An Urgent Request for the Development of Classroom Assessment Literacy

Abstract

The author provides a retrospective on the evolution of his thinking about the role and power of classroom assessment based on four decades of collaboration with teachers. He contends that day-to-day classroom assessment can be far more than merely a way to hold students accountable for their learning. Rather, the research demonstrates that the assessment process and its results can be combined to create a powerful teaching and learning tool capable of building both students’ academic confidence and their achievement. He illustrates how teachers can partner with their students in ongoing classroom assessment processes that allow learners to track and gain a sense of control over their own academic success. This success, in turn, can give them the inner reserves of confidence needed to take the risk of continuing to strive to grow academically.