Formative Assessment Guidelines Grade 10 - 12 Dec 2021

Formative Assessment Guidelines
For upper secondary school teachers (Grades 10 to 12)

Formative Assessment Guidelines Grade 10 - 12
Overview
Hello and welcome to the Formative Assessment Guidelines. We hope these guidelines will
help English language teachers working in Secondary Grades 10–12 to better understand
what formative assessment is. We also hope that the ideas in these guidelines will influence
the way you plan and teach English as a foreign language.
There are six parts to these guidelines.
1. What is formative assessment?

Part One explains why formative assessment is so important for teaching and learning.
There are two main questions that these guidelines help you to answer:
• What is formative assessment?
• How does formative assessment help me to support my learners?
Part Two of these guidelines answers the first question, namely What is formative
assessment? By looking carefully at this definition, you can understand what formative
assessment is and what it is not. This definition also helps you to begin to think about how
formative assessment can support your learners.
2. Planning formative assessment

In this section we begin to answer the second main question: how does formative
assessment help me to support my learners? We will cover the following topics:
➢ The idea of planning formative assessment.
➢ Different time cycles in formative assessment: short, medium and long cycles, and
their relationship with regular and periodic assessment.
➢ The idea of a lesson as including key ‘ingredients’.
➢ Strategies we can use to collect and address evidence collected from formative
assessment in different cycles.
➢ Ways to record formative assessment findings
3. Building a growth mindset in learners

The fourth part looks at an idea that is connected with formative assessment: building a
growth mindset. This idea will get you to think about how to help your learners to be
confident, motivated and positive learners.
4. Reflective practice
Part Five looks at the idea of reflective practice. Reflective practice involves ongoing and
careful thinking about teaching and learning. You will read about four different ways for you
to reflect on your teaching.
5. Further reading and useful websites

Part Six has some suggestions for further reading. There is so much more to discover about
formative assessment than these guidelines can cover. Hopefully, these guidelines will
inspire you to find out more about formative assessment ideas and practices.
6. Glossary
Finally, there is a glossary at the end which contains definitions of some of the terms you
may come across when you are planning formative assessment activities. You will also find
more ideas for formative assessment activities in the formative assessment manuals that go
together with these guidelines.
1. What is formative assessment?

Defining formative assessment
For many teachers the idea of assessment means testing and giving marks or grades to
learners. In formative assessment, ‘assessment’ means something else.
Here is a definition of formative assessment:
So, what does the word ‘formative’ mean? The meaning of this word in a dictionary refers to
something that helps form or shape something else. The dictionary definition shows that the
word ‘formative’ in formative assessment refers to how assessment is carried out to help
shape and inform the learning.
All four parts of the definition above are needed. This definition shows that an assessment is
a formative assessment when it is used to find out how well each learner is doing in their
learning and what each learner needs to do next in their learning. Levels and grades on their
own are not useful; it’s what the teacher does with the information they collect about the
learning that is important.
Why is formative assessment important?
It is important to develop teaching practice so that formative assessment is at the centre of

teaching and learning. Here are some reasons why:
➢ Research shows that formative assessment has an important positive effect on
learning1.
➢ Formative assessment is the ‘bridge’ between the teaching and the learning in every
lesson2.
➢ Regular assessment practices (such as those described in this guide) are an
expectation of the Ministry.
How is formative assessment a ‘bridge’ between teaching and learning?
Teaching and learning are linked like cogs in a continuous process, as the diagram below
shows. For these cogs to keep moving, it is important for teachers and learners to have an
ongoing discussion about the learning, represented by the third cog; formative assessment.
The elements of this ongoing discussion include:

● Making sure that every learner understands the lesson objectives
● Helping every learner to produce evidence which shows what they have learned.
● Giving learners feedback regularly to help them move their learning forward.
1
An important review of research on formative assessment was published by Paul Black and Dylan
Wiliam in 1998. See their Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment.
Available from: http://weaeducation.typepad.co.uk/files/blackbox-1.pdf
2
This idea of formative assessment as a ‘bridge’ is taken from Dylan Wiliam’s book Embedded
Formative Assessment. This book has been a key resource for these guidelines and is recommended
for further reading.
What’s the difference between formative and summative assessment?
These guidelines focus on formative assessment, which happens as part of the teaching and
learning. Both formative and summative assessment are important types of assessment.
The table below compares the main features of formative and summative assessment.
Formative assessment… Summative assessment…
is a tool to evaluate and guide learning. is a tool to evaluate and report on

learning.
is dynamic and two-way because the is static and one-way. The results are
teacher responds to learners’ work, as if often presented in a formal report.
the two are having a conversation.
is designed to help teachers and is designed to inform people outside daily

learners. It needs to involve the learner classroom learning and teaching (e.g.
because s/he is the person most able to the school, parents, DOET or MOET).
improve the learning.
checks learning during teaching to find is given at predetermined times, like in the
out about progress (e.g. questions middle or at the end of the school terms, to
during a lesson) or to diagnose learning judge a learner’s learning after teaching
gaps that may have been missed during (learner achievement).
a lesson or series of lessons (e.g. quiz in
between learning units) for the purpose of
addressing learning needs.
gives feedback which is usually detailed, usually summarises the results into levels
specific and descriptive, and uses words or grades, etc. The assessment process
so that it can be acted on to feed into and results are designed to give an overall
learning. It helps teachers and students description of achievement.
see what should be done to improve.
How does formative assessment become part of teaching and learning?
To include formative assessment in your lessons, you need to think about how to collect
information about the learning that is taking place. For example, you might give the
learners a task and then watch how well each learner is getting on. To help with this, you
might even make some notes for yourself. Next, you need to decide what to do with the
information you have gathered.
The information you collect can help to find out about shared learning needs and
individual learning needs. A learning need is the gap between a learner's current level
and the level they need to complete a task successfully. You can then think about the
learning needs from two viewpoints — shared and individual:
Shared learning need Individual learning need
Meaning A need that several (or perhaps A need that is specific to one
all) learners have in common. learner.
Example(s) You find out from observing your One learner may need more time
learners during a task that some to complete a task. Another
of them do not know when to learner may need extra help from
use the possessive ‘s’ after you. Another learner may finish a
nouns (i.e. the boy’s coat, task faster than others and will
Nguyen’s hat). You might need need another task to stretch their
to teach this language again to learning even further
these learners.
In this guide you will find lots of strategies to help you identify shared and individual learner
needs. Many of these strategies can be used in your day-to-day lessons, helping you to
assess your learners regularly, and identify new needs as they arise.
What’s wrong with only using summative assessment?
Of course, using summative assessment is useful for keeping a formal record of each
learner’s progress in their learning, as well as evaluating the learners’ overall progress.
However, this information is only useful if you then do something in response, which might
involve a change to your lesson plans in time to make things better. If summative
assessment results are only made available several weeks after the teaching, then planned
support to address individual or shared learning needs will be delayed and likely to be less
effective.
Will applying formative assessment help me develop as a teacher?
Another aspect of formative assessment that we will consider in these guidelines is how
formative assessment helps teachers to become reflective teachers (see Section 4).
Reflection is ongoing and careful thinking about teaching and learning. This includes thinking
about what went well in a lesson, as well as how to improve the teaching and learning.
Moving our definition of formative assessment forward…
The best way to understand our definition of formative assessment is to look at three
important and interconnected ideas:
➢ Learning as a journey
➢ Responsive teaching
➢ Involving learners
Let’s now look at each of these ideas in turn.
1.1 Learning as a journey

The learning that takes place in every lesson, as well as across a series of lessons, can be
thought of as an ongoing journey that your learners are on. Like every journey, the learning
has a starting point and a destination.
To help learners on their journey there are three important questions that every teacher
needs to ask:
Where are my learners going in the learning?
To answer the first question you have to decide your lesson objectives (or the objectives
for a series of lessons). Both you and your learners need to know the goal for their learning.
Imagine setting off on a journey and not knowing where you are going. You might soon feel
lost, confused or uninterested. So, it is important to share these lesson objectives with the
learners and check that they understand them, so they know where they are going.
You will work out your lesson objectives by referring to the curriculum (see Circular
32) and the learning materials (e.g. textbooks) you are using, and by thinking about
the learning needs of your learners.
As well as helping learners to know where they are going on their learning journey, the
lesson objectives are important for lesson planning. You can then ‘plan backwards’. This
means that you plan a lesson starting from the lesson objectives, so that tasks and activities
can be planned to meet each lesson objective. The lesson objectives describe the new or
improved knowledge, understanding and skills, as well as changes in attitudes that learners
are expected to reach at the end of a lesson (or series of lessons).
It’s also a good idea to describe for your learners what successful learning looks like. These
descriptions are called success criteria. Giving your learners success criteria will also help
you to give them useful feedback (for more about feedback see responsive teaching below).
Success criteria are descriptions of what success looks like when the lesson objective is
reached. These criteria can also be used by the learners to check how well they are getting
on with their learning (see also 1.3 involving learners).
Lesson objectives help learners to see where they are going on their learning journey. Yet,
as all teachers know, every learner learns in different ways, so takes a different route on
their journey. Some might learn faster than others. Some might need more help and support.
Some might need extra work to push them even further.
Where is each learner now in their journey?
Even though the learners are all going on the same journey, they might be starting from
different points. It’s important to find out what they already know (or what they can already
do with the language) so that this prior learning can be connected with their new learning.
By applying formative assessment, you are also going to be checking during lessons to see
where each learner is in their learning, so this might mean that by the end of the lesson, a
lesson objective has not been met by some (or even all) learners. You need to decide how
you can help the students who have not achieved the learning set out in that lesson
objective. This could be teaching this objective again in another lesson.
To answer the second question, ‘where is each learner now in their learning?’, you also
need to collect information about the learning at regular points during their learning
journeys. In Part Three you will read about six key ingredients for formative assessment
which all help to answer this second question.
How do I help a learner move forward in their learning?
This question is about the need for feedback. This feedback to the learner helps them to
move forward in their learning. It tells the learner what they have done well and helps them
to plan their next step.
Feedback is looked at in more detail with the next important formative assessment idea:
responsive teaching.
1.2 Responsive teaching

Formative assessment is about being a responsive teacher. Teaching, learning and
formative assessment should be seen as parts of one continuous process. On Page 4 of
these guidelines this process is shown using the idea of connecting cogs. So, responsive
teaching is how you as the teacher make sure these cogs keep on moving, through the
ongoing discussion about the learning with your learners.
There are three aspects to this idea of being a responsive teacher. These are:
Helping every learner to show evidence of their learning
To be a responsive teacher, you first need to help every learner to show evidence of their
learning. The evidence is something the learner does or something they make to show their
learning (it can be spoken or written evidence, for example). This evidence helps you and
your learners to check the learning and to make sure the learning is as effective as possible.
Helping learners to produce evidence that they have learned something must be guided by
three principles (a principle is a way of doing something that will make it effective). These
principles are:
➢ Helping learners to show their learning in different ways

➢ Collecting detailed information about the learning
➢ Collecting the information as often as you can
The first principle — helping learners to show their learning in different ways — is about
how the decisions that you need to make about the next steps in learning will be better if
these decisions are based on different sources of evidence. For example, you can plan a
lesson to include small group discussion activities (discussions), practising skills (deliberate
practice) and a whole-class activity at the end of the lesson (a check on the learning). These
three ways in which learners show evidence of their learning then give you different sources
of information about how well the learners are doing in their learning.
The second principle — collecting detailed information about the learning — is about
how formative assessment is more effective if it collects detailed information about the
learning so that learners can receive useful feedback. For example, quizzes in the form of
multiple-choice questions can be used to find out about any specific gaps in each learner’s
understanding. This helps you to focus your teaching on dealing with these specific gaps
rather than thinking that everyone in the class has understood.
The third principle for helping learners produce evidence of their learning is collecting
information as often as you can. When formative assessment activities are used often,
such as regular recapping of learning from previous lessons, it helps to both check and
strengthen learning.
Having a flexible approach to teaching and learning
The second part to being a responsive teacher is to have a flexible approach to teaching and
learning.
You know by now from reading these guidelines that the process of formative assessment
can begin with you giving your learners a task, so that you can collect information about their
learning. The next step is to decide what to do based on the information you collect. One
thing you might decide to do is make changes to your lesson planning, even during the
lesson!
Being able to adjust lesson planning, or even make changes to a lesson plan during the
lesson, requires flexibility. You also need to plan moments in a lesson when you can decide
on whether all learners understand what you are teaching or whether some learners are still
struggling to fully understand it. If you find evidence to suggest that some learners are
struggling, you might need to change your lesson plan.
For example, if it becomes clear that some learners still do not understand something, you
can choose to either:
● Give them another task to check again how much everyone has understood
● Use confident learners who did understand to explain to the others in small groups
and give each other feedback
● Teach that part of the lesson again
Of course, you might think of other options to choose from. You have to choose what you
think is best and most likely to improve learning. It is therefore important that you have
flexible lesson plans and that you are able to adapt the teaching during the lesson. You can
also share your experience after your lesson with colleagues and discuss their ideas for
different options to choose from (in Part Five you will think about how to share ideas with
colleagues as part of reflecting on your teaching).
You can think about a flexible approach to teaching and learning in three ways: planning to
support independent learning; planning within the lesson (as the lesson is happening); and
planning after (and between) lessons. The table below shows what this means in practice:
Planning to support Planning within the Planning after (and

independent learning lesson between) lessons
Creating a classroom Finding out and Takes place after the

culture in which learners responding to learners’ lesson has been taught. It
are responsible for their needs during the lesson. involves planning for the
learning. next lesson or for a unit of
For example, the teacher work based on formative
For example, by using uses a quick ‘thumbs up, assessment.
pair and group work so thumbs down, thumbs
that learners see that sideways’ from every For example, the results of
they are able to help each learner to show how many a self-assessment activity
other with their learning. are ready to move on to a taken by learners are used
new topic. to identify their prior
knowledge. This then
What happens next in the feeds into the planning for
lesson depends on the subsequent lessons: this
results of this formative might include deciding
assessment. which topics need more
time as well as how to
make use of learners as
support for each other.
Finding out and responding to learners’ needs during the lesson, so that you are planning
what to do as the lesson is taking place, is also described as on-the-run assessment. This
can include informal checks on the learning as the lesson is happening, often focusing on
finding out how well individual learners are getting on and giving them immediate feedback.
This is ‘on the run’ because it is taking place as the lesson is going along.
Giving regular feedback to learners
The third part to responsive teaching is giving regular feedback to learners. (Feedback
was also mentioned in relation to the idea of learning as a journey.)
Feedback helps a learner to move forward in their learning. With formative assessment, you
collect information on how well a learner is doing in their learning. Next, you can give
feedback to the learner on their learning.
Teacher-to-learner feedback needs to:
● be detailed and frequent
● recognise what the learner did well
● point forward to the next step in the learners’ learning journey
The following graphic includes examples of how teachers might phrase feedback shared
with learners:
Adapted from MacQuarie University
You will find a model for feedback (Goals, Success, and Steps) in Section 2 of these
guidelines. This model is a practical example of how teachers can give regular and effective
feedback3.
Use Vietnamese language while giving feedback if you think it necessary with some or all
the learners in your class. In addition to Vietnamese language, try to find opportunities to
give feedback in English when you think it is possible in order to help your learner to begin
thinking about their learning in English.
As well as teacher-to-learner feedback, the learners can also be involved in giving feedback
to each other. Let’s now think about the third important formative assessment idea: involving
learners.
3
This is an adaptation of the ‘medals and missions’ model of feedback from Geoff Petty’s book, see
Part Six for the book’s full reference.
1.3 Involving learners
Formative assessment does not only involve teachers. Learners are also an important part
of the process. Learners can be involved in several ways:
● Through ongoing discussions with their teacher

● Through discussions with each other so that they are able to share and combine
their ideas
● Through peer-assessment and self-assessment activities that involve learners in
their own assessment
These ideas are looked at in the following table:
Ongoing discussions between teacher and learner
Formative assessment requires an ongoing discussion between the teacher and learner.
This means that you plan moments in the lessons to speak to individual learners or small
groups to check on how they are doing.
Getting regular feedback from all learners about their learning is very important.
Learners help each other with their learning
Getting learners involved in helping each other with their learning through discussions
and cooperative learning tasks is an important way to involve learners in the process of
formative assessment.
Peer assessment and self-assessment
Peer-assessment and self-assessment activities encourage learners to be involved in

the process of finding out how well they are doing in their learning and what they need to
do to improve.
Peer assessment works best when learners are asked to give feedback to another
learner on specific aspects of their learning. Learners find it difficult to give feedback to
each other if the feedback task is too complicated. See page 20 for more information on
peer assessment and self-assessment.
We have now looked at three important formative assessment ideas — learning as a
journey, responsive teaching, and involving learners. These ideas have helped to explain
further the definition of formative assessment. These ideas have also started to show you
how formative assessment can help you to support your learners.
We now need to look more closely at what formative assessment looks like in the classroom.
This also means thinking about planning formative assessment.
2. Planning formative assessment

You are now going to think about how to plan formative assessment. First, think about the
idea of different time cycles in formative assessment: there are short, medium and long
cycles. Thinking about these different time cycles is important because they show how
formative assessment can have different effects on the teaching and learning.
It is short-cycle formative assessment that has the most impact on the learning, then
medium cycle, then long cycle. To help you use short-cycle formative assessment in your
lessons you should look at the idea of a three-part lesson. Next, you will look at a range of
strategies we can include in our lessons for short-cycle formative assessment.
2.1 Time cycles in formative assessment

Formative assessment can differ in terms of the time cycles involved. There are long,
medium and short time cycles in formative assessment, each having a different type of effect
on the learning. This is explained in the following table4:
4
Adapted from Wiliam 2018, p. 51
Regular assessment Periodic

assessment
Short cycle Medium cycle Long cycle
Time span?
Within and between Within and between Middle and end of
lessons teaching units term
How often? Minute by minute and One to four weeks Twice a term
day by day (or thereabouts)
Effects on Learners are more Learners improve Tracking learners’

learning? active and involved their understanding overall progress
of how they are
Teacher assessed and can see Improvements made
responsiveness their progress or to the organisation
improves improvement and content of the
learning planned
Teacher across a term and/or
understanding of the whole school
assessment year
improves
The table shows why formative assessment needs to be planned across these three
different time cycles. Each time cycle can have a different type of effect on the teaching and
learning.
Periodic assessment
Periodic assessment is carried out in the long cycle, that is mid-term, end-of-term and end-
of-year assessments. Periodic assessment is formal and planned in advance of when it
happens. Teachers base periodic assessment on the standard of knowledge and skills to
assess students (see Circular 03, Article 10).
What is periodic assessment used for?
We can use periodic assessment to track the learners’ progress over longer periods. It gives
information that can be used to report to parents (as well as other people outside of the
school) on how well learners are doing. This information can help in checking that learners
are learning everything that they are supposed to learn in the curriculum. It can also help us
to make improvements to the organisation and our learning content.
Can periodic assessment be used formatively?
Long-cycle periodic assessment has less impact on the learning than formative assessments
in short and medium cycles because it is summative in nature (see Part Two in these
guidelines). If teachers want to use long-cycle periodic assessment formatively, the results
and detailed feedback should be provided to the learners soon afterwards. This information
should feed into the next lesson plans to support shared and individual learning needs. As
good practice, give the learners feedback using the ‘Goals, Success, Steps’ model.
Regular medium-cycle assessment
Formative assessment in the medium cycle should:
● help learners to understand the skills they should develop and the standards that are
used to assess their work
● involve learners in tracking the level of their progress.
Formative assessment in this cycle can be made more effective when it includes feedback to
the learners to help them see why they have been given a particular result and what to do to
improve (see the Goals, Success, Steps strategy). These assessments can also help
teachers to better understand what they need to think about when they give feedback to the
learners. Quizzes at the end of a series of lessons or at the end of a unit can be used in this
cycle.
Regular short-cycle assessment
Formative assessment in the short cycle includes informal and continuous checks on the
learning while the lesson is happening. These checks often focus on how well individual
learners are doing and giving them immediate feedback. This aspect of short-cycle formative
assessment is also called on-the-run assessment (see section 2.2: Having a flexible
approach to teaching and learning).
Is short-cycle assessment always unplanned?
No. Short-cycle formative assessment can also include planned assessments (just as the
quizzes and tests used in medium- and long-cycle formative assessment are also planned).
In the case of short-cycle formative assessment, you can plan specific tasks or activities to
check how well learners are getting on with achieving the lesson objectives for a lesson (or
series of lessons).
Why should we use more short-cycle assessment?
Research shows that short-cycle formative assessment has the most positive effect on
learning. The shorter the cycle (of finding evidence about the learning and then responding
to this evidence) then the greater the impact will be on the learning.
Assessment and the Curriculum
What does our Curriculum say about regular and periodic assessment?
Short- and medium-cycle formative assessment enable teachers to carry out regular
assessment as stated in Circular 03 (2016): ‘Regular assessments provide feedback for
teachers and students to support, adjust and promote the progress of students in a timely
manner according to primary education goals.’ Teachers should focus on the students’
progress in daily lessons and over short intervals (medium cycles) throughout the learning
process for the purpose of monitoring, encouraging or reinforcing learning. This action also
allows teachers to modify and update teaching methods to achieve educational goals.
You should look at regular assessment and periodic assessment as working together to
support and promote learning. Refer to Circular 03, Article 6 and Article 10 to remind
yourself of the policies from the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET). In addition, your
assessment should be relevant to the curriculum and language competences listed for
secondary education in the General Education Curriculum, English Curriculum 2018 (see
Circular 32).
Let us now think about implementing formative assessment in more detail. You are going to
look at planning your lesson in three parts. You will also look at some activities and
strategies you can use to collect evidence from formative assessment in different cycles.
2.2 Three-part lessons

You might think that this part and the next focus on basic teaching skills, for example,
dividing a lesson plan into three sections: starter; main; plenary. However, the information
here aims to show you that starters and plenaries are important building blocks in formative
assessment. Also, all the techniques listed in the main lesson section are essential practices
that enable teachers to apply formative assessment.
Planning a three-part lesson
Planning a lesson in three parts is a good way to make sure that the lesson includes short-
cycle formative assessment activities and tasks. This table shows what a three-part lesson
looks like:
Starter Finding out about learners’ prior knowledge
Revisiting learners’ prior learning
Main Activities that build on each other…
Steps (with support)
Plenary Checking the learning
Review of the lesson objectives
Starters
The three-part lesson plan begins with a starter activity. The starter activity is used to:
➢ find out where each learner is in their learning at the start of the lesson (in other
words, what each learner already knows)
➢ focus attention and raise the learners’ interest in the lesson
➢ help show the lesson objectives for the lesson.
Main lesson stages
The main part of the lesson is where the new learning happens. This part of the lesson
includes activities and tasks that build on each other. These main lesson activities give the
learners clear steps in their learning, as well as the support each learner needs to complete
a task.
In the main part of the lesson, we can use various strategies for formative assessment to
find out how well each learner is doing in their learning. These strategies allow you to collect
evidence about the learning and to give feedback on what each learner needs to do next.
Example strategies include:
➢ Deliberate practice — learning is broken down into small steps and learners focus on
practising specific skills
➢ Questions from the teacher — used to check understanding and deepen the learning
➢ Discussions — learners talk with each other and share and combine ideas
➢ Quick scans -— simple techniques to check quickly the understanding across the
whole class
➢ Self-assessment and peer assessment — tasks that involve learners in the process
of formative assessment
Plenaries
The final Plenary stage is used to:
➢ find out where each learner is in their learning at the end of the lesson
➢ help to strengthen and deepen the learning
➢ get feedback from the learners on the teaching.
2.3 Practical formative assessment strategies for teachers

How will teachers benefit professionally from planning for formative assessment?
Applying formative assessment in the short cycle is perhaps the most challenging as it
requires teachers to take a step back and re-evaluate their teaching practice. Adapting your
teaching methods to include regularly assessing the students and actively involving them in
their learning may take some time to embed in your practice. However, it is worth the effort
because applying formative assessment in your lessons makes teaching and learning more
meaningful and enjoyable. It helps make your teaching more responsive, thus effective, and
produces better results.
Where do I start?
The following sections of this guide should support you in embedding formative assessment
in your classroom practice:
Formative assessment strategies
This section provides an overview of assessment strategies you can apply in the classroom.
These are mostly useful for short-cycle assessment. Visible thinking routines, which
encourage learners to actively discuss their learning, are also described in this section.
Recording evidence from formative assessment
This section includes ideas for how you can keep track of learner progress day by day and
over a series of lessons.
Planned formative assessment
This section includes guidance for planning medium- and long-cycle assessment. It includes
general guidance on writing tests, project work, and peer and self-assessment.
The information in each section is general. Teacher Manuals for Grades 10-12 contain
specific examples to demonstrate how formative assessment can be carried out in the
short and medium cycles for each grade level. The manuals also include some
guidance on planned assessment at each grade level.
Questions to ask yourself while reading
You should reflect on your own teaching practice, compare it with the information here and
in the teaching manuals, and consider the following:
● Which of the techniques do I already use in my practice?

● Which of the techniques do I use regularly, as a habit in my practice?
● Are there any techniques I can begin to use in my practice?
● Are there any techniques that might be challenging to use in my context (for
example, with large classes)?
● How might I overcome these challenges?
Formative assessment strategies
In section 2.1 we introduced three key questions teachers should ask about the learning
journey:
● Where are my learners going in their learning?

● Where is each learner now in their learning?
● How do I help a learner move forward in their learning?
Here are some key strategies for formative assessment that are used at each stage of the
learning journey. See the grade level manuals for specific examples of how these strategies
can be used in class.
Where are my learners going in their learning?
Strategy: Lesson objectives

Why are lesson objectives important?
Lesson objectives help teachers and learners understand the goal of the lesson. They are
important because they provide learners with a clear purpose. They also provide teachers
with a target which they can use to evaluate their learners’ progress.
We usually share lesson objectives with learners at the start of the lesson.
What makes a good lesson objective?
Lesson objectives should be SMART.
Objectives should be clear on what learners will be able to do by the

end of the lesson. They should also link to previous, current and future
learning.
When introduced to your learners, your objective should be in learner-friendly language.

You may want to use the same sentence stem each time such as a WALT (‘We are
learning to…’).
What’s an example of a good lesson objective?
Here is a lesson objective as it might appear in a teacher’s planning (Grade 10):
Here is how the same lesson objective might be shared with learners:
● We are learning to: describe future situations using ‘if’

● Our topic: protecting the environment
How can one lesson objective be appropriate for all learners?
We can differentiate our objectives. This means that we have different expectations
depending on the ability of our learners. For example:
All of us will be able to… Most of us will be able to… Some of us will be able to...
Strategy: Success criteria

What are success criteria? Why are they important?
Success criteria are a description of what success looks like once the learning objective
has been reached. They help learners understand what the teacher is looking for.
When can I use them?
Success criteria are often introduced alongside lesson objectives.

● You could think of the lesson objectives as ‘WALT’: We are learning to…
● You could think of the success criteria as ‘WILF’: What I’m looking for…
Success criteria may also be shared before a certain task, for example a writing task, to
outline the content and language that should be included.
What do success criteria look like?
We often display success criteria as a checklist of ‘can do’ statements.
Lesson objective:
● We are learning to: describe future situations using ‘if’
● Our topic: protecting the environment
Success criteria:
● I can identify at least three human actions that affect the environment in my area
● I can describe the impact of these actions on the environment using ‘if’
● I can recommend ways we can avoid these negative actions
● Challenge: I can use a sentence with ‘if’ when making my recommendations
How do I write effective success criteria?
● Think about the content, language and communication skills learners need in
order to meet the lesson objective(s).
● Explain these features or skills as statements beginning with the words ‘I can…’.
● You could create some criteria for certain learners to add more challenge (see the
example above). Explain to learners that not everyone will be able to achieve this.
How do I use success criteria in class (and beyond)?
● Introduce your success criteria at the start of the lesson. Check understanding.
● Learners can refer to the success criteria throughout the lesson. They can tick off
statements in the checklist as the lesson progresses.
● Learners can review the criteria at the end of the lesson and identify areas for
development.
Where is each learner now in their learning?
Strategy: Starters
What are starters and why are they important?
Starter activities give you an idea of what learners already know and don’t yet know, and
which learners know more or less than others. As the name suggests, starters are used at
the beginning of a lesson before new language input.
How do I use starters?
Example: Your lesson objectives involve

describing human actions that affect the
environment. You want to know which actions your
learners can already identify/describe. You could…
Display or hand out images of environmental

issues caused by our actions. Instruct learners
to identify and label/ describe each issue.
Or… Instruct learners to create a table like the

one shown. Learners add their own ideas to
the table.
Or… Give learners a list of human actions

which impact on the environment (littering, plastic waste, water
pollution, use of CFCs, etc). Instruct them to number each of the
issues 1-4:
1: I don’t recognise this word

2: I recognise this word but don’t know what it means
3: I understand this word
4: I understand this word and could explain it to others
(see the grade level manuals for more examples of starters)
What can we do with the information from starters?

● Identify language you don’t need to teach as it is already known
● See which learners need more support with language to help them meet the lesson
or curriculum objectives.
● Make changes to your lesson/series of lessons, e.g. if you identify gaps in learning
which need to be reviewed before moving forward.
Will starters work with large classes?

Evaluating the current knowledge of individuals in a large class is difficult. You may find it
easier to evaluate learners in small groups, although this may mean that certain students
dominate. Having learners work together and recording ideas on mini-whiteboards is one
way to make monitoring easier during starter activities with large classes.
Strategy: Plenaries
What are plenaries and why are they important?
A plenary activity comes at the end of a lesson or series of lessons. Learners look back at
what they learned in the lesson(s) in an activity which involves all the learners in the class.
This gives all the learners a chance to self-assess their learning in the lesson and lets
you see how far the lesson objectives have been met. It also helps learners see where
they are now in their learning, and helps you identify any changes needed to the next
lesson plan(s).
How do I use plenaries?
Example: Exit slips

Create quiz questions or a short task based on new language
or skills from the lesson. All learners complete these questions
on an exit slip and hand it in as they leave.
Exit slips could also include tasks for learners to

reflect on what they have learnt. These include:
What/Why/How?: Learners respond to the

following questions: What did I learn? Why did I
learn it? How did I learn it?
3-2-1: Learners explain ‘3 things I learnt’, ‘2 things

I found interesting’, and ‘1 question I still have’.
Stars and a wish: Learners write down ‘two things I did well during the lesson’ and ‘one
thing I could improve’.
Example: Class quiz

Create a class quiz using an online tool such as Kahoot! This will
automatically grade learner performance.
Example: Be the teacher

Instruct learners to explain new language from the lesson to a partner. Their partner (or
the learner themselves) can assess how well they were able to do this.
What can I do with the information from plenaries?

● Check if learners have met the lesson objectives.
● Identify language and skills that you will need to review in future lessons.
● Record evidence from lesson plenaries and track learner progress over time.
Will plenaries work with large classes?

It is important to gather evidence of learning at the end of a lesson. However, with large
classes, some ways to do this may not seem practical. Quiz questions may be easiest to
use as you can check answers at a glance. Online tools such as Kahoot! make it easy to
gather and store data on all learners.
Strategy: Quick scans

What are quick scans?
Quick scans are all-learner-response techniques that enable you to quickly check
understanding across a whole class.
Quick scans can be used at various stages throughout a lesson. You may find them
particularly useful for…
● checking understanding of new language
● assessing how confident learners feel about new content
How do I use quick scans?
Example 1: Thumbs up/Thumbs down
After an activity, ask students to share feedback by showing their thumbs:
Thumbs up Thumbs sideways Thumbs down
I can do this well. I can do this, but not always. I can’t do this (well).
Use this feedback to identify which students need further support, or if you need to review
learning as a whole class.
Example 2: Diagnostic questions
Ask learners a question about new language, for example: Is ‘sustainable’ a positive or
negative word? Learners respond by using thumbs up for positive, thumbs down for
negative. You can adapt the responses to suit a range of answer types. For example, you
can number the answers for multiple choice questions. Learners can respond by holding
up a number of fingers, or by writing their choice on mini-whiteboards and holding them up
so the teacher can see.
Will quick scans work with large classes?

Yes! You can gather instant feedback from all learners using a quick scan. You can follow
the scan with more questions to specific learners if needed.
What can I do with the information from quick scans?

● Quick scans can help you identify which students are most in need of support.
● You may notice patterns if you use this technique often, such as which students
struggle with certain skills or activities.
● They can help you make on-the-run decisions: Most of the learners had thumbs
down. Should we review the new language again as a class?
Strategy: Monitoring
What is monitoring and why is it important?
Monitoring is when the teacher moves around the classroom to get a closer look at what
each learner is doing. We need to monitor when learners work individually, in pairs or in
groups on any task so we can see how well they are progressing, what they can do well
and where they have problems. From this, we can find out:
● which learners have particular problems

● if lots of learners have the same problem(s) or misunderstanding(s)
● if the class is doing better than we expected.
When should I monitor?
We should monitor learners during and throughout a lesson. Techniques already

mentioned such as starters and plenaries are ways to monitor progress at the beginning
and end of lessons.
How do I monitor effectively during class?
● Carry a notebook and pen and make notes regularly.Your

notes can be a useful record and planning tool.
● Sometimes monitor at a distance, especially during
speaking activities so you don’t distract learners. At other
times move close to learners (as appropriate) so you can
see more clearly what they are doing.
● Sit down next to/with learners if you can. It is better for you
and for them.
● Talk to learners when you monitor. This is the perfect
opportunity to ask questions to check and support or extend
learning.
● Always speak quietly to learners so that others can’t hear. This will give them
confidence to show you what they can do.
● Make sure you monitor all learners. Arrange desks in your classroom so that you
can move around them well enough.
How can I monitor with large classes?

This is a challenge! If necessary, monitor two or three groups of learners more closely in
each lesson, then monitor a different two or three groups in the next lesson. Assigning
students to be learner-monitors and report back to you might help save you time.
What can I do with the information from monitoring?

● Support individual learners.
● Make a change to the lesson for the whole class.
● Give feedback to individual learners, even those you don’t hear from very often.
Strategy: Deliberate practice

What is deliberate practice and why is it important?
The idea of deliberate practice is that learning needs to be broken down into small steps.
Here are the features of deliberate practice:
Why? Example
To describe a line graph about the rate of
Break urbanization in a city, learners may need first to:
Different
learning - Be able to interpret visual data
knowledge and
into parts skills are - Practise using language to describe trends in
data (rise, fall, steady increase)
required to
- Understand and use language for predicting
complete a single future trends
task Etc.
You might identify that…

Practising each - some students need more practice describing the
specific skill general trend shown in the line graph
Focused required to - most of the class make mistakes when using
practice future forms
complete a task
helps identify Use this information to give personalized feedback
weaknesses and to plan activities that focus on the specific needs
of individuals as well as the while class.
Repeated Plan activities that review vocabulary/grammar over

Spaced a series of lessons. Do quizzes and regularly recap
practice over
practice previous learning to consolidate what learners
time strengthens
already know (or can do).
learning
When can I use deliberate practice?

Deliberate practice can form part of your everyday lessons. Techniques such as spaced
practice can also form part of medium-cycle formative assessment. Spaced practice isn’t
only quizzes. It may include practical tasks such as project work, which gives learners a
chance to apply what they’ve learnt to show understanding.
Will deliberate practice work with large classes?

Deliberate practice involves careful monitoring, which can be difficult with large classes.
Developing a culture of peer and self-assessment in the classroom should make
deliberate practice more effective. However, this does take time.
What can I do with the information from deliberate practice activities?

Think of deliberate practice as ‘responsive teaching in action’. The evidence you gather
from your learners will help you make on-the-run decisions and plan future lessons based
around actual learner needs.
Strategy: Questioning
Why is questioning important?
Teachers can use questions to find out how much their learners understand, and to
encourage and prompt further learning to deepen understanding. Asking regular questions
also encourages learners to be more engaged and focused.
When can I use questions?

We might ask questions in a whole-class setting, or it could be when we are monitoring.
Questions should be used throughout the lesson, not just as part of certain lesson stages
(such as starters or plenaries).
How do I ask effective questions?
● Use a variety of questioning strategies. We may use

closed questions with some learners, and open questions
with others. For example, if we teach a word like
‘frustrated’, we might ask one learner: ‘Is this a positive or
negative feeling?’. We might challenge another learner
with an open question: ‘What things make you feel
frustrated?’ Closed questions and multiple choice may be
the best options for whole-class questioning.
● Questions can be planned or unplanned. If you are
teaching new words, you may wish to plan questions to
check learners’ understanding. When monitoring, you
may ask questions about what learners are writing or discussing.
● Questions should be specific. Avoid questions such as ‘Do you understand?’
● Where appropriate, ask questions that help learners extend their answers.
Examples include: ‘Why?’, and ‘Tell me more (about)…?’
How can I make questioning work with large classes?

Certain questioning techniques may not work well with large classes. Asking for ‘hands up’
may result in the same students volunteering answers. Nominating certain learners in front
of the class can cause anxiety.
● Online tools such as Kahoot! or Socrative help gather answers from large classes.
● Thinking time is important. Routines such as Think-Pair-Share (see Visible
Thinking Routines) help develop confidence.
● Using mini-whiteboards for pairs or groups to share ideas makes questioning
more collaborative, and is a good visual reference for teachers (see quick scans)
What can I do with the evidence gathered from questioning?

Questions are a diagnostic tool for teachers. Planning questions to use at different stages
of the lesson can help us decide whether we need to review previous learning or if we can
move forward.
Strategy: Pair/Group discussions

Why are pair/group discussions important?
Giving learners open and stimulating questions to think about and discuss can provide a
window into their thinking. Discussions can also help develop thinking skills that help to
deepen understanding.

Pair and group discussions can be used frequently and at various stages of a lesson.
Encouraging your learners to discuss answers and opinions is a good way to develop
speaking confidence, and maximise learners’ use of English during a lesson.
What type of tasks can learners discuss in pairs or groups?

Pairwork can be as simple as learners checking answers with a partner. More in-depth
discussion tasks may include comparing similarities and differences, ranking,
problem-solving, discussing scenarios, roleplays and debates.
How can I set up effective discussion tasks?

Learners might need some supporting language in order to
complete a discussion task. If you ask learners to agree and
disagree, do they have the language needed to do this? The best
way to think about the language learners might need is to
complete the task yourself first.
Pyramid discussions are a good way to give learners repeated

practice and develop confidence. They also work well with large
classes in fixed seating patterns.
In a pyramid discussion, learners form progressively larger groups

as they carry out a speaking task. The task usually involves each
group reaching an agreement before joining another group.
Example (Grade 10 topic - Inventors that changed the world)

1. Work alone. Make a list of the five most important inventors
in history. Prepare to justify your views.
2. Compare your ideas with a partner. Work together to create a
new list of the five most important inventors. Make sure you agree!
3. Compare your ideas with another pair. Work together to create a new list as a
group.
How can I use the information gathered from group discussions?

Careful monitoring during discussions can help you assess deeper understanding of
topics. It can help you notice which learners have other useful attributes (e.g. leadership
skills, organisational skills) which you can use to your advantage in class.
Strategy: Self-assessment
What is self-assessment and why is it important?
Self-assessment means asking learners to evaluate their own understanding and learning.
It is important for learners as it promotes involvement and greater understanding of how to
make progress. It is useful for teachers, especially in large class settings, as the learners
themselves can help teachers gather evidence to inform planning and learning.
When can I use self-assessment?

Self-assessment can be used at any stage of the formative assessment cycle. It is
perhaps most useful when used in day-to-day lessons when reflecting on task
achievement.
What are some examples of self-assessment techniques?

● Look back at the example tasks in the ‘plenaries’ section. Many of these tasks ask
learners to reflect on what they have learnt or what they need to improve.
Examples include 3-2-1, What/Why/How? and Stars and a Wish.
● Some quick-scan activities such as Thumbs Up/Down are a form of self-
assessment.
● Teachers can prompt learners to self-assess work in their
exercise books by simply drawing an emoticon to
represent their feelings, and adding questions for the
teacher.
● Learners can complete medium-cycle self-assessments. These might relate to
their success, task difficulty, or perhaps how motivated learners felt to do the task.
● The checklists in the section on Success Criteria can also be used as a self-
assessment tool.
How can I get learners to self-assess effectively?

It is important that self-assessment is undertaken regularly and as a habit. It takes time
for learners to develop independence and to feel confident enough to assess their own
learning.
What can I do with the evidence from self-assessments?

Day to day, evidence from self-assessments can help you better understand how to
support your learners. Medium-cycle assessments like the example shown can inform your
planning, giving you an idea of topic areas or skills which most learners find challenging.
Strategy: Peer assessment

What is peer assessment and why is it important?
Peer assessment is when a learner gives feedback to another learner on an aspect of their
learning. Peer assessment helps learners to better understand the criteria for assessment,
and may mean they receive more feedback on their learning. For teachers, peer
assessment can help with assessing large classes.
When can I use peer assessment?

Peer assessment can be used at various stages of the lesson. It is particularly useful when
assessing performance on longer speaking and writing tasks.
What are some examples of peer assessment tasks?

Peer assessment and self-assessment can be used together. Think back to the section on
Success Criteria:
Learners can first assess their own performance (in blue). Their partner can then check
their work, or ask questions to check their partner’s understanding. They can confirm they
have peer-assessed by checking off their partner’s success criteria (in green).
For speaking or writing tasks, teachers can create a checklist of features to include. Again,
learners can assess both their own and their partner’s performance:
Learners can use checklists to help them discuss ways to improve their performance.
Will peer assessment work with large classes?

Peer assessment isn’t always reliable. It takes time for learners to develop the skills to
analyse and evaluate their own work and that of others. However, regular use of peer
assessment, along with teachers providing clearly modelled examples, should help
overcome these difficulties.
What can I do with the evidence from peer assessment?

Evidence from peer assessment can help teachers give focused feedback.
How do I help my learners move forward in their learning?
Strategy: Planning
How does formative assessment connect to our planning? We
should plan for formative assessment and plan using formative assessment:
Planning for formative assessment

The strategies mentioned in this section help you collect evidence of learning for formative
assessment. Include these strategies in your lesson planning so that they become part of
your everyday practice.
Planning using formative assessment

We can use information from formative assessments to plan next lessons or series of
lessons.
What are examples of planning for formative assessment?

Ways to make formative assessment part of your everyday practice
include:
● Regular use of starters to assess what learners already

know.
● Regular use of plenaries to check understanding and
learning.
● Planning for spaced practice throughout a series of lessons.
Avoid massed practice:
What’s an example of planning using formative assessment?

Based on the evidence we collect from formative assessment, we could decide to:
● Review and consolidate by adding more practice or other learning material

● Re-teach language in a different way, maybe adding support for some learners
● Skip a stage of a lesson or activity in course material
● Provide extra activities or challenge for more able learners
Strategy: Focused Feedback

What is feedback and why is it important?
Feedback involves explaining to learners what they did well, and what they need to
improve. This information helps learners understand what they need to do next, making it
an important practice in formative assessment.
What’s an example of effective feedback?
Goals, Success, Steps
In order for learners to understand the aims of their learning, their success, and
the next steps forward, we need to share the following information with them:
Goals: What are the learners aiming for (lesson objectives and success criteria,
what good work looks like, etc.)?
Success - Where they are now in relation to these goals. This is information about
what a learner has done well. This information should be specific - describing what
exactly was done well.
Examples: 'Your paragraphs and punctuation are good!' or adding 'That's a good
idea!’ in the margin next to a well-made point.
Steps - How to close the gap between where they are now and the goal. This is
information about what and how the learner needs to improve, correct or work on.
It is best when it is forward looking and positive.
Examples: 'Try to contribute more to the group discussion by thinking of questions

to ask such as [examples]’ or 'Use more sentences to help organise your writing,
like [examples]'.
Steps need to be turned into targets for learners to work on. The learner has to
know what they need to do with the feedback and how to achieve their target(s).
How can colour coding or symbols help?

In written work, teachers may choose to highlight evidence of student success in blue,
and steps for improvement (e.g. ‘add more adjectives’) in green. This helps direct
learner attention to teacher feedback. Learners can also peer-assess in this way. Instead
of colours, you may choose to consistently highlight evidence with symbols.
How can I give this type of feedback to individuals in large classes?

This is a challenge! One practical approach would be to give quick and effective feedback
when monitoring. Consistently using a phrase like ‘Well done for… Next time, try to…’ will
help focus your learner’s attention on your feedback.
Strategy: On-the-run decisions

What are on-the-run decisions?
As we collect information about our learners, for example the notes we make when
monitoring or the result of a quick scan, we will also make decisions on the run (at that
moment). This means we need to deliver our lessons in a flexible way by making changes
to our plan as the lesson progresses. These kinds of decisions might be about the whole
class or about individual or small groups of learners.
What are some examples of on-the-run decisions I might make?
We may decide to make changes to our lesson plan about what,

how and when to teach:
What to teach: Change, add or reduce objectives, content or

materials, e.g.
o re-teach (teach again) a question form

o reduce the number of new words in the lesson
o add an extra line to a model dialogue
How to teach: Change an activity, grouping, instruction,
classroom management, support for particular learners, e.g.
o Divide groups into pairs

o Use a different questioning strategy
o Change the type of activity, e.g. add an activity
which involves movement
o Monitor some learners more closely
o Write model language on the board for less able
learners to copy
When to teach: Change the length, pace or order of activities, e.g.
o Delay or bring forward learning of particular language

o Add extra deliberate practice activities to slow the pace down
Can I make on-the-run decisions based on individual needs with large classes?
Some on-the-run decisions may not be practical with large classes. For example, seating
arrangements may make it difficult to reorganise learners into groups, or it might be
challenging to add extra activities for multiple learners when ‘in the moment’. Certain on-
the-run decisions, such as providing model language, reducing content, or re-teaching
content may be more practical than others.
Visible thinking routines
Challenges with formative assessment for learners
Integrating formative assessment requires a commitment from both teachers and learners.
One issue that learners face when completing some formative assessment tasks is difficulty
reflecting on their learning.
Reflection can cause anxiety. Some learners may be self-conscious, or they may be
unwilling to admit they need support. They may feel pressure to succeed or get things right.
They may not see the value in learning from their mistakes or identifying areas of weakness.
Also, they may feel that admitting they don’t understand something may reflect badly on their
teacher and their methods.
How visible thinking routines can help
Visible thinking routines can help learners develop their ability to reflect on their learning.
They encourage learners to verbalise (speak openly about) their learning, which helps
teachers collect valuable evidence for formative assessment.
It may take time for learners to use these routines effectively. However, as with other
formative assessment strategies, with regular practice learners should become more
confident and capable of applying these techniques .
Examples of visible thinking routines
I used to think… / Now I think…

● This routine encourages learners to consider how and why their thinking has
changed.
● This is best used during the plenary stage of the lesson.
Procedure: Learners discuss or write down something they thought about a particular topic
before the lesson/series of lessons. They then reflect on what they think now and why.
Example answer: (Grade 11: Cities of the future)
I used to think… we use ‘will’ to make future predictions in English

Now I think… I can also use ‘might’ if I’m not 100% sure something will happen.
Think - Pair - Share

● This routine encourages learners to organise
their thoughts and rehearse them. This helps
them get feedback from others, and develop
speaking confidence.
● This routine can be used at various stages of a lesson. It works well for starters.
Procedure: Ask a question. First, give the learners thinking time (they could make notes).
Learners then share their ideas with a partner before feeding back to the class.
Example (Grade 10: Helping the community)
Teacher asks: In what ways can people help their local community?
Learners think alone ⇨ Learners share ideas with a partner ⇨ Learners volunteer
answers
Know - Want - Learn

● This routine encourages learners to access their prior knowledge of a topic,
engage with the topic on a personal level, and reflect on what they have learnt.
● It can be used as both the starter and plenary activity for a lesson, and be referred
to throughout a lesson. It may also be used across a series of lessons.
Procedure: Give learners a KWL chart with the following headings.
What I (already) know What I want to know What I’ve learnt
Introduce a lesson topic or theme. Learners make notes on what they already know about
the topic and what they want to know - questions they have. As a lesson progresses,
learners can add information to the ‘What I’ve learnt’ column. Alternatively, they can
complete this section as the plenary activity for the lesson.
For examples of how a completed KWL chart might look, see the grade level manuals.
Recording evidence from formative assessment

Why should I record the evidence I collect from formative assessments?
Evidence from formative assessment informs our planning, and therefore it is useful to
record this information for our reference when preparing lessons. We can use learning
trackers to record evidence from formative assessments.
What information should I record?
We can record information on progress in language ability and other factors, e.g.
participation, co-operation, organisation or behaviour.
We should use criteria to assess learners. These should be based on the English Curriculum
objectives (Grades 10-12) as well as in other areas of language, behaviour, participation,
motivation, co-operative skills and so on.
How should I record evidence from formative assessments?
We can assess using a scale, such as stars, or words (e.g. Excellent/Good/OK/Needs work)
and write or give verbal comments for feedback. We do not give marks in formative
assessment, as noted in Circular 32.
We can assess a few learners at a time and complete a record sheet or take notes. Then we
can assess different learners the next time. We should assess each learner at least twice in
each skill, however, so we can see progress.
Example learning trackers
We may choose to keep individual learner records. This example shows targets related to
simple communicative goals.
We could choose to keep group records and focus our attention on different groups each
lesson. This example focuses on language and communication goals for one unit/lesson:
We may wish to keep whole class records. We can record information about whether
learners meet lesson objectives (LO1-LO4 in the following example), and allow space for
notes:
How can I record formative assessment with large classes?
It might seem challenging to record information in learning trackers for each and every
learner each lesson. Teachers might find it easier to make general notes on learner progress
and how this informs planning:
The example above could be simplified if needed. The most important information to record
would simply be:
● any evidence of learner progress
● what that evidence tells us about the next or future lessons.
2.4 Planned formative assessment (including periodic

assessment)
What is planned formative assessment?
Sometimes we also need to get evidence of learning over a longer period of time which can
help us make important changes to teaching and learning. This may also contribute towards
information we give to parents and our school about learners’ progress and achievements.
In order to do this, we can plan specific tasks and collect information more formally. This is
known as planned formative assessment. We may do this weekly or monthly, in other words,
for formative assessment in the medium cycle. The assessment tools described in this
section can also be used for periodic assessment in the long cycle.
How does planned formative assessment work in practice?
There are many types of activities we can plan for which give us information about learning.
Sometimes, we can simply plan to collect our learners’ work at the end of the lesson and
review it to give feedback on, or we can design activities or tasks for planned formative
assessment of one or more skills – Listening and/or Speaking and/or Reading and/or
Writing.
Tasks (or tools) for planned formative assessment include:

● Quizzes (tests)
● Project work
● Interviews
● Portfolio assessment
● Planned self- and peer assessment
Quizzes
A quiz is a short test. It is a good idea to talk about a quiz or activity, not test in our classes,
as the word test can make learners feel nervous. A quiz might include different types of
activity which assess several different skills. Here are some examples.
Gap-fill activities
Gap-fill activities ask learners to complete a sentence by writing something. This doesn’t
mean they are only assessing writing, however. They may test vocabulary and other skills,
as we can see from the examples. They may use a picture prompt and/or provide a choice of
words from a box to find and copy.
Gap-fill activities can be more challenging than we think, so we must keep them very
simple. Also, there may be times when more than one answer is possible - make sure you
allow learners some flexibility.
Gap-fill example 1 - (Grade 10, Family life)

Learners need to understand the
Look, read and write. context, recognise the pictures,
remember the words generation(s) and
A: That’s a lovely photo! I guess that’s your parents? And recycle and form them accurately
your grandparents, too?
This is a test of vocabulary.
B: Yes! Three _____________ in one photo!
We might use this assessment activity to
(Answer: generations) find out whether learners remember topic-
related vocabulary at these levels.
Formative assessment opportunity:
If many learners don’t remember these

words at all, we should plan to review this
language in subsequent lessons. We may
need to re-teach the word in a new
context.
Gap-fill example 2 - (Grade 10, Eco-tourism)
Look, read and write.
There’s too much plastic waste on the

beach. People should make more of an
effort to __________.
(Answer: recycle)
Gap-fill example 3 - (Grade 11, Climate change)

In example 3, learners need to read and
Complete the summary with the words provided.. understand the context of the
summary. They need to complete the
temperatures fossil fuels atmosphere summary based on their knowledge of
the word meanings and context clues
The main cause of climate change is the burning of (such as grammatical patterns). They can
1. _________. These fuels release greenhouse gases copy the spelling.
such as carbon dioxide. These gases trap heat in the
Earth’s 2. _________, preventing it from escaping into This is a test of reading, writing,
space. This results in rising 3. ________. vocabulary and grammar.
(Answers: 1. fossil fuels, 2. atmosphere, 3. temperatures

Gap-fill example 4 - (Grade 11, Healthy lifestyles)
Listen and complete the conversation. In example 4, learners first need to read
and understand the dialogue. Then they
A: I really need to get in shape! I just don’t have enough need to listen to the dialogue and write
money to join the gym until payday. the missing word or phrase. The
question tests learners’ knowledge of
B: In that case, 1) ___________ exercising in the park? functional phrases for making suggestions
(e.g. ‘How about…?’).
A: It’s too hot and humid! I’m dripping wet after a run in the
park. This is a test of reading, listening,
vocabulary and writing.
B: Okay. Well, 2) ___________ to watch a fitness video
and do the exercises in your living room. .Formative assessment opportunity:
A: It will still be too hot, we don’t have air con! As learners read through the dialogue,
they could be encouraged to predict the
(Answers: 1. How about, 2. you might prefer) missing words. This is another way to
check knowledge of functional phrases
before learners listen to the dialogue.
You will find more examples of gap-fill activities for each level in the manuals.
Matching activities
Matching activities might involve words and/or pictures. The examples below show three
styles of matching activity.
Matching example 1 (Grade 12: Urbanisation) Learners need to listen for specific
information to recognise and
Listen and draw a line to the correct image. understand vocabulary. They also
need to interpret the pictures. Then
they need to draw a line carefully. Note
that there are four options (pictures) but
three test items.
It tests listening and vocabulary.
We might use this assessment activity to

find out about learners’ progress towards
the Grade 12 curriculum language skills:
Listen, comprehend, and predict
meaning of conversations and
monologues in daily life situations.
1. 2. 3.
Text:
If your learners are able to complete this
1. You’re better off avoiding the town centre altogether. It’s
task successfully, it shows you that they
usually gridlock at around that time!
know some of the key vocabulary in the
2. They’ve extended most of the lines in recent years, making unit. Next, you could check whether
it easier to travel into the city from other provinces. learners can understand and use
different time markers, such as ‘around
3. There are plenty of options these days, but I wouldn’t go that time’, ‘in recent years’, and ‘these
private unless you have medical insurance. days’.
Matching example 2 - (Grade 10, Protecting the Learners need to read and understand
environment) the context, vocabulary, phrasal verb
patterns. Then they need to draw a line
Match the sentence halves. Each sentence includes a to match the correct answers.
phrasal verb related to the environment.
It tests reading, grammar and
vocabulary.
1 In the last 50 years, 17% of the trees A) up.
in the Amazon rainforest have been cut
We might use this activity to check
2 They told him to pick the litter B) down. learners’ progress towards the Grade 10
curriculum language skill: Read and
3. If electrical appliances are not being C) out. comprehend information on current
used, make sure you turn them
world topics.
4. We need to protect certain species D) off.
so they don’t die Formative assessment opportunity:
After completing the matching task, get

students to mime each of the complete
(Answers: 1B, 2A, 3D, 4C) sentences. This will confirm they
understand the meaning of the words as
well as the correct phrasal verb patterns.
Multiple-choice questions (MCQs)
Activities with multiple-choice questions (MCQs) ask the learner to choose the correct
answer from more than one option. Look at the examples:
Example 1:
MCQ example 1 - (Grade 11, Vietnam and
ASEAN) Learners need to read and understand the
question, identifying that the question asks for a
Read and circle the correct response: A, B, or C. definition. Then they need to read and
understand each option. The options include the
What does the acronym ASEAN stand for? correct answer, and answers which may distract.
A: (The) Association of Strong Economic Asian Note that only one answer is at all possible. There
Nations is no incorrect language, which would give a wrong
model of language to learners.
B: (The) Alliance of Southeast Asian Nations
It tests reading, grammar and vocabulary.
C: (The) Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(Answer: C)
Learners selecting option A might suggest they are
confused by the purpose of ASEAN (e.g. that
ASEAN cooperation is only for economic gain,
MCQ example 2 - (Grade 10, Family life,
rather than political, military or educational
Generations)
connections between nations. You may wish to
review this.
Listen to Tien talk about his father’s lifestyle.
Decide if the statement is True or False.
Tien: I’d say my dad is quite healthy. He exercises

Examples 2 and 3:
three times a week, plays football with his friends,
and does yoga with my mum. He smokes about ten True – False questions are MCQs with only two
cigarettes a day, and he should probably cut down, options (Also Yes – No questions). Note that
but apart from that he’s quite fit. learners have a high chance of being correct if they
guess the answer.
1. Tien thinks his father smokes too much.
TRUE / FALSE In this example, learners need to listen to/read
and understand the speaker, understand the
statement, and check information. The task may
involve identifying similar words.
MCQ example 3 - (Grade 11, Generation gap)
Example 2: too much, should cut down
Read the conversation between Tien and his
grandfather, Cuc. Decide if the statement is True or
This is a test of listening/reading and vocabulary.
False.
We might use this assessment activity to find out
Tien: There are lots of new restaurants along the
about learners’ progress towards the Grade 8/9
river now. The seafood is so fresh!
curriculum language skills for reading and listening.
Cuc: You don’t know how lucky you are!

Restaurants?! There weren’t any of those there
forty years ago. When I was younger we had to fish
for our own food in that river.
Tien: Well, that was a long time ago Granddad!
Cuc: Are you saying I’m old?
Tien: No, I didn’t mean…
1. Cuc used to eat at restaurants along the

river. TRUE / FALSE
Short-answer questions
We can use short-answer activities to assess Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing. They
are activities where learners need to give an answer of one or two words, phrases or a
sentence. Usually, we assess several skills at the same time.
Short-answer question example 1 (Grade 10, Example 1

Entertainment)
Learners need to read and understand the
Read and answer the question. example question and answer. Then they need
to read and understand the question. They
Example: What films are you into? should reflect on their own answer, think about
how to form the answer, then write it.
I like action movies or horrors. Horror movies are
great because they keep me on the edge of my Note that the example and the mini-pencil support
seat! the instructions. Learners need to understand,
however, that they must give a personal response.
1. What music are you into?
Example 2
____________________________
Learners need to identify the main information
in a written message
Short answer question example 2 (Grade 10, These activities are a test of reading, writing,
Entertainment) vocabulary and grammar.
Read the text then answer the question. We might use this assessment activity to find out
about learners’ progress towards the Grade 10
curriculum language skill: Read and comprehend
K-Pop Extravaganza! simple messages and media news on popular
Book your tickets now for the greatest K-Pop topics
show in Southeast Asia!
10 hours 40 bands Prizes
Meet the stars Merchandise After party
Featuring:
Use these activities to check whether learners

BTS Got7 Itzy SNSD TXT
understand vocabulary related to the topic of
… and more! entertainment.
Date: 26 November You can also use the activity to assess learners’
Venue: Phú Thọ Indoor Stadium deeper understanding of the content. The example
Tickets: 1 Million VND questions require that the learners deduce or infer
Doors open: 10am
information from the text, rather than answer
questions in a more simple, factual way.
1. Based on what you have read, do you
think there will be band shirts available to
buy at this event? Explain your answer.
________________________________________
________________________________________
2. Is this an open air concert? How do you

know?
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
Advice for writing quiz questions
Remember: We can assess different skills using different styles and types of activity.
Planning what we are assessing will help give us accurate information for formative
assessment. It is very important to think carefully about exactly what the learners need to do
to answer the question. Examples can support the instructions, and we should also give
clear instructions when doing these activities as formative assessment activities in class.
Careful planning and implementation mean we can use the results to plan the next steps in
learning. Remember, we should also give formative feedback (e.g. Success and Steps)
rather than scores.
Here are some general tips for writing formative assessment activities:
LANGUAGE IN THE FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY
1. Are there any new words for the learners in your activity?
(There shouldn’t be any new words, including in the instructions)
2. What level of language is your test? Is it the same as your learners’ level?
(It should be at or below their level)
3. Do you give learners opportunities to show their learning in different ways?

(For example, by using different types of task)
4. Do you have a mix of types of questions?

(To check knowledge and understanding in different ways)
5. Which language skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening, watching) do you want to
assess? Do learners need other skills to succeed in the activity? (e.g. spelling answers
correctly in a listening assessment)
6. Do you ask learners to write short answers appropriate to their level?
INSTRUCTIONS IN YOUR ASSESSMENT
7. Do you tell learners what they are being assessed on?
8. Do you tell learners how many words to use to respond to an open question?
9. Are your instructions short, simple and clear? (Use examples to show learners what to
do. You could use their language if necessary, but this also needs to be short, simple and
clear).
Project work
Projects are activities where learners work to complete a task or set of tasks using several
language skills and thinking skills. It is usually a group activity, and sometimes a pair activity.
The project may take more than one lesson and may involve learners preparing parts of the
project at home.
Typical features of a project
● Projects have clear objectives. We use these to guide assessment.
● During a project, learners work together (in groups or pairs) using different skills to
produce something, such as a poster, a presentation, the solution to a problem, a
map or model.
● The product learners create typically has a ‘real-world’ purpose.
● We usually assess the group together, but we can assess individuals as well,
especially if they each have a clear role to play.
● Learners may be assessed on different language skills, but also in other areas such
as participation or teamwork, as well as the quality of the ‘product’ itself.
Projects to consolidate and apply unit learning
Projects can be used to help learners consolidate (strengthen) and practise a particular unit
of learning. Here is an example:
Context: Learners in Grade 12 have been studying a unit on ‘Endangered Species’.
Learning objectives (LO) from the Curriculum that were covered during this unit:
LO1: Vocabulary related to endangered species and biodiversity (Grade 12, Language
knowledge)
LO2: Listening to specific information in a talk (Grade 12, Listening)
LO3: Using future perfect forms in the context of biodiversity loss (Grade 12 Language
knowledge)
Language objectives reviewed from previous learning:
LO4: Discussing future outcomes using ‘If…’ (Grades 8-11 Language knowledge)
LO5: Sentences to indicate reason (Grade 11-12 Language knowledge)
Possible project: Biodiversity loss
Product:
Learners work in groups to research biodiversity loss in various nature reserves across
Vietnam. Suggested reserves and causes of biodiversity loss (via a WWF report):
Learners should:
● Provide details on the nature reserve and its importance
● Describe the type of biodiversity loss in the area, the causes of this, and the impact
on species in the area
● Suggest at least two possible solutions to this problem
● End with the call-to-action to their audience
Step needed Purpose of this step
1. Conduct research into their chosen ● Gather information for use in their
nature reserve or national park presentation. Review and learn
further topic-related vocabulary
(LO1)
2. Plan a speech with supporting ● Demonstrate understanding of

visuals topic-related vocabulary (LO1)
● Consolidate knowledge of future
perfect forms and language for
giving reasons, cause and effect,
etc (LO3, LO4, LO5)
3. Deliver a short talk to the class ● Speaking and presentation practice

● Focus on audience, format and
purpose
4. Listen to other talks and contribute ● Listen to specific information (LO2)

the discussion
Notice: This project mostly reviews language and skills that learners have already
practised. However, learners may need some further support or language instructions to
help with certain stages. You can plan for this if needed.
Other skills:
The example project shows the language skills practised during the project. Throughout
the project, learners will practise other skills such as collaboration and teamwork.
Projects that guide a unit of learning
You may have heard of project-based learning. This approach is a bit more than just ‘doing
a project’. With a project-based approach, the project is not a final task - like the one in the
example above. The project is the unit of learning itself, and learning happens around and as
a result of undertaking the project.
The main principles of project-based learning have been described by the Buck Institute for
Education5, and are summarised in the diagram below:
5
See here for more information: https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl/gold-standard-project-design
© Buck Institute for Education
Project-based learning is a very rewarding and useful approach. However, it does involve
giving learners more input in the lesson content. It is also more ‘sustained inquiry’, meaning
it may require much more time than a straightforward project task. This means it may not fit
well with the demands of our Curriculum.
If you would like to learn more about this approach, there are links in the Further Reading
section. These may be useful for teachers creating materials or a series of lessons for
summer schools or extra-curricular learning.
You can find specific examples of projects for Grades 10-12 in the Grade level manuals.
Interviews
An interview is an activity where learners are involved in asking and/or answering

questions orally. We can use interviews to assess learners’ Speaking, Listening and
Communication skills in relation to different topics in the curriculum.
For an interview activity, you need to prepare question cards or role cards, which learners
use to do the interview. The role cards may ask personal questions, outline a role-play
activity or use a picture or short text to ask and answer questions about.
Interviews can be done in pairs, groups or individually. We can be involved as an
interviewer or can just monitor and observe. We should take notes so that we can give
formative feedback. When learners work in groups, ask one learner to observe and give
feedback6.
The interviewer can follow a script, which tells them exactly what to say. The interviewer
might use pictures to support or show meaning, or for the learner to point at or describe. Or
the interviewer could make their own questions, which will give them extra practice in
forming questions.
We should have clear criteria to use in this kind of assessment. In an interview, we should
assess learners’ communicative skills, as well as their pronunciation and language skills.
This is not a test of spoken grammatical accuracy, so learners need to know they shouldn’t
be afraid of making mistakes!
Here is an example of a peer assessment form for a speaking interview. Here, the criteria
are clear and written in a positive way:
My name: ____________ My partner’s name: _________ Circle
1. I can understand my partner clearly
2. My partner can understand me.
3. My partner can use words and phrases related to the topic.
4. My partner can say words and phrases clearly.
5. My partner can speak accurately.
Note that:
· Criterion 1 focuses on communicating clearly.

· Criterion 2 is about the learner’s listening skills in communication.
· Criterion 3 focuses on correct use of vocabulary.
· Criterion 4 asks about pronunciation.
· Criterion 5 asks about grammatical accuracy.
6
Some videos/materials from B1 Key English Test preparation can be found here:
https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/preliminary/preparation/
You can change the criteria according to the needs of your class or your assessment. For
example, you could add a criterion about using words and phrases when the learner can’t
understand, or about their attitude.
By sharing this with the learners, they will know where they are going, and it helps us (or
another learner) to give formative feedback because we can also use these criteria to shape
our feedback.
Portfolio assessment
We need to plan portfolio assessment in advance and be very clear about what it involves so
that it is an effective formative assessment tool. A portfolio is not only a collection of a
learner’s work from the unit, term or year.
What is a portfolio?
A portfolio is a collection of a learner’s work which the learner puts together. It involves
self- and teacher assessment.
What do learners put in the portfolio?
Learners collect and organise their best work together every week or every unit in a folder.
They should do this in class at first so you can help them understand the kind of work they
should put in. Later in the year, they can do it at home.
The work can show one or more skills, for example:
➢ Listening: Their response to a listening task they are proud of.

➢ Speaking: Their response to a pair or group work task or a recording of them
speaking in class or at home.
➢ Reading: The cover of a storybook they enjoyed reading or their response to a
reading activity they did well in. They could also include reading response tasks - you
will find examples of these in the manuals.
➢ Writing: Samples of their writing such as stories, short essays, free writing, etc.
Written products created during project work could also be part of a learner’s
portfolio.
How can I help?
● Use learners’ own language to help them understand the purpose and procedure of
their portfolio. This will help them engage with the portfolio-keeping process.
● Spend time with learners when they select and put their work in their portfolio. Help
them choose samples of their work which they feel proud of.
● As you use formative assessment, giving formative feedback, learners will become
more and more aware of their learning successes and understand where they are
making progress.
● A cover page can be used from the beginning to help guide learners, too. You could
translate this into their language, keeping the English as well. Example cover pages
can be found in the grade level manuals.
● Instruct learners to choose at least one piece of work from nearer the beginning of
the term/month and one near the end if possible. This will show them, and you, their
progress.
● Encourage learners to include work on different skills and different topics.
How do the learners put their portfolio together?
Ask learners to bring a file at the beginning of the year with dividers, if possible. Learners
could spend time personalising the cover page. This is personal to them and helps them to
feel proud of their work, so it helps them ‘own’ their learning.
At the end of the term, they take time to look through the portfolio and assess themselves
using the criteria on the cover page. Help learners as they complete the cover page, using
their language if necessary (or if they prefer).
They put the cover page into the folder with the samples of work and hand it in to you.
What should I include on a cover page?

The basic information to include on a cover page is the following:
● Student details (Name, class, possibly a photo)
● Date of assessment(s)
● Information about the evidence included in the portfolio (This could be divided by
skill.)
● Space for learner self-assessment.
Example cover page
Depending on the level of your learners, you may wish to make the self-assessment more
detailed. For example, instead of using the smiley faces, learners could respond to prompts:
What happens next?
Review the learners’ portfolios, paying particular attention to the cover page, which will
give you information on learners’ self-assessment. Review and assess the work in the
portfolio based on the criteria on the cover page. You could use a coloured pen (preferably
not red) to show which smiley faces/information you agree with.
Write comments on the portfolio using Success and Steps feedback. This is likely to be in
your own language, but try to write in English as well. Talk to each learner when you return
their portfolios, if possible, so you can explain and expand on the feedback. Remember to
compare to earlier portfolios where possible, to give an indication of progress.
Planned self- and peer assessment
Self-assessment and peer-assessment strategies for on-the-run assessment were described

in section 2.3 (under Formative assessment strategies) . You can adapt some of these
strategies to use as planned formative assessment by having learners give written
assessment of their own/each other’s learning based on criteria across a unit. We can also
adapt other activities so that they involve self- or peer assessment, e.g. self- or peer
correction of quizzes.
3. Building a growth mindset

Formative assessment will help create a classroom in which every learner can succeed. But
for this to happen, learners need to see how some thoughts and feelings may stop them
from succeeding. An important part of using formative assessment is building a growth
mindset in your learners. A mindset is the way someone thinks and feels about something.
Research on how learners think and feel about their learning has shown the difference
between ‘fixed’ and ‘growth’ mindsets.
With a fixed mindset, intelligence is perceived as standing still: either you are clever or not
and education cannot change it. With this mindset, you rarely take risks because of fear of
failure.
A growth mindset, however, sees intelligence as something that is never fixed. When a
learner has this mindset, they are not afraid of taking risks. They also welcome feedback on
how well they are doing. They respond positively to setbacks and are more likely to try
harder.
The table below compares these two mindsets:
Fixed mindset Growth mindset
Intelligence is fixed Intelligence can grow
I must look clever! I want to learn more!
Avoids taking risks Wants to take risks
Gives up easily Keeps going in the face of setbacks
Sees effort as pointless Sees effort as the way forward
Ignores useful feedback Learns from feedback
Likely to achieve less Reaches ever higher levels of
than full potential achievement

Promoting a growth mindset can help learners see and reach their potential. Teachers need
to show learners that they are responsible for their own mindset. Rewarding effort rather
than ability, as well as using regular feedback on the learning, is key to developing a
growth mindset in your learners.
Here are some more ideas for creating a growth mindset classroom culture:
Help learners feel safe and to become willing to take risks
It is natural for learners to be afraid of making mistakes because it could mean failure to
them. Encourage learners to give answers and responses that still need more work (by
telling them that giving an incorrect response is not wrong, since that is not the point). For
example, encourage your learners to present to others about a topic they are familiar with
(e.g. their family). Presenting to others can make some learners very anxious, which may
affect their language accuracy. Praise learners on their ability to present to others and
answer questions, etc.
Another example is for teachers to ask learners to solve a problem in groups and then
present to class. The teacher does not praise the result but praises the language abilities
and effort needed for the task.
Remember to wait
Wait time is the time given between asking and then collecting a response to a question.
Research on wait time has shown that teachers often wait less than a second for an
answer to a question, which does not give learners much time to think. No one can really
think in such a short amount of time. It is important that your learners do not associate fast
responses with being clever, or that you do not think that slower responses mean the
learner is less clever.
Increasing wait time (to at least three seconds) can feel uncomfortable at first, but
teachers and learners will soon become used to it. More importantly, the quality and
length of answers will quickly increase the more wait time is used, as learners have more
time to remember their answers and think through what they want to say. You can use
wait time to repeat and rephrase the question, which helps to ensure that everyone
understands the question.
Acknowledge ‘mistaken’ answers by finding something positive…
…and not by merely dismissing them.
When learners come up with something that is not quite there yet, a teacher can build
confidence with encouragement and prompts that help learners to self-correct and find a
better answer. You can aid this process by providing examples of ‘thinking out loud’ (i.e.
learners speaking their thoughts) that help show a process of self-correction,
demonstrating increased awareness and critical thinking. See the visible thinking routines
in section 2.3 for examples.
Other strategies which can help teachers support less able learners:
· Ask learners individually to think out loud .
· Learners talk with each other and share ideas.
· Learners write ideas on Post-it notes and stick them onto a wall or flip chart paper.
The class discusses the ideas.
Involve learners in planning
Involving learners in planning lessons and units of learning is a great way to involve
learners in their own learning. Finding out what learners already know about a topic,
breaking the topic down in various ways and asking for learners’ ideas about how to learn
can contribute to creating a growth mindset. It shows that every learner has a voice in the
classroom and everyone’s views are valued by you, their teacher.
Be mindful of body language
Learners can be highly sensitive to body language and the messages that posture, facial
expressions and eye contact might be sending out.
You should be aware of how to use your non-verbal communication signals to show your
learners that you are interested in them as individual learners.
Praise growth mindset
The language that teachers use to praise has the most impact on developing a growth
mindset in learners. Focus on praising effort by using key phrases: ‘You mean you don’t
know yet’; ‘Don’t say no – have a go’; ‘Well done! You’re learning to…’.
When you use this language of praising effort alongside ‘Success and Steps’ feedback,
then you will help learners to see their learning as an ongoing journey rather than just a
task to be done and completed.
Use easy-to-remember slogans to support a growth mindset
As well as using key phrases to praise learners’ effort, try also repeating key slogans that
focus on the thoughts and feelings that will help them succeed.
You can put posters up on classroom walls with useful slogans (or get the learners to
make their own posters).
An example of a slogan that promotes growth mindset is ʻRAMP it up!’. RAMP stands for:
· Relaxed
· Alert
· Motivated
· Positive
You may need to talk with your learners about how they can ‘RAMP it up!’ and to help
them understand what each part of the slogan means.
For example, you may need to teach learners how to relax (mindfulness techniques such
as taking ten deep breaths or a ‘notice five things’ game are useful for this). Help them to
be alert and ready for learning by using simple physical warming-up routines. Motivate
them by linking their learning in the classroom to their lives outside school or to their
personal interests (which of course means finding out what these interests are). Promote
positivity by praising effort.
Once they understand what ‘RAMP it up!’ means, it’s then good to check if your learners
do ‘RAMP it up!’ at important moments during a lesson.
[*] Choose a different or easier slogan with your learners. This example is for illustration only.
4. Reflective practice
Formative assessment helps teachers to become reflective teachers. Reflection is ongoing
and careful thinking about teaching and learning. This includes thinking about what went well
in a lesson, as well as how to improve the teaching and learning.
By putting formative assessment at the centre of the teaching and learning in your lessons,
you can make the effects of the teaching and learning more visible. You can then reflect on
(or think carefully about) these effects.
To help reflect on the teaching and learning in your lessons, you can:
● Regularly gather information and feedback from the learners about their feelings and
thoughts on their learning and your teaching.
● Get information about the teaching and learning from different viewpoints (for
example, by asking a colleague to observe your lessons to get their views).
● Compare and share ideas and experiences with your colleagues.
Here are four suggestions for ways to reflect on teaching and learning:
Critical incident reflection
A critical incident is something that has happened in a lesson which is important for you.
It is often something which made you stop and think, or something that raised questions
for you. A critical incident might include an aspect of your teaching that went particularly
well or an aspect that was difficult. The incident might also make you question your
beliefs about teaching, and think about how it can be improved using new ideas.
A critical incident may come up when you try out a new idea or approach, such as an
idea from these guidelines or from the formative assessment manuals. It’s then useful to
have a clear structure for your reflection. A good structure for a critical incident reflection
has these three steps:
· What? Describe when, where, and what happened.
· So what? Write down why you think it happened. Think about why it is important
for you? What does it mean? What can be done about it?
· Now what? Make a plan for what you are going to do as a result of this
reflection. Think of a goal to set for yourself and what you have to do to achieve this
goal.
You can then share your critical incident reflection with colleagues and invite their
feedback and responses.
Peer observation
Asking a colleague to come and watch one of your lessons can give you a supportive
and independent view on your teaching.
It’s a good idea to decide on a focus for the observation. During the observation, the
observer then takes notes about this focus. For example, you might want to get your
colleague’s feedback on trying out a new idea or approach, such as an idea from these
guidelines or from the formative assessment manuals.
After the observation, the two of you meet and discuss the peer observation. This
discussion should include setting goals for your ongoing professional development.
Learner feedback
Getting learner feedback is an important source of evidence to go with the information

you gather from critical incident reflection and from peer observation. It also helps your
learners in their development as independent learners and their ability to discuss their
own learning.
Put the questions you want to ask the learners using the approach you think is easiest
and best to use. (Use Vietnamese if you think that is best.) For example, you could use a
written questionnaire, oral questions to the whole class, or a feedback wall (learners
write down their answers on small notes and stick them on the wall). You can also use
other ways for learners to give their responses, such as thumbs up/thumbs
sideways/thumbs down or ‘traffic lights’.
You should then try to summarise the responses to each question you asked. Together
with your findings from the critical incident reflection and peer observation, you can use
the learner feedback to get an overall view on how well a particular idea or approach has
worked.
Teaching standards framework
You can self-assess your teaching by using a teaching standards framework. Teaching
standards describe the knowledge, attitudes and values that are needed by teachers to
support their learners effectively.
For example, the Vietnam English Teacher Competency Framework gives you different
viewpoints from which to view your teaching practice. You can use the framework to help
with your ongoing professional development. Use it as well to help set goals for yourself
as a result of your critical incident reflection, peer observation and the learner feedback
you gather. Other standards, such as a set of standards agreed within your school or
with your DOET, can be used as well.
5. Further reading and useful websites
Clarke, S. (2014) Outstanding Formative Assessment: Culture and Practice. London:

Hodder Education.
This book is particularly useful for primary teachers. It is full of practical suggestions,
alongside case studies about primary schools putting formative assessment into
practice.
Dweck, C. S. (2016) Self-Theories: Their Role in Motivation, Personality and

Development. Oxford: Routledge.
Carol Dweck has been researching children’s views on their learning for years. This
book is an introduction to her work and includes growth mindset questionnaires for
the classroom (including one that can be used with children from the age of 10).
Hattie, J. (2009) Visible Learning. Oxford: Routledge.
This book is essential reading for teachers interested in evidence-based approaches to

teaching. Hattie has undertaken research over several decades and identified, based on
the evidence, the approaches that have the most impact on learning.
Oxford University Press (2019) Effective Feedback: The Key to Successful Assessment
for Learning.
This is an ELT position paper with contributions from several experts.
Available from: https://cdn.theewf.org/pdf/oup-expert-effective-feedback-

assessment.pdf?mtime=20200106144216 (accessed 18 September 2020)
Petty, G. (2014) Teaching Today: A Practical Guide. Fifth Edition, Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
In addition to the ‘medals and missions’ model for feedback, this book by Geoff Petty
provides a comprehensive resource of teaching ideas.
Rowe, M. B. (1986) Wait Time: Slowing Down May Be A Way of Speeding Up!
http://www.sagepub.com/eis2study/articles/Budd%20Rowe.pdf (accessed 26
October 2020)
Wiliam, D. (2018) Embedded Formative Assessment. Second Edition, Bloomington, IN:

Solution Tree Press.
This book has been a key resource for these guidelines. It is full of practical ideas for
formative assessment that are useful for primary teachers and includes detailed
discussions of research into formative assessment.
Websites:
The Association for Achievement and Improvement through Assessment:

www.aaia.org.uk
Many relevant articles on formative assessment and growth mindset can be found here.
Buck Institute for Education: https://www.pblworks.org/
This provides more details on a framework for project-based learning.
Shirley Clarke’s website: www.shirleyclarke-education.org
Useful resources and films of formative assessment in practice (there’s a subscription to

pay to access all the films).
Spence Kagan’s website: www.kaganonline.com
Spencer Kagan is one of the pioneers of cooperative learning and here you will find lots
of useful articles and resources about cooperative learning.
Geoff Petty’s website: http://geoffpetty.com/for-teachers/feedback-and-questions
Dylan Wiliam’s website: www.dylanwiliam.org
Includes links to articles by this leading expert in formative assessment.
6. Glossary
Here is a list of the important terms used in these guidelines. They are the terms that you are
likely to come across when planning for formative assessment activities.
Term Meaning
Deliberate practice Breaking down learning into small steps.
Dessert activity An activity at the end of a lesson (or stage of learning) in which
learning is checked and reviewed. Learners look back over the
learning and check that they have achieved the goals or lesson
objectives.
Formative assessment An assessment of how well each learner is doing in their learning
in order to respond to the learners’ needs and plan the next steps
in a learner’s learning.
Learning needs The gap between a learner's current level and the level they
need to complete a task successfully.
Lesson objectives They describe the knowledge and skills that learners are
expected to learn or improve during a lesson (or a series of
lessons). They are the lesson goals and are prepared by the
teacher for every lesson.
Main activity The part of a three-part lesson where the new learning happens.
This part of the lesson includes activities and tasks that build on
each other. These main activities give the learners clear steps in
their learning, as well as the support each learner needs to
complete a task. The main stage includes key ingredients for
formative assessment which are used to find out how well each
learner is doing in their learning as the lesson is happening.
On-the-run Informal checks on the learning as the lesson is happening, often

assessment focusing on finding out how well individual learners are getting on
and giving them immediate feedback.
Periodic assessment An assessment conducted after a certain period of teaching with

the aim of reporting on the learners’ progress, i.e.mid- and end-
or-term / end-of-year. This information is also used to check that
learners are learning everything that they are supposed to learn
in the curriculum. If necessary, improvements can then be made
to the organisation and the content of the learning planned
across a term or the whole school year. See also: long-cycle
formative assessment.
Planned assessment Any assessment that is planned, either across short, medium or
long cycles of formative assessment.
Plenary Activity at the end of a lesson, or at the end of an activity within

the lesson, to review the learning. Plenary activities can be used
to check if the lesson objectives have been achieved.
Prior knowledge Knowledge and skills which learners already have, possibly
acquired from previous lessons or previous years.
Probing questions Questions which aim to dig deeper than the surface.
Quick scan All-learner-response techniques that enable teachers to quickly

check understanding across a whole class. An example is
‘thumbs up/thumbs sideways/thumbs down’.
Regular assessment The regular action of the teacher focusing on the student's
progress in daily lessons or at short intervals throughout the
learning process for the purpose of monitoring, encouraging or
reinforcing learning. This action also allows teachers to modify
and update teaching methods to achieve educational goals.
Spaced practice A regular check on the learning throughout a series of lessons so

that the learning builds up over time, instead of being squeezed
into a short period. For example, classroom quizzes, so that over
the series of lessons each quiz includes checks on learning from
previous lessons as well as checking on new learning.
Speaking frame Speaking frames are a template that provides sentence starters
and models for English language learners who may need help
with sentence structure to be able to create sentences
independently. They are a support that can be applied to
speaking or writing activities and should gradually be withdrawn,
e.g. ‘The ________ lives in a _______.’
Starter activity An activity at the beginning of a lesson, or at the beginning of a

stage within a lesson, to revisit prior knowledge. The starter
activity can also be used to focus learners’ attention on the
lesson and raise their interest. The starter activity can also be
used to help make the lesson objectives clear. See also: prior
knowledge; lesson objectives
Success criteria A description of what success looks like when the lesson
objective (goal) is reached.
Think/pair/share A cooperative learning structure which helps learners to share

and combine their ideas in a relaxed and fun way. There are
three stages:
· Think: learners are asked to work on their own, taking a

few minutes to think and write down their answers or ideas.
· Pair: then they can talk to a partner to check their answers
or combine their ideas.
· Share: finally, they share in a small group or with the whole
class.
Three-part lesson plan A way to plan a lesson which includes three main parts: starter,
main and plenary. See also: starter activity; main activity; plenary
activity
Wait time The time given between asking a question and collecting a
response.
Image references
Page 12: Diagram adapted from Adapted from MacQuarie University
Page 22: Beach cleanup image copyright artinspiring, via 123rf.com.
Page 23: Kahoot logo copyright kahoot.com
Page 25: Classroom image copyright unsplash
Page 28: Vector image of person copyright Alice Design via nounproject
Page 31: Quizlet logo via quizlet.com
Page 32: Star image copyright Linseed studios, via nounproject
Page 32: Stairs image copyright Jaime Steiger US, via nounproject
Page 32: Target image copyright Hasanudin, via nounproject
Page 33: Crossroads image copyright Jie-eah, via nounproject
Page 33: Thinking image copyright Creative Art, via nounproject
Page 34: Thinking image copyright Creative Art, via nounproject
Page 34: Pair image copyright Dalpat Prajapati, via nounproject
Page 34: Share image copyright Vectors Point, via nounproject
Page 38: Palette image copyright Alena, via nounproject
Page 38: Recycling logo accessed via dreamstime
Page 40: Traffic jam image copyright Azam Ishaq, via nounproject
Page 40: Public transport image copyright Adrien Coquet, via nounproject
Page 40: Park image copyright Design Circle, via nounproject
Page 40: Hospital image copyright Vincenze Studio, via nounproject
Page 42: Reading image accessed via pixabay
Page 42: Listening to music image accessed via pixabay
Page 42: Watching TV image accessed via pixabay
Page 46: Gold Standard PBL diagram accessed via pblworks.org

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Formative Assessment Guidelines

For upper secondary school teachers (Grades 10 to 12)

There are six parts to these guidelines.

1. What is formative assessment?

2. Planning formative assessment

3. Building a growth mindset in learners

5. Further reading and useful websites

1. What is formative assessment?

Here is a definition of formative assessment:

Why is formative assessment important?

It is important to develop teaching practice so that formative assessment is at the centre of

How is formative assessment a ‘bridge’ between teaching and learning?

The elements of this ongoing discussion include:

What’s the difference between formative and summative assessment?

Formative assessment… Summative assessment…

is a tool to evaluate and guide learning. is a tool to evaluate and report on

is designed to help teachers and is designed to inform people outside daily

How does formative assessment become part of teaching and learning?

Shared learning need Individual learning need

What’s wrong with only using summative assessment?

Will applying formative assessment help me develop as a teacher?

Moving our definition of formative assessment forward…

1.1 Learning as a journey

Where are my learners going in the learning?

Where is each learner now in their journey?

How do I help a learner move forward in their learning?

1.2 Responsive teaching

Helping every learner to show evidence of their learning

➢ Helping learners to show their learning in different ways

Having a flexible approach to teaching and learning

Planning to support Planning within the Planning after (and

Creating a classroom Finding out and Takes place after the

Giving regular feedback to learners

Adapted from MacQuarie University

1.3 Involving learners

● Through ongoing discussions with their teacher

These ideas are looked at in the following table:

Ongoing discussions between teacher and learner

Learners help each other with their learning

Peer assessment and self-assessment

Peer-assessment and self-assessment activities encourage learners to be involved in

2. Planning formative assessment

2.1 Time cycles in formative assessment

Regular assessment Periodic

Short cycle Medium cycle Long cycle

Effects on Learners are more Learners improve Tracking learners’

What is periodic assessment used for?

Can periodic assessment be used formatively?

Regular medium-cycle assessment

Formative assessment in the medium cycle should:

Regular short-cycle assessment

Is short-cycle assessment always unplanned?

Why should we use more short-cycle assessment?

Assessment and the Curriculum

2.2 Three-part lessons

Planning a three-part lesson

Starter Finding out about learners’ prior knowledge

Revisiting learners’ prior learning

Main Activities that build on each other…