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Since many students have difficulties in extensive reading, such as lack of reading skills, negative attitudes towards reading and poor ability to take on independent learning, the implementation of formative assessment is proposed in this thesis to improve students’ reading skills, motivate their interest and confidence, increase their cooperative awareness, develop their independent learning ability and furthermore to improve their performance in tests.This experimental research is conducted in Xinhua College of Ningxia University. The participants are 64 English majors who are at similar English level from two classes. The two classes are divided into experimental group (EG) and controlled group (CG). Formative assessment is adopted in EG and summative assessment in CG The methods of data collection are observation, questionnaires, interviews, portfolios, self-assessment and peer assessment. The process of research is divided into four steps. Firstly, the students’ difficulties in extensive reading are diagnosed. Then, the research objectives are established based on students’ difficulties. Thirdly, formative assessment is carried out. At last, an overall evaluation is made according to the process and results of the research.After a semester long data collection and analysis, it is found that most students in EG gradually motivate their interest and confidence, increase their cooperation with both teachers and students. Meanwhile, they develop their independent learning ability and make progress in reading skills and vocabulary learning. However, post-test shows that although students have made some progress, it is too limited to make significant difference from CG students from a statistical perspective. This result may be explained as follows: Firstly, the development of students’ independent learning ability and their progress in reading is a developmental process which takes time; hence, it is hard to have qualitative change within a short time. Secondly, few students hold negative attitudes towards formative assessment, so they do not concentrate on the alternative assessment. Thirdly, changes of students’ moods and school affairs have influence on the effect of formative assessment. Besides, there are limitations in the research, for example, the duration of formative assessment, size of the sample, the analysis of data and the coverage of research,etc..The implementation of formative assessment provides a new approach for the solutions to students’ reading problems, expands the present practice and offers new directions for future research, for example, the exploration of the practice of formative assessment in writing and speaking or for the non-English majors. At last, through the reflection on the research, four suggestions are put forward for the development of formative assessment in colleges. At first, more attention should be paid to case study on application of formative assessment in colleges. Secondly, structural reform needs to be done in colleges. For example, formative assessment is adopted for freshmen and sophomores. Thirdly, the collaborative spirit among teachers should be suggested. Fourthly, two "trinities" should be achieved at the same time. The former refers to teaching, learning and assessment in class and the latter means diagnostic assessment, formative assessment and summative assessment.
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