Importance of assessment in the progress of a childs learning Assessment is key in any learning environment whether it is a student learning at key

stage 2 or a student studying for their undergraduate degree. Capel, Leask and Turner (2009 p341) suggest that assessment helps students not only improve their grades but encourages students and gives them a positive attitude in the learning environment. If a student is able to measure their own progress by assessment it can motivate them to reach higher targets as they get an idea of where they are within a certain subject. Simmons and Hawkins (2009 p136) discuss the term assessment and how broad the term assessment is, it is suggested that the world of assessment is subdivided into areas of summative and formative. Simmons and Hawkins (2009 p136) discuss both types of assessment and how they are used within the learning environment. Summative assessment is commonly used outside of the academic learning environment such as with employers or university admissions tutors as summative assessment only gives a grade. This type of assessment does not really help pupils that may be studying for GCSEs and A Levels as it is often just a grade with no feedback which will not help a student understand their grade or know what they need to do to improve. Summative assessment is commonly used and is effective when looking at masses of grades or results or statistics of how a business or school may be doing. Simmons and Hawkins (2009 p136-37) discuss the importance of formative assessment within the learning environment and highlight how formative assessment can help a student to understand the grade they may be achieving and what they need to do to improve that grade. Simmons and Hawkins (2009 p137) highlight the publication of Inside the black box (Black and William 1998) and how formative assessment is better in a student education as it allows them to understand the level they are at and the areas they need to improve on to get the grade they may desire or require. Cohen, Manion, Morison & Wyse (2010 p397) discuss the main purposes and importance of assessment in education and how assessment is used to certify, diagnose and improve learning in students education. To date there are many forms of assessment that can aid students within the learning environment, all of which play a key role depending on the type of assessment required such as Norm referenced assessment which is used to compare students achievement among other students or Criterion referenced assessment which is used by a student fulfilling a set criteria prior to learning a topic and measured if they met that criteria or outcome. Assessment plays a crucial role in the progress of a childs learning whether it is formative or summative, there are many arguments about both of these types of assessments, some saying formative is better suited to students in a learning environment and some saying summative is better as it gives students a clear idea of the grade they achieved, either way, both forms of assessment are key in a childs education. References
Carl Simmons, Claire Hawkins (2009). Teaching ICT. London: Sage Publications. p136138.

Louis Cohen, Lawrence Manion, Keith Morrison, Dominic Wyse (2010). A guide to teaching practice. 5th ed. Oxon: Routledge. p397-400. Susan Capel, Marilyn Leask, Tony Turner (2009). Learning to teach in the secondary school. 5th ed. Oxon: Routledge. p338-342.