Which statement best describes formative assessment in the edTPA context?

• A. It informs ongoing instructional decisions during learning.
• B. It is used to assign final grades at the end of a unit.
• C. It has no relation to instruction.
• D. It is used only for accountability.

Answer: (B)

Formative assessment is ongoing checks during learning that teachers use to shape what happens next in instruction. In the edTPA context, this means gathering evidence of how students are understanding a concept while learning is still happening and using that information to adjust activities, reteach ideas, or provide timely feedback. The goal is to guide instruction and support students as they improve, not to assign final grades.

This distinguishes formative assessment from summative assessment, which is about evaluating learning at the end of a unit and often informs grades. Formative assessment is also not separate from instruction or used only for accountability; its primary purpose is to improve teaching and student learning in real time.