26984 words

formative

3 definitions • 8 examples
1
relating to the time when someone or something is starting to develop in character, and having an important influence on how they develop:

Examples:

formative years She spent her formative years in Africa.
Those early years were very formative for me and helped to mould me into who I am today.
formative influence His English teacher at school was a formative influence on him.
a formative experience
a formative period
2
(of tests, information, etc.) done or collected while a student is being taught about a subject in order to check their progress, rather than at the end of a year or unit of work:

Examples:

Instead of or as well as an end-of-year exam, there is the option of giving students "formative" tests throughout the year, to let teachers know how students are doing so they can help those who need it.
Carefully chosen formative data (teachers' perceptions, observations from classroom visits, student work samples, etc.) are key to systematically tracking progress.
3

Examples:

the formative years of adolescence

Navigation