Assessment to Inform Instruction: Formative Assessment

This resource provides an overview of assessment for learning, commonly called formative assessment. Among several different types of assessment, formative assessment most directly informs instructional practice. Conducted correctly, formative assessment is an essential element in effective primary grade reading instruction. Our paper begins with a review of key aspects about formative assessment relevant to literacy development, including types of formative assessment, their links to the instructional decision cycle, and requisite features of quality formative assessment.