New Hampshire Foundations of Reading Practice Test

Which assessment type is primarily administered through ongoing classroom activities to shape instruction?

1. Summative Assessments

2. Formative Assessments

3. Standardized Assessments

4. Criterion-referenced Assessments

The correct answer is: Formative Assessments

The correct choice is formative assessments, which are integral to the ongoing instructional process. Formative assessments are designed to monitor student learning and provide feedback that can be used by instructors to enhance their teaching methods and by students to improve their learning outcomes. These assessments occur in real-time during daily classroom activities, enabling educators to adjust their strategies based on the immediate needs and performance of their students. Formative assessments can include quizzes, classroom discussions, activities, and observational notes, among others. This continuous feedback loop is essential for identifying areas where students may be struggling and for determining the effectiveness of instructional approaches. By focusing on the development and progress of learners rather than the final outcomes, formative assessments create a more supportive and responsive educational environment. In contrast, summative assessments evaluate student learning at the conclusion of an instructional period and are typically used for assigning grades rather than for guiding instruction. Standardized assessments involve uniform testing conditions and are administered across different schools or districts, assessing a broad range of students' abilities against a common metric. Criterion-referenced assessments measure student performance against a specific standard or benchmark rather than against other students, but they may not be conducted in real-time or integrated within daily classroom activities in the same way that formative assessments are.