Peer assessment is popular with learners and teachers alike. While students can test their knowledge straight away among their classmates, it is less work for the teacher. Peer assessment can be done in pairs or groups, depending on the subject. Take the "pilot and navigator" approach. The navigator explains the required action in minute detail, while the pilot has to follow the instructions . The navigator is not allowed to take over. According to teaching expert Geoff Petty, this works best when the navigator is the stronger student. As participants learn different skills in this exercise, he advises to occasionally reverse the roles nevertheless.
The "best answer" type of peer assessment is best done in groups. The teacher gives out a task. Students work at it on their own for a set time. Afterward, the group members compare their answers with each other and decide which one is the best. Each group will announce to which result it has come and why. This way, students learn to evaluate different points of view and to argue a case. Teachers can assess the level of comprehension in their class and close "gaps," if necessary.
Making mistakes is a necessary steppingstone to learning. Geoff Petty suggests a fast-paced self-assessment technique that lightens the mood in every classroom: Every time any student notices that he has made a mistake, he shouts "Hooray." With written work, a silent approach is possible. The teacher sets goals at the beginning of a lesson or for homework. Students then mark their own work against model answers.
Summative assessment is used to measure the learning success of a student or class after a term or year. Teachers test and grade students' skills against the curriculum. This is easier if there is only one right answer, like in math. Subjects like English and literature are harder to assess objectively, and one student's grades can fluctuate greatly depending on the teacher. As grading is inherently competitive, it is not always used any more with young children. In preschool, teachers resort to written reports about pupils' behavior for summative assessment.