Clarity in the Classroom: Using Formative Assessment

Supporting students to be confident and enthusiastic learners is of primary concern for teachers today. We all want students who have high expectations of themselves as learners; students who feel confident about their capacity to learn, who set goals for their learning, and who are able to construct enjoyable and challenging learning pathways for themselves.


Using practical suggestions and examples, Clarity in the Classroom describes an evidence-based, reflective approach, which will enable teachers to help their students achieve to the highest levels. It is about:

* the nature of student learning
* the nature of the student/teacher relationship needed to sustain that learning
* the skills that teachers need to develop in order to support students
* the skills that students need to learn in order to learn best.

With an emphasis on 'assessment for learning' principles, and the partnerships that evolve out of well-developed learning-focused relationships, Clarity in the Classroom provides busy teachers with key strategies and easy-to-use techniques for developing effective and meaningful classroom practices. It is an essential resource for all teachers.

Michael Absolum is a principal consultant at Evaluation Associates in New Zealand, where he has directed their successful professional development programme for schools and teachers since 1995. Prior to that he worked as a teacher, as an educational psychologist in both England and NZ, and with the Education Review Office (the NZ equivalent of OFSTED), becoming interested in the problems associated with raising student achievement levels, particularly of underperforming students.