Which type of assessment is used during instruction to monitor progress and adjust instruction?

Which type of assessment is used during instruction to monitor progress and adjust instruction?

• A. Diagnostic assessment
• B. Benchmark assessment
• C. Formative assessment
• D. Summative assessment

Answer: (C)

Formative assessment is the type of assessment used during instruction to monitor progress and guide teaching decisions. It happens while students are learning, so the teacher can see what’s understood, what needs re-teaching, and how to adjust pace or grouping. It provides timely feedback to students as well, helping them focus on what they still need to learn. Examples include quick checks for understanding, exit tickets, teacher observations, or targeted short quizzes. Diagnostic assessment, by contrast, is used before instruction to identify students’ strengths and gaps; summative assessment occurs after learning to measure mastery; benchmark (interim) assessments check progress toward standards over a period but aren’t the ongoing, immediate tool used to alter day-to-day instruction. Because the question emphasizes monitoring progress during instruction to adjust teaching, formative assessment is the best fit.

Formative assessment is the type of assessment used during instruction to monitor progress and guide teaching decisions. It happens while students are learning, so the teacher can see what’s understood, what needs re-teaching, and how to adjust pace or grouping. It provides timely feedback to students as well, helping them focus on what they still need to learn. Examples include quick checks for understanding, exit tickets, teacher observations, or targeted short quizzes.

Diagnostic assessment, by contrast, is used before instruction to identify students’ strengths and gaps; summative assessment occurs after learning to measure mastery; benchmark (interim) assessments check progress toward standards over a period but aren’t the ongoing, immediate tool used to alter day-to-day instruction. Because the question emphasizes monitoring progress during instruction to adjust teaching, formative assessment is the best fit.