If you ever have students who are reluctant to tell you when they don't understand something--or worse, tell you they understand when they really don't--then here's a book that gives you lots of ways to check for understanding. Learn why typical methods to check for understanding are usually ineffective. And explore formative assessment techniques that work in any subject area and grade level: (1) Seven types of oral language (speaking and listening) strategies that close the gap between what students need to know and what they already know; (2) Four ways to use writing to check for understanding in any subject; (3) Student response techniques that increase participation and engagement; (4) Projects and performances that are easily integrated into daily classroom practice; and (5) Test items that help plan further instruction. Extensive classroom examples show you how to use these formative assessments to correct misconceptions, improve learning, and model good study skills for individual stud.