In this commentary, we build on Xinying Yin and Gayle Buck's discussion by exploring the cultural practices which are integral to formative assessment, when it is viewed as a sociocultural practice. First we discuss the role of assessment and in particular oral and written formative assessments in both western and Samoan cultures, building on the account of assessment practices in the Chinese culture given by Yin and Buck. Secondly, we document the cultural practice of silence in Samoan classroom's which has lead to the use of written formative assessment as in the Yin and Buck article. We also discuss the use of written formative assessment as a scaffold for teacher development for formative assessment. Finally, we briefly discuss both studies on formative assessment as a sociocultural practice.