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Assessing learning

In this section there are resources that will help you develop your assessment literacy and ability to use feedback for learning purposes.

Assessing learning

In this section you can find useful professional development resources – including articles, webinars, podcast episodes, research and teaching tips and tools – all to help you develop your skills and knowledge of Assessing learning.

What does 'Assessing learning' involve?

This professional practice is about you and your learners' assessment literacy. It includes applying the principles and practice of assessment to design tasks to assess your learners' level and measure their progress, taking into account the assessment systems used in your context and local education policies and practice. It is about using types of assessment (e.g. formative and summative) appropriately, and providing feedback for learning purposes. It involves:

  • applying the principles and practice of assessment to design appropriate assessment tasks

  • using formative and summative assessment appropriately at different points in the learning process to monitor and evaluate your learners' understanding, improve their learning outcomes, identify their potential for progression and inform subsequent teaching

  • defining appropriate assessment criteria and applying assessment criteria consistently

  • planning for differentiated and inclusive assessment

  • analysing your learners' errors and helping them to understand their errors through constructive feedback

  • engaging your learners in self- and peer assessment and developing their self- and peer assessment skills

  • preparing your learners for formal assessment, including enabling them to manage stress

  • administering, grading and keeping records of assessment

  • sharing and explaining assessment results appropriately

  • analysing and using data about learning, where available, to support the management of learners, improve their learning outcomes, and make curriculum choices

  • reflecting on the relevance and effectiveness of my assessment of your learners' progress (my assessment literacy).

 

Explore resources on 'Assessing learning'

Learn how to plan engaging language and topic-based lessons by identifying and applying commonly used lesson models. Explore techniques for introducing new language, writing achievable learning outcomes, and planning warmers and lead-ins. This course is open now – enrol until 24 December.

Certificate
Online community
Workbook
Start: 01/10/25
End: 31/12/25

Discover how to plan learner-centred courses based on your learners, their context and curriculum requirements. Explore techniques for analysing learner needs and involving them as active participants in the assessment process. This course is open now – enrol until 24 December.

Certificate
Online community
Workbook
Start: 01/10/25
End: 31/12/25

Help all your learners benefit from and get actively involved in assessment in the language classroom. Enrolment for Assessing learning is closed. Find resources connected to the course contents on this page, and sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date on when our courses open.

Certificate
Online community
Workbook
Start: 01/07/25
End: 30/09/25

Discover how primary children learn and apply this understanding to your classroom practice. Explore the role of assessment in the primary classroom and learn engaging, age-appropriate strategies for learner evaluation. Enrolment for Teaching English in primary is closed. Find resources connected to the course contents on this page, and sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date on when our courses open.

Certificate
Online community
Workbook
Start: 01/07/25
End: 30/09/25

Learn how to engage and develop your learners' English language skills through a range of literature-focused learning activities and related teaching approaches. Enrolment for Teaching English through literature is closed. Find resources connected to the course contents on this page, and sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date on when our courses open.

Certificate
Online community
Workbook
Start: 01/07/25
End: 30/09/25

Assessment is a key part of teaching and learning, but what different types of assessment can we use, and what do teachers and learners need to know about assessment?

Article

Research and insight

Browse fascinating case studies, research papers, publications and books by researchers and ELT experts from around the world.

See our publications, research and insight