How to Use Formative Assessment to Encourage Critical Thinking Skills

25 November 2025

Let’s be honest—teaching students to think critically isn’t always a walk in the park. Between tight schedules, curriculum demands, and a wide range of learning styles in every classroom, educators have a lot on their plates. But here’s the good news: one of the most powerful tools you already have in your teaching toolbox is formative assessment.

Yep, you read that right.

Formative assessment isn’t just about checking for understanding or collecting a few exit tickets at the end of a lesson. When used intentionally, it can be a game-changer for stirring up rich, deep, and meaningful thinking in your students. Critical thinking, at its core, is about asking questions, making connections, evaluating evidence—and formative assessment gives students the space and practice to do just that.

So, buckle up! We’re about to walk through how you can use formative assessment to spark critical thinking in your students in ways that feel natural, engaging, and totally doable.

What is Formative Assessment, Really?

Let’s clear up a common misconception: formative assessment is not a fancy word for quizzes or tests. It’s actually way cooler than that.

Think of formative assessment as a conversation between you and your students. It’s informal, ongoing, and happens during the learning process—not after. It’s how you find out what students know, what they’re confused about, and how they’re thinking through a topic right now, not two weeks later when a unit test shows up.

It includes:

- Observations during group work
- Class discussions
- Quick-write prompts
- Exit tickets
- Think-pair-share exercises
- Graphic organizers
- Peer reviews
- Digital tools like Kahoot, Padlet, or Google Forms

Formative assessment isn’t one-size-fits-all. And that’s exactly what makes it perfect for building critical thinking. You can tailor it on the fly based on what your students need.

Okay, So What Is Critical Thinking?

Before we dive deeper, let’s just get on the same page about what critical thinking really means.

Critical thinking is all about:

- Analyzing information
- Evaluating arguments
- Making inferences and drawing conclusions
- Solving problems creatively
- Reflecting on one's own thinking

It’s not just memorizing facts or repeating what the teacher said—it’s students making sense of information, challenging ideas, and forming their own well-supported opinions. Sounds ideal, right?

But here’s the thing: students don’t usually wake up with these skills fully formed. They need space, time, and (you guessed it!) formative assessment to build and refine them.

Why Formative Assessment is a Perfect Match for Critical Thinking

The beauty of formative assessment lies in its flexibility. It doesn’t just serve one purpose—it adapts based on your goals. When the goal is nurturing critical thinkers, formative assessments can help in a few key ways:

1. It Gives Instant Feedback (And That’s a Big Deal)

Imagine trying to learn to drive by taking a test once a month. That would be a disaster, right? You need feedback while you're driving—"Hey, you’re too close to the curb," or "Try slowing down a bit here."

Same goes for thinking skills. Students need real-time feedback to understand whether their thinking is going in the right direction or veering off-course.

With formative assessment, you can step in with that gentle nudge or probing question that helps them rethink an assumption or dive deeper into their analysis.

2. It Shifts the Focus From “Right Answers” to “Right Thinking”

One major hurdle in developing critical thinking? The fear of being wrong.

When assessments only reward correct answers, students learn to play it safe. But formative assessments—especially the low-stakes kind—create room for trial, error, and growth. They send the message that how you think matters just as much (if not more) as what you think.

3. It Builds a Culture of Reflection

When you embed reflection into your formative assessments—like asking students to explain their reasoning, argue both sides of an issue, or consider what they might do differently next time—you’re developing metacognition.

That’s just a fancy word for thinking about your thinking. And it’s one of the cornerstones of critical thinking.

Simple & Effective Formative Assessment Strategies That Boost Critical Thinking

You don’t need to overhaul your lessons or add more to your already full plate. Many strategies you’re already using can be tweaked just a bit to dial up the critical thinking. Here are a few of our favorites:

1. Think-Pair-Share (With a Twist)

This classic strategy gets a brain-boosting upgrade when you add a layer of complexity. Ask open-ended questions that require thinking:

- “What evidence supports this claim, and what contradicts it?”
- “Can you come up with an alternative explanation?”
- “How does this idea connect to real-life situations?”

After students pair up and share, ask a few to summarize their partner’s thinking. Boom—now we’re not just thinking critically; we’re listening critically too.

2. The Socratic Seminar

Nothing grows critical thinkers like structured dialogue. In a Socratic Seminar, students lead the conversation around a central question or piece of text. Your role? Ask clarifying or probing questions as needed, but let the students take the wheel.

Have students assess each other’s reasoning using a simple rubric. “Did they support their opinion with evidence?” “Did they respond respectfully to different viewpoints?” That’s formative assessment in action.

3. Concept Mapping

This strategy hits multiple thinking targets at once. By connecting ideas visually, students have to:

- Reflect on what they know
- Clarify relationships between concepts
- Identify gaps in understanding

Have students revise their maps as new ideas are introduced. It’s a living document that shows how their thinking evolves over time.

4. Exit Slips With Depth

Forget “What did you learn today?” and try:

- “What was the most confusing part of today’s lesson and why?”
- “If you had to teach this to someone else, what would you focus on first?”
- “What’s a real-world application of today’s concept?”

These types of prompts push students to analyze, evaluate, and reflect rather than just recall.

5. Peer Evaluation

When students give thoughtful feedback to each other, two magical things happen. First, they think critically about what “good work” looks like. And second, they practice empathy and collaboration—two soft skills that strengthen logical reasoning and open-mindedness.

Use a simple, student-friendly rubric. Guide discussions around feedback. Keep it constructive.

6. Quick Writes and Journaling

Reflection is the brain’s secret sauce. Giving students even five minutes to write about a provocative question can open the door to massive shifts in thinking.

Try prompts like:

- “What surprised you today and why?”
- “What’s something you disagreed with, and how would you argue your position?”
- “What’s the most important question we didn’t ask?”

These aren’t just warm-and-fuzzies—they’re targeted thinking workouts.

Making Formative Assessment Work in Your Classroom

Here’s where the rubber meets the road. How do you actually make all this happen in a busy classroom?

Let’s talk tips.

1. Start Small

Pick one or two strategies that feel manageable. Maybe you try concept maps every Friday, or add one critical-thinking question to your exit tickets. Small moves lead to big gains.

2. Be Transparent

Let students in on the “why.” Tell them, “This activity helps you practice analyzing and questioning information—skills that will make you a stronger writer, debater, and problem-solver.”

They’ll be more likely to buy in when they understand the purpose.

3. Give Time to Think

Fast answers don’t equal deep thinking. Build in wait time. Let students stew over an idea, talk it out, or revisit it the next day. Sometimes the best insights come after a little mental marinating.

4. Embrace Mistakes as Learning Moments

When students mess up or go off track, use it as a springboard. Ask, “What led you to that conclusion?” or “How did you check your assumptions?” This affirms the process of thinking—even when the product isn't perfect.

5. Make It Ongoing

Critical thinking isn’t a one-and-done skill. Keep the momentum going with regular, intentional formative assessments. Track growth over time and celebrate progress.

The Long Game: Building Thinkers for Life

Here’s what it all comes down to: when you use formative assessment to nurture critical thinking, you're not just helping students ace a test or complete a project. You’re equipping them with lifelong skills.

You’re helping them become curious, capable, and courageous thinkers—people who challenge assumptions, ask smart questions, and approach problems with a sense of purpose.

And that, friend, is no small thing.

So the next time you’re planning a lesson, think beyond the content. Think about what kinds of thinking you want your students to do—and how you can guide them there one step at a time.

You’ve already got the tools. Now’s the time to use them in ways that truly matter.

Final Thoughts

Formative assessment isn’t just about monitoring progress—it’s about shaping minds. By embedding critical thinking into your everyday teaching toolkit, you give your students something far more valuable than just grades: the ability to think independently, question confidently, and reason deeply.

Start small. Stay consistent. And most importantly—keep the conversations going.

You’ve got this.