Descriptive+Feedback


 * Descriptive Feedback (DF) **

The term is easily enough understood. Teachers will through the feedback, provide an explanation to students about their learning in a timely manner so that learning targets are fresh in the student’s mind. The reply to the student’s learning allows them to digest the learning, develop their own concepts of the learning, and change misconceptions so that they can master learning. According to Heather Coffey, “Formative assessment is a process.” The method is used by both students and teachers during the instructional process to “adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement.”

DF is the vehicle for specific responses by the teacher for the student which results in corrections to the teaching and learning process. DF is part of the whole formative assessment process.

In Attributes of Effective Formative Assessments by Sarah McManus, “Teachers who engage in formative assessments give continual, explicit feedback to students and assist them in answering the following questions: 1. Where am I going? 2. Where am I now? 3. How can I close the gap between the two?”

** WEB RESOURCES **

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[|North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Formative Assessment page]

[|Classroom Assessment Quick Tips]

[|In-class Assessment Techniques]

[|Formative assessment resources]