What is the main goal of ‘assessment for learning’ ?

The correct answer is: To provide feedback to students that can be used to improve their learning.

Understanding 'Assessment for Learning' (Formative Assessment):
Assessment for Learning (AfL), often referred to as formative assessment, is an ongoing process of gathering and interpreting evidence about student learning. Its primary purpose is to inform instruction and guide learners on how to improve their understanding and performance during the learning process, rather than evaluating them at the end.

Key Objectives of Assessment for Learning:

1. Continuous Feedback: It provides constructive, actionable feedback to students so they understand their current learning status, target goals, and the steps needed to bridge the gap.
2. Instructional Adjustment: It enables teachers to identify learning gaps and adjust their teaching strategies in real-time to better support student needs.
3. Student Empowerment: It encourages self-assessment and peer-assessment, empowering students to take ownership of their learning journey.

Analysis of Other Options:

• To identify students who can be categorised as ‘slow learners’: Labeling or categorizing students is detrimental to learning and is not an objective of modern educational assessment.
• To evaluate student performance and assign grades: This describes Assessment of Learning (Summative Assessment), which focuses on evaluating final achievement at the end of an instructional unit.
• To compare student performance to a standard or benchmark: This refers to norm-referenced or criterion-referenced testing, typical of evaluative or summative assessments, rather than formative feedback.