Impacts of Formative Assessment on EFL Students’ Academic Performance at Kandahar University

This study investigated the implementation of formative assessment and its impacts on EFL students’ academic performance at Kandahar University. The study is descriptive in nature; quantitative questionnaire was used to collect data from one hundred and fifty EFL students at all four levels selected through random sampling method. The collected data was analyzed by using IBM 24 version of SPSS and results are reported in tables by showing means, standard deviation, percentage and frequency. The major findings revealed that teachers are using formative assessment as part of their plan, allocating time for peer feedback, methods and tools of assessment teachers are using are group work, assignment, homework, presentation, project work which had positive impacts on students’ academic performance and improved final exam grades. Study also disclosed that teachers are valuing more summative assessment than formative, some important methods of assessment are ignored by teachers aversively affected their lower performance.


Introduction
In recent years, rapid development of technology and the growing unemployment rate around the world has led many universities to bring changes in various areas of their teaching and learning. These shifts of changes can be experienced in class structures, technology enabling learning, curriculum, teaching methodology from teacher-centered to student-centered to the new active learning methods students-centered learning, problem based learning and outcome based learning have taken place of traditional methods in order to produce graduates based on market demands of twenty-first century. Assessment is also the part of these quick variations which has changed parallel with them from traditional end process summative assessment into formative assessment. As teaching assessment and learning is inseparable activities, it is the only promise of any quality institutions to surprise their students with enough assessment during their careers. These can be either in the form of summative taken at the end of the course, program, week, month and semester or formative taken during course, semester, program, instruction, study period or prior to course, program or instruction. The latter type is the prime focus of this paper. As it infers from its name, formative assessment's main concern is improvement rather than consisting marks, which is very essential for students' career development. It is often called on-going or assessment for learning. As the name suggests, it is used for learning process and change the learning process in order to achieve better results (Wiesnerová, 2012).
Obviously, formative assessment can be done any time and is not time bound. As a chef can test his/her dish anytime and bring changes for making it more delicious. He/she sometimes wants to add or decrease some ingredients (salt, basil, oil, paper or water) before it is ready for guest or customer to test it. Assessment can be done as diagnostic, formative and summative assessment; the diagnostic assessment can be done to recognize areas of the students' needs, or gaps in their understanding (Dandekar, 2015). Therefore, the act of measuring the weight of child to find out the development in child's growth or weight increase after specific amount of time, does not help child's growth or development. What matters and helped the child growth and development was the food and other nutrition child has received before the act of measuring. In the same way taking into consideration summative assessment as end process does not help with students' progress in their academic performance but what helps them is formative assessment.
In this type of assessment students are receiving feedback from their teachers and it is used to assess course, instruction, program, individual during or prior; its beginning in order to bring changes or adopt them each accordingly. As well as, formative assessment is used as an instrument to declare whether the learning goals have been achieved by the learners or whether further intensive learning enhancement should be made (Widiastuti & Saukah, 2017). Thus, on-going assessment helps in accomplishing the intended outcomes by any levels at respected universities. Consequently, it can be defined as assessment for learning and not as assessment of learning (Ruiz-Primo & Furtak, 2007). Garrison & Ehringhaus (2007) argue that formative assessment happens during the instructional process, and its primary purpose is to provide the necessary details to modify teaching and learning. Whereas, summative assessment or assessment of learning is used to make final judgment on what students know and do not know. Assessment of learning is meant to make decisions on students' academic performance including pass/fail. It determines whether the goals of education are being achieved or not. It is typically formal in nature and performed at the end of the course or learning module (Das, Alsalhanie, Nauhria, Joshi, Khan & Surender, 2017). As well as, the information that is obtained through formative assessment give teachers chance to change, improve, enhance, or accelerate the topic what he or she is currently teaching to better meet student needs (Nicol & Macfarlane-Dick, 2006;Herman, Osmundson, Ayala, Schneider & Timms, 2006). Formative assessment is a process in which teachers and students provide feedback during instruction to organize the learning and teaching process in order to increase students' achievement (McManus, 2008).
Despite, formative assessment playing major roles in pupils' academic performance and learning process and the current policy of Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) emphasizes and supports both formative and summative assessment to be applied in public and private universities. Majority of the teachers at Kandahar University specifically, EFL educators are still focusing on summative assessment rather than ongoing assessment which is direct or indirectly effecting EFL students' academic performance. There are still teachers who are using traditional model of assessment as paper and pencil exam and with such model of assessment it's difficult to accomplish the educational goal (Garrison, et al., 2007). According to Noori, Shafie, Mashwani & Tareen (2017) large classes and the limitation of time are the factors that teachers cannot implement assessment for learning in their classrooms. Likewise, Quyen & Khairani (2016) stated that teacher was not allowed to follow any other types of assessment approach that is why he/she only practiced summative assessment in learning process.
Taking into the consideration the importance of formative assessment with only summative format of assessment in universities will cause the students to be unskilled labors for many companies inside home country or the outside the country. From the beginning of the lesson, students are given the responsibility for their own learning, giving each one an opportunity to create their own knowledge of the subject (Ritchhart, Church & Morrison, 2011). Formative assessment assists in investing to eliminate joblessness growing rate which nowadays is serious problem not only in Afghan context but around the world due to the universities are not providing market based demand graduates. It informs teachers about students whether the students have learned and they have an indicator qualification for how the teacher should plan their next lesson in future (Wuest & Fisette, 2012). Moreover, supporters of formative assessment claim that it helps students to develop a deeper understanding of the issue they are studying. It helps create life-long learners and give students the power and skills to begin and analyze their own learning and find ways to improve in an independent environment. It does this by turning the student from a passive learner into an active learner, it gives them an occasion to set their own aims and often monitor their own success (Clark, 2011).
Although formative assessment is playing a crucial role in students' career development, surprisingly limited or no study have been conducted in Afghan context specifically at Kandahar University, to measure current statues of formative assessment or its impacts on academic performances of the students. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate current status of formative assessment's implementation and its effects on academic performance of EFL students. This study would help with the (MoHE) and it is respected universities in exploring the limitations for implementing formative assessment by teachers in their courses and as an effective data in highlighting impacts and importance of formative assessment. This would also benefit students in universities to understand its value and not to miss these ongoing assessments' due dates. In addition, it would aid lecturers at public and private universities in using various types of assessment for ensuring themselves that the desired outcomes at different levels have been achieved.

Objectives of the Research
 To investigate the current status of formative assessment's implementation in EFL students' classes at Kandahar University.  To investigate impacts of formative assessment on EFL students' academic performance at Kandahar University.

Research Questions
 What is the current status of formative assessment's implementation in EFL Students' classes at Kandahar University?  What are the impacts of formative assessment on EFL students' academic performance at Kandahar University?
4. Literature Review 4.1 Implementation of Formative Assessment Noori, et al., (2017) investigated the practices and perceptions of Afghan EFL teachers toward assessment and also to explore the challenges that instructors encounter in the usage of assessment for learning in their classes in Afghan context. The findings showed that instructors preserved positive perceptions toward formative assessment and favored it over final exam. The study further illustrated that instructors use summative assessments more than assessments for learning in their classrooms. In addition, a study was conducted by Taylor (2017) to investigate formative assessment usage in English language acquisition in an upper secondary schools. Its findings revealed from five teachers that have been observed only one teacher's entire classroom practice was formative, three teachers conducted several separate activities, and one teacher did not use formative assessment at all. Similarly, research conducted by Jasparro & Burns (2010) in Johnsan and Wales University in order to find out the implementation of formative assessment strategies perceived by high school students and teachers. The findings showed teachers plan their formative assessment ahead of time and repeatedly modify their instruction based on students' feedback. Furthermore, more than half of the teachers were often used rubrics and they scheduled class time for students to revise their work. There were low rates of implementation of providing students time for student peer assessment. Similarly, 56% of teachers preferred summative assessments instead of assessment. The study further indicated that only one formative assessment strategies were implemented in high levels to use rubrics. Less time was given to students during the class to revise their work and instructors changed their instructional approach when they did not do well on the quizzes.
Another study conducted by Ruland (2011) to investigate the effects of using formative assessment attributes in daily instruction of student. The finding showed association with daily use of formative assessment attributes and increase in student achievement. The study further suggests the possible reason that learners who receive assessment for learning attributes perform better on summative assessments is due to belief that they can learn academic efficacy and the desire to continue to learn eagerness. Another study conducted to compare the academic outcome of students randomly assigned to an experimental group (formative assessment), to a control group (only final summative examination). The finding of this study demonstrated that the students who participated in on-going assessment obtained better examination results in summative assessment than the ones who did not. This study also found some students who participated in formative assessment failed in formative assessment but still they were successful in the final exams (Carrillo-de-la-Pena, Bailles, Caseras, Martínez, Ortet & Pérez, 2009).
Research conducted by Huisman (2018) in Lowa Northwestern College, to examine the impact of formative assessment on students' learning. The finding indicated that formative assessment methods that were used in the classroom had positive impact on students' learning. Also, Espiritu, Shahrill, Perera & Prahmana 2018) conducted a study to explore the formative assessment practices in science education in relation to the improvement of students' learning. The findings revealed that formative assessment was used partially and it was also noted few student-led discussions which significantly strengthened current ongoing assessment practices. The study further suggested that assessment for Learning in science education can be used successfully. Similarly, the practice of formative assessment was studied by Tolley (2016) in the northeastern United States, to examine the formative assessment practices of secondary English language arts teachers who were all teaching the same course within a concurrent enrollment program. The findings revealed that there were statistically significant changes in the practices that the teachers used formative assessment from week to week with their students. The study also demonstrated that teachers' practices assessment for learning in the course.
Similarly, Lord (2013) studied implications of formative assessment in a high school classroom. It was found that teachers were willing to implement new formative assessment techniques to prepare, implement and analyze. It also asserted that only one of the seven teachers provided an explanation of how they would change their instructional techniques. Furthermore, there were teachers who felt formative assessment was something they did naturally in the classrooms which does not require proper planning. As well as, research carried out to discover whether the implementation of more comprehensive approach to formative assessment made a difference to students' summative assessment outcomes or not. The study identified that the choosing of a more comprehensive model of formative assessment increased levels of students' engagement and built a more positive changes in the classroom as well. It was also improved 12th grade final exam marks of students in the subject of mathematics (Stockwell, 2017).
The study conducted by Widiastuti et al., (2017) in Bali, to explore the challenges and opportunities of formative assessment in EFL classes. Three junior high school teachers and three students were involved in research samples. The findings showed that English instructors had different understanding of formative assessment and several strategies of follow up actions. The first teacher had some awareness about the principles and purpose of assessment for learning. The second teacher utilized result of assessment for learning to improve learning; however, she did not have comprehensive understanding about the criteria of it. She was still using daily assessment closed-ended, open-ended questions and question-answer in teaching. The third teacher did not clearly describe her purpose of ongoing assessment meant for learning. She was using closed-ended questions and openended questions, however her only purpose was to enable students successfully pass in final exam. They also found EFL teachers need immediate attention for further intensive training on appropriate usage of ongoing assessment and how to follow up actions should be integrated into classroom practices. Vingsle (2014) conducted a study to investigate activities, knowledge and skills that teachers of mathematics are using in their formative assessment practice during class lessons. his findings revealed that the formative assessment practice was very complex and difficult task for the teachers. He also found that teachers used minute-by-minute formative assessment in order to elicit students identifying their leaning needs. Moreover, Oz (2014) conducted a study to find out teachers' practices of formative assessment in the English EFL classroom. The findings that most of teachers were relied on the conventional methods of assessment (fill in the blank, multiple choice, true-false, matching and short term exams) rather than formative assessment process. Similarly, research carried out by Gioka (2007), to explore the extent to which science teachers use assessment for learning when they teach biology subject in secondary classes. The finding showed that only a few of them implemented elements of assessment for learning in classrooms.

Impacts of Formative Assessment
The purpose of formative assessment is to provide feedback to teachers and students during the course of learning. It helps teachers to fill the gap of the students (Heritage, 2007;Filsecker & Kerres, 2012). Obviously, assessment for learning takes place during the teaching and learning activities and the primary purpose is to help teachers to conduct more appropriate teaching and learning activities in order to enhance the students' learning performance. In this case, it can be summarized that there are two essential purposes of formative assessment: (a) determining and modifying learning activities, and (b) choosing the most appropriate strategies to improve the students' learning performance (Widiastuti et al., 2017). Furthermore, a study conducted by Yin, Shavelson, Ruiz-Primo, Brandon, Furtak & Young (2008) to find out the role of formative assessments in improving students' achievement, motivation, and consequently conceptual change. Their findings showed that formative assessment did not lead to a significant influence on students' achievement, motivation and conceptual changes; however, this stemmed from the difficulty of effective implementation of formative assessment rather than its effectiveness.
A research was conducted to find out the effects of formative assessment practices on students' academic performance, attitudes toward lessons, and self-regulation skills in the fifth-grade social studies class of a secondary school. The findings showed that the experimental group in which the formative assessment practices were performed had a significantly higher academic accomplishment levels and better attitudes toward the class than the students did in the control group. With regard to the students' self-regulation skills, although the formative assessment had a positive effect, no significant difference was found between the experimental and control groups. Based on researchers' observations and interviews conducted with the teacher and students, it was determined that the general view on the application of formative assessment was notably positive. It also found the academic attainments of the students in the experimental group where the formative assessment practices were applied had significantly higher than the ones in the control group where no formative assessment practices were applied (Ozan & Kincal, 2018).
Asking questions in ongoing assessment is essential to obtain details about students' learning and understanding (McMillan, 2014). Teachers plan the implementation or process of formative assessment at the beginning, during or at the end of a unit (Ruiz-Primo et al., 2007). Teachers can spend one-third of their teaching time asking questions from the students in classroom (Moss & Brookhart, 2009). Additionally, formative assessment can be characterized as follows: (a) It is an assessment carried out by teachers on a daily basis during the teaching and learning process; (b) it provides feedback for the instructors to do immediate revision; and (c) it purposes to modify teaching and learning activities in order to improve students' learning accomplishment. In line with the objectives of instructional processes, consequently, most of the classroom assessment is formative because it allows teachers to consider what improvement should be made immediately which will give significant learning impacts for the students in achieving the learning objectives completely (Decristan, Klieme, Kunter, Hochweber, Buttner, Fauath & Hardy, 2015;Dunn & Mulvenon, 2009).
A study conducted by Mehmood, Hussain, Khalid & Azam (2012) to identify effects of formative assessment on academic achievement of secondary school students. Their findings demonstrated that formative assessment had positive effects on students' achievements. The study further illustrated that the students who assessed by formative assessment had significantly high score than those who were not assessed. As well, Cauley & McMillan (2010) studied the formative assessment techniques that support student motivation and achievement. Findings revealed that each of the techniques can improve student motivation as well as achievements. The study further indicated that assessment for learning have a powerful effect on student motivation and performance. Moreover, research conducted by Iqbal & Anjum (2017) to find out the effects of assessment for learning on academic achievement of elementary school students in the subject of social studies. Their findings revealed that formative assessment had positive effects on students' accomplishment.
Similarly, Eremina & Reginald (2016) have investigated influence of assessment for learning on biology academic performance on senior secondary students. This study revealed that formative assessment strategies effectively improved biology accomplishment of students' and their academic performance was enhanced by the following ongoing assessment strategies: use of questioning, comment only marking and self/peer assessment. they also found formative assessment has significant impact on academic performance of students. Research carried out by Kline (2013) to find the effects of assessment for learning on middle school students' accomplishment. Findings of this study revealed that formative assessment has positive impact on students' performance in mathematics and reading. Moreover, Doffermyre (2016) conducted a research, to investigate the use of assessment for learning and the resulting data to drive instruction in the classroom. The findings showed that the use formative assessment increases the performance of students. Moyosore (2015) carried out an experimental research to explore the effects of formative assessment on learners' achievement in secondary mathematics students. his findings showed strong significant differences in mean achievement score o f mathematics students exposed to formative assessment strategies also there was no gender difference in achievement scores of mathematics students exposed to formative assessment. Research conducted to find the impact of formative assessment on EFL learners' vocabulary enhancement. The findings revealed that formative assessment had positive influence on the learners' vocabulary enhancement. It also indicated that formative assessment contributed to students' vocabulary enhancement and helped them to become actively involved in their learning process (Torosyan, 2014). In addition, Chemeli (2019) studied the effects of five key assessments for learning strategies on students' performance in mathematics instruction in secondary school. The findings asserted that there was positive impact on students' accomplishment. The study further suggested educators' workload, raised students' attitudes, and interest. These also improved the students' critical thinking, and educators and learners' enjoyed from the using (FAS). The study further indicated that the use (FAS) improve acquisition of problem solving skills (increased students' motivation, teamwork, participation, response to questions, and the capability to provide reason for something).
A study conducted by Kiplagat (2016) to determine the effects of formative assessment classroom teaching strategy (FACTS) on mathematics academic achievement among primary school learners. The findings demonstrated that there was significant impact of (FACTS) on pupils' mathematics academic achievement. The study further concluded that formative assessment classroom teaching strategy improved achievement in primary school mathematics. Finally, research conducted by Peterson & Siadat (2009) in Chicago to examine the influence of the implementation of formative assessment on student achievement in elementary algebra classes. It was found that after approximately four months the students who were regularly assessed with weekly quizzes achieved significantly higher scores on the final examinations than the students whose instruction did not include formative assessment at all.

Methodology
This study is descriptive in nature which quantitative questionnaire is used to measure the current status of formative assessment's implementation and its effects on EFL students' academic performance at Kandahar University. The participants were 150 EFL students mainly from two faculties, Education and Languages and Literature, English Departments. They were selected by the use of random sampling method. The adopted and adapted process was in selection of some questions for instrument from the study of Asefa's (2015). Its reliability was checked for and had good result of 0.6 Cornbach's Alpha. The data was analyzed by using IBM 24 version of SPSS and found out the frequency, percentage; mean and standard deviation which are presented in tables.

Findings
Findings of the study revealed the current status of formative assessment's implementation and its impacts on EFL Students' academic performance.  Table 2. Indicates the current status of formative assessment's implementation in EFL classes. (M is representing =Mean and SD representing= Standard Deviation). The entire items had the mean scores between in the range of 2.38 to 3.25. Three items which got the highest ratings: the first one is students responses on their teachers are using assessment for learning as a part of their lesson plan with (M=3.25, SD=1.00). Similarly, the second item that got the high mean score is participants responses on their teachers are giving them time for peer assessment which (M=3.13, SD=1.20). The last item which got higher rating is participants' responses that their teachers are valuing more final then continues assessment with (M=3.02, SD=1.18). Respondents with mean score (M=2.99, and SD=1.25) reported that their teachers rarely use formative assessment.
In addition to that (M=2.95, SD=1.26) students reported that their teachers use the assessment results for positive wash back effects of their teaching methods adoption accordingly. The finding also suggests with means score of (M=2.95, and SD=.92) that some teachers do not use ongoing assessment completely during the teaching. Result indicate that with mean score (M=2.70, and SD=1.38) students responded that their teachers are using questions and answer method of assessment at the end of lessons. Students with (M=2.68, SD=1.07) have reported that their teachers rarely use formative assessment in their teaching. Finally, M=2.38, SD=1.23) of the respondents reported that their teachers are not implementing assessment for learning at all.  Table 3. Asserts types of assessment EFL teachers are using in their courses. Group work is the most common assessment method according to 74.7% of the respondents, for 66% of the respondents' assignment, homework for 59.3%, presentation for 50%, project work for 22.7%, closed-ended questions for 11.3%, open-ended questions for 9.3%, weekly quizzes for 7.3%, portfolio for 6.7% for 1.3% of respondents as a common assessments method by their teachers in their courses.
What are the effects of formative assessment on EFL students' academic performance at Kandahar University?   Table 4. Illustrates the impacts of formative assessment on students' academic performance. All the items had the mean scores between the ranges of two to three. Two items which got the highest ranking. The first one students with mean score (M=3.14, SD=.84) have responded that formative assessment has increased their academic performance. The second item with higher mean is (M=3.03, SD=.82) which students have agreed that formative assessment had positive effect on their final exam result. The following items show the lower mean scores compared to the above items. The responses of (M=2.95, SD=.82) respondents indicates that the questions and answer techniques of teachers prior to the class beginning and at the end of the lesson does not help students to come prepared for their classes. In addition to that, students ' (M=2.90,SD=.92) indicates that students being assigned for reading new lessons do not affect their activeness in the classes. Beside that (M=2.90, SD=.84) students responds that teachers' assigning students in activities during the class did not help students to be active in the classes. Participants' responses of (M=2.89, SD=.76) shows that teachers' assessment of previous lesson does not affect them to review their previously learned materials.
Additionally, the students' responses toward item 14 (M=2.88, SD=.81) indicates that 'Teachers' positive reinforcement did not motivated students do their best' got the lowest mea. Similarly, students' responses toward item 12 (M=2.87, SD=.81) indicates that 'teachers' use of assessment for learning did not help students in discovering their strength and weakness in order to work accordingly'. Students' response to the item 18 (M=2.80, SD=.90) indicates 'the questions at the end of lessons by teachers did not help students have active class discussion'. Furthermore, students' responses (M=2.77, SD=.86) toward item 17 indicates that 'teachers' assessing at the end of lesson did not help students in effective note taking and as well day to day lesson summarization'. Finally, students' (M=2.73, SD=.77) responses regarding item 19 indicates that 'teachers' assigning students to write reflection did not help them avoid misconception in learned points through teacher's feedback.

Discussion
The findings of current study show that EFL teachers have used formative assessment as a part of their lesson plans (M=3.25, SD=1.00). It means that lecturers are using on-going assessment as a part of their lesson plan. The similar findings also suggested by Jasparro, et al., (2010) that teachers plan their formative assessment ahead of time and repeatedly modify their instruction based on students' feedback and according to Lord (2013) there were teachers who felt that formative assessment was something they did naturally in the classroom. As well as, Noori, et al., (2017) that teachers had positive perception toward formative assessment. Moreover, the finding of this study also indicated that some of the educators provide time and encourage learners for peer feedback (M=3.13, SD=1.20) which is opposite with the study conducted by Jasparro, et al., (2010) whose study demonstrated that there is little time provided for peer assessment. On the other hand, the study also revealed that (M=3.02, SD=1.18) teachers are mostly favored summative assessment rather than formative assessment which is aligned with finding of Jasparro, et al., (2010) who found that 56% of teachers preferred summative assessment such as common end course assessment. Furthermore, this finding further supported by Oz (2014) that most of teachers were relied on the conventional methods of assessment (fill in the blank, multiple choice, true-false, matching and short term exams) rather than formative assessment process.
Similarly, the study also found that the use of formative assessment increased and effected academic performances of the students (M=3.14, SD=.84) and (M=3.03, SD=.82) the use of assessment for learning improve and effects students' performance. This is in harmony with (Ruland, 2011;Doffermyre, 2016) that assessment for learning increases the academic performance of pupils. This finding further supported by Stockwell (2017) that choosing a more comprehensive model of formative assessment increased levels of students' engagement and built a more positive classroom (brought changes in the classroom as well). In addition, this finding is also in the line with the (Ozan, et al., 2018;Mehmmod, et al., 2012;Peterson, et al., 2009) that experimental group in which the formative assessment practices were performed had a significantly higher academic performance levels (high score) and better attitudes toward the class than the students did in the control group. These findings can be more supported by Carrillo-de-la-Pena, et al., (2009) that students who participated in formative assessment obtained better examination results in summative assessment than the ones who did not. The findings of (Iqbal, et al., 2017;Eremina, et al., 2016;Kiplagat, 2016;Kline, 2013;Cauley, 2010;Mehmood et al., 2012) studies show that assessment for learning have powerful, significant and positive effects on students' motivation and performance. Although, this result is differed with result found by Yin et al., (2008) that formative assessment did not lead to a significant influence on students' performance. Though, teachers are using various types of formative assessments in EFL courses. such as: group work 74.7% assignment 66.0%, homework 59.3%, presentation 50.0%, project work 22.7% there are still some areas EFL teachers should consider increasing various types of assessment which directly affect the academic performance of their students. As well as, Stockwell (2017) have the same concern for choosing the more comprehensive model of assessment increase the level of students' engagement and built more positive change in the classroom. Furthermore, Widiastuti, et al., (2017) also suggested that appropriate assessment for learning and ways to follow up actions should be integrated in the classroom practices.
Similar problem can be seen in this context as well. As result shows for the types of assessment their teachers are using only 9.3% respondents said they are using open-ended question and 11.3% said they are using closed-ended questions. Results discovered with (M=2.95, and SD=.82) that questions and answers techniques used by teachers at end of lesson and prior to class begin did not help them to come prepared for their classes whereas many researchers emphasized on the importance of asking questions for its improving students' understanding (McMillan 2014;Ruiz, et al., 2007;Moss et al., 2009). Only 7.3% of the respondents reported they have weekly quizzes that is how (M=2.90. SD=92) reported they are not active in classes and also they are not active in classroom activities in which they are assigned by the teachers. Therefore, it can be inferred that teachers are not much focusing active learning in which required classroom activities. In addition, the result also indicates that teachers' assessments of previous lesson did not assist them to review previously learned lessons which can be inferred from 9.3% weekly quizzes that instructors are not taking seriously review of previously learned materials which are considered very crucial for students to connect new lessons with their previous experiences. Result displays that teachers' positive reinforcement did not help students in doing their best. Moreover, similar findings also revealed in the study by Yin et al., (2008) where they found formative assessment did not lead to a significant influence on students' performance, motivation or conceptual changes.
Obviously, as one of the purpose of assessment for learning is that students learned about their strength and weakness in order to work accordingly where teachers' role is significant because in the studies of (Heritage, 2007;Filsecker et al., 2012) reported that the aim of formative assessment is to provide feedback to teachers, students during the course of learning in order to fill the gap of the pupils. Thus, the study disclose that learners have trouble in these areas and it is very essential for EFL teachers to work with students understand their strength and weakness so that they could work accordingly. Additionally, result also specifies that students are not taking note, which effective note taking is very important during lecture, group or class discussion and that maybe because on-going assessment is not used accordingly at the end of the class. As well, choosing the most appropriate strategies, can improve the students learning performance (Widiastuti, et al., 2017). The result also confirms this problem which only 9.3% respondents said their teacher used open-ended question as types of formative assessment. As the result indicated more that instructors used formative assessment as a part of their course plan yet students had misconception about learned lesson after the class. The result of this study more indicated (M=2.73, SD=77) that teachers assigning students to write did not avoid their misconception in learned points through teachers' feedback. It's either they are not given feedback or students are careless about this vital points.

Conclusion
The findings of this study asserted that teachers are using assessment as a part of their lesson plan and they also allocate time for students for peer assessment among themselves. However, the study also showed that teachers preferred more summative assessment than formative assessment. It also has been discovered that formative assessment had positive impacts on the academic performance of the students. Thus, the teachers are using various tools of formative assessment, but there are many types of formative assessment instruments which have been either ignored or limited used such as students' reflection, quizzes, asking questions and many more that's how learners' academic performance in active participation in classes, being prepared for new classes, effective note taking, summarizing results and avoiding misconceptions in their lessons did not improve.