Teacher Formative Evaluative Practices and Academic Performance in Primary School Students

Abstract

The scientific literature has identified evaluative practice as the main driver of learning in schoolchildren. The aim of the study was to analyse the relationship between students' perception of the formative assessment practices of Mathematics and Language teachers and their academic performance. In this descriptive cross-sectional study of 133 schoolchildren, the teacher's formative assessment practices were assessed by means of the teacher performance questionnaire associated with formative assessment practices. Academic performance was calculated through the grades obtained in Mathematics and Language. After adjusting for gender and age, significant differences were observed in proactive, interactive, retrospective and global formative assessment (p<0,05). Lower scores in Language were positively correlated adjusting for and, without adjusting for gender and age, with summative formative assessment (p<0,05). Similarly, the linear regression test showed an association between lower language scores and higher summative formative assessment (R2=0,414). Based on these results, students' perception of teachers' evaluative practice may be related to their academic performance in Mathematics and Language in primary school students, especially summative assessment.