The premise of this book is that the primary purpose of classroom assessment is to inform teaching and improve learning, not to sort and select students or to justify a grade. The common principles of effective assessment are covered, and the strengths and limitations of a variety of effective approaches are reviewed. Vignettes illustrate classroom assessment in action, and guiding questions and a framework for planning classroom assessments supplement each discussion. The following chapters are included: (1) "Ongoing Assessment of Student Learning"; (2) "Large-Scale versus Classroom Assessment"; (3) "Effective Classroom Assessment"; (4) "Assessment Approaches and Methods"; (5) "Evaluation Methods and Rules"; and (6) "Communication and Feedback Methods." A glossary is included. (Contains 23 references.) (SLD)