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13 July 2026
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‘When used effectively, AfL helps teachers understand students’ thinking and helps students become more confident geographers.’
Aqeeb Akram
Formative assessment, often described as assessment for learning (AfL), is a powerful approach for geography teachers because it places emphasis on improving learning rather than simply measuring outcomes. Geography is a subject built around enquiry, interpretation and decision-making, so students need frequent opportunities to explain ideas, test understanding and refine their geographical thinking.
Effective AfL allows teachers to identify misconceptions, adapt teaching and support students in developing disciplinary knowledge. Rather than waiting until an end-of-unit assessment, formative assessment creates a continuous dialogue between teacher and student. Black and Wiliam (1998) argue that formative assessment can have a significant impact on learning because it helps students understand where they are, where they need to go and how they can improve.
In the geography classroom, AfL can be used in many ways. It can support understanding of physical geography, such as Middle East landscapes, as well as human geography topics, such as urban growth and challenges in Rio de Janeiro.
Diagnostic questioning: finding out what students already know
One of the most effective forms of AfL is diagnostic questioning. This involves identifying students’ prior knowledge and misconceptions before or during a lesson. Geography teachers often assume students understand key concepts, but questioning can reveal gaps that need addressing.
For example, when teaching urban issues and challenges in Rio de Janeiro, a teacher might begin with the question:
‘Why do people move to cities?’
Students may suggest ideas such as better jobs, improved services or family connections. However, some may only associate migration with negative reasons. Through discussion, the teacher can develop a more nuanced understanding of urbanisation by introducing push and pull factors.
A further question could be:
‘Does urban growth always create problems?’
This encourages students to consider different perspectives. Students may begin to recognise that urban growth can create economic opportunities while also increasing pressure on housing, transport and infrastructure.
Diagnostic questioning also works well in physical geography. Before teaching Middle East landscapes, students could be asked:
‘What factors influence the climate of a desert region?’
Responses may reveal misconceptions, such as believing deserts are always hot or failing to connect climate with latitude, pressure systems and atmospheric circulation. The teacher can then adapt the lesson to address these misunderstandings.
Hinge questions: checking understanding at key moments
Hinge questions are carefully planned questions used at important points in a lesson to check whether students are ready to move on. They are usually designed around common misconceptions and require students to make a decision rather than simply recall information.
For example, during a lesson on desert landscapes in the Middle East, students could be shown a climate graph and asked:
‘Which statement best explains why this region receives limited rainfall?’
Possible answers could include:
A. It is close to the Equator.
B. It is influenced by descending air in high-pressure systems.
C. It receives rainfall from frequent storms.
D. It is surrounded by large rivers.
The answers allow the teacher to identify whether students understand atmospheric processes. If many students choose incorrectly, the teacher can revisit the concept before introducing more complex ideas such as desert formation or water management.
In human geography, hinge questions can support evaluation skills. When studying Rio’s urban challenges, students might be asked:
‘Which strategy would have the greatest impact on reducing inequality in Rio?’
Students could choose between improving transport, building housing, creating employment opportunities or increasing policing. The discussion reveals their understanding of the complexity of urban issues.
Retrieval practice: strengthening geographical knowledge
Retrieval practice is another valuable AfL strategy because it helps students recall important geographical knowledge. Geography requires students to build secure understanding of places, processes and concepts. Regular retrieval activities help prevent students from forgetting key ideas.
A geography teacher might begin lessons with a short ‘do now’ activity. For a Rio urbanisation topic, this could include:
- define urbanisation
- give two reasons why people migrate to cities
- identify one challenge caused by rapid urban growth
- explain why informal settlements develop.
The teacher can quickly identify gaps and decide whether students need additional explanation.
For Middle East physical landscapes, retrieval questions could include:
- What is meant by arid climate?
- How does relief influence rainfall?
- What processes create desert landforms?
- Why is water management important in dry environments?
These activities also help students make links between lessons, strengthening geographical thinking over time.
Peer assessment: developing geographical communication
Peer assessment allows students to evaluate each other’s work against clear success criteria. This is particularly useful in geography because students often need to develop extended writing, evaluate strategies and use geographical evidence.
For example, when students write an answer to:
‘Assess the effectiveness of strategies used to manage urban challenges in Rio de Janeiro.’
The teacher could provide a checklist.
A successful answer should:
- explain the urban challenge
- use specific evidence from Rio
- consider advantages and disadvantages
- reach a supported judgement.
Students can then review a partner’s response and identify strengths and areas for improvement.
Peer assessment is valuable because students learn to recognise quality geographical work. It also encourages students to become more independent and reflective learners.
Self-assessment: helping students understand their own progress
Self-assessment encourages students to think about their own learning. Geography students can use reflection activities to identify what they understand and what they still need to improve.
A simple method is a confidence scale:
‘I can explain why Rio has experienced rapid urban growth.’
1 – I need help.
2 – I understand some ideas.
3 – I can explain this with evidence.
4 – I can evaluate different viewpoints.
This approach gives students ownership of their learning. It also provides teachers with information about student confidence and misconceptions.
Self-assessment is particularly useful before assessments. Before completing a GCSE-style question on Middle East landscapes, students could identify whether they feel confident explaining processes such as weathering, erosion and deposition. The teacher can then provide targeted support.
Exit tickets: ending lessons with evidence of learning
Exit tickets are a quick and effective AfL strategy. At the end of a lesson, students answer a short question before leaving. This provides the teacher with immediate feedback about understanding.
For a Rio lesson, an exit ticket could ask:
‘Explain one reason why informal settlements develop and one way they can be improved.’
For a Middle East landscapes lesson:
‘Explain one reason why water supply is a challenge in desert environments.’
The teacher can review responses and plan the next lesson accordingly. If students misunderstand a concept, it can be revisited before new content is introduced.
Using feedback effectively: moving learning forward
Feedback is most useful when it helps students improve. Geography teachers should avoid feedback that only identifies errors. Instead, feedback should provide students with a clear next step.
For example, instead of writing:
‘More detail needed.’
A teacher could write:
‘Add evidence from Rio to support your explanation of why urban growth creates challenges.’
This encourages students to improve their geographical reasoning.
Effective feedback also links to geographical skills. A student interpreting a climate graph may need feedback on identifying patterns, while a student writing an evaluation may need support developing a balanced judgement.
Conclusion: AfL as part of geographical enquiry
Formative assessment should be seen as part of everyday geography teaching rather than an additional task. When used effectively, AfL helps teachers understand students’ thinking and helps students become more confident geographers.
Strategies such as diagnostic questioning, hinge questions, retrieval practice, peer assessment, self-assessment and exit tickets create opportunities for students to reflect, challenge ideas and improve. Whether exploring the complexities of urban growth in Rio de Janeiro or the physical processes shaping Middle East landscapes, formative assessment supports students in developing the knowledge and skills needed to think geographically.
References
- Black, P. and Wiliam, D. (1998) ‘Assessment and classroom learning’, Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy and Practice, 5(1), pp. 7–74.
- Geographical Association (2022) Curriculum Planning. Available at: https://www.geography.org.uk/Support-Guidance/Curriculum-planning (Accessed: 28 June 2026).
- Hattie, J. (2009) Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement. London: Routledge.
- Lambert, D. and Morgan, J. (2010) Teaching Geography 11–18: A Conceptual Approach. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
- Roberts, M. (2013) Geography Through Enquiry: Approaches to teaching and learning in the secondary school. Sheffield: Geographical Association.
- Wiliam, D. (2011) Embedded Formative Assessment. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Written by Aqeeb Akram, geography teacher at Star Academies.
© Aqeeb Akram, and the Geographical Association, 2026.
