What type of evaluation occurs before or during a lesson to help assess student needs?

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The type of evaluation that occurs before or during a lesson to help assess student needs is known as formative measurement. This approach focuses on gathering information to understand where students are in their learning process and what support they may need to succeed. Formative assessments are typically ongoing and can include quizzes, observations, discussions, and feedback during the instruction. This real-time insight allows instructors to adjust their teaching strategies to better meet the individual needs of their students, ensuring that learning objectives are being met effectively.

In contrast, summative measurement is typically applied after instruction to evaluate student learning and assess overall achievement. Diagnostic assessment is used to identify students' strengths and weaknesses before instruction begins, while comparative assessment often involves evaluating students against each other or against a standard, which does not focus on immediate instructional needs.