Effective feedback

Feedback and marking

Where anyone is trying to learn,

feedback about their efforts has three

elements – the desired goal, the

evidence about their present

position, and some understanding of a

way to close the gap between the two.

Purposes of Assessment

Five Key Strategies of formative assessment

Where the learner is

going

Where the learner is

right now How to get there

Teacher

Clarifying and sharing

learning intentions and

criteria for success

Engineering effective

classroom

discussions, activities,

and tasks and

activities that elicit

evidence of learning

Providing feedback

that moves learning

forward

Peer

Understanding and

sharing learning

intentions and criteria

for success

Activating learners as instructional resources for

one another

Learner

Understanding

learning intentions and

criteria for success

Activating learners as the owners of their own

learning

From “Embedded Formative Assessment” Dylan Wiliam (2011)

Providing feedback that

moves learning forward

Clarifying and sharing

learning intentions and

criteria for success

Understanding and

sharing learning

intentions and criteria

for success

Understanding

learning intentions and

criteria for success

EEF Toolkit

Feedback and Marking

• Feedback is information given to the learner and/or

the teacher about the learner’s performance

relative to learning goals.

• Feedback redirects or refocuses either the teacher’s

or the learner’s actions to achieve a goal.

• ...it also has a very high range of effects and some

studies show that feedback can have negative

effects and make things worse. It is therefore

important to understand the potential benefits and

the possible limitations of this as an approach.

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/toolkit/toolkit-a-z/feedback/

Research suggests that it should:

• be specific, accurate and clear

(e.g. “It was good because you...” rather than just

“correct”);

• compare what a learner is doing right now with

what they have done wrong before

(e.g. “I can see you were focused on improving X

as it is much better than last time’s Y…”);

• encourage and support further effort;

• be given sparingly so that it is meaningful;

• provide specific guidance on how to improve and

not just tell students when they are wrong;

Feedback and Marking

Feedback that moves learners forward

• Oral or written

• Peer-peer, self-self, peer-teacher, self-teacher

• Comment-only marking

– Comments to cause thinking

– What happens as a result?

• Explicit reference to criteria

– Where am I / where are you?

– Where do I / you need to be?

– Suggestions on how to improve (using the criteria)

• Knowing all this, what will I teach next lesson? Next term? Next year?

• Opportunity for learners to act on feedback. “Where am I, where next? How will I do this?”

• The latter beginning to inform the former!

Oral feedback

I’m glad you asked

about that when you

found it hard. It means

that others will be able

to learn from my

explanation to you.

Now you’ll learn

something that you

didn’t know before.

Then it wont be as

hard the next time

you meet it.

I know you are

having difficulty

with this. Don’t

worry I’m going to

help you.

Have another look at question 4 Check your

answers to the first 3 questions

before moving on

Are you telling me, or asking me?

Is there a better word you could

use…?

Everybody stop!

Let’s look at this again… Read that

sentence back to me… exactly as

you’ve written it.

Can you use mathematical / scientific / geographical

language to explain that in more detail?

A better word for ‘strange’?

If only there were a book that listed such things..

Hidden Feedback

And every time you tap a dictionary, or point to an error, or even raise an eyebrow!

Written feedback Marking prompts

• Reminder – don’t forget to…

• Scaffolded – partly competed examples

to illustrate an improvement

• Example – a completed example to show

what is required.

Quality feedback

• Showing success

• Indicating improvement

• Giving an improvement suggestion

• Making the improvement

S – strengths

W – weaknesses

And

N – next steps

Maths example

Peer and self assessment

• Teacher models using success criteria.

• Identification of where success criteria are

met.

• Where improvements can be made.

• Make the improvements.

And now

• Feedback should refer to the learning intention

• Feedback should focus on success and

improvement (2 stars and a wish)

• Comments may form the basis of discussion

between teacher and child

• Comments may be oral or written, formal or

informal

• Use marking prompts (reminder, scaffold or

example)

• Plan time for children to act on your feedback

Dot and Dab Feedback

• Bingo dabbers

• Key for Success

Criteria

• Children discuss with

partners what colours

refer to

• Children anotate what

dot means – and

improve their work

The 3M’s of Marking Workload Meaningful: marking varies by age group, subject, and what works best for the pupil and teacher in relation to any particular piece of work. Teachers are encouraged to adjust their approach as necessary and trusted to incorporate the outcomes into subsequent planning and teaching

Motivating: Marking should help to motivate pupils to progress. This does not mean always writing in-depth comments or being universally positive: sometimes short, challenging comments or oral feedback are more effective. If the teacher is doing more work than their pupils, this can become a disincentive for pupils to accept challenges and take responsibility for improving their work.

Manageable: marking practice is proportionate and considers the frequency and complexity of written feedback, as well as the cost and time-effectiveness of marking in relation to the overall workload of teachers. This is written into any assessment policy.

From Ofsted

Who is it for?

Reflection and discussion

How do you know that your feedback motivates and supports your pupils to improve?

What are you going to do to ensure that the feedback you give motivates your pupils to improve?