Making Written Feedback Worthwhile
We spend a great deal of our time marking and giving feedback to our students about their progress and how they can improve. I often wonder if the comments that I am making to students are being used for improvement or whether they just look at the grade and then shove their test/ essay into their folder and never look at it again... How can we make sure that the time we spend giving feedback is worthwhile?
Last week I attended a workshop with Jennifer Glenn, an English teacher at Thames High School. Her PhD was based around the topic of feedback and she shared some of her findings with us. I will summarise some of them for you here.
Jenni's students use learning logs/ journals in English and all their written feedback goes in the book. This means that there is a record of learning recorded and it is easy to see whether things are improving or not.
1. It is good to critically analyse the feedback that you are giving at the moment. Is it worthwhile? Is it being used by the students for improved achievement? Use this checklist to self-assess the feedback that you give.
2. Even if your students are not using learning logs it is vital that any feedback that students get from you is understood and synthesised. GIVE THEM TIME TO READ:
When you hand work back to your students give them time to read your comments and ask questions about them. Then they should summarise the comment in their own words and then formulate THREE goals for their next piece of learning.
3. BEFORE the next test/ assessment give the students time to look at their goals. Five minutes before the end of the test/ assessment tell students to write in the margins where they think they have met their goals.
4. When students hand work in for marking get them to indicate on a continuum how much effort they put in.
HOMEWORK
We spend a great deal of our time marking and giving feedback to our students about their progress and how they can improve. I often wonder if the comments that I am making to students are being used for improvement or whether they just look at the grade and then shove their test/ essay into their folder and never look at it again... How can we make sure that the time we spend giving feedback is worthwhile?
Last week I attended a workshop with Jennifer Glenn, an English teacher at Thames High School. Her PhD was based around the topic of feedback and she shared some of her findings with us. I will summarise some of them for you here.
Jenni's students use learning logs/ journals in English and all their written feedback goes in the book. This means that there is a record of learning recorded and it is easy to see whether things are improving or not.
1. It is good to critically analyse the feedback that you are giving at the moment. Is it worthwhile? Is it being used by the students for improved achievement? Use this checklist to self-assess the feedback that you give.
2. Even if your students are not using learning logs it is vital that any feedback that students get from you is understood and synthesised. GIVE THEM TIME TO READ:
When you hand work back to your students give them time to read your comments and ask questions about them. Then they should summarise the comment in their own words and then formulate THREE goals for their next piece of learning.
3. BEFORE the next test/ assessment give the students time to look at their goals. Five minutes before the end of the test/ assessment tell students to write in the margins where they think they have met their goals.
4. When students hand work in for marking get them to indicate on a continuum how much effort they put in.
HOMEWORK
Memory Minder
Posted on January 30th, 2003 in Big6 Lessons, Organizers, Worksheets & Handouts, Reproducibles by Cathy Oxley
Related Big6 Skills: Big6 #1 – Task Definition
Posted on January 30th, 2003 in Big6 Lessons, Organizers, Worksheets & Handouts, Reproducibles by Cathy Oxley
Related Big6 Skills: Big6 #1 – Task Definition
Purpose: The purpose of the Memory Minder tool is to aid students in remembering – before they go home at the end of the school day – what information or materials they need to complete their homework.
Learning Contexts: This tool is applicable across subject areas in Grades 3 and up when students may have difficulty preparing for successful completion of their homework assignments.
Discussion: Teachers often assume that students understand immediately the teacher’s expectations when they are presented with assignments and know automatically what materials are necessary to complete those assignments. Students typically are reluctant to ask for clarification, and rely instead on memory or on other students for further information. This tool was created as a reminder about assignments and necessary materials to encourage personal responsibility. By using this tool, students practice and become familiar with asking themselves the questions necessary to prepare to successfully complete their homework. The ultimate goal is for students to practice repeatedly until they become self-sufficient in understanding the process of clarifying homework assignments and preparing the materials necessary for completion.
Sample in Context: The teacher gives an assignment verbally either with or without a handout. Students record the assignment on their agenda (calendar/planner) where the Memory Minder is attached. The student is prompted by the tool to again define the assigned homework, self-check for comprehension of the assignment’s parameters, decide whether or not to ask for clarification from the teacher, and to self-check for materials necessary to successfully complete the assignment. Repeated practice should make the student adept at self-checking and help him or her to consistently reach success in completing assigned homework.
Memory Minder:
