What is a formative assessment primarily used for in early literacy development?

A formative assessment primarily focuses on the ongoing process of evaluating student learning and understanding during the instructional period. In the context of early literacy development, it serves to inform educators about students' progress and areas needing support. By determining the appropriate level of text difficulty, formative assessments help teachers adjust their instruction to meet the individual needs of each child. This ensures that the literacy experiences are both challenging and achievable, fostering a supportive learning environment that encourages reading growth and comprehension skills.

While evaluating teacher performance, assessing classroom environments, and measuring student attendance are important aspects of education, they do not directly relate to the immediate understanding of a student's literacy skills and needs in the same way that formative assessments do. Such assessments are integral to tailoring instruction in real time, enabling teachers to recognize when a student might need more support or when to provide more challenging materials based on their current abilities.