Kommunikation kring elevens förkunskap som en del av den formativa bedömningen

Communicating pupils´ prior understanding and knowledge is essential when you look upon learning from a constructivist point of view. Formative assessment is an important factor influencing learningand making learning visible for the pupil and the teacher. This qualitative study focuses on how primary school teachers look upon communicating the pupils´ prior understanding and knowledge in the science subjects. The main aim of the study is to clarify class-teachers´ perceptions of communication about pupils´ prior knowledge according to the extent and the form. The semi-structured interviews were conducted in spring 2012. The teachers´ perceptions of communication about the pupils´ prior knowledge can as a result from this study be categorized into four different categories: 1. A structured control considering both the students and the teacher’s awareness. 2. A discussion about the upcoming theme. 3. The teacher feels that he or she is aware of the knowledge level without communication. 4. Avoidance of discussion and control because the teacher feels unsecure about his or her own subject knowledge. The research implies that because teaching science in very heterogeneous classes can be challenging the teachers seem to need more knowledge about how to improve the quality of formative assessment. Further, they need more knowledge about what benefits you as a teacher and the pupils get from using formative assessment.