Assessment IS FOR Learning!

"The big mistake that Paul Black and I made was calling this stuff 'assessment'. 

Because when you use the word assessment, people think about tests and exams. 

For me, Assessment for Learning is all about better teaching."
Dylan Wiliam

Interesting that Professor Dylan Wiliam partly blames himself for underplaying a "really crucial aspect" of 'Assessment for Learning'. We know from the Sutton Trust research that the things that work best in terms of improving learning outcomes are feedback, learning to learn, peer tutoring/peer assisted learning, early intervention and 1-2-1 tuition. Not surprisingly then, these are Dylan Wiliam's key 'Assessment for Learning' strategies:

1. Clarifying, sharing and understanding learning intentions. 
2. Finding evidence of learning, through the use of tests and quizzes, for example. 
3. Providing feedback that moves learning forward. 
4. Using learners as learning resources for one another, through methods such as peer assessment and peer tutoring. 
5. Encouraging learners to own their own learning, through self-assessment and other methods.