They include ideas on collecting information, the strategic use of questioning, giving feedback, and introducing peer and self-assessment.
Collecting information
Ask learners to write one sentence to summarise what they realize about the topic in the end or start of a lesson. You might focus this by telling them to include e.g. what or why or how etc.
At the final end of a lesson learners share along with their partner:
- Three things that are new have learnt
- What they found easy
- What they found difficult
- Something they would like to learn as time goes by.
Give learners red, yellow and green cards (or they are able to make these themselves at home). At different points throughout the lesson, question them to choose a card and put it to their desk to demonstrate simply how much they understand (red = don’t understand, yellow = partly understand, green = totally understand).
Use notes that are post-it evaluate learning. Give to groups, pairs or individuals and inquire them to answer questions. For instance:
- What have I learnt?
- What have I found easy?
- What have i came across difficult?
- What do I want to know now?
When a learner has finished a worksheet or exercise, ask them to draw a square from the page. When they don’t realize well, they colour it red, if they partly understand, yellow and in case everything is OK, green.
At the end of an activity or lesson or unit, ask learners to write 1 or 2 points that are not clear in their mind. The teacher and class discuss these points and work together to make them clear.
At the start of an interest learners create a grid with three columns – what they know; what they want to learn; whatever they have learned. They start by brainstorming and filling in the very first two columns and then return to the third at the end of the unit.
Ask learners the thing that was the essential, e.g. useful, interesting, surprising, etc. thing they learned today or in this unit.
Give learners four cards: A, B, C, D (or they could make these themselves at home). Make inquiries with four answers and inquire them to demonstrate you their answers. You can do this in teams too.
Ask learners to publish their answers on mini-whiteboards or bits of paper and show it to you (or their peers).
Observe a learners that are few lesson and also make notes.
The strategic usage of questioning
Questioning helps teachers identify and correct misunderstandings and gaps in knowledge. It provides teachers information about what learners know, understand and that can do.
When questioning, make use of the word ‘might’ to encourage learners to think and explore answers that are possible. For example, ‘Why do teachers make inquiries?’ and ‘Why might teachers ask questions?’ The question that is first like there was one correct answer known by the teacher, nevertheless the second real question is more open and suggests many possible answers.
- Give 30 seconds silent thinking before any answers.
- Ask learners to brainstorm in pairs first for 2-3 minutes.
- Ask learners to publish some notes before answering.
- Ask learners to talk about with a partner before answering.
- Use think, pair, share.
- Positive comment, e.g. ‘I like … because …’
- Constructive feedback with explanation of how exactly to improve, e.g. ‘This is not quite correct – check out the information with …….’
- Positive comment, e.g. ‘You have written a really clear and ………’
- Use WILF (what I’m in search of).
- Point out the objectives from the board.
- Elicit what the success criteria may be for a task.
- Negotiate or share the criteria
- Write these in the board for reference.
- Two stars and a wish
- Explain/elicit the meaning of stars and a wish linked to feedback (two good things and another thing you would like was better/could improve).
- Model simple tips to give feedback that is peer two stars and a wish first.
- Role play the peer pay for writing papers feedback, for example:
- Write the text that is following the board:
- Elicit from your learners what a feedback sandwich is through the text regarding the board (what exactly is good and exactly why, what could possibly be better and why, what is good and exactly why).
- Given an illustration like this:
- Choose a very important factor in your work you may be proud of. Tell the whole group why. You’ve got 1 minute.
- Discuss which of this success criteria you’ve been most successful with and which one might be improved and how. You have got three full minutes.
- What is your goal?
- How will it is achieved by you?
Only write comments on learners’ work, and don’t give marks or scores. It will help learners to focus on progress instead of a reward or punishment. They shall want a mark, but encourage them to focus on the comments. Comments should make it clear how the learner can improve. Ask if they have any relevant questions about the comments and make time to consult with individual learners.
Use a feedback sandwich to provide comments. A good example of a feedback sandwich is:
Amount of time in class which will make corrections
Give learners time in class to produce corrections or improvements. Thus giving learners time for you focus on the feedback them, and make corrections that you or their peers have given. It tells learners that feedback is valuable and worth hanging out on. And, it offers them the chance to improve in a environment that is supportive.
Don’t erase corrections
Tell learners you intend to see how they have corrected and improved their written work before they hand it for your requirements. Don’t let them use erasers, instead inform them to help make corrections using a new colour them, and what they have done to make improvements so you can see.
Introducing peer and self-assessment
Share learning objectives
A activity that is useful use when introducing peer or self-assessment the very first time is ‘two stars and a wish’:
– ‘Ah that is a really nice poster – i prefer it!’ (many thanks)
– ‘i must say i I think you included a lot of the information. enjoy it and’
– Look at the success criteria in the board
– ‘Hmm, but there is no title for your poster therefore we don’t understand the topic.’
Feedback sandwich (see above)
It is a useful activity when learners are far more confident in peer and self-assessment. Model how exactly to give feedback first.
– i do believe the next time you need to. because.
– . is good because.
“The poster gives all the necessary information, which is good but the next occasion you ought to add a title therefore we know the topic. The presentation is good too since it is clear and attractive.”
Make a ‘learning wall’ where learners can post positive feedback about others.
Ask learners to read each other’s written work to search for specific points, such as for instance spelling mistakes, past tense verbs, etc. During speaking activities such as for example role plays and presentations, ask learners to provide one another feedback on specific points, e.g. how interesting it absolutely was, whether or not they understood the thing that was said and any queries they have.
At the end regarding the lesson, ask your learners to make a summary of a few things they learned, and something thing they still need to learn.
I have a concern
At the end regarding the lesson, ask your learners to create a question about what they’re not clear about.
Pose a question to your learners to help keep a learning journal to record their thoughts and attitudes from what they usually have learned.
Ask learners to help keep a file containing types of their work. This could include work done in class, homework, test outcomes, self-assessment and comments from peers and also the teacher.
At the end of the lesson give learners time and energy to reflect and determine what to spotlight in the lesson that is next.
After feedback, encourage learners to create goals. Tell them they will have identified what exactly is good, what exactly is not so good, and any gaps within their knowledge. Now they have to think about their goal and exactly how they could reach it. Inquire further to focus individually and answer the questions:
Ask learners to set personal goals, for instance: ‘Next week i am going to read a short story’.
Work with learners to create self-assessment forms or templates they can use to think on an action or lesson. For younger learners, something like the form below would work:
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