Mod 5 Discussion: Formal and Informal Assessments

The formative check I use with my students is an exit ticket, since my class is a self-contained IND setting. I typically give the student(s) a multiple-choice question aligned to the benchmark we are working on to see if they understood the skill. I also follow up by asking some students to explain why they chose their answer, which helps me better understand their thinking.

A formative assessment I would like to try is a Backward Book Walk. I usually ask my students what they see in the pictures, what the title is, and what they think the book will be about based on the front cover. A Backward Book Walk takes this a step further by looking more closely through the book, starting at the end and working backward. This helps students think more deeply about what might happen in the story and prepares them for what they will read.