Assessments are tools educators use to measure student learning and understanding. Sometimes they are known as TESTS. Here are the main categories:

Formative Assessments

Assessments conducted during learning to guide instruction and provide feedback:

• Exit Tickets - Quick checks at the end of class (e.g., "What was confusing today?")
• Quizzes - Short, frequent tests on recent material
• Think-Pair-Share - Collaborative discussion to gauge understanding
• Observations - Teacher notes on student participation and engagement
• Class Discussions - Verbal responses and Socratic questioning
• Graphic Organizers - Concept maps, Venn diagrams, KWL charts
• Self-Assessments - Students reflect on their own learning
• Peer Reviews - Students evaluate each other's work
• Thumbs Up/Down - Quick non-verbal feedback signals
• One-Minute Papers - Brief written reflections
• Polling/Clickers - Real-time response systems

Summative Assessments

End-of-unit or end-of-course assessments to measure overall achievement:

• Unit Tests - Comprehensive exams covering a full unit
• Final Exams - Large-scale assessments at term's end
• Standardized Tests - State or national assessments (SBAC, STAAR, etc.)
• Projects - Extended work demonstrating mastery (research papers, presentations, prototypes)
• Portfolios - Collections of student work over time

Performance Assessments

Students demonstrate skills by doing rather than answering questions:

• Presentations - Oral delivery with visual aids
• Demonstrations - Hands-on activities showing understanding
• Simulations - Role-playing or scenario-based tasks
• Practical Exams - Lab work, science experiments, art projects
• Debates - Structured arguments on a topic

Diagnostic Assessments

Pre-assessments to identify student strengths and gaps:

• Pre-Tests - Given before a unit to assess prior knowledge
• Interviews - One-on-one conversations about student understanding
• Observation Checklists - Tracking specific skills or behaviors
• Skill Inventories - Self-report questionnaires

Alternative Assessments

Non-traditional methods that measure learning differently:

• Portfolios - Digital or paper collections of work samples
• Rubrics - Detailed scoring guides for complex tasks
• Anecdotal Records - Descriptive notes on student progress
• Conferences - Structured meetings with students/families
• Checklists - Skills or competencies to track
• Rating Scales - Numerical or descriptive scales for performance levels

Other Common Types

• Spiral Reviews - Recurring practice on previously learned material
• Benchmark Assessments - Periodic checks aligned to standards
• Common Assessments - Standardized assessments across classrooms/schools
• Authentic Assessments - Real-world tasks mirroring actual applications
• Constructed-Response Items - Open-ended questions requiring detailed answers
• Selected-Response Items - Multiple choice, true/false, matching
• Essays - Written compositions demonstrating comprehension and analysis