All assessment should be formative. This means that we should use our observation and assessment practices to help students learn and grow--which includes using what we assess to change what and how we teach. While formative assessment needs to happen in all activities, one 

Assessing Conversations
How can we learn from observing conversations? Here is a list of the important dimensions of learning and development that we can see in student conversations during a lesson. (Singer & Zwiers article on assessing conversations for more information).

  • Constructive conversation skills: Can a student work with another student to build up ideas of value? How well do students use the skills needed for building ideas, which include clarifying, supporting, negotiating, and evaluating ideas? How well does a student “think together” with others.
  • Content understandings (big ideas) and thinking skills: What understandings or misunderstandings of a concept do students have? To what degree has the student built up the big idea of the unit? How well is the student using the thinking skill(s) emphasized in the lesson/unit to build up and-or communicate the big idea?
  • Oral language skills: How well does a student articulate thoughts orally? What language choices does the student make? What strengths and challenges are evident with respect to using all language resources to communicate?    
  • Listening skills: How well does a student listen to others?  What does she do or say to show listening?
  • Perspectives and connections: What diverse perspectives or solutions do students bring that we haven’t considered? What connections do they make to experiences beyond school?   


Formative Assessment