A university language program aims to monitor students’ ongoing progress and…
2026
A university language program aims to monitor students’ ongoing progress and adapt instruction accordingly. Which assessment strategy would be most effective in achieving this aim?
Answer: C. Adopting formative portfolio assessments — ConceptFormative assessment is an ongoing process of collecting evidence during learning and using that evidence to adjust teaching and improve learning. A…
- A.
Administering annual standardized tests
- B.
Conducting a single summative oral examination
- C.
Adopting formative portfolio assessments
- D.
Using peer assessment for final grades
Attempted by 6 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Concept
Formative assessment is an ongoing process of collecting evidence during learning and using that evidence to adjust teaching and improve learning.
A portfolio can preserve work from multiple points in time, so it can show development, recurring difficulties, and the effect of feedback.
Application
The program needs both continuous evidence of progress and information that can guide later instruction. A formative portfolio supplies a longitudinal record of drafts, reflections, feedback, and revisions, so teachers can identify patterns and adapt upcoming lessons.
Contrast
Annual standardized tests provide broad, periodic comparisons, but one yearly snapshot is too infrequent for ongoing adjustment.
A single summative oral examination measures speaking performance at one end point rather than documenting development throughout the course.
Peer assessment used for final grades is primarily an end-of-course grading activity; it does not by itself create the teacher-guided evidence cycle described in the stem.
Cross-check
The chosen strategy must satisfy both conditions in the stem—repeated evidence over time and evidence usable for instructional change. Formative portfolio assessment satisfies both, so adopting formative portfolio assessments is the best answer.