Mike’s Blog
Strategies, Ideas and Insights for Teachers and Leaders
Tag: formative feedback
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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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Five oven-ready strategies any teacher can use to create a culture of improvement through their written feedback
Your written feedback will play a bigger role in learning if you can create a culture of improvement in your classroom. By this, I mean a culture in which learners…
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Using written feedback to normalise challenge in the minds of your learners
If we find ourselves challenged then the likelihood is that we are learning or, at least, in a position from which to learn. This is because something is a challenge…
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Why does written feedback work and what do expert teachers do when they deliver it?
Written feedback predominantly comprises information that can be divided into one of two categories: strengths and targets. Strengths are the things the learner has done well. The target is the…
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Five simple ways you can underpin your verbal feedback with a clear structure, making it easier to deliver effectively
Sometimes you might find yourself unsure how to pitch your verbal feedback. The pace of the lesson and the number of things requiring your attention can compound the issue. A…
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Five examples of instant, real-time feedback and the impact it can have on learners in your lessons
In some settings, real-time verbal feedback can be of huge benefit to learners by providing them with information they can use to modify their thinking and behaviour in the moment.…
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Four simple techniques for using mistakes as a meaningful basis for your verbal feedback
Mistakes are one of the main ways in which we learn. They often present information that helps us to make significant alterations to our thinking and the ways in which…
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Five ways you can use verbal feedback as an underrated form of scaffolding
Verbal feedback can be an effective tool for scaffolding learner. Here are five strategies to consider. A learner is struggling to get started with a task Feedback can take the…
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Why giving feedback before an activity starts can be as useful as giving it when an activity has ended
Activities are the main feature of lessons. This is where much of the learning happens. We can give verbal feedback before and after activities, to individuals, groups or the whole…
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When should you mark learners’ work, and when should you not?
Time is at a premium for any teacher. You must spend your time well if you want to get the most from it. This means you must prioritise. You must…