When should ongoing checking for understanding occur?

When should ongoing checking for understanding occur?

• A. Only at the end of the lesson.
• B. Throughout the lesson.
• C. Only during independent practice.
• D. Only during guided practice.

Answer: (B)

Continuous checks during the lesson are formative assessments in action. By monitoring understanding as you teach, you can see who’s grasping the new idea, who’s stuck, and what parts may need reexplaining or a quick model. This allows you to adjust pacing, provide targeted supports, and address misconceptions right away, helping students stay on track and build understanding step by step. If you wait until the end to check, misconceptions may have solidified and you miss the chance to correct them when they first appear. Limiting checks to independent practice or only to guided practice misses important moments of understanding during initial instruction, so you don’t have the full picture of how students are learning as you present new ideas. Continuous checks keep the lesson responsive and help all students move forward.

Continuous checks during the lesson are formative assessments in action. By monitoring understanding as you teach, you can see who’s grasping the new idea, who’s stuck, and what parts may need reexplaining or a quick model. This allows you to adjust pacing, provide targeted supports, and address misconceptions right away, helping students stay on track and build understanding step by step.

If you wait until the end to check, misconceptions may have solidified and you miss the chance to correct them when they first appear. Limiting checks to independent practice or only to guided practice misses important moments of understanding during initial instruction, so you don’t have the full picture of how students are learning as you present new ideas. Continuous checks keep the lesson responsive and help all students move forward.