INFORMAL ASSESSMENT

The second type of assessment I have experienced is Informal Assessment.

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What is Informal Assessment?

Unlike formal assessment, informal assessment is not focused on results and data, but it is more to content and students' performance. Informal assessment are also sometimes referred as Criterion Reference measures.

What is the purpose of Informal Assessment?

As mentioned before, informal assessment is used to observe and record students progress, performance and even behavior in class. This is to help teachers evaluate whether their daily class teaching method is effective and how can they improve the method to be more effective.

Characteristics of Informal Assessment

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Examples of Informal Assessment

• Observation



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• Quizzes



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• Question and Answer



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My Reflection/Opinion on Informal Assessment

In my opinion, informal assessment is more relaxed and laid back for students because they are not pressured to achieve good results unlike formal assessment. Besides that, students can also feel more interested in learning because they are allowed to ask teachers what they do not understand. 

Teachers also get to know their students better through observation such as their progress, behavior and attitude in learning.

However, if teachers have to observe many students at once, it is possible for teachers to miss out on certain students especially those who are more quiet. Beside that, bias may also occur. For example, teachers may give better record for students they like and less marks for those they don't.

Suggestion to improve Informal Assessment

1. Teachers can encourage students to participate more in class especially those who a quiet in class. 
2. Teachers can also guide them with the questioning to help students answer and understand better.
3. Teachers must be alert when observing students to not overlook any of them.
4. Teachers must try their best to prevent bias in class. Judge students actions and behaviors but not the student itself.
5. teachers can use checklist to help them see the criteria's they should test students through informal assessment.

Reference:

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/formal-versus-informal-assessments