Assessment used throughout teaching of a lesson and/or unit to gauge students' understanding and inform and guide teaching.

• A. Formative Assessment
• B. Summative Assessment
• C. Formal Assessment
• D. Interpersonal Communication

Answer: (A)

Formative assessment is any check of student understanding that happens during a lesson or unit to see what’s understood, what isn’t, and why. Its purpose is to inform and guide teaching in real time, so the teacher can adjust explanations, reteach a concept, or try a different activity right away. This ongoing feedback loop helps students progress before final evaluations.

Think of quick checks like exit tickets, think-pair-share, or quick questions, and even informal observations. They’re meant to shape the instruction as it unfolds.

In contrast, a summative assessment happens after instruction to determine what students have learned overall, often for a grade. A formal assessment is a broader label that can include both formative and summative, but the key here is the ongoing, instructional use to guide teaching. Interpersonal communication isn’t a formal assessment type in this context.