions should clearly articulate the sub-goals of the
ultimate learning goal.
Learning progressions describe how concepts and skills build in a domain, and show the trajectory
of learning along which students are expected to progress. From a learning progression teachers
have the big picture of what students need to learn, as well as sufficient detail for planning
instruction to meet short-term goals. They are able to connect formative assessment
opportunities to the short-term goals to keep track of how well their students’ learning is moving
forward.
For example, at the earliest stages of a progression for historical inquiry students must learn how
to investigate the past from a range of sources of information, (e.g., stories, eyewitness accounts,
pictures, photographs, artifacts, historic buildings, museums, galleries, and technology-based
sources). Students build on this learning in later stages of the progression to develop an
understanding that people represent and interpret the past in different ways (e.g., through
pictures, plays, films, reconstructions, museum displays, and fiction and nonfiction accounts),
and that the interpretations reflect the intentions of those who make them (e.g., writers,
archaeologists, historians, and filmmakers). A goal for students at each level of the progression
would be to investigate a set of artifacts in increasingly sophisticated ways to extract information
about a particular period or event in history. Not only would such investigations support the
students’ development of historical reasoning, they would also provide evidence of the students’
ability to reason in increasingly complex ways. This involves moving from the early stages of
reasoning based on simple observation to the more complex stages based on indirect observation
and the synthesis of multiple sources of information. Using the evidence elicited from such tasks
connected to the goals of the progression, a teacher could identify the “just right gap” – a growth
point in learning that involves a step that is neither too large nor too small – and makes
adjustments to instruction accordingly.

2. Learning Goals and criteria for Success: Learning goals and criteria for success should be
clearly identified and communicated to students.
Because the formative assessment process helps students achieve intended learning outcomes
based on explicit learning progressions, teachers must first identify and then communicate the
instructional goal to students. In addition to communicating the nature of the instructional goal,
teachers must provide the criteria by which learning will be assessed so that students will know
whether they are successfully progressing toward the goal. This information should be
communicated using language readily understood by students, and may be accompanied by
realistic examples of those that meet and do not meet the criteria.
For example, suppose the goal of a social studies instructional unit was to have students “prepare
a written critique of the quality of arguments in political essays in a local newspaper’s editorial
pages.” The teacher might first offer students a paraphrased version of that goal such as, “You
will be able to judge the strengths and weaknesses of arguments in the editorials you find in our
daily newspapers.” The teacher would discuss the criteria for evaluating arguments and then
provide several examples of critiques of political essays. This will provide students with a
reasonably clear idea of the analytic skills they are to develop and also provide them with the
tools required to assess their own written analyses.
3. Descriptive Feedback: Students should be provided with evidence-based feedback that is
linked to the intended instructional outcomes and criteria for success.
Descriptive feedback should be about the particular qualities of student learning with discussion
or suggestions about what the student can do to improve. It should avoid comparisons with other
pupils. Specific, timely feedback should be based on the learning goal and criteria for success. It
should help the student answer three basic questions: Where am I going? Where am I now? How
can I close the gap?
For example, in an eighth grade writing class the students are learning how to construct an
argument. They are focusing specifically on speech-writing and have examined several effective
speeches, both from prominent speech-makers in history and from previous years’ eighth grade
students. In this particular lesson, students have been asked to write an opening paragraph to
their speech with the success criteria of introducing their topic in a way that engages the
audience. The feedback the teacher gives to one student is, “The opening paragraph does not
capture the audience’s attention because it does not clearly state what the speech is about.
However, the opening sentence of the second paragraph states your position with an effective

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contrast. What can you do to improve or strengthen your opening paragraph?” With this kind of
descriptive feedback and collaboration, the teacher clarifies the goal for the student, provides
specific information about where the student is in relation to meeting the criteria, and offers
enough substantive information to allow the student an opportunity to identify ways to move
learning forward.
Similarly, in a sixth grade math class students working in groups have been asked to review an
example of the steps a student from a previous year took to solve a problem. They must decide
if the work is correct or incorrect and provide an explanation for their view. The success criterion
that the teacher gives them is, “Include any properties or rules that may apply in your
explanation.” When the group’s report back after their discussions, the teacher listens for the
rules or properties in the explanations, and this becomes the focus of her feedback. To one group
she says, “Your explanation shows me that you understand that the steps the student took to
solve the problem were incorrect. Remember the success criterion. You must also relate your
explanation to one of the properties we have been discussing in class to indicate the reason the
steps were incorrect.” Again, the students know the goal, where their response differed from the
criteria, and how they can improve their explanations.
4. Self- and Peer-Assessment: Both self- and peer-assessment are important for providing
students an opportunity to think meta-cognitively about their learning.
Formative assessment is a process that directly engages both teachers and students. In addition
to teacher feedback, when students and their peers are involved there are many more
opportunities to share and receive feedback. Helping students think meta-cognitively about their
own learning fosters the idea that learning is their responsibility and that they can take an active
role in planning, monitoring, and evaluating their own progress. To support both self- and peer-
assessment, the teacher must provide structure and support so students learn to be reflective of
their own work and that of their peers, allowing them to provide meaningful and constructive
feedback.
In self-assessment, students reflect on and monitor their learning using clearly explicated criteria
for success. In peer-assessment, students analyze each other’s work using guidelines or rubrics
and provide descriptive feedback that supports continued improvement. For example, students
can work in pairs to review each other’s work to give feedback. A teacher needs to have modeled
good feedback with students and talked about what acceptable and unacceptable comments
look like in order to have created a safe learning environment. Students can use a rubric to

provide feedback to a peer by articulating reasons why a piece of work is at one level and
discussing how it could be improved to move it to the next level. Alternatively, feedback could
be given using a format such as “two stars and a wish,” which provides a structure for a student
to identify two aspects of the work that are particularly strong (stars) and one aspect the peer
might improve (a wish). Students then need time to reflect on the feedback they have received
to make changes or improvements. In addition, students can be encouraged to be self-reflective
by thinking about their own work based on what they learned from giving feedback to others. A
further benefit of providing feedback to a peer is that it can help deepen the student’s own
learning. However, student- and peer-assessment should not be used in the formal grading
process.

30
5. Collaboration: A classroom culture in which teachers and students are partners in learning
should be established.
Sharing learning goals and criteria for success with students, supporting students as they monitor
and take responsibility for their own learning, helping students to provide constructive feedback
to each other, and involving students in decisions about how to move learning forward are
illustrations of students and teachers working together in the teaching and learning process.
However, for students to be actively and successfully involved in their own learning, they must
feel that they are bona fide partners in the learning process. This feeling is dependent on a
classroom culture characterized by a sense of trust between and among students and their
teachers; by norms of respect, transparency, and appreciation of differences; and by a non-
threatening environment. Creating such a culture requires teachers to model these behaviors
during interactions with students, to actively teach the classroom norms, and to build the
students’ skills in constructive self- and peer-assessment. In this type of classroom culture,
students will more likely feel they are collaborators with their teacher and peers in the learning
process.
References:
 McManus, Sarah (2008). “Attributes of Effective Formative Assessment.” Washington,
D.C.: The Council of Chief State School Officers.
 https://portal.smarterbalanced.org/library/en/formative-assessment-process.pdf

Handout 2.3.1
Classroom assignments and activities
Techniques to Check for Understanding - Processing Activities
1. Index Card
Summaries/
Questions
Periodically, distribute index cards and ask students to write on both
sides, with these
instructions:
(Side 1) Based on our study of (unit topic), list a big idea that you
understand and word it as a summary statement.
(Side 2) Identify something about (unit topic) that you do not yet fully
understand and word it as a statement or question.
2. Hand Signals Ask students to display a designated hand signal to indicate their
understanding of a specific concept, principles, or process: - I
understand____________ and can explain it (e.g., thumbs up). - I do not
yet understand ____________ (e.g., thumbs down). - I’m not completely
sure about ____________ (e.g., wave hand).
3. One Minute
Essay
A one-minute essay question (or one-minute question) is a focused
question with a specific goal that can, in fact, be answered within a
minute or two.
4. Misconception
Check
Present students with common or predictable misconceptions about a
designated concept, principle, or process. Ask them whether they agree
or disagree and explain why. The misconception check can also be
presented in the form of a multiple-choice or true-false quiz.
5. Student
Conference
One on one conversation with students to check their level of
understanding.
6. 3-Minute Pause The Three-Minute Pause provides a chance for students to stop, reflect
on the concepts and ideas that have just been introduced, make
connections to prior knowledge or experience, and seek clarification.
 I changed my attitude about….
 I became more aware of….
 I was surprised about…….
 I felt…………….
 I related to ………………

32
7. Observation Walk around the classroom and observe students as they work to check
for learning.
Strategies include:
 Anecdotal Records
 Conferences
 Check lists
8. Self-Assessment A process in which students collect information about their own
learning, analyze what it reveals about their progress toward the
intended learning goals and plan the next steps in their learning.
9. Exit Card Exit cards are written student responses to questions posed at the end
of a class or learning activity or at the end of a day.
10. Portfolio Check Check the progress of a student’s portfolio. A portfolio is a purposeful
collection of significant work, carefully selected, dated and presented to
tell the story of a student’s achievement or growth in well-defined areas
of performance, such as reading, writing, math, etc. A portfolio usually
includes personal reflections where the student explains why each piece
was chosen and what it shows about his/her growing skills and abilities.
11. Quiz Quizzes assess students for factual information, concepts and discrete
skill. There is usually a single best answer. Some quiz examples are:
 Multiple choice
 True/false
 Short Answers
 Paper and pencil
 Matching
 Extended response
12. Debriefing A form of reflection immediately following an activity.
? Reader’s Theater From an assigned text have students create a script and perform it.
13. One Sentence
Summary
Students are asked to write a summary sentence that answers the “who,
what where, when, why, how” questions about the topic.
14. Think-Pair-
Share /Turn to
Your Partner
Teacher gives direction to students. Students formulate individual
response, and then turn to a partner to share their answers. Teacher
calls on several random pairs to share their answers with the class.

15. Oral
Questioning
How is __________ similar to/different from ________________?
- What are the characteristics/parts of _______________________?
- In what other ways might we show/illustrate ___________?
- What is the big idea, key concept, moral in _________________?
- How does ________________ relate to ____________________?
- What ideas/details can you add to _________________________?
- Give an example of ____________________________________?
- What is wrong with ____________________________________?
- What might you infer from ______________________________?
- What conclusions might be drawn from ____________________?
- What question are we trying to answer? What problem are we trying
to solve?
- What are you assuming about ___________________________?
- What might happen if __________________________________?
- What criteria would you use to judge/evaluate ______________?
- What evidence supports ________________________________?
- How might we prove/confirm ____________________________?
- How might this be viewed from the perspective of ___________?
- What alternatives should be considered ____________________?
- What approach/strategy could you use to ___________________?
16.Unclearest (or
Clearest) Point
This is a variation on the one-minute paper, though you may wish to give
students a slightly longer time period to answer the question. Here you
ask (at the end of a class period, or at a natural break in the
presentation), "What was the "unclear point" in today's lecture?" or,
perhaps, you might be more specific, asking, for example: "What (if
anything) do you find unclear about the concept of 'personal identity'
('inertia', 'natural selection', etc.)?"
17. 3-2-1 3 things you found out
2 interesting things
1 question you still have
3 differences between ___
2 effects of __ on ____

34
1 question you still have about the topic
3 important facts
2 interesting ideas
1 insight about yourself as a learner
3 key words
2 new ideas
1 thought to think about
WRITE 3 questions about the text (unfamiliar words, confusing passages
or ideas)
WRITE 2 predictions based on the text (what will happen next based on
the reading)
Make one connection based on the text (connect to something you
know or have
experienced)
18. Quick WRITE The strategy asks learners to respond in 2–10 minutes to an open-ended
question or prompt posed by the teacher before, during, or after
reading.
19. Directed
Paraphrasing
Students summarize in well-chosen (own) words a key idea presented
during the class period or the one just past.
20. Gallery Walk After teams have generated ideas on a topic using a piece of chart paper,
they appoint a “docent” to stay with their work. Teams rotate around
examining other team’s ideas and ask questions of the docent. Teams
then meet together to discuss and add to their information so the
docent also can learn from other teams. Graffiti – Groups receive a large
piece of paper and felt pens of different colors. Students generate ideas
in the form of graffiti. Groups can move to other papers and discuss/add
to the ideas.
21. One Question
and One Comment
Students are assigned a chapter or passage to read and create one
question and one comment generated from the reading. In class,
students will meet in either small or whole class groups for discussion.
Each student shares at least one comment or question. As the discussion
moves student by student around the room, the next person can answer

a previous question posed by another student, respond to a comment,
or share their comments and questions. As the activity builds around the
room, the conversation becomes in-depth with opportunity for all
students to learn new perspectives on the text.
22. Socratic
Seminar
Students ask questions of one another about an essential question,
topic, or selected text. The questions initiate a conversation that
continues with a series of responses and additional questions.
23. Word Sort Given a set of vocabulary terms, students sort in to given categories or
create
their own categories for sorting
References:
https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/60-non-threatening-formative-assessment-
techniques/

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Handout 2.3.2
Homework Assignments and Activities
Homework
Homework is defined as out-of-class tasks assigned to students as an extension or elaboration of
classroom work. It is the school work that a pupil is required to do at home.
Assigning homework serves various educational needs. It serves as an intellectual discipline,
establishes study habits and eases time constraints on the amount of curricular material that can
be covered in class, supplements and reinforces work done in school. In addition, it fosters
student initiative, independence, and responsibility and brings home and school closer together.
Purpose of Home work
The primary purpose of homework for most teachers is to provide extra practices in applying
knowledge and skills. Home work is also used to extend, expand and elaborate student learning.
A third purpose is to check learning, which acts primarily as way for teachers to determine
whether students, individually and as a group, are demonstrating correct performance. In this
sense homework can be used diagnostically to determine which specific area of knowledge and
skills need further instruction. The information can be used to give further assignments, group
students, and provide individualized help.
Importance of Homework
 Homework is expected by students, teachers, parents and institutions.
 Homework reinforces and helps learners to retain information taught in the classroom as well
as increasing their general understanding of the language.
 Homework develops study habits and independent learning. It also encourages learners to
acquire resources such as dictionaries and grammar reference books. Research shows that
homework also benefits factual knowledge, self-discipline, attitudes to learning and problem-
solving skills.
 Homework offers opportunities for extensive activities in the receptive skills which there may
not be time for in the classroom. It may also be an integral part of ongoing learning such as
project work and the use of a graded reader.
 Homework provides continuity between lessons. It may be used to consolidate class work,
but also for preparation for the next lesson.
 Homework may be used to shift repetitive, mechanical, time-consuming tasks out of the
classroom.

 Homework bridges the gap between school and home. Students, teachers and parents can
monitor progress. The institution can involve parents in the learning process.
 Homework can be a useful assessment tool, as part of continual or portfolio assessment.
Attitudes towards Homework
Teachers tend to have mixed feelings about homework. While recognizing the advantages, they
observe negative attitudes and poor performance from students. Marking and giving useful
feedback on homework can take up a large proportion of a teacher’s time, often after school
hours.
Students themselves complain that the homework they are given is boring or pointless, referring
to homework tasks that consist of studying for tests, doing workbook exercises, finishing
incomplete class work, memorizing lists of vocabulary and writing compositions. Where this is
actually the case, the negative effects of homework can be observed, typified by loss of interest
and a view of homework as a form of punishment.
Other negative effects of poorly managed homework include lack of necessary leisure time and
an increased differential between high and low achievers. These problems are often the cause of
avoidance techniques such as completing homework tasks in class, collaborating and copying or
simply not doing the required tasks. In turn, conflict may arise between learners, teachers,
parents and the institution.
Effective Homework
In order for homework to be effective, certain principles should be observed.
 Students should be made to recognize the usefulness of homework. Teachers should explain
the purpose both of homework in general and of individual tasks.
 Tasks should be relevant, interesting and varied.
 Good classroom practice also applies to homework. Tasks should be manageable but
achievable.
 Different tasks may be assigned to different ability groups. Individual learning styles should
be taken into account.
 Homework should be manageable in terms of time as well as level of difficulty. Teachers
should remember that students are often given homework in other subjects and that there
is a need for coordination to avoid overload. A homework diary, kept by the learner but
checked by teachers and parents is a useful tool in this respect.

38
 Homework is rarely coordinated within the curriculum as a whole, but should at least be
incorporated into an overall scheme of work and be considered in lesson planning.
 Homework tends to focus on a written product. There is no reason why this should be the
case, other than that there is visible evidence that the task has been done.
 Learner involvement and motivation may be increased by encouraging students to contribute
ideas for homework and possibly design their own tasks. The teacher also needs to know how
much time the students have, what facilities they have at home, and what their preferences
are. A simple questionnaire will provide this data.
 While homework should consolidate class work, it should not replicate it. Home is the outside
world and tasks which are nearer to real-life use of language are appropriate.
 If homework is set, it must be assessed in some way, and feedback given. While marking by
the teacher is sometimes necessary, peer and self-assessment can encourage learner
independence as well as reducing the teacher’s workload. Motivating students to do
homework is an ongoing process, and encouragement may be given by commenting and
asking questions either verbally or in written form in order to demonstrate interest on the
teacher’s part, particularly in the case of self-study and project work.
Types of Homework
There are a number of categories of useful and practicable homework tasks.
1. Workbook-based tasks
Most published course materials include a workbook or practice book, mainly including
consolidation exercises, short reading texts and an answer key. Most workbooks claim to be
suitable for both class and self-study use, but are better used at home in order to achieve a
separation of what is done in class and at home. Mechanical practice is thus shifted out of class
hours, while this kind of exercise is particularly suited to peer- or self-checking and correction.
2. Preparation tasks
Rarely do teachers ask learners to read through the next unit of a course book, though there are
advantages in involving students in the lesson plan and having them know what is coming. More
motivating, however, is asking students to find and bring materials such as photographs and
pictures, magazine articles and realize which are relevant to the next topic, particularly where
personalization or relevance to the local context requires adaptation of course materials.

3. Extensive tasks
Much can be gained from the use of graded readers, which now often have accompanying audio
material, radio and TV broadcasts, podcasts and songs. Sometimes tasks need to be set as
guidance, but learners also need to be encouraged to read, listen and watch for pleasure. What
is important is that learners share their experiences in class. Extensive reading and listening may
be accompanied by dictionary work and a thematic or personalized vocabulary notebook,
whereby learners can collect language which they feel is useful.
4. Guided discovery tasks
Whereas classroom teaching often involves eliciting language patterns and rules from learners,
there is also the option of asking learners to notice language and make deductions for them at
home. This leads to the sharing of knowledge and even peer teaching in the classroom.
5. Real-world tasks
These involve seeing, hearing and putting language to use in realistic contexts. Reading
magazines and watching TV are obvious examples, offering the option of writing summaries and
reviews as follow-up activities. Technology facilitates chat and friendship networks, while even
in monolingual environments, walking down a shopping street noticing shop and brand names
will reveal a lot of language. As with extensive tasks, it is important for learners to share their
experiences, and perhaps to collect them in a formal or informal portfolio.
6. Project work
It is a good idea to have a class or individual projects running over a period of time. Projects may
be based on topics from a course book, the locality, interests and hobbies or selected individually.
Project work needs to be guided in terms of where to find resources and monitored regularly,
the outcome being a substantial piece of work at the end of a course or term of which the learner
can claim ownership.
References:
 https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/role-homework
 Classroom Assessment (5th Edition) by James H. McMillan.

40
Handout 2.3.3
Quizzes and Unit Tests
Question Types
Do you know what kind of questions you ask most frequently? Research on the questions
teachers ask shows that about 60 percent require only recall of facts, 20 percent require students
to think, and 20 percent are procedural in nature.
The major types of questions fall into four categories:
 Managerial: questions which keep the classroom operations moving;
 Rhetorical: questions used to emphasize a point or to reinforce an idea or statement;
 Closed: questions used to check retention or to focus thinking on a particular point; and
 Open: questions used to promote discussion or student interaction.
(Source: P. E. Blosser. (1975). How to Ask the Right Questions? National Science Teachers
Association)
Following is a list of question types you can use to analyze your questioning strategies and
develop a variety of questions to help students think.
I. Probing Questions
Series of questions which require students to go beyond the first response. Subsequent teacher
questions are formed on the basis of the student's response.
Types:
1. Clarifying
E.g.: "What, exactly do you mean?"
"Will you please rephrase your statement?"
"Could you elaborate on that point?"
"What did you mean by the term. . .?"
2. Increasing Critical Awareness
E.g.: "What are you assuming?"
"What are your reasons for thinking that is so?"
"Is that all there is to it?"
"How many questions are we trying to answer here?"
"How would an opponent of this point of view respond?"
3. Refocusing
E.g.: "If this is true, what are the implications for . . .?"

"How does Jamal answer relate to . . .?"
"Can you relate this to . . .?"
"Let’s analyze that answer."
4. Prompting
E.g.: Teacher: "Jamal, what's the square root of 94?"
Jamal: "I don't know." Teacher: "Well, what's the square root of 100?"
Jamal: "Ten." Teacher: "And the square root of 81?" Jamal: "Nine."
Teacher: "Then what do we know about the square root of 94?"
Jamal: "It's between nine and ten."
5. Redirecting to Another Student
E.g.: Teacher: "What is the theme of Hemmingway's 'Old Man and the Sea'?"
Sameer: "It's about an old man's courage in catching a fish."
Teacher: "Maryam, do you agree?"
or: "Maryam, do you think it's that simple?"
or: "Maryam, can you elaborate on Sameer's answer?"
II. Factual Questions
Questions which require the student to recall specific information s(he) has previously learned.
Often these use who, what, when, where, etc.
Types:
1. Simple Bits of Information
E.g.. "Who was the leader of the Free French forces during W.W.II?"
"Who is the main character in Margaret Mitchell's novel, Gone with the Wind?"
"During which century did Shakespeare live?"
"What is the Spanish verb meaning to run?"
2. Facts Organized into a Logical Order (Sequence of Events)
E.g.. "What are the steps a bill goes through before it becomes a law?"
“How did Holy Prophet Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬ along with his companion’s ‫م‬
‫ھ‬‫عن‬
‫اہلل‬‫ریض‬
succeed to win the Battle of Trench?
"How were the American and French forces able to bottle up Cornwall and the British
at Yorktown?"
"How did Robinson Crusoe react when he discovered footprints in the sand?"
"What is the commercial method for producing hydrochloric acid?"

42
III. Divergent Questions
Questions with no right or wrong answers, but which encourage exploration of possibilities.
Requires both concrete and abstract thinking to arrive at an appropriate response
E.g. "What might happen if Congress passes a law preventing the manufacture and
sale of cigarettes in the United States?"
"How would the story have been different if Jamil had been a tall, strong boy
instead of disabled?"
"If you were stuck on a desert island and the only tool you had was a screwdriver;
what use might you make of it?"
"In what ways would history have been changed had the Spanish Armada defeated
the English in 1588?"
IV. Higher Order Questions
Questions which require students to figure out answers rather than to remember them. Requires
generalizations related to facts in meaningful patterns.
Types:
1. Evaluation: Requires judgment, value or choice based upon comparing of ideas or objects to
established standards.
E.g.: "Which of the two books do you believe contributed most to an understanding
of the Victorian era? Why?"
2. Inference: Requires inductive or deductive reasoning
Inductive: Discovery of a general principle from a collection of specific facts.
Deductive: Logical operation in which the worth of a generalization is tested with
specific issues.
E.g.: "We have examined the qualities these world leaders have in common. What
might we conclude, in general, about qualities necessary for leadership? Why?"
(Inductive)
"If the temperature of the gas remains the same, but gas is taken to an altitude of
4000 feet higher, what happens to the pressure of the gas? Why?" (Deductive)
3. Comparison: Requires student to determine if ideas/objects are similar, dissimilar, unrelated,
or contradictory.
E.g.: "Is a mussel (sea-food) the same thing as a clam (sea-food)?"

"What is the connection between Social Darwinism and the Supreme Court actions of
the late nineteenth century?"
4. Application: Requires student to use a concept or principle in a context different from that in
which she/he learned it.
Concept = Classification of events/objects that have common characteristics.
Principle = A relationship between two or more concepts.
E.g. “What was the connection between the Treaty of Lausanne related to end of the
Caliphate in Turkey after the first World War and Mustafa Kamal Ataturk’s reforms?”
"How was Gresham's Law demonstrated in the Weimer Republic of Germany?"
"Can you think of an example to fit this definition?"
5. Problem-solving: Requires a student to use previously learned knowledge to solve a problem.
Students must see relationships between knowledge and the problem, diagnose materials,
situations, and environments, separate problems into components parts, and relate parts to
one another and the whole. This question may generate answers the teacher hasn't
anticipated.
E.g.: "Suppose you grow up with the idea that dogs were bad. Out of the many dogs
you came into contact with, none bit you when you were quite young. How would you
react towards dogs now? Would the type, size, etc., of the dog make any difference
as to how you react? Explain the notion of prejudices using this example."
V. Affective Questions
Questions which elicit expressions of attitude, values, or feelings of the student.
E.g.: "How do you feel about that?"
"Is that important to you?"
"Would you like to . . .?"
VI. Structuring Questions
Questions related to the setting in which learning is occurring.
E.g.: "Are there any questions?
"Any further comments?"
"Is the assignment clear?"
"Would you repeat that?"
"Are we ready to continue?"
Reference: http://www.lamission.edu/devcom/ProbingQuestions.htm

44
Handout 2.4
Formative assessment and feedback
feedback
1. The response of a teacher to students after they demonstrate their knowledge, reasoning,
skill, or performance is called feedback. In other words, feedback is the transfer of
information from the teacher to the students following an assessment.
2. Feedback is the information about reactions to a product, a person's performance of a task,
etc. which is used as a basis for improvement.
3. The term ‘feedback’ is used to describe the helpful information or criticism about prior action
or behavior from an individual, communicated to another individual (or a group) who can use
that information to adjust and improve current and future actions and behaviors
Feedback is an essential part of education and training programs. It helps learners to maximize
their potential at different stages of learning, raise their awareness of strengths and areas for
improvement, and identify actions to be taken to improve performance.
Research literature, as well as, commonsense experience, has confirmed that the right kind of
feedback is essential for effective teaching and learning. A simple definition of feedback is
confirming the correctness of an answer or reaction, that is, whether it is right or wrong. This
is what we do with most tests—tell students what they got right and what they missed; it is also
the extent of the feedback teachers give to students` answers to questions— “Good,” “That is
right, “Close, and so on. Feedback of this nature is only part of what students need to improve
their learning. They also need to know how their performance is to learning targets. When
feedback is presented as information that can guide the student`s meaningful construction of
additional knowledge and understanding, learning and intrinsic motivation are enhanced.
20 Ways to Provide Effective Feedback
1. Feedback should be EDUCATIVE in nature.
Providing feedback means giving students an explanation of what they are doing correctly AND
incorrectly. However, the focus of the feedback should be based essentially on what the students
are doing right. It is most productive to a student’s learning when they are provided with an
explanation and example as to what is accurate and inaccurate about their work.
Use the concept of a “feedback sandwich” to guide your feedback: Compliment, Correct, and
Compliment.

2. Feedback should be given in a TIMELY MANNER.
When feedback is given immediately after showing proof of learning, the student responds
positively and remembers the experience about what is being learned in a confident manner. If
we wait too long to give feedback, the moment is lost and the student might not connect the
feedback with the action.
3. Be sensitive to the INDIVIDUAL NEEDS of the student.
It is vital that we take into consideration each student individually when giving feedback. Our
classrooms are full of diverse learners. Some students need to be nudged to achieve at a higher
level and other needs to be handled very gently so as not to discourage learning and damage self-
esteem. A balance between not wanting to hurt a student’s feelings and providing proper
encouragement is essential.
4. Ask the 4 QUESTIONS.
Studies of effective teaching and learning (Dinham, 2002, 2007a; 2007b) have shown that
learners want to know where they stand in regards to their work. Providing answers to the
following four questions on a regular basis will help provide quality feedback. These four
questions are also helpful when providing feedback to parents:
 What can the student do?
 What can’t the student do?
 How does the student’s work compare with that of others?
 How can the student do better?
5. Feedback should reference a SKILL or SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE.
This is when rubrics become a useful tool. A rubric is an instrument to communicate expectations
for an assignment. Effective rubrics provide students with very specific information about their
performance, comparative to an established range of standards. For younger students, try
highlighting rubric items that the student is meeting or try using a sticker chart.
6. Give feedback to keep students “ON TARGET” for achievement.
Regular ‘check-ins’ with students lets them know where they stand in the classroom and with
you. Utilize the ‘4 questions’ to guide your feedback.
7. Host a ONE-ON-ONE CONFERENCE.
Providing a one-on-one meeting with a student is one of the most effective means of providing
feedback. The student will look forward to having the attention and allows the opportunity to

46
ask necessary questions. A one-on-one conference should be generally optimistic, as this will
encourage the student to look forward to the next meeting.
As with all aspects of teaching, this strategy requires good time management. Try meeting with
a student while the other students are working independently. Time the meetings so that they
last no longer than 10 minutes.
8. Feedback can be given VERBALLY, NON-VERBALLY or in WRITTEN FORM.
Be sure to keep your frowns in check. It is imperative that we examine our non-verbal cues. Facial
expressions and gestures are also means of delivering feedback. This means that when you hand
back that English paper, it is best not to scowl.
9. Concentrate on ONE ABILITY.
It makes a far greater impact on the student when only one skill is critiqued versus the entire
paper being the focus of everything that is wrong. For example, when I taught Writer’s Workshop
at the elementary level, I would let students know that for that day I was going to be checking on
the indentation of paragraphs within their writing. When I had a conference with a student that
was my focus instead of all the other aspects of their writing. The next day would feature a new
focus.
10. ALTERNATE DUE DATES for your students/classes.
Utilize this strategy when grading papers or tests. This strategy allows you the necessary time to
provide quality, written feedback. This can also include using a rotation chart for students to
conference with at a deeper more meaningful level. Students will also know when it is their turn
to meet with you and are more likely to bring questions of their own to the conference.
11. Educate students on how to GIVE FEEDBACK TO EACH OTHER.
Model for students what appropriate feedback looks like and sounds like. As an elementary
teacher, we call this ‘peer conferencing’. Train students to give each other constructive feedback
in a way that is positive and helpful. Encourage students to use post-it notes to record the given
feedback.
12. Ask ANOTHER ADULT to give feedback.
The principal at the school I taught at would often volunteer to grade history tests or read
student’s writing pieces. You can imagine how the student’s quality of work increased tenfold! If
the principal is too busy (and most are), invite a ‘guest’ teacher or student teacher to critique
work.

13. Have the student TAKE NOTES.
During a conference over a test, paper or a general ‘check in’, have the student do the writing
while you do the talking. The student can use a notebook to jot down notes as you provide the
verbal feedback.
14. Use a notebook to KEEP TRACK of student progress.
Keep a section of a notebook for each student. WRITE daily or weekly, dated comments about
each student as necessary. Keep track of good questions the student asks, behavior issues, areas
for improvement, test scores etc. Of course this requires a lot of essential time management but
when it is time to conference with a student or parent, you are ready to go.
15. RETURN tests, papers or comment cards at the beginning of class.
Returning papers and tests at the beginning of class, rather than at the end, allows students to
ask necessary questions and to hold a relevant discussion.
16. Use POST-IT NOTES.
Sometimes seeing a comment written out is more effective than just hearing it aloud. During
independent work time, try writing feedback comments on a post-it note. Place the note on the
student’s desk the feedback is meant for. One of my former students had a difficult time staying
on task but he would get frustrated and embarrassed when I called him out on his inattentive
behaviors in front of the class.
He would then shut down and refused to do any work because he was upset that I humiliated
him. I resorted to using post-it notes to point out when he was on task or not. Although it was
not the most effective use of my time, it really worked for him.
17. Give GENUINE PRAISE.
Students are quick to figure out which teachers use meaningless praise to win approval. If you
are constantly telling your students “Good Job” or “Nice Work” then, over time, these words
become meaningless. Make a big deal out of a student’s A+ on that vocabulary test. If you are
thrilled with a student’s recent on-task behaviors, go above and beyond with the encouragement
and praise.
Make a phone call home to let mom or dad know how thrilled you are with the student’s
behavior. Comments and suggestions within genuine feedback should also be ‘focused, practical
and based on an assessment of what the student can do and is capable of achieving’ (Dinham).

48
18. “I noticed….”
Make an effort to notice a student’s behavior or effort at a task. For example; “I noticed when
you regrouped correctly in the hundreds column, you got the problem right.” “I noticed you
arrived on time to class this entire week.” Acknowledging a student and the efforts they are
making goes a long way to positively influence academic performance.
19. Provide a MODEL or EXAMPLE.
Communicate with your students the purpose for an assessment and/or feedback. Demonstrate
to students what you are looking for by giving them an example of what an A+ paper looks
like. Provide a contrast of what a C- paper looks like. This is especially important at the upper
learning levels.
20. Invite students to give YOU feedback.
Remember when you finished a class in college and you were given the chance to ‘grade’ the
professor? How nice was it to finally tell the professor that the reading material was so incredibly
boring without worrying about it affecting your grade? Why not let students give you feedback
on how you are doing as a teacher?
Make it so that they can do it anonymously. What did they like about your class? What didn’t
they like? If they were teaching the class, what would they do differently? What did they learn
the most from you as a teacher? If we are open to it, we will quickly learn a few things about
ourselves as educators. Remember that feedback goes both ways and as teachers it is wise to
never stop improving and honing our skills as teachers.
References:
 https://www.snapsurveys.com › blog › 5-reasons-feedback-important
 https://www.teachthought.com › Index › Teaching
 Classroom Assessment (5th Edition) by James H. McMillan

Handout 2.5
Sample Formative Assessment Feedback by the Teacher

50
Example:
This example shows one student’s response to the formative assessment method of
embedding one key question into a task.
Reference:
 https://www.nctm.org/Publications/Mathematics-Teaching-in-Middle-
School/2017/Vol22/Issue6/Monitoring-Student-Learning-in-Algebra/
Remarks

54
HANDOUTS
Handout 3.1
Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition, and academic
achievement at the conclusion of a defined instructional period—typically at the end of a project,
unit, course, semester, program, or school year. Generally speaking, summative assessments are
defined by three major criteria:
 The tests, assignments, or projects are used to determine whether students have learned
what they were expected to learn. In other words, what makes an assessment “summative”
is not the design of the test, assignment, or self-evaluation, per se, but the way it is used—
i.e., to determine whether and to what degree students have learned the material they have
been taught.
 Summative assessments are given at the conclusion of a specific instructional period, and
therefore they are generally evaluative, rather than diagnostic—i.e., they are more
appropriately used to determine learning progress and achievement, evaluate the
effectiveness of educational programs, measure progress toward improvement goals, or
make course-placement decisions, among other possible applications.
 Summative-assessment results are often recorded as scores or grades that are then factored
into a student’s permanent academic record, whether they end up as letter grades on a
report card or test scores used in the college-admissions process. While summative
assessments are typically a major component of the grading process in most districts,
schools, and courses, not all assessments considered to be summative are graded.
Summative assessment gives pupils, parents and teachers valuable information about a pupil’s
overall performance at a specific point in their learning. It provides information about their
progress in:
 Subject knowledge;
 Understanding; and
 Skills and capabilities.
Summative assessment examples:
 End-of-term or midterm exams
 Cumulative work over an extended period such as a final project or creative portfolio
 End-of-unit or chapter tests

 Standardized tests that demonstrate school accountability are used for pupil admissions;
SATs, GCSEs and A-Levels, Board examination.
 Achievement tests
Why is summative assessment important for learning?
In the current education system, standard-driven instruction plays a significant role. Summative
assessment, therefore, provides an essential benchmark to check the progress of students,
institutions and the educational program of the country as a whole.
Summative assessment contributes largely towards improving curriculum and overall curriculum
planning. When summative assessment data indicates gaps across the board between student
knowledge and learning targets, schools may turn to improved curriculum planning and new
learning criteria to assess and improve their school attainment levels.
Summative Assessment also seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the course or program, checks
the learning progress, etc. Scores, grades or percentage obtained to act as an indicator that
shows the quality of the curriculum and forms a basis for rankings in schools

56
Handout 3.2
Characteristics of effective summative assessment
We know that summative assessment drives practice in schools. We also know that current forms
of summative assessment inhibit both curriculum and pedagogical innovation because of their
focus on 'knowledge' (as viewed in knowledge based curriculum). The challenge is to find new
forms of summative assessment which satisfy the criteria against which they will be judged.
Those criteria should include:
1. Validity and reliability
At its most basic validity is the extent to which the assessment measures what it is intended to
measure. There are many facets of this, including:
• Does it measure what it appears to measure (e.g. if a science exam requires extensive
reading and writing competence then it may be testing literacy rather than science)
• Does it measure the things that are important (i.e. the things we want children to have
learnt)?
Reliability is about the extent to which the outcomes are both accurate and consistent (e.g. would
two people who are equally competent in the thing that is being measured end up with the same
result every time?).
The validity and reliability of an assessment capture the extent to which it is relevant and
credible. Critically, unless an assessment is measuring the things that are important then it can't
be effective, no matter how reliable and valid in other ways it might be. It has to be measuring
something that is relevant as well as being credible.
2. Practical and scalable
Assessment has to be practical in the sense of it being feasible to implement. The more time
consuming, expensive and operationally difficult it is to carry out an assessment the less likely it
is to be used.
Within the formal education system large numbers of learners need to be assessed. The more
practical the assessment is then the more scalable it is likely to be.
Assessment that is integral to the learning process is more practical than assessment that is an
additional discrete activity.

3. Formative and positive
Even when the key objective of assessment is summative it should also inform future learning
(i.e. be formative). Summative assessments that serve a formative purpose are better than those
that do not.
Whilst criticism can enhance learning, it normally only does so when it is constructive. Effective
assessment should also be constructive, for example by focusing on successes rather than
failures.
4. Ethical
Clearly, it is important that every element of education, including assessment, is ethical.
It would be unethical for assessment to damage one person in order to benefit another. It should
therefore be criterion rather than norm referenced (because norm referencing dooms some
people to fail in order for others to succeed).
Ethical assessment should enable everyone to succeed - through being at an appropriate level
for each learner and/or through the provision of multiple pathways to success.
It would also be unethical to assess people covertly, for example collecting data about them
without their knowledge or consent. Indeed, the way in which assessment outcomes are
determined should be transparent - assessment should not be a black box.
5. Easily reported
Finally, as the key element of summative assessment is to evaluate what someone has learnt up
to that point in time, having a concise summary of the outcomes of the assessment is important.
This facilitates comparison (with their previous performance and/or with external standards
and/or with other learners).
References:
https://halfbaked.education › characteristics-of-effective-summative-assess.

58
Handout 3.3
Planning a summative Assessment
1. Representative sampling:
An important step in representative sampling is preparing a test or outline. When assessment
items are based on this outline, there is a greater likelihood that the sampling will be reasonable.
Without some type of outline of content, there is a tendency to oversample areas that you
particularly like and to overload the assessment with a disproportionately large number of
questions about simple facts.
Another consideration when preparing a representative sample is to construct or select the
appropriate number of items for the assessment. Suppose you are preparing a test for a 6-week
social studies unit on early civilizations, and you want to assess how much knowledge the
students retained. How many items will be needed? Thirty? Sixty? Or eighty? In this connection
a couple of rules of thumb will help determine how many items are sufficient. First, a minimum
of ten items are needed to assess each ‘knowledge learning target’ that encompasses the unit.
Thus, if one learning target is that “students will identify the location of 25 ancient cities on a
map,” preparing a test that asks them to identify 10 of the 25 would be reasonable.
2. Number and length of assessment
Knowing how many items or questions are needed, you then decide how many separate
assessments will be given and the length of each one. This decision will depend on several factors,
including the age of students, the length of classes, and the types of questions. One rule of
thumb, though, is that the time allocated foe assessment is sufficient for all students to answer
all the questions.
There is an obvious relation between the number and length of assessments. Many short
assessments can provide the same, if not better, information than a single long assessment. It
will help you to focus on length first with regard to the number of assessments. This will indicate
what is needed to obtain a representative sample. Then you can decide whether what is needed
is best given in one large block of time, three smaller tests, weekly assessments, or whatever
other combination is best.
3. Preparing students for summative assessment
Your objective in summative assessment is to obtain a fair and accurate indication of student
learning. This means that you need to take some simple, yet often neglected steps to prepare
your students so that they will be able to demonstrate what they know, understand, and can do.

The first step is to make sure that all your students have adequate test-taking skills, such as paying
attention to directions, reading each item in its entirety before answering it, planning and
outlining responses to essay questions, and pacing themselves while answering the questions.
A second step is to make sure students are familiar with the format and type of question and
response that will be needed on the text. This is accomplished by giving students practice test
items. If time is available, it is very instructive to have students practice writing test items
themselves.
Finally, you will want to tell students, as soon as possible after beginning the unit, when the text
is scheduled. This gives students an adequate period of time to prepare for the test. The lack of
time to prepare and review for the test contributes to student anxiety and lessens the validity of
the result.
4. Scheduling the Summative Assessment:
To give students the best opportunity to show what they have learned you need to be careful
when scheduling the test. Try to avoid giving a test on days that make it difficult for students to
perform to their capability. Also try to schedule the test when you know you will be present and
not when the class has a substitute.
You may also want to construct an instructional/assessment map. This kind of map includes
major topics in sequence, then shows when summative assessments will be included.
5. When Summative Assessments should be constructed
Summative assessment need to be planned well in advance of the scheduled testing date. A good
procedure is to construct a general outline of the test before instruction, based on your learning
targets and a table of specifications. At least identify the nature of the evidence needed to
provide a fair indication of student learning. This does not include the development or selection
of specific items, but it provides enough information to guide you in instruction. As the unit
proceeds, you can make decisions about the format of the test and begin to construct individual
items. The final form of the test should be determined no later than the review session. But don’t
try to finalize the test to soon. You will find that as you.
6. Putting Summative Assessments Together
Once you have developed test items, they need to be put together in the form of a test. The
following guidelines, which include suggestions for directions, arranging items, and the physical
layout of the test, should be followed.

60
7. Preparing test Directions
According to Miller, Linn, and Gronlund (2009), test directions should include the following:
1. Purposes
2. Time allowed for completing the test
3. Basis for responding
4. Procedures for recording answers.
5. What to do about guessing
6. How constructed response items will be scored.
8. Arranging items
Arranging items by level of difficulty (e.g., easy items first, then difficult ones) has little effect on
the results. If you think your students gain confidence by answering the easiest items first, it’s
fine to order the items by increasing difficulty. The most important consideration in arranging
items is item type. Keep all the items that use the same format together. Keep all the multiple
choice items in one section, all the matching items in another, and so on.
9. Physical layout
Assessment items need to be formatted so that they are easy to read and answer. A few
commonsense suggestions help to achieve this goal. First, all the information needed to answer
an item should be on the same page. Avoid having part of an item on one page and the rest of
the item on another page second, do not crowd too many items onto a page. Although we all
need to be careful about wasting paper, a test that is crowded is likely to contain more errors
than one that has reasonable spacing and white space. This means that multiple choice options
should not be listed horizontally on the same line. Rather, it is best if the options are listed
vertically below the item.
Finally, the format of the test should enhance scoring accuracy and efficiency for older students,
it is best to use a separate answer sheet that can be designed for scoring ease or use online tests.
This can be accomplished by simply repeating the directions and listing the items by number.
Students circle or write in their answers or select the answer online. If you have students answer
on the same piece of paper that contains the questions, leave blanks to the left of each binary
choice, multiple choice, or matching item and blanks on the right hand side of the page for
completion items. For younger students. It is best to minimize transfer of answers by having them
circle or underline the correct answer or write the answer in the space provided in the item or
answer on the same screen if online.

Handout 3.4
Sample Assessment/Test

62

Reference:
https://www.learnpick.in/prime/documents/notes/details/2784/english-question-paper-class-2

64
Handout 3.5
Uses of summative Assessment
Assessment for summative purposes: Summative assessment or “assessment of learning”
involves judging student performance for a decision or record (Ewell, 2005). It usually occurs at
the end of a learning unit, term, school year or educational level (Eurydice, 2009b). The results
of summative assessment can be reported in different forms including marks, transcripts,
certificates and qualifications. The intentions for designing and implementing summative
assessment strategies include:
 To motivate students to increase effort and achievement. The marks, transcripts or diplomas
connected to summative assessment are often conceived as rewards for having performed
successfully on an assessment.
 To provide information about student performance to a range of different stakeholders, such
as the students themselves, their parents, others within the school, or school-external players
such as employers.
 To select or group students according to their achievement levels. In many countries,
assessment results are used to stream students according to their ability levels within schools,
or to select them into certain types of schools.
 To certify learning and award qualifications that grant students access to higher education
institutions or certain professions.
As a guide to improving teaching methods. We all use different teaching methodology within
the classroom. Summative assessments can help us collaborate and improve teaching methods
from year to year.
Summative assessments help teachers and administrators alike, in improving curriculum and
curriculum planning. Standards-driven instruction plays a large role in schools today. When
summative assessments show consistent gaps between student knowledge and learning targets,
schools may turn to improved curriculum planning or new curriculum to fill those learning gaps.
Monitoring Progress; target setting; and helping pupils to make informed decisions about
subject choices at post-primary.
Summative assessment tells both the teacher and the student what areas are clear to the
student, and which will require more work. For summative assessment to be effective and useful
the results of a summative assessment need to be compared with some sort of a standard; this
could be within the class, city-wide, province/state-wide, national standards, etc.
References: Classroom Assessment (5th Edition) by James H. Mc Millan
www.naiku.net › naiku-coach › importance-of-summative-assessment

HANDOUTS
Handout 4.1
Teacher Made Test
Teacher-made tests are normally prepared and administered for testing classroom achievement
of students, evaluating the method of teaching adopted by the teacher and other curricular
programmes of the school.
Teacher-made test is one of the most valuable instruments in the hands of the teacher to solve
his/her purpose.
It is designed to solve the problem or requirements of the class for which it is prepared. It is
prepared to measure the outcomes and content of local curriculum. It is very much flexible so
that, it can be adapted to any procedure and material.
Taylor has highly recommended for the use of these teacher-made objective type tests, which do
not require the steps of standardised tests nor need the rigorous processes of standardisation.
Uses of Teacher-Made Tests:
1. To help a teacher to know whether the class in normal, average, above average or below
average.
2. To help him in formulating new strategies for teaching and learning.
3. A teacher-made test may be used as a full-fledged achievement test which covers the entire
course of a subject.
4. To measure students’ academic achievement in a given course.
5. To assess how far specified instructional objectives have been achieved.
6. To know the efficacy of learning experiences.
7. To diagnose students learning difficulties and to suggest necessary remedial measures.
8. To certify, classify or grade the students on the basis of resulting scores.
9. Skillfully prepared teacher-made tests can serve the purpose of standardised test.
10. Teacher-made tests can help a teacher to render guidance and counseling.
11. Good teacher-made tests can be exchanged among neighbouring schools.
12. These tests can be used as a tool for formative, diagnostic and summative evaluation.
13. To assess pupils’ growth in different areas.
Reference:
 Teacher made tests: Meaning, Features and uses
 https://www.ourarliclelibrary.com/statistics-2/teacher-made-test-meaning-features-and-
uses-statistics/92607

70
Handout 4.2
Features of Teacher-Made Tests
1 The items of the test are arranged randomly The items of the test are arranged in
order of difficulty.
2 These are prepared by the teachers which can
be used for one specific purpose only
These are prepared by the teachers
which can be used for prognosis and
diagnosis purposes.
3 The tests cover the whole content area and
include a large number of items.
The tests cover a specific topic and have
a large number of items.
4 The preparation of the items is based on
teacher intuition
The preparation of the items conforms to
the blueprint (Table of Specification).
5 Test construction is not a single man’s
business, rather it is co-operative endeavour.
Test construction may be done by a
teacher alone
6 A teacher-made test does not cover all the
steps of a standardised test.
A teacher-made test covers all the steps
of a standardised test.
7 Teacher-made tests may also be employed as
a tool for behavioural assessment
Teacher-made tests may also be
employed as a tool for formative
evaluation.
8 Preparation and administration of these tests
are economical.
Preparation and administration of these
tests are expensive
9 The test is developed by the teacher to
ascertain the student’s achievement and
proficiency in a given subject.
The test is developed by the teacher to
identify the student’s problems in a given
subject.
10 Teacher-made tests are most used for
research purposes.
Teacher-made tests are least used for
research purposes.
Reference:
 Teacher made tests: Meaning, Features and uses
 https://www.ourarliclelibrary.com/statistics-2/teacher-made-test-meaning-features-and-
uses-statistics/92607

Handout 4.3
Development of a Teacher-Made Test
The following steps may be followed for the preparation of teacher-made test:
1. Define clearly the instructional objectives of the course
The instructional objectives of given course are normally determined from students’ needs and
involve new knowledge, new interest, new skills, and new understanding express in term of
behavior
Formative testing is used to monitor students’ progress over a period of time.
Summative Testing is used for assigning grades at the completion of a course or at the end of a
unit on the basis of a standard set for mastery: based on comparison of the student performance.
2. Analysis of the relative importance of these objectives
The determining of the relative importance of these objectives depends on the teachers' personal
judgment.
3. Outline the Content
The teacher should make an outline of the content to be covered by the test because an
achievement test should include subject matter included in the instruction.
4. Prepare a table of specification
The table of specification is a testing blueprint that is basic to the construction of teacher-made
tests. We will discuss in the next session.
5. Construct the test
Keep in mind the following when constructing the test:
 The purpose of the test
 The level of difficulty of the test
 The developmental level of the students
 The length of the test (that is, the number of items and the amount of time provided for
testing)
 The number of students who will take the test
 The items formats: Different types of objective test items viz., multiple choice, short-
answer type and matching type can be constructed. After construction, test items should
be given to others for review and for seeking their opinions on it.
 The testing schedule

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