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### Defining Mathematics Education *REDUCED*

The Seventy-fifth Yearbook is a celebration and reflection of the history of the NCTM yearbooks, and is a great resource on the key issues of mathematics education through the years.

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Home > Topdrawer > Mental computation > Assessment

# Assessment

Assessment can have many legitimate purposes including:

• summarising achievement (summative assessment)
• informing learning and teaching (formative assessment)
• assisting students to evaluate their own knowledge and understanding (self assessment).

Assessment can take diverse forms including:

• tests
• written work samples
• observations
• interviews.

The mental computation strategies exercised by an individual learner vary considerably.

Strategies are chosen in response to the:

• context of problem
• numbers involved
• numbers of steps required
• location of the unknown.

Naturally, this diversity of response is greater when working with a group of learners.

To nurture mental strategies, teachers should listen to and interpret the strategies students use.

Teachers should respond to students in a way that accepts their current thinking but promotes improved fluency and flexibility.

## Approaches

Interviews and observations are the most appropriate forms of assessment for mental strategies because these forms allow students to explain their strategies.