All teachers need to test what their students have learnt. Recent trends support assessment that simulate the cognitive and communicative demands of real-life tasks. Formative assessment (FA) is advocated by many researches as it has positively affected students’ achievement. Besides, it allows teachers to monitor the learning process. (Ozan & K?ncal, 2018; Kline, 2013; Ortega & Minchala, 2017; Huisman, 2018; and Meador, 2018) The paper aims at sharing an example of effective practice in using FA in a course that the presenter taught. It was a blended course that was based on a content-oriented approach. It was aimed at developing native speakers’ linguistic and cultural competencies. The instructional activities revolved around communicative and collaborative reading, writing, watching videos, presentations and debates. FA was designed before lessons based on the learning outcomes to evaluate students’ performance. All class interactions, whether online or on-campus, were used for assessment. Students’ presentations, individual and group projects, writing assignments were used to replace traditional tests to assess linguistic competence, as well as to monitor comprehension and acquisition of content. Rubrics were used as guidance for students. They provided them with clear explanation of what will be assessed, as well as a description of levels of performance quality. This presentation will showcase how using FA enriched the learning/teaching experience. It motivated students to take greater responsibility over their own learning and academic progress. All class interactions were opportunities for them to challenge themselves and make mistakes; hence, learn through trial and error. The feedback they got from the teacher and their peers were a low-stakes form of assessment, as they were graded for level of effort and participation. The students’ progress and improvement were manifested in their final projects and their evaluations of the course and the teacher. All of that was done in a calm, relaxing and motivating atmosphere far from tests anxiety or grades fear. Like students, FA allowed the teacher to monitor the learning process as it was progressing and shape subsequent instruction based on the information collected. It helped the teacher identify learning needs and problems and make adjustments to her teaching materials and techniques. Examples of teaching materials are showcased. The practical experience proved that FA that was designed before lessons based on the learning outcomes brought teaching and learning to life. It is highly recommended by the presenter as assessment for learning, not of learning.