The Effect of using Instructional Formative Assessment Strategy Dr. Mohamed Manasra The Effect of using Instructional Formative Assessment Strategy on the Academic Achievement of English Language Learners Abstract This study aimed at identifying the effect of using instructional formative assessment strategy on the academic achievement of first intermediate students in English vocabulary, reading and writing. The study followed the quasi-experimental design with two groups; an experimental group and a control group. The population of the study was all students studying Super Goal 2 textbook in directorate of Makkah .The sample consisted of 56 students in the first intermediate grade, classes A & B, in Salah Al-Deen Al-Ayoubi School. Class A is assigned as a control group and class B as an experimental group. The researcher used an achievement test. The statistical analyses were mean, standard deviation, Cronbach's Alpha, Pearson correlation coefficient and independent T- Test. The findings showed: There were statistical significant differences at ( α ≤ 0.05) between the post-test mean scores of the experimental group and control group in English vocabulary, reading and writing, and at the three domains combined in favor of the experimental group. There was a correlational relationship at ( α ≤ 0.05) between the first intermediate students post achievement test in English vocabulary, reading and writing skills. The study recommended using instructional formative assessment strategy in teaching English language and training English language teachers on using it. Key words : Curriculum Evaluation Strategy, Achievement, English Language. Introduction: Learning English is a prerequisite for preparing people who are armed with perception and knowledge, and capable of dealing with the requirements of the present times. The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has given high priority to teaching English as a foreign language in the intermediate and secondary stages since 1348 H, then in the elementary stage starting with the sixth grade since the academic year 1425-1426 H and starting with the fourth grade since the academic year 1432- 1433 (Alsane'e, 1431 H), Schools were opened in cities and villages, teachers were recruited and trained, curricula were developed and educational facilities were provided. However, the level of some students in the English language is still difficult. This decline is due to many reasons, including teaching methods. Some studies (Al-Zuhairi, 2008; Al-Hamoud, 2009; Al-Qarni, 2009; Al-Mutairi, 2009) indicate that students have a low level of achievement in English due to teaching methods. The reliance on traditional teacher-centered teaching methods may be a cause of students' lack of motivation to learn English and thus lower the level of academic attainment. Therefore, education needs to focus on the methods and teaching strategies that are student -centered, involve students, make them responsible for learning, provide feedback, and increase the motivation of learning, taking into account the individual differences between students. One such strategy is the Formative Assessment Strategy. The Formative Assessments carried out during the implementation of the program and is based on it. Continuously, explore the weaknesses and immediately treat them and the strengths to reinforce them in order to develop the program during its implementation (Abu Jalala, 1420 H. The strategy also aims at raising its effectiveness by meeting a set of conditions, most notably organizing the learning process, stimulating students, and providing feedback on the progress towards the goals and objectives (Makhail, 2012). Formative assessment is an integral part of the teaching-learning process, and is not intended to obtain degrees at the end of a unit or a course (Wiggins, 1998). After reviewing more than 250 studies on the formative assessment, Black and William (1998) reported that the formative assessment improves learning, and that the increase in student achievement was significant. In 2005 (OECD) conducted a study on high schools in Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, Italy, New Zealand, Australia and Scotland and found out that the level of students' achievement was remarkable(Clark, 2010). Kline's study (2013) confirmed a relationship between formative assessment and the improvement of students' achievement in reading and mathematics. Problem of the Study: The intermediate stage Students, in general, suffer from a marked weakness in English. Zella'i (2008) pointed to low levels of achievement in English, and Hamoud (2009) experienced a weakness in English language skills. The researcher noticed, due to his experience in the educational process and met some teachers, a significant weakness of intermediate school students particularly in English. Based on the above, and regarding on what the quasi-experimental studies have reported on the effectiveness of the formative assessment strategy in raising students' academic achievement, Al- thneibat(2008), Al-Ajmy(2012), and Al-Bayati(2013), the researcher conducted this study in an attempt to reveal the effect of using formative assessment strategy on the achievement of first intermediate grade students in English. That's to say, the problem of this study is determined in the following main question: What is the effect of using the formative assessment strategy on the achievement of the first– intermediate grade students in English language in the directorate of Makkah. Hypotheses of the Study: 1. There are no statistically significant differences at ( 5) between the mean of the experimental group and the control group in the post-achievement test in the vocabulary of the English language. 2. There are no statistically significant differences at ( 5) between the mean of the experimental group and the control group in the post-achievement test in English reading skill. 3. There are no statistically significant differences at ( 5) between the mean of the experimental group and the control group in the post-achievement test in the English writing skill. 4. There are no statistically significant differences at ( 5) between the mean of the experimental group the control group in the post-achievement test in English language (total score). 5. There is no correlative relationship at the level of significance ( 5) between the amount of post-achievement in the vocabulary, reading and writing in English language among students in the first intermediate grade. Objective of the study: This study aimed at identifying the effect of using the formative assessment strategy on academic achievement in the vocabulary of English language, reading skill, writing skill and total achievement (vocabulary, reading and writing combined) among the first intermediate grade students in the directorate of Makkah city. Significance of the study 1. Introducing the formative assessment as a strategy of teaching for educational field. 2. To shed light on some of the theoretical frameworks related to the formative assessment strategy, such as the structural theory and the formative assessment, related to English language such as vocabulary, reading and writing. 3. It is a field study which detects the effect of using the formative assessment strategy on the achievement of students in the first intermediate grade in English language in the directorate of Makkah. 4. The results of this study may contribute to drawing the attention of those planning and developing the English language curriculum to the role of the formative assessment strategy in the treatment of poor academic achievement in English language of the students. Limitations of the Study: 1. Objective determinants: This study was limited to the teaching of the second module (What's School Like?), the third module (What Time Do You Get Up?) The Super Goal textbook for the seventh grade, the measurement of academic achievement in the vocabulary of English language, Writing and reading skills. 2. Temporal determinants: The present study was applied in the second semester of the academic year 1437-1438 H 3. Spatial determinants: This study was applied in the intermediate schools of Makkah city. 4. Human Determinants: The sample of the study consisted of 56 students from the seventh grade of Salah Al-Deen Al-Ayoubi intermediate school of Makkah directorate. Definition of Terms: The study covers the following terms: Effect: Ibrahim (2009) defined the effect as "the ability of the subject of the study to achieve a positive result" p.30. The researcher adopts the procedural definition of Al- Harbi(2002) as a "the amount of differences between the experimental and control groups after the tests'' p.10. Strategy: Zaitoun (2001) defined the strategy as "the planned learning method followed by the teacher within or outside the classroom to teach the content of a particular subject to achieve predetermined goals" p.4. The researcher defines the strategy as a series of steps taken by the teacher in the classroom, which aims to provide the scientific material for students and achieve specific predetermined goals. Formative Assessment: CCSSO defined the formative assessment: as "a process used by teachers and students to obtain feedback in the teaching- learning path to improve student achievement of teaching objectives", (McManus, 2008, p.3). The researcher defines it as the assessment procedures carried out by the teacher and the students during the lesson, which aimed at evaluating each educational task, and giving feedback to the teacher and students on the extent to which the objectives were achieved. The researcher defines the instructional formative assessment strategy as the teaching procedures applied by the researcher to the students of the experimental group, which included the identification of the previous information of the students, the introduction of the preliminary organizer, the introduction of the new knowledge, and the temporary formative assessments that take place meanwhile; leading to with the final assessment and treatment to achieve specific educational objectives in the English course for the seventh grade (Super Goal 2). Academic Achievement: Al-Khalifa (2007) defined scholastic achievement as the extent to which the learner achieved educational goals as a result of his\her study. The researcher defines it as the student gets score in the achievement test related to unit two "What's School Like?" and unit three "What Time Do You Get Up?" of (Super Goal 2) course book. Reading Skill: Al-Hassan (2005) defined reading as "the pronunciation of symbols, understanding them, analysis of what is written, criticizing and interaction with it, using it in solving problems, its use in vital situations, and the pleasure of what is read"(P.30). The researcher defines procedural reading skills as the ability of the average seventh grade student to read a passage in English from the second or third module and answer a set of questions about that passage. Writing Skill: Al-Ghoul (2009) defined writing as" a set of symbols, one of the most important methods and ways in which a person expresses what he or she is thinking about. This translates human thought into reality, which others can perceive (P.210). "The researcher defines it as an ability of the seventh grade student to write a paragraph or an e-mail in English using a set of notes, taking into account punctuation marks and the writing process. Literature Review Instructional Formative Assessment Strategy: Constructivism Constructivism is one of the theories of learning advocated by a number of current educators. Von Glasersfeld pointed out that Constructivism theory of learning emerged as a reaction to the theory of behavior and maturation theory, where the focus shifted on the individual's construction of knowledge rather than on behavior or skills. Learning according to constructivism theory occurs through the active construction of knowledge by the learner, not in the stages of maturation (Fosston, 2005). Structuralism has emerged by a group of scholars and philosophers of various disciplines, including linguistics through the study of Ferdinand de Saussure works, which is the first pioneer in constructivism, physics, biology and psychology (Abd al-Ati, 2010, p. 37). Modern constructivism has been demonstrated by a group of researchers, notably Von Glasersfeld (1995), who believes that "the learner does not receive knowledge through the senses or communication, but through active construction by the learner, and the function of knowledge is to adapt to the experimental world". (p.51). Veygotsky, also focused on the roles the society plays in building knowledge, the importance of teacher and student dialogue, and the teacher's need to stimulate student learning within a range that is consistent with his present level (Beck &Kosnik, 2006). The constructivism theory is based on two basic principles: that the conscious individual does not receive knowledge passively from others but builds it on his or her own experience, and that the function of knowledge is to adapt to the arrangements of the empirical world, rather than discovering the absolute truth (Zaitoun&Zaitoun, 2003, p. 32-34). Constructivism theory is based on the following assumptions: 1. Constructivism emphasizes knowledge building rather than knowledge transfer. 2. Learning is an active process. 3. Conceptual growth is produced by negotiating meaning, and changing our inner perceptions through collaborative learning. 4. Previous knowledge of the learner is a prerequisite for building meaningful learning. 5. Learning should occur during real tasks (Zaitoun, 2008, pp. 149-151). Formative Assessment The formative assessment is defined as the assessment activities that teachers and students undertake to assess themselves, which provide them with information that can be used as feedback to modify the educational and teaching activities they participate in. The assessment becomes formative when it is used to adapt the teaching to meet the needs (Black & William,1998). It is defined as the frequent interactive assessment of student understanding and progress to identify educational needs and to appropriately modify teaching (OCED,2005). The educational assessment in the early 20th century focused on conducting surveys and measuring students' performance in tests, Tyler's sample appeared in the 1930s and made a major and dramatic change in the educational process. However, he faced many criticisms that the assessment comes at the end of the educational program minimizing the opportunity to benefit from its results in the development of the program. Then the term formative assessment appeared by (Scriven) when he developed his model of assessment, in which he explained that the formative assessment is represented in the assessment of an existing educational program to improve and develop it (Al-Dosari, 2000). In its current concept, the formative assessment was presented by Bloom, Hasting and Maddus (1971) when they pointed out that the formative assessment is not used once for the purpose of final evaluation of the students' performance. The teacher must divide the teaching process into stages and use the formative assessment after each stage in order to provide students with feedback and correct their mistakes as a means of correcting students' mistakes in general. Bloom (1976) confirmed that the information derived from a formative assessment can be used to divide the class into collaborative groups based on corrections. Therefore, the teacher can vary his\her teaching to meet the Individual students' needs through selected teaching strategies and student responses. Black and William (1998) presented the work that highlighted the formative assessment and its role in the learning process when they analyzed more than 250 research studies related to the formative assessment. The results showed a significant increase in students' achievement. At the beginning of the work on the formative assessment, the focus was on the following five activities: Engaging students in determining success criteria, classroom questions, recorded notes, self-assessment and peer assessment, and using final tests for the purpose of formative assessment (Black, Harrison, Lee, Marshal and William, 2002). Then William and Thompson set out from the previous activities to form a conceptual framework from which the formative assessment would proceed. They relied on the involvement of those responsible for the teaching/learning process and the major teaching/ learning processes of (Ramaprasad): Where do students stand in the process of learning? Where do they want to reach? And what learning needs must be fulfilled to achieve learning? (Black&William, 2007). They Proposed the theoretical framework of the formative assessment (Table 1), specifying the role of the teacher, learner and peer for each of the previous processes. They mentioned that the theoretical framework of the formative assessment consists of the following strategies: 􏰀 􏰀 Clarifying the design of education, and success criteria and engage students in it. Identifying and preparing effective classroom discussions and other learning tasks that demonstrate students' understanding. Providing students with feedback that motivates them to learn. Preparing students to be a source of learning when interacting with each other. Preparing students to be responsible for their learning. Shepared (2006) pointed out that the formative assessment has the following characteristics: The student has to be responsible for learning. It associates with specific and clear learning objectives. It focuses on objectives that represent high-value educational outcomes. It identifies the current learner's knowledge and skills, and the steps necessary to reach the desired goals. It requires developing plans to achieve the desired goals. Encourages students to self-follow–up for their progress towards achieving goals. Provides examples of learning objectives, including specific rating criteria to assess students' work. Provides a recursive assessment, including self-assessment, peer assessment, and the assessment included in learning activities. Includes non-evaluative feedback related to learning objectives, specific and timely. This feedback gives students the opportunity to review and improve their work and deepen their understanding. • Promotes the knowledge beyond, which is reflected in students' work (Andrade & Cizek, 2010). For a formative assessment to be effective, the following characteristics must be available (McManus, 2008): 1. The learning sequences should clearly identify the sub-goals of the main learning objective. 2. Clearly define learning goals and success criteria and communicate them to students. 3. Provide students with feedback that is based on evidence and related to learning outcomes and success criteria. 4. Emphasize the importance of personal assessment and peer assessment because it gives learners the opportunity to use beyond-cognitive thinking in their learning. 5. Establish the culture of cooperative classes in which the teacher and the student are partners. Despite the advantages of the formative assessment, its application within the classroom faces a range of challenges (Andrade &Cizek, 2010), which can be summarized as follows: Purpose: The purpose of the formative assessment should focus on feedback and active participation of students in learning experiences. Resources: The effective application of the formative assessment at the level of the classroom requires the availability of the necessary resources such as equipment, the appropriate place and physical units. Preparation: Pre-service and in-service training of educators should be developed. They should acquire the skills required to practice formative assessment in the classroom. Validity: Field-based techniques should be developed to detect bias and minimization as a risk to validity. These techniques should be part of teacher training, Pre and during service. 5. Accommodation: The goal of accommodation is to create the appropriate conditions for students to show their level of knowledge and their real skills and abilities. The role of accommodation is a future challenge for the formative assessment and is appropriate for it to reflect cumulative assessment. 6. Compliance: It is necessary to take into account the relationship of the regulations, legislations and administrative rules that regulate and organize the work within the classrooms with the formative assessment. 7. Time: The greatest challenge for the application of the formative assessment is to redistribute time and effort to support the planning of teaching, the modification of teaching practices, and the individualization of education by the teacher and the student. The researcher believes that time is the biggest difficulty, because the time of the lesson is limited, and the lessons in the current curriculum are very long, and contain many tasks and activities to be performed. Instructional Formative Assessment Strategy The teaching formative assessment strategy is based on the formative assessment that takes place during the teacher's performance of the teaching\learning situation. The objective is to take feedback from collecting information about the students and their learning, then diagnose this reality and identify their needs and rely on these needs to plan students' subsequent learning (Al-Qasim & Al-Muqbel, 2003). Teaching in accordance with the strategy of instructional formative assessment includes the implementation of the following teaching steps (Al-Qasim & Al-Muqbel, 2003 p. 57-59): 1. Identifying students' previous information: To achieve this task the teacher performs a unified assessment activity orally or in writing for all students at the end of the previous session, or may turn to the assessment activity at the beginning of the period that he wants to implement. 2. Choosing the initiative regulator: The teacher provides information that represents the appropriate regulator for the experiences of the students. 3. Staged Assessment 1: The teacher performs an assessment activity to identify the extent to which students master the information that represents the regulator. If the students have not mastered it, the teacher must re-explain it or provide an appropriate remedial activity. 4. Introducing the new knowledge (the first learning task): The teacher writes a list of expected mistakes of the students, and designs remedial activities. He then decides the appropriate teaching\ learning framework, (work groups, distribution of worksheets, direct explanation and so on). explaining the new concepts, skills and providing remedial activities to prevent mistakes. 5. Staged Assessment 2: The teacher evaluates the student's first learning task using an assessment activity. This can be verbal or written questions or through a worksheet designed for evaluation purposes or through a direct observation of students' work in the teaching\learning process. 6. Treatment: In light of the assessment, the teacher provides students with activities, which may be remedial, enhancing or enriching, explaining to them what is required from these activities and how to perform them, whether in the form of class work or homework. 7. Staged Assessment 3: The teacher presents an assessment activity that may be in the form of oral questions or a comprehensive review of the activities that were applied in the previous step. The goal for the teacher is to ensure that the students are able to master the required activities. 8. Introducing the second educational task: To provide the second educational task, the teacher follows the procedures described in steps 4, 5, 6 and 7. 9. Evaluation Stage: After completing the educational tasks included in the lesson, the teacher provides the final assessment activity, which deals with the students' learning throughout the lesson. 10. Treatment: In light of the final assessment, the teacher designs remedial, enhancing or enriching activities to be presented at the beginning of the new lesson. The new lesson will only be presented after the students have mastered the contents of the activities. English Language in intermediate stage. Vocabulary: When talking about vocabulary, some people think it means a person's inventory of words and their meanings, while others think (vocabulary) and (words) are the same, but there a difference and defined the word. Nation (2001) defined the "word" as the "smallest language unit, which can occur alone in speaking and writing "(p. 14). Vocabulary is defined as "a set of lexemes, Singular, compound, and idiomatic statements " (p. 16), and Siriwan (2007) saw the (word) as part of the (vocabulary). Learning vocabulary includes knowledge of the word and the skill of using it. Vocabulary can not be separated from the context (McCarthy, 1984). The researcher considers that the term "vocabulary" is more general and comprehensive than the term "words", and that the meaning of vocabulary should be defined through the context. Vocabulary is very important in learning and mastering English. Choudhury (2010) pointed to the importance of vocabulary quoting by saying that "communication may be done poorly without rules, but it will not be done without vocabulary" (p. 307). Siriwan (2007) summarized the importance of vocabulary for language learners by saying that "language learners with vocabulary knowledge can achieve success in the classroom, in social life and in the acquisition of language, and vocabulary plays a key role in learning and understanding language, and communicative attitudes" (p.23). Learning vocabulary is not limited to the knowledge of the meanings of the words, but there are other aspects to care about by the teacher, and to master by the learner. Nation (2001) has proposed a system of knowledge related to vocabulary, where he believes that "knowledge of vocabulary includes form, meaning, and use, each of which contains three aspects: the form includes the uttered, written, and the parts of the word. The meaning includes the form, the meaning, the concepts and objects to which they refer, and relationships, while the use includes grammatical functions, systematizations and usage restrictions through two main dimensions. The first dimension is the measure of received knowledge, which is the knowledge that a person needs to understand the form of the word in listening, reading and understanding meaning at the same time. The produced knowledge is the knowledge that a person needs to express meaning during speaking, writing and to perceive and produce the appropriate form. The second dimension is the probability of unity and systematization where each word must show its uniqueness and the general system of Vocabulary. The effectiveness of teaching vocabulary depends on many factors that are integrated between them. Stahl and Fairbanks (1986) divided them into: a. Method factors include contextual and definitive factors provided by teaching methods, depth of treatment of vocabulary, and exposure to vocabulary. b. Setting Factors include students' are taught individually or collectively, and the time allocated to teaching. The researcher believes that the success of the teacher in teaching vocabulary depends first on the choice of the appropriate teaching method, and then on the degree of consideration of the factors prior to the teaching process. Reading Skill: Carrell, Devine and Eskey (2000) agreed Goodman‘s (1982) definition of reading as a "receptive psychological-linguistic process that begins by representing the language into symbols by the author and ending with the meaning the reader produces. Thus, there is an interaction between language and thinking in the reading process. The author (writer) converts thinking into symbols, the reader converts these codes into thinking "p. 12. Bishop and Bishop (2010) defined it as" an active personal process of building knowledge from written language (p.120). Learning the skill of reading is performed on several levels depending and relying on each other. There are four levels of reading: elementary reading, inspectional, analytical and reading for creativity (Syntonical reading) ( Adler &Doren, 1972). 1. Elementary Reading: At this level, the individual learns, trains, and exercises basic skills. This level is achieved in primary school, and to some extent in intermediate school (Al-Sufi, 2007). Adler and Doren (1972, p. 24-25) divided elementary reading into four stages: Stage 1: Reading Readiness: This stage begins from birth to the age of six or seven, and includes physical, mental, linguistic and personal readiness. Stage 2: Word Mastery: The student reaches this stage by the end of the first grade, where he\she learns to read easy words, and some basic skills such as using context. Stage 3: Vocabulary Growth and the Utilization of Context: The student reaches this stage by the end of the fourth grade. The student makes quick progress in learning the words and in knowing the meaning through the context. Stage 4: Eighth, Ninth, or Tenth Grade Literacy: The student reaches this stage when leaving the intermediate stage, when the skills acquired in the previous stages are being improved. Students also begin to understand reading experiences, use concepts with different texts, and compare different views of the book on a particular subject. The researcher believes that the previous stages are different for English language students in Saudi Arabia. For Saudi students, English is a foreign language, and teaching it starts from the fourth grade and not from the first grade, as is the case in countries whose mother tongue is English. Thus, the Saudi student does not reach these stages at the same age as the peers in those countries. 2. Inspectional Reading: This level of reading is related to the time factor, where the student is given specific time to complete the task of reading and the objective is to create an idea about the subject of reading in a short time. Adler and Doren (1972) divided Inspectional reading into two types: a. Systematic Skimming or Pre-Reading: Browsing should not take much time, and is intended to detect whether the book requires careful reading and provides the reader with a lot of information about reading. b. Superficial Reading: refers to reading the subject or the book from start to finish without stopping to search for information that is not understood or to waste time thinking about it 3. Analytical Reading: It is the reading of the entire text in an unlimited time. Where the reader works on the text until he\she masters it. During that, the reader should ask many questions about the reading subject, (Adler &Doren, 1972). 4. Reading for Creativity (Syntonical Reading): Reading for creativity requires reading more than one book, and in more than one source, on one topic, comparing the contents of with each other. The reader wants to come out with new ideas, or a new topic that does not exist in these books in the form he desires, He\she reads to create (Al-Sufi, 2007). The researcher points out that the first and second levels of reading are the levels practiced in schools in English. The first level is the most widely used, while the second level is practiced in the secondary stage. The last two levels are taught at the university level. Writing Skill: Elbow (1998) believed that writing is a complex, difficult and time-consuming process that requires two different and conflicting mental skills. These skills are the ability to create words and ideas, and the ability to criticize them to choose the proper ones. Daniels and Bright (1996) mentioned several definitions; one is that writing is "the movements of the hand when writing different symbols (as a calligrapher when writing)"(p.3). It is also "the exact order of the language as when writing the article and it's "a system consisting of signs used to symbolize speech in a way through which speech can be restored without interference of the speaker "(p. 3). In order to be a good writer, a group of elements must integrate with each other. These elements are choice of subject, good organization, development, unity and cohesion, choice of words, variation of sentences, style and rhythm (Al-Sufi, 2007). That’s to say there are many types of writing, such as: 1. Descriptive Writing: McCarthy (1998) defined descriptive writing as the "the area of writing that develops pictures through the use of words and sensory expressions, and through tools such as metaphor and the sounds of words" (p. 5). It is used to describe a particular situation or a certain event in the personal life of the writer or from the environment surrounding him. It starts with the perception, asking questions, and then gathering the information necessary to answer those questions. There are some steps to follow: selecting the subject, writing the basic sentence, and then selecting the method of writing, organizing, paragraphs, in addition to the introduction and conclusion (Al-Sufi, 2007). 2. Analytical-Pictography Writing: Pictography is a method of writing used to develop explanations, and clarify the points of view, using examples, evidence and facts, regarding what the writer wants to display, or filming within the article. The multiplicity of examples and evidence is helpful in presenting the subject from its various aspects (Al-Sufi, 2007, p. 85). A case analysis is an explanation of how it occurs. The author follows it from its inception and through its various stages of development. Examples include comparing two or more things to find similarities or differences (Al-Sufi, 2007). 3. Scientific Writing: Scientific writing is related to scientific research, such as writing scientific papers, master's theses and PhD dissertations, and scientific research (Al-Sufi, 2007). Scientific writing has three characteristics that distinguish it from other types of writing: accuracy, clarity and brevity. The language should be easy and simple, the author should explain complex procedures and concepts, and should not use complex or unfamiliar words and phrases. The first goal of scientific writing is to try to influence as many readers as possible to read, understand and be affected by it. There are three stages of scientific writing: planning, research and writing. These phases are interrelated and influential on each other (Lindsay, 2011). The researcher thinks that writing in English language courses are examples of structural writing, and can be of the type of attempt with the five paragraphs or the type of paragraph that contains a topic sentence at the beginning. Methodology Methodology: The study employed the quasi-experimental design, which was based on two groups: experimental and control with pretest and posttest. Population and Sample of the Study: The study population was composed of all students of the first intermediate grade in Makkah city. They were in Public schools of the directorate of Makkah during the second semester of the academic year (1437- .)1438 The sample of the study was chosen by the intentional method from Salah Al- Deen Al-Ayoubi intermediate school. The groups were randomly chosen from first intermediate class (A) represented the control group, and (B) represented the experimental group. The total number of each group was (28) students. Instrument of the Study: The Instrument of the study was an achievement test in the second module "What's School Like? ", and the third module, "What Time Do You Get Up?" .The test aimed at measuring the achievement of the students of the experimental and control groups in English vocabulary, reading and writing skills. The content of the two units was analyzed, the teaching objectives were formulated and the test was prepared. Validity of the Instrument: The researcher presented the study instrument to a group of fifteen reviewers from the faculty members of the Saudi universities specialized in the curricula and methods of teaching English and a number of educational supervisors, to take their views on the clarity of the test, the validity of content and suitability to the level of students. The researcher made some adjustments until the test appeared in its final form. Pilot Study: After reviewing of the study instrument, the researcher examined the test on a pilot study sample, other than the study sample. This sample consisted of (28) students from Salah Al-Deen Al-Ayoubi intermediate school in order to calculate the validity of the internal consistency of the test, to calculate the difficulty coefficient and the coefficient of discrimination, as well as the stability of the test. Validation of the internal consistency of the test: Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated between each test item and the field to which it belongs, and between each field and the test as a whole. Tables (2) and (3) illustrate this: Table (2) shows that correlation coefficients between vocabulary and total scores for vocabulary ranged from (0.87) to (0.96), also between reading skill and total skill score ranged between (0.93-0.95), and between writing skill and the total score for it ranged from (0.97) to (0.99) all of which are statistically significant at ( 1). It is clear from the above that the test scores are considerably consistent, and statistically significant with the skills they were included in. Table (3) shows that correlation coefficients between each field and the total score of the achievement test ranged from (0.98) to (0.99), all of which are statistically significant at the level of ( 1), that is to say the skills are consistent with the achievement test. Reliability of the Instrument: The test was validated in two ways: 1. Cronbach' s Alpha Reliability. 2. Test-Retest Reliability. 1. Cronbach's Alpha Reliability: Reliability was calculated using the Cronbach Alpha formula to identify the persistence of the main test areas and the test as a whole (total score). Table (4) clarifies this: Table (4) shows the reliability coefficient for Vocabulary is (0.94), for Reading skill is (0.95), and for Writing skill is (0.94). The reliability coefficient of the test as a whole (total score) is (0.97), all of which are high and acceptable for the purposes of this research. 2. Test-Retest Reliability: After applying the test on the exploratory sample, the application was repeated on the same sample two weeks later. The Pearson correlation coefficient was then calculated between the students' scores in the two applications to estimate the stability coefficient for each of the main test areas and the whole test (total score). Table (5) shows this: Table (5) indicates that the coefficient of test-retest of vocabulary is (0.98), reading skill is (0.98), writing skill is (0.99), and stability coefficient for the test as a whole is (0.99), all of which are high and acceptable for purposes of this research. Coefficient of difficulty and coefficient of discrimination: The coefficient of difficulty and the coefficient of discrimination for the test items were calculated. Most of the workers in this field believe that a good item has a difficulty coefficient between (30%-80%) (Al-Khayyat, 2010, p. 251). He also pointed out that the appropriate discriminatory significance for each item is between (0.20-0.80). Table (6) illustrates the difficulty and discrimination coefficients. Table (6) shows that the values of the difficulty coefficients ranged between (0.50-0.75), indicating that they have acceptable difficulty coefficients according to the previous criterion. Furthermore, the values of the discrimination coefficients for all items ranged from (0.21) to (0.71), which is, also, considered acceptable. Procedures for applying the study Application of the pre- test: The pre-test was applied to the two groups of study. The objective of the pre- application of the study instrument was to verify the equality of the experimental and control groups in vocabulary, reading and writing in English. The T-test of independent samples was calculated to compare the responses of the experimental and control group members in the pre-achievement test. Table 7 shows that: Table (7) shows that there are no statistically significant differences at the level of significance (a < 0.05) between the mean of the experimental group and the mean of the control group in the pre-achievement test as a whole and in the English language skills (Vocabulary, reading and writing). Where: 􏰀 The value of (T) in vocabulary was (0.49) at the level of significance of (0.63) which is greater than the level of significance ( 5) indicating the equivalent of the two groups in vocabulary. 􏰀 The value of (T) at reading skill was (0.37) at the level of significance of (0.72) which is greater than the level of significance ( 5) indicating the equivalent of the two groups in the skill of reading. 􏰀 The value of (T) at the writing skill was (0.78) at the level of significance of (0.44) which is greater than the level of significance ( 5) which indicates the equivalent of the two groups at the skill of writing. 􏰀 The value of (T) at the pre- achievement test as a whole was (0.57) at the level of significance of (0.58) which is greater than the significance level ( 5) indicating the equivalent of the two groups at the achievement test as a whole. Application of the study: 􏰀 The experiment was started by an experienced teacher who trained on instructional formative assessment strategy on Sunday, 22/5/1438 H. The experimental group was taught using the Formative Assessment strategy. The control group was taught in the traditional way, at the rate of four weekly sessions. The teacher completed the experiment on Thursday, 2/7/1438 H. The experiment took six weeks (24 sessions). (8) classes for vocabulary, (8) reading classes and (8) writing classes. 􏰀 The post-test was applied on Sunday, 5/7/1438 H. 􏰀 The test was corrected according to the prepared response form. Methods of statistical processing of the study The following statistical methods were used in this study: 􏰀 Means and standard deviations). 􏰀 Pearson correlation coefficient to calculate the validity of internal consistency and to calculate the reliability using the "repetition method" Cronbach's Alpha coefficient to calculate test reliability. 􏰀 T-test for independent samples to compare the scores of the experimental and control groups in both the pre-test and post-test in vocabulary, reading and writing and in the test as a whole. Results: Because of the equivalent of the experimental and control groups, which were previously verified, the T-test of independent samples was used to test the hypotheses of the study, and to verify the effect of the independent variable (use of the formative assessment strategy) on the dependent variable (student achievement in English language). 1. The results of the first hypothesis The first hypothesis states that: There are no statistically significant differences at ( 5) between the mean of the experimental group and the control group in the post-achievement test in the vocabulary of English language. To test the validity of this hypothesis, a comparison was made between the mean of the scores of the experimental group and of the control group in the post-achievement test in the English vocabulary, where the Independent Samples T-test was used and Table 8 shows that: Table (8) shows that the value of (t) equals (4.11).in a level of significance (0,000) is below the level of significance( 5), indicating that there are significant differences at the level of significance ( 5) between the means of the experimental group and of the control group in the post-achievement test in English vocabulary. In view of the mean, these differences are in the interest of the experimental group. The average grade in vocabulary is (14.89) which is higher than the average of the students in the control group which is (11.50). Thus, the first null hypothesis was rejected and the alternative hypothesis was accepted. It states that: There are statistically significant differences at the level of significance of ( 5) between the mean of the experimental group and the mean of the control group in the post-achievement test in English vocabulary in favor of the experimental group. As shown in table (8), the effect size was 0.30 indicating a large effect size according to Cohen classification of the effect size. 2. The results of the second hypothesis: The second hypothesis states: There are no statistically significant differences at the level of ( 5) between the mean of the experimental group and the control group in the post- achievement test in English reading skill. To test the validity of this hypothesis, a comparison was made between the mean scores of the experimental group and the control group in the post-achievement achievement test in English reading skill, where the Independent Samples Test was used, and Table 9 shows that. Table (9) shows that the value of (t) is equal to (3.37) at the significant level of (0.002), which is less than the level of significance ( 5). This indicates that there are significant differences at this level between the mean of the experimental group and of the control group in the post-achievement test in the English reading skill. Looking at the arithmetic means shows that these differences are in the interest of the experimental group. Their average score is (13.33) which is higher than average score of the control group, (10.56). Thus, the second null hypothesis is rejected and the alternative hypothesis is accepted. This alternative hypothesis states that: There are statistically significant differences at the level of significance (a < 5) between the mean of the experimental group and of the control group in the post- achievement test in English reading skill in favor of the experimental group. As shown in table (9), the effect size was 0.33 indicating a large effect size according to Cohen classification of the effect size. 3. The results of the third hypothesis The third hypothesis states that: There are no statistically significant differences at the level of ( 5) between the mean of the experimental group and of the control group in the post-achievement test in the English writing skill. In order to validate this hypothesis, the mean of the experimental group and the mean of the control group were compared in the post-achievement test in English language proficiency, where the Independent Samples Test was used. Table (10) shows that. Table (10) shows that the value of (t) is equal to (3.16) at the significant level of (0.003), which is less than the level of significance ( 5). This indicates that there are significant differences at this level between the mean of the experimental group and of the control group in the post-achievement test in the English writing skill. Looking at the means show that these differences are in the interest of the experimental group. Their average score is (12.17) which is higher than average score of the control group, (9.61). Thus, the third null hypothesis is rejected and the alternative hypothesis is accepted. This alternative hypothesis states that: There are statistically significant differences at the level of significance ( 5) between the mean of the experimental group and of the control group in the post- achievement test in English writing skill for the experimental group. As shown in table (10), the effect size was 0.35 indicating a large effect size according to Cohen classification of the effect size. 4. The results of the fourth hypothesis: The fourth hypothesis states that: There are no statistically significant differences at the level of ( 5) between the mean of the experimental group and the mean of the control group in the post-achievement test in English language (total score). In order to validate this hypothesis, the mean of the experimental group and the mean of the control group were compared in the post-achievement test in the English language (total score), where the Independent Samples T-test was used. Table (11) shows that. Table (11) shows that the value of (t) is equal to (3.60) at the significant level of (0.001), which is less than the level of significance ( 5). This indicates that there are significant differences at this level between the mean of the experimental group and of the control group in the post-achievement test in the English language (total score). Looking at the means show that these differences are the interest of the experimental group. So their average score is (40.39), which is higher than the average score of students in the control group (31.67). Thus, the fourth null hypothesis is rejected and the alternative hypothesis is accepted. This alternative hypothesis states that: There are statistically significant differences at the level of significance ( 5) between the mean of the experimental group and of the control group in the post- achievement test in English language (total score) for the experimental group. As shown in table (11), the effect size was 0.43 indicating a large effect size according to Cohen classification of the effect size. 5. The results of the fifth hypothesis: The fifth hypothesis states that: There is no correlative relationship at the level of significance (α≤0, 05) between the amount of post-achievement in the vocabulary, reading and writing in English language among students in the first intermediate grade. To verify this hypothesis, the Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated between the scores of students in the post- achievement test in English vocabulary, reading and writing within the first intermediate grade students. Table (12) shows this: Table (12) shows that there is a strong direct proportion coefficient at the level of significance of ( 5) between the amount of post-achievement in vocabulary, reading and writing in English for students in the first intermediate grade where Pearson correlation coefficient between the grades of students in vocabulary and in reading was (0.96), with statistical significance of (0.00), which is a strong direct proportion coefficient. Pearson correlation coefficient between the students' grades in vocabulary and in writing was (0.95) with statistical significance of (0.00) which is a strong direct proportion coefficient. Pearson correlation coefficient between students' grades in reading and in writing was (0.97) with statistical significance (0.00) is a strong correlation coefficient. Al-Khayyat (2010) indicated that the coefficient of correlation is less than (0.20), which is a weak coefficient, and that the correlation coefficient (0.21- 0.70) represents a medium coefficient. The correlation coefficient that is greater than (0.70) represents a strong relationship. The correlation coefficient sign refers to the type of relationship, so that the negative correlation coefficient refers to an indirect proportion, while the positive correlation coefficient indicates a direct proportion. Thus, the fifth null hypothesis is rejected and the alternative hypothesis is accepted. This alternative hypothesis states that: There is a correlation relationship at the level of significance ( 5) between the amount of post-achievement in vocabulary, reading, and writing in English between first intermediate students. Discussion: The results of the presentation of the first, second, third and fourth hypotheses showed statistically significant differences between the average scores of the experimental group and of the students in the control group in the post-achievement test in vocabulary, reading and writing in English ,and in the overall score of the achievement test for the students of the experimental group, This can be attributed to the characteristics of the formative assessment strategy. These are represented in: Linking the formative assessment strategy of the previous experiences of the students with the new experience, this helped the students understand the new experience, and achieved the principle of continuity and the resumption of the learning process. Students work in collaborative groups during the implementation of a formative assessment strategy, and the students help each other in learning and performing tasks. 3. The Formative Assessment Strategy assisting Students to use metacognitive thinking in their learning by participating in planning, follow-up and evaluation of learning, which has reinforced their responsibility for learning and thus has had an impact on increasing their self-confidence and their seriousness in learning. 4. The feedback provided by the students' formative assessment strategy throughout the learning process and the role it played in correcting and stabilizing learning. 5. The role played by the strategy of formative assessment in motivating students to master learning, where they do not move from one sequence of learning to another until they master it. 6. The formative assessment strategy provision of evaluation activities that helped to assess the students' learning, and to ensure that they achieve the objectives of teaching. 7. The formative assessment strategy provision of remedial activities which helped students with low achievement in the treatment of their learning difficulties, as well as enriching activities for students with high achievement that contributed to increase their learning. 8. The formative assessment strategy helped teachers to predict the educational difficulties that students may face, and thus can prepare the appropriate activities to overcome them. The results of the fifth hypothesis test showed a correlation between English vocabulary, reading and writing. This indicates that English language consists of interrelated and influential elements. In this study, the vocabulary was included in the reading and writing lessons. Reading was used during teaching vocabulary and writing. Writing was also used during teaching vocabulary and reading. The present study agreed with the results of Cotos(2010), which aimed at revealing the effectiveness and feedback of the (Intelligent Academic Discourse Evaluator), a program that automatically evaluates online writing as an instrument for assessment and complementary of teaching academic writing. The results of the study showed that Intelligent Academic Discourse Evaluator was an effective and appropriate instrument for the formative assessment. It improved the writing level of students and increased their learning gains. It also agreed with the results of the Torosyan study (2011), which aimed at verifying the effect of the formative assessment on student achievement in English vocabulary and whose results showed a significant difference between the mean scores of the experimental group and of the control group in the post- achievement test in favor of the experimental group. The results of the questionnaire and the interview showed that the formative assessment has a positive effect on improving the level of students in English vocabulary. It also agreed with the results of the Kline (2013) study, which aimed at revealing the impact of the formative assessment on the achievement of intermediate students in mathematics and reading. The results indicated a positive relationship between the formative assessment strategy and the achievement of students in mathematics and reading; that the formative assessment with the short cycle in reading resulted in an increase in the level of students in reading, while the long formative assessment in mathematics resulted in an increase in the level of students in mathematics. The short cycle assessments in mathematics have a particularly strong positive impact on the economically disadvantaged students. It also agreed with the results of Usuda(2013) study, which aims at applying the formative assessment using the written standards' strategy in English writing" in Japan, exploring the impact on students' motivation and achievement, and its contribution to the development of the learning community of teachers. The results of Usuda's study have been demonstrated by using the written standards strategy to improve the quality of classroom and educational practices for teachers and students both inside and outside the classroom. This study also agreed with the study of Liu(2013), which aims to identify the effect of formative assessment on students' writing capabilities, and the possibility of using it as a substitute for aggregate assessment. The results showed that there was an effect of the formative assessment on student achievement in writing in English, on the work of students within the group, on increasing their interest in the learning process, and on the possibility of considering the formative assessment as an alternative to the aggregate assessment. Recommendations: The study recommended the following: 9. Using instructional formative assessment strategy in teaching English language. 10. Training English language teachers on using instructional formative assessment strategy.