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There are a zillion strategies for effective formative assessment (see The Best Resources For Learning About Formative Assessment).

But what are the best ways to do a quick “check for understanding”?

My favorites are:

  • “Give me a thumbs up, thumbs down, or thumbs in the middle to help know if I’ve explained things well and you understand it.  It’s fine to put a thumbs down – that’s on me, not you.”
  • “Here’s a tiny scrap of paper.  Don’t put your name on it.  Write a one, two or three – one is that you’re very clear on _______, two in the middle, or 3 not clear at all.”
  • “Turn to the person next to you and explain the directions for the project.”

Here are other good suggestions:

23 Ways to Check for Understanding is from Tech Notes.

Do Your Students Understand You? Here’s a Simple Way to Check is from Ed Week.

8 Quick Checks for Understanding is from Edutopia.

53 Ways to Check For Understanding is from Edutopia.

Gaining Understanding of What Your Students Know is from Edutopia.

20 Creative Ways To Check for Understanding is from We Are Teachers.

8 Ways to Check for Student Understanding is from Teach For America.