A new teacher recently reached out to ask us if we had any suggestions for giving students effective feedback. It is a part of teaching that many teachers grapple with.
Between us we have read and responded to thousands and thousands of student papers. Here are our suggestions for how to give students effective feedback.
Remember the kind of feedback that you’ve found helpful.
Have you ever been frustrated by ineffective feedback? Think about what kinds of feedback you like. What is helpful, and what is not helpful?
Give feedback in a timely manner.
We know you are busy, and this is hard, but it is better to give feedback more quickly on fewer graded assignments than to return dozens of papers at the end of the semester. The sooner you grade something, the more it is likely that you can give shorter feedback because the work is still fresh in students’ minds.
Be specific.
“Good work” and “Nice job” are pleasant to hear, but they don’t help the students to know what they did well. Similarly, you can notice and comment of effort, but grade results.
Call out potential.
Comments such as “ I see you have a good eye for color,” or “I notice that you write good descriptions” can help students to identify what they do well and encourage them to use their strengths. You can also ask students to comment on what they think they did well. Remember to focus on the work and not on personal behaviors such as “You are smart,” or “This paper shows laziness.” Those kinds of comments can lead to a fixed mindset.
Recognize forward progress.
Last week, a student got a 21% on a math quiz, this week they got a 59%. It may still be a failing grade, but the student has doubled their score. Instead of a big fat “F” on the paper, acknowledge progress with a comment such as “ You’re starting to understand adding fractions, remember that you need common denominators.”
Explain why students lost points.
A “B” on a paper doesn’t give any information that will help a student to get an “A” the next time and can leave students frustrated. Give examples of why they lost points or circle the parts that need work. Using rubrics can also help with this issue. You should be able to easily explain and justify grades to students and/or parents. Be able to present data to support a grade.
Don’t give a grade on pretests.
This one has always baffled us. Pretests are there to help you learn what students already know- and what they don’t know. Why are you giving them a grade on their prior knowledge? If you use percentages for future comparisons, don’t include them in the gradebook! This seems obvious, but the practice is pervasive.
Be cautious with grading students first practice with a new skill.
Do you want to be graded the very first time you try something new? A new skill usually requires some practice. Remember First Attempt In Learning often means F.A.I.L. Mark down completion of practice work and save the grading until they have had a chance to practice.
Use emojis.
Grading online? Why not add in a few emojis? Emojis can be playful and fun and there are many to choose from. You can quickly mark your reactions to different parts of students’ work.
Teach students how to give good peer reviews.
Having students give each other feedback can be useful. Keep in mind that we are not born knowing how to give valuable feedback. Model and give students examples of what they should look for and how to give constructive feedback.
Have students work together but grade them individually.
We love group work, and most students like to work in groups. We’ve probably all been in a situation with group grades where one person does all the work and others get credit. Make sure that each person in a group has a deliverable and grade them on their part.
Save time by isolating the skill you are evaluating.
Although we would often like to give feedback on everything, you can save time and focus by isolating a skill you are looking for. For example, you can tell students you are looking for how they put together paragraphs in their essay, or how they apply the science concept to a new situation. This practice will also help you to align with standards-based grading.
If you are worried about the time involved to give students feedback, you may enjoy the following video courtesy of Edutopia:
6 Teacher Approved Tips for Faster, More Effective Feedback
Teacher feedback allows you to acknowledge what students are doing well and help them improve and grow in the future. Giving specific feedback to individual students also allows you to differentiate based on the needs of individual students. It is time consuming, but when done well, has a positive effect on learning.
We hope that you find these suggestions for how to give students effective feedback helpful.
As always, if there are any topics you would like us to address, feel free to send us an email! We love hearing from our readers.
Our best,
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