Which type of assessment is primarily used for making instructional adjustments?

Formative assessment is primarily used for making instructional adjustments because it takes place during the learning process and provides immediate feedback. This type of assessment allows educators to gather insights into student understanding and progress as the instruction occurs. By regularly assessing students’ grasp of the material, teachers can identify areas where students are struggling and adjust their teaching strategies accordingly, whether through modifying lessons, providing additional resources, or offering targeted interventions.

The focus of formative assessment is on improving student learning and instructional effectiveness rather than measuring the overall achievement at the end of an instructional period, which characterizes summative assessment. While diagnostic assessments can guide instruction at the beginning of a learning period, they are not conducted continuously throughout the instruction. Norm-referenced assessments compare a student's performance against a larger population and do not specifically inform teaching adjustments for individual students. Thus, the key role of formative assessment in informing and shaping ongoing instruction makes it the best choice for this question.