ABSTRACT

There are generally two broad reasons for assessing pupils. The first is to see how their learning and thinking is developing so that you can help them learn and think better. This kind of assessment tends to occur throughout a course and can be informal (as when you ask questions as you teach) or fairly formal (as when you set a short test). You could use what you learn about the pupils to give them feedback and guidance on how to improve, also known as formative assessment. Formative assessment can make a real difference if handled well. You could also use the assessment to diagnose why particular pupils continue to fail on a task. This is less common as it calls for very carefully shaped questions that reveal faulty thinking. Something else that assessments can do is produce better learning directly. When pupils prepare for tests you would expect this but even a quick test at the end of a lesson can help pupils learn as they recall the various elements of the lesson and relate them (Harrison, 2005). Finally, assessment can motivate pupils. For instance, if you teach pupils who believe they usually fail, try giving them a short test before a topic and repeating it afterwards. I speak from experience when I say they often find it very motivating when they see the difference, particularly if they keep a record in the back of their workbooks.