Here are some AfL activities to try with your learners.
They include ideas on collecting information, the strategic use of questioning, giving feedback, and introducing peer and self-assessment.
Collecting information
Ask learners to create one sentence to summarise what they learn about this issue at the start or end of a lesson. You could focus this by telling them to include e.g. what or why or how etc.
In the final end of a lesson learners share due to their partner:
- Three things that are new have learnt
- What they found easy
- Whatever they found difficult
- Something they wish to learn as time goes by.
Give learners red, yellow and green cards (or they are able to make these themselves at home). At different points during the lesson, ask them to decide on a card and place it to their desk to demonstrate how much they understand (red = don’t understand, yellow = partly understand, green = totally understand).
Use notes that are post-it evaluate learning. Share with groups, pairs or individuals and get them to resolve questions. As an example:
- What have I learnt?
- What have i came across easy?
- What have I found difficult?
- What do I want to know now?
When a learner has finished a worksheet or exercise, inquire further to draw a square from the page. When they don’t realize well, they colour it red, when they partly understand, yellow and if everything is OK, green.
During the end of an action or lesson or unit, ask learners to create one or two points which are not clear for them. The teacher and class discuss these points and come together to ensure they are clear.
At the start of an interest learners create a grid with three columns – whatever they know; what they want to know; what they have learned. They start by brainstorming and filling out the first two columns and then go back to the third at the end of the system.
Ask learners what was the absolute most, e.g. useful, interesting, surprising, etc. thing they learned or in this unit today.
Give learners four cards: A, B, C, D (or they are able to make these themselves at home). Make inquiries with four answers and get them to exhibit you their answers. You could try this in teams too.
Ask learners to create their answers on mini-whiteboards or items of paper and show it to you (or their peers).
Observe a few learners every lesson and work out notes.
The strategic usage of questioning
Questioning helps teachers identify and correct misunderstandings and gaps in knowledge. It provides teachers details about what learners know, understand and will do.
When questioning, use the word ‘might’ to encourage learners to write my paper for me imagine and explore possible answers. For instance, ‘Why do teachers ask questions?’ and ‘Why might teachers ask questions?’ The question that is first like there clearly was one correct answer known because of the teacher, however the second real question is more open and suggests many possible answers.
- Give 30 seconds thinking that is silent any answers.
- Ask learners to first brainstorm in pairs for 2-3 minutes.
- Ask learners to publish some notes before answering.
- Ask learners to discuss with a partner before answering.
- Use think, pair, share.
- Positive comment, e.g. ‘I like … because …’
- Constructive feedback with explanation of just how to improve, e.g. ‘This is certainly not quite correct check that is information with …….’
- Positive comment, e.g. ‘You have written an extremely clear and ………’
- Use WILF (what I’m to locate).
- Point out the objectives in the board.
- Elicit what the success criteria may be for a task.
- Negotiate or share the criteria
- Write these regarding the board for reference.
- Two stars and a wish
- Explain/elicit the meaning of stars and a wish linked to feedback (two good things and another thing you wish was better/could improve).
- Model how to give peer feedback using two stars and a wish first.
- Role play the peer feedback, as an example:
- Write the following text on the board:
- Elicit from your own learners what a feedback sandwich is from the text on the board (what is good and why, what could be better and exactly why, what exactly is good and just why).
- Given an example similar to this:
- Choose a very important factor in your projects you will be pleased with. Tell the group that is whole. You have got one minute.
- Discuss which regarding the success criteria you have been most successful with and which one could be improved and how. You’ve got three minutes.
- What is your goal?
- How will it is achieved by you?
Only write comments on learners’ work, and don’t give marks or scores. This helps learners to focus on progress instead of a reward or punishment. They shall want a mark, but encourage them to spotlight the comments. Comments should make it clear how the learner can improve. Ask if they have any questions regarding the comments while making time for you to talk to individual learners.
Use a feedback sandwich to give comments. An example of a feedback sandwich is:
Amount of time in class to produce corrections
Give learners amount of time in class in order to make corrections or improvements. This provides learners time to concentrate on the feedback them, and make corrections that you or their peers have given. It also tells learners that feedback is valuable and worth spending some time on. And, it offers them the chance to improve in a environment that is supportive.
Don’t erase corrections
Tell learners you need to see how they have corrected and improved their written work before they hand it for your requirements. Don’t allow them to use erasers, instead let them know in order to make corrections using an alternative colour them, and what they have done to make improvements so you can see.
Introducing self-assessment and peer
Share learning objectives
A activity that is useful use when introducing peer or self-assessment for the first time is ‘two stars and a wish’:
– ‘Ah this really is a really nice poster – I like it!’ (many thanks)
– ‘I really I think you included almost all of the information. enjoy it and’
– glance at the success criteria from the board
– ‘Hmm, but there is no title for your poster so we don’t understand the topic.’
Feedback sandwich (see above)
It is a activity that is useful learners are more confident in peer and self-assessment. Model just how to give feedback first.
– I think the next time you ought to. because.
– . is good because.
“The poster gives all of the necessary information, which is good but next time you need to add a title therefore we understand the topic. The presentation is good too since it is attractive and clear.”
Make a wall that is‘learning where learners can post positive feedback about others.
Ask learners to read each other’s written strive to search for specific points, such as for instance spelling mistakes, past tense verbs, etc. During speaking activities such as for instance role plays and presentations, ask learners to give each other feedback on specific points, e.g. how interesting it absolutely was, whether or not they understood that which was said and any questions they usually have.
During the end of this lesson, pose a question to your learners to create a list of a few things they learned, plus one thing they still need to learn.
I have a question
In the final end for the lesson, pose a question to your learners to create a concern about what they’re not clear about.
Pose a question to your learners to keep a learning journal to record their thoughts and attitudes as to the they usually have learned.
Ask learners to help keep a file containing types of their work. This may include work done in class, homework, test outcomes, self-assessment and comments from peers therefore the teacher.
At the end of the lesson give learners time to reflect and decide what to spotlight into the next lesson.
After feedback, encourage learners to set goals. Let them know they have identified what is good, what exactly is not very good, and any gaps in their knowledge. Now they need to think about their goal and just how it can be reached by them. Ask them be effective individually and answer the questions:
Ask learners to set personal goals, as an example: ‘Next week I will read a short story’.
Make use of learners to create forms that are self-assessment templates they can used to think about an activity or lesson. For younger learners, something such as the form below would work: