Teacher Talks: How to Use Formative Assessment as an Engagement Technique

Compiled by Kate Wolfe Maxlow

Here in Hampton City Schools, Virginia, we know that the best classroom activities serve more than one purpose. For this article, we looked at how our amazing teachers use formative assessment not only to guide their instruction, but to move from simple student compliance to high levels of engagement. (What's the difference between engagement and compliance? Check it out here.)

We asked our all-star teachers to explain how they use formative assessments to hook and motivate their students.

Toymeka Rogers, Kindergarten

• Formative assessment technique: The following activity was utilized to assess student’s understanding of story elements; the main characters, setting, and key events. I used the student’s writing notebook to do a daily quick check for each of the story elements.  Quick Check 1, students drew and labeled 2 main characters from the story. Afterwards, students turned and talked to share their drawings. Day 2, students had to draw and label the setting. Day 3, the students drew and wrote a sentence about a key event in the story. 
• How it informed instruction: The teacher can evaluate which students are able to listen and comprehend a story. The activity is a great tool to note if a student can recall and retell the details and main components of a story.  In addition, the data from the observation will help the teacher determine which students are ready for story maps to build on comprehension and organizing information. The teacher can also determine which students needs more practice and support with identifying the main components of a story. 

Angela Dandridge, Grade 4

• Formative assessment technique: I used Plickers, which my students love. When answering questions from the Standards of Learning reading slideshow, they get a copy of the text to annotate and a card with a unique code. After we read the text, I post the questions 1 at a time. They use the cards to answer the posted question. Once everyone chooses an answer, my app reads their choices. It's all private, but I post a graph of selected answers which we then discuss why we might have selected the choices.  
• How it informed instruction: I get instant results and can see which students chose which answer. I am then able to see who needs help in which SOLs or might be confused when questions are asked in particular ways. I then use that information to reteach to the whole group or in intervention.

Elaine Cosme, Elementary School

• Formative assessment technique: During 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Math Blitz, the teachers developed a treasure hunt that was done outside. Students were put into teams and they had to find various geometric figures and define the figures. Using their chrome books, they took pictures of the items they found and we may them into slide shows.
• How it informed instruction: Instruction was reinforced by what has been taught in class. When students had questions, we the teachers were able to explain what they didn't understand and help them find "answers" to their questions. All of the students enjoyed the activity and couldn't believe how many things they could find right outside of our school building!

Anonymous, Elementary School

• Formative assessment technique: I often use dry erase boards and markers to engage the students.  I have found that the desk make amazing dry erase boards.  I will present a problem, thought, idea, or concept related to the subject matter and students must work through them on their desk while I circulate through the room seeing who has a grasp of the material. Students can then present what they or their partner did or listed to the rest of the class. This provides an opportunity for students to work with a table partner. 
• How it informed instruction: I can note what the students are doing as they are working either together or independently and quickly address them when we jump back in the absorb portion of the lesson.  

Donna Phan, Elementary School

• Formative assessment technique: My Favorite No--two problems were chosen for students on an exit card. Cards were put into piles of yes/no by response.  I chose my favorite "no" response to analyze  with the class. 
• How it informed instruction: I could tell by the few number of no responses that the students understood the skill that day.  When I used it again later in the week, I saw that the number of "no"s in the pile were greater, therefore, they didn't understand the skill for that day.

Samantha West, Middle School English

• Formative assessment technique: I use Emoji Exit Tickets at the end of a lesson to gauge student understanding. I pass out a pre-printed ticket to everyone, which has ~15 emojis. I ask students to circle 1-3 that reflect how they felt about today’s lesson in terms of them understanding, then I have them write 1-2 sentences explaining why they circled those emojis. Lastly, before they leave they drop their ticket in one of my hanging pockets labeled Got It, Almost, Kind Of, Nope.
• How it informed instruction: First I see how many Got It and Nope tickets I have. If I have lots of Nope and Kind Of tickets, that tells me I need to spend more time on this topic and maybe adjust my delivery. If I have a lot of Got It’s then that tells me I did my job :)

Anonymous, Middle School History

• Formative assessment technique: Kahoot was used to access what student's understood about President's Day, Christopher Columbus, and Independence Day. 
• How it informed instruction: The data I collected was used to plan instruction for those reporting category and determine which students were ready for an assessment and which students required more intense instruction. 

Laurie Coleman, Middle School Science

• Formative assessment technique: Kahoot! It is an easy activity that requires little set up time. They don't have to get out of their seats and it wakes them up.  
• How it informs instruction: I like using it as a break in the class. We will do it and I will be able to gauge the student's knowledge. I download the data and look at it while they are working independently so I know who needs extra help. 

Jennifer Miguel, High School English

• Formative assessment technique: Tableaux--Students worked in groups to come up with a key scene from a work of literature. They had to create a tableaux of that scene. They had to show body postures, facial expressions, etc. There is a handout that is used to pre-plan--which scene, what the character's are thinking, their motivation as well as a evaluation after--whose was the best and why.
• How it informed instruction: It gave me an idea of who understood the key events in the story. If they picked something unimportant, I knew they didn't get the point. If they couldn't show the scene effectively, I knew they didn't understand characterization, etc.

Anonymous, High School Science

• Formative assessment technique: I have been using Edulastic for SOL review. We are doing a different unit each week, and we spend the first 20 minutes of class (after our warm-up) on review. Students log on to their account and complete the assigned Edulastic Assignment. 
• How it informed instruction: I am then able to see what areas my students are strong in and what areas they need more remediation in during this time of SOL preparation. We also read through the questions as a class and discuss the answers.