Primary teachers' attitudes, intentions and practices regarding formative assessment

•The TPB model was used to explain teachers' FA intentions and practices.•Instrumental attitude, subjective norm, and self-efficacy predict FA intentions.•Affective attitude and controllability do not predict FA intentions.•The TPB components are not effective predictors of FA practices.•Contextual factors should be considered when examining FA practices.

This study aims to explore the relationships among teachers' attitudes, intentions, and practices regarding formative assessment under the framework of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. A total of 450 teachers from 10 primary schools were surveyed. Teachers' responses to the scales were calibrated using Rasch analysis and then subjected to path analysis. Instrumental attitude, subjective norm, and self-efficacy were significant predictors of teachers' intentions to conduct formative assessment. However, the TPB components were not effective predictors of teachers' formative assessment practices. Teachers' awareness of formative assessment was articulated and implications for teacher training as well as further studies were discussed.