Which type of assessment is used informally throughout learning experiences to help teachers make instructional decisions and to provide feedback to students?

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

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is using ongoing, informal checks during instruction to monitor learning and guide teaching while giving students feedback. This is what formative assessment does best. It happens during the learning process—through quick questions, observations, exit tickets, think-pair-share, or short checks for understanding. Because it’s built into daily activities, it lets the teacher see what students grasp, where misunderstandings lie, and what to reteach or adjust right away. It also gives students timely feedback they can use to improve before moving on.

What makes this the right choice is that it’s not primarily about assigning a final grade or evaluating after instruction. It’s about guiding instruction in real time and supporting student growth during the learning journey.

In contrast, summative assessment comes at the end of a learning period to judge what students have mastered, so it’s not used to shape instruction along the way. Diagnostic assessment is used before or at the start to identify gaps and plan where to begin. Performance assessment asks students to demonstrate a skill through a task or project, which can be more formal and isn’t the same as the ongoing, informal checks that steer day-to-day teaching.