| Can we be too thorough with our marking? |
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Research taster
There is no need for you to give complete solutions when your pupils are stuck. Pupils tend to retain their learning longer when teachers indicate where they should be looking for a solution. Doing this encourages pupils’ to become actively involved and helps them to adopt a mindful approach. Active involvement is unlikely to happen if you simply correct pupils’ work  . This research suggests that saving yourself time and effort might actually deepen your pupils’ learning.
Your evidence
You could reflect on your approach to marking pupils’ work by examining a range of your pupils’ exercise books. As you scan them, look out for the extent to which: • your marking and feedback consists of correcting mistakes • you ask pupils questions to prompt their understanding • you give hints or information intended to help the pupils find a solution for themselves • you offer suggestions about how the work could be improved • your pupils revise their work appropriately • you point out what, specifically, is good about your pupils’ work • your pupils appear to respond to your feedback by reducing the number of similar mistakes in subsequent work. How effective do you feel your current marking practice is in moving your pupils’ learning forward? How consistent is what you actually do with what you believe about good practice in marking work? What might be the cause of any discrepancies? Moving forward Having analysed your current marking practice, you might wish to find more ways of encouraging pupils to find their own solutions to problems, rather than relying mainly on you to supply an answer. Perhaps you could talk with colleagues who are also interested in formative assessment strategies, and share ideas and strategies with them? You could explain to your pupils why you are experimenting with new approaches to marking and ask them what comments and feedback they find most helpful in developing their understanding. Find out more  You can find out more about how AfL practices help pupils learn how to learn on the TLRP Learning how to learn project website at: http://www.tlrp.org/proj/phase11/phase2f.htmlYou can find out more about the potential of AfL to develop and improve pupil learning on the GTC’s Research of the Month website at: http://www.gtce.org.uk/research/romtopics/rom_teachingandlearning/raising/ You can find out more about putting AfL into practice on the GTC’s Research of the Month website at: http://www.gtce.org.uk/policyandresearch/research/ROMtopics/afl/ You can find more further reading suggestions on the theme of assessment for learning at: http://www.rtweb.info/ch14/nfr14.html |
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