This article aims to reshape the prevailing negative perception of assessment into one of a positive and powerful tool to guide learning, teaching and advocacy. Emphasis is placed on the importance of becoming assessment-literate, developing a balanced assessment system, using assessment results to motivate learners and mold instruction, and sharing data to inform stakeholders and advocate for language learning. Key to this new perspective is the recognition that daily classroom activities can be formative assessments in and of themselves. They have the potential, through systematic feedback and the use of reflective learning tools, like LinguaFolio, for guiding students to monitor and map their own learning. [Note: The volume number (v11) shown on this PDF is incorrect. The correct volume number is v12.]