Mike’s Blog
Strategies, Ideas and Insights for Teachers and Leaders
Tag: feedback strategies
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Stand on the shoulders of giants with your learners and use this to change how they think about the feedback you give to them
One way we can minimise any perceived threat learners might attach to receiving feedback is by having them assess famous people’s work. This involves them critiquing work created by experts…
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A simple psychological hack that can instantly change how learners perceive your feedback
Some learners struggle to engage positively with feedback. They may see it as an attack and choose to disengage. This can be due to past experiences, self-perceptions, or wider attitudes…
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What is pre-emptive feedback and how can it be a gamechanger in your classroom?
I would wager that in most activities the teacher knows in advance most of the feedback they are likely to give. This is because they are the expert, and they…
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Getting learners to implement your written feedback: demonstrating competence
This is where we give learners opportunities to demonstrate competence to us, or one of their peers, during a lesson. It means planning sessions in which these opportunities take centre…
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How a simple sheet of A4 paper can completely change how learners think about implementing the targets you give them
Take an A4 sheet of paper and divide it into three columns. At the top of the first column write ‘Date’. At the top of the second write ‘Target’. And…
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Why planning for implementation is almost guaranteed to increase the impact of your written feedback in any lesson, with any class
Learners need time in which to implement their targets. Without this the targets may disappear into the ether, never to be used in the way you intended. While some conscientious…
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When giving learners written feedback, what is the point of your targets?
What do you want your targets to do? Answering this question means gaining a better understanding of why you are setting targets and how you expect learners to use them,…
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Changing the focus of written feedback for learners by highlighting specific areas
You can use this technique to help learners focus their efforts on a specific aspect of their work. The idea is to maximise the return the learner sees on their…
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Stop diluting the power of your written feedback and start using these strategies to squeeze out the maximum from the effort you put in
When delivering verbal feedback, learners normally respond in the moment, directly after we have spoken to them. This might be with questions or comments of their own. Or it might…
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The question every teacher needs to answer before they put pen to paper and start writing even a word of written feedback
What do you want learners to do with your feedback? Asking yourself this question means clarifying and refining the purpose of your marking. If you have a clear sense of…