Universal Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2022, 2, 557 www.scipublications.org/journal/index.php/ujssh DOI: 10.31586/ujssh.2022.557 DOI:https://doi.org/10.31586/ujssh.2022.557 Universal Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Article Formative Assessment Conceptions and Practices of Junior High School Social Studies Teachers in the Techiman Municipality of Ghana Benjamin Kwabena Ochour 1,* , Prince Opoku-Afriyie 2 , Isaac Eshun 3 1 Department of Social Science. Offinso College of Education, Offinso, Ghana 2 Department of Social Science. Presbyterian College of Education, Akropong-Akwapim, Ghana 3 Department of Social Studies Education. University of Education, Winneba, Ghana *Correspondence: Benjamin Kwabena Ochour (kochourbenjamin@gmail.com) Abstract: The study investigated formative assessment conceptions and practices among the teachers of social studies in the Techiman Municipality of the Bono East Region of Ghana. The research was undertaken with the view of finding answers and making suggestions that could help improve the formative assessment practices specifically in social studies. A census was conducted in the eighty-four (84) public Junior High Schools in the Techiman Municipality in the Bono East Region. All the ninety-five (95) Social Studies teachers in the public Junior High Schools in the Municipality were selected for the study. A 50-item questionnaire including 2 open-ended questions was developed for the teachers. The data collected were analysed by using frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation. The study revealed that, the teachers had correct conception of formative assessment and saw its relevance in the classroom, however, their assessment practices were not formative enough. The teachers’ assessment practices were influenced by external factors. It is recommended that pressures such as demand for continuous assessment marks to grade students ought to be reduced to allow the teachers practice assessment as professionals. Keywords: Assessment Practices, Conceptions, Formative Assessment, Ghana, Junior High School, Social Studies, Teachers 1. Introduction It is generally accepted in the Ghanaian context that the fundamental objective of Social Studies is about making learners good citizens in the society [1, 2, 3, 4]. The teacher of Social Studies, by virtue of the primary purpose of the subject, therefore, faces an enormous challenge in appropriately assessing learners in the subject if a meaningful Social Studies instruction would be achieved. Assessment of students learning is essential in any educational enterprise; as such, teachers cannot avoid assessing their students [5, 6]. This calls for teachers to be well knowledgeable in social studies, content, profile dimensions and the ideal assessment practices to be employed in the teaching and learning. Also, Bordoh et al indicated the importance of effective teaching of social studies concepts in basic schools in Ghana [8]. Teachers knowledge in social studies concepts and profile demension will help facilitate effective classroom teaching and learning. The major issues about classroom assessments that bother teachers have partly been in the approaches and methods. This is so because the Social Studies syllabus for the Junior High School clearly states that, in many cases, a teacher cannot test the students in all the objectives taught in a term or in a year [9, 10]. It is for this reason that the designers of the syllabus have suggested some assessment How to cite this paper: Kwabena Ochour, B., Opoku- Afriyie, P., & Eshun, I. (2022). Formative Assessment Conceptions and Practices of Junior High School Social Studies Teachers in the Techiman Municipality of Ghana. Universal Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2(4), 273–290. Retrieved from https://www.scipublications.com/ journal/index.php/ujssh/article/vi ew/557 Received: January 5, 2022 Accepted: June 13, 2022 Published: December 15, 2022 Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Submitted for possible open access publication under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses /by/4.0/).