Active Learning Through Formative Assessment

"Shirley Clarke's latest book, following her hugely popular Formative Assessment in Action (2005), puts formative assessment within the context of active learning - maximising pupil engagement, effective dialogue and reflective thinking - and is packed with practical advice and examples from early years to secondary, across all subjects. Central to the whole process of using assessment for (and as) learning is the way in which pupils become involved in all learning and assessment processes: the explanations and classroom examples in this book demonstrate why and how to do it. Drawn from across the age range, and all subjects, they exemplify effective learning objectives, clear success criteria, talk partner techniques, effective questioning, quality discussion with pupils, and self- and peer evaluation of work. New themes include how to develop a growth mindset, so that pupils enjoy challenge rather than avoid it for fear of failure; how popular strategies such as thinking skills and building learning power complement formative assessment; advice on current national expectations for summative assessment; and planning with key skills. Shirley also explains how to set up your own action research learning team in an individual school, a cluster of schools or any other educational setting and how best to support classroom teachers in their journey through the culture and practice of formative assessment. Down to earth, practical and direct, this book gives busy teachers the essential 'how to' information they need, with clear principles and theory to underpin the wealth of practical advice and examples."--Publisher's website.

The author, Michael Absolum, shows how building learning-focused relationships between teacher and student helps make "assessment for learning" principles work effectively. He does this by breaking down the bigger ideas of assessment into smaller parts that make it easy for educators to understand. Throughout the book, Absolum shares his ideas about the: - Nature of student learning; - Nature of the student/teacher relationship; - Skills that teachers need to support students; and - Skills that students need to learn. Originally written for a New Zealand readership, Clarity in the Classroom has been adapted for North American educators. This book is an essential resource for every teacher and administrator looking to support and enhance the learning opportunities for all students. The adaptions to the North American edition were done by James Gray, a vice-principal in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Meagan Mutchmor, a K-8 mathematics consultant for the Winnipeg School Division.

Assessment is the daily life of a teacher; designing plans, setting questions, giving feedback and grading are all activities that teachers undertake on a regular basis. This book provides a practical guide on the effective use of assessment. It includes the use of assessment tools and pedagogical design that help students deepen their learning. Major issues on assessment and some excellent examples are presented as a useful resource to university teachers in enhancing teaching and students' learning.

Bridging the gap between research and practice A Little Guide for Teachers: Formative Assessment gives teachers practical tried and tested strategies to put formative assessment into action in their classrooms. The Little Guide for Teachers series is little in size but BIG on all the support and inspiration you need to navigate your day to day life as a teacher. · Authored by experts in the field · Easy to dip in-and-out of · Interactive activities encourage you to write into the book and make it your own · Fun engaging illustrations throughout · Read in an afternoon or take as long as you like with it!

This second edition gives you more than 60 tools--with tips and implementation steps--for creating and using formative assessments in every grade level and subject. --from publisher description

Formative assessment is one of the best ways to increase student learning and enhance teacher quality. But effective formative assessment is not part of most classrooms, largely because teachers misunderstand what it is and don't have the necessary skills to implement it. In the updated 2nd edition of this practical guide for school leaders, authors Connie M. Moss and Susan M. Brookhart define formative assessment as an active, continual process in which teachers and students work together—every day, every minute—to gather evidence of learning, always keeping in mind three guiding questions: Where am I going? Where am I now? What strategy or strategies can help me get to where I need to go? Chapters focus on the six interrelated elements of formative assessment: (1) shared learning targets and criteria for success, (2) feedback that feeds learning forward, (3) student self-assessment and peer assessment, (4) student goal setting, (5) strategic teacher questioning, and (6) student engagement in asking effective questions. Using specific examples based on their extensive work with teachers, the authors provide - Strategic talking points and conversation starters to address common misconceptions about formative assessment; - Practical classroom strategies to share with teachers that cultivate students as self-regulated, assessment-capable learners; - Ways to model the elements of formative assessment in conversations with teachers about their professional learning; - "What if" scenarios and advice for how to deal with them; and - Questions for reflection to gauge understanding and progress. As Moss and Brookhart emphasize, the goal is not to "do" formative assessment, but to embrace a major cultural change that moves away from teacher-led instruction to a partnership of intentional inquiry between student and teacher, with better teaching and learning as the outcome.

This book is based on the argument that detailed and developmental formative feedback is the single most useful thing teachers can do for students. It helps to clarify the expectations of higher education and assist all students to achieve their potential. This book promotes student learning through formative assessment and feedback, which: enables self-assessment and reflection in learning encourages teacher-student dialogue helps clarify what is good performance provides students with quality information to help improve their learning encourages motivation and self-confidence in students aids the teacher in shaping teaching Underpinned by the relevant theory, the practical advice and examples in this book directly address the issues of how to motivate students to engage in formative assessment effectively and shows teachers how they can provide further useful formative feedback.

Best-selling author Shirley Clarke provides a wealth of high quality ideas, practical strategies, classroom examples and whole-school case studies for teachers in primary and secondary schools. The most comprehensive of Shirley Clarke's titles includes extensive examples and realia, in full colour. The book is clearly structured around the ways in which teachers actually teach, with QR coded web video clips to illustrate key points in action. - Helps teachers create an environment for pupils to be active learners, constant reviewers and self-assessors - Ensures teachers start and finish lessons effectively by initially establishing their prior knowledge and capturing their interest and finally encouraging pupil reflection to find out what has been learnt and what still needs to be developed - Develops learning by helping children articulate their understanding and focusing on constant review and improvement - Focuses on whole-school development including lesson study, assessment policies and stories from outstanding schools Chapters include: 1. Laying the foundations 2. Effective starts to lessons 3. Developing the learning 4. Effective ends to lessons 5. Whole school development