**2. Formative assessment in mathematics classroom thrives on teaching approaches that promote critical thinking**

In the process of teaching and learning, there are myriad factors that impact on student learning. However, how well a teacher uses mathematical and pedagogical knowledge to help students learn mathematics is one of the factors that influence student success. As such, teachers should strive to expose students to teaching practices that stimulate critical thinking process whose salient features are conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information [3]. It is therefore important for teachers to provide enquiry or problem-solving approaches in mathematics classes. Infusing critical thinking skills into didactic activities requires teachers to consciously integrate new knowledge with already existing knowledge schema of mathematics content [3]. Students battle to recall and apply basic concepts of mathematics in the resolution of mathematical problems, and this leads to the lack of understanding of mathematics [18]. Concept mapping can be used by teachers to stimulate critical thinking in students because it represents and organizes knowledge, helps retention and recall of concepts learnt, and provides feedback on the understanding of the concepts learnt [4]. Therefore, thinking of assessment as a task that shows a student has acquired the concept and can link with other related concepts becomes paramount [3]. Accordingly, learning is meaningful when the student comprehends the relationship of what is being learned to other knowledge. As such, there is a need for teachers to incorporate the concept mapping in the formative assessment process as this will help them diagnose students' misconceptions [4]. If students can link new information to their existing conceptual framework, they can construct new, meaningful interconnections, so that their existing conceptions are transformed, enriched, or revised, and conceptual change occurs. This is achieved by carrying out formative assessment where students are asked to summarize at the end of instruction to allow them to make connections [1]. Therefore, existing conceptions are transformed during construction of understanding [5]. Interaction, collaboration, cooperation, dialog, and discourse are key concepts facilitated by formative assessment for the effectiveness of instructional activities. As such, collaborative group learning fosters meaningful learning and new knowledge construction [4].
