What is Assessment for Learning and how does it relate to a Teaching Assistant? In this essay I will compare and contrast the roles of the teacher and the learning support professional in assessing student achievement. I will also explain the difference between formative and summative assessment. I will say what the characteristics of assessment for learning are and explain the importance and benefits of assessment for learning and I will explain how assessment for learning can contribute to the planning of future learning when carried out by the teacher, students and by the teaching assistant. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The differences between a teacher and a learning support professional are that the teacher is the primary role model in the classroom. Students will take inspiration from the teacher. He or she will set lessons and goals for learning. He or she is considered the role model. Lessons are planned by the teacher and planned in such a way as to help the student progress and achieve his or her goals. Once the goal is achieved, the lessons will continue. The teacher will set class assessments to find out how far students are in achieving their goals and will continually evaluate the student's abilities through classwork, homework, or end-of-term assessments. The learning support professional will support the teacher in the classroom. They should take inspiration from the teacher. If the teacher wants the learning support worker to assess the children, they may be asked to take small groups or individual children and follow an assessment plan set out for them. The learning support worker should also assist in the classroom and then provide feedback to the teacher on what they think the students did well or what they need help with. This will then help the teacher plan the next lesson and establish next steps for the students. The difference between formative and summative assessment is: - Formative assessment evaluates how students learn, for example by using open-ended questions to encourage students to express their ideas. By observing students this provides a lot of knowledge about how students work and is usually done on a daily basis. By listening to students this shows that students understand the work and we can listen to their ideas and methods, we can check their understanding by questioning them this shows what children know and finally self-assessment allows students to reflect on what they have learned and encourages them to evaluate their progress against learning objectives and outcomes. Summative assessment is the formal assessment used by teachers to show exactly where students are at and what has been learned, such as SATs or end-of-term assessments. The results of these can be entered into the student report and shared so that new teachers, the principal and parents can see how the students have progressed. The characteristics of assessment for learning are: it informs and promotes achievement for all students. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning. This starts with providing students with learning outcomes, ensuring they receive feedback which in turn helps them develop the skills needed to evaluate and self-evaluate their own work. They will be able to recognize their own progress and achievements. This will begin with assessments between.