Employing formative assessment in the classroom

The Assessment is for Learning programme has been implemented by Learning and Teaching Scotland over recent years culminating in full embedding by 2007. With the growth of "Curriculum for Excellence", there are likely to be further developments in formative assessment in all the sectors and disciplines in the future. This paper re-examines the techniques of formative assessment that can progress pupil learning and appeals to teachers to review their practice against the background of the research. The purpose of the paper is to implore practitioners in all parts of the U.K. to embark upon a systematic review of their teaching with regard to formative assessment. In light of the research nationwide practitioners now have a plethora of effective techniques that can be embedded within all aspects of teaching in order to enhance their practice and benefit their pupils.