It is used to assess the strengths and needs of students and to make program adjustments. It is used for diagnosis rather than grading. Formative evaluation should be conducted continuously throughout the course. It is used to improve instruction and learning and to keep both students and teachers aware of the course objectives and the students' progress in achieving those objectives. The results of formative evaluation are analyzed and used to focus the efforts of the teacher and students.
Summative evaluation occurs at the end of a unit or program.
It is used with formative evaluation to determine student achievement and program effectiveness. Summative evaluation should form only part of students' grades. An appropriate balance of diagnostic, formative, and summative evaluation should be used. Evaluating Portfolios English language arts portfolios can be an effective way for students, teachers, and parents to observe student progress over a period of time. Because they are purposeful collections of student work, portfolios can serve as the basis for evaluation of student effort, progress, and achievements in English language arts.