Formative Assessment in Practice

In this simple and straightforward book, Margaret Heritage presents a practical guide to formative assessment that skillfully weaves together theory and practice. Heritage's approach is distinctive in that it is grounded in a "children's rights" framework--that is, the belief that opportunities to learn, progress, and succeed should be available to all children equally. Accordingly, she addresses students' roles in monitoring their own learning and shows how to transform the classroom into a community of practice. Formative Assessment in Practice promises to be an invaluable resource for educators seeking to guide students toward more rigorous learning. "[Heritage's] analysis of formative assessment reflects the real-world, what's-next thinking of a seasoned practitioner and, at the same time, the carefully documented, thoroughly researched approach of a full-fledged academic. Her readers are fortunate that she could not keep those two worlds apart." -- From the foreword by W. James Popham, professor emeritus, University of California, Los Angeles "In this thoughtful book, Margaret Heritage shows that when it is done well, formative assessment is really a set of orientations that the best teachers use all the time. She shows how great teachers constantly place evidence--about what students learned and what they need to do next--at the heart of their practice, helping students achieve more and become better learners." -- Dylan William, emeritus professor of educational assessment, Institute of Education, University of London "Heritage argues for a children's rights approach that allows students to develop skills in becoming autonomous learners. Guiding the teacher through the use of learning progressions, the collection of evidence, and the process of inquiry, she highlights the power of formative assessment to close the achievement gap for all learners." -- Gabriela Cardenas, demonstration teacher, UCLA Lab School "Heritage articulates a practical, theoretically sound approach to assessment. Filled with conceptual insights and compelling examples, this is a handbook of the powerful pedagogy our teachers need and our students deserve. If you care about teaching that fosters a learning culture, read this book." -- Robert Linquanti, project director, EL Evaluation and Accountability Support, and senior research associate, WestEd Margaret Heritage is assistant director for professional development at the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, & Student Testing at the University of California, Los Angeles.