PECT Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Guide for Pennsylvania Educator Certification

Informal assessment is particularly effective in informing instruction based on student performance because it allows educators to gain immediate insights into students' understanding and skills during the learning process. These assessments can take various forms, such as observations, class discussions, quizzes, or informal check-ins, which give teachers real-time feedback on how well students are grasping the material.

This type of assessment is adaptable; teachers can modify their approaches and strategies based on the ongoing feedback they gather. The insights from informal assessments enable educators to identify specific student needs, adjust their teaching methods, and provide targeted support, thereby directly influencing the instructional process.

Other types of assessments, such as summative assessments, are typically conducted at the end of an instructional period and focus on evaluating student learning outcomes rather than informing ongoing instruction. Standardized tests also measure performance based on a fixed set of criteria and are generally less responsive to individual student needs during the learning process. Diagnostic assessments, while helpful in identifying specific learning challenges before instruction begins, do not provide ongoing feedback throughout the learning journey. Thus, the adaptability and immediacy of informal assessment make it the best choice for informing instruction based on student performance.