Content-Specific Suggestions for Feedback Fachdidaktik III Content-Specific Suggestions for Feedback Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Focus of Chapter 6 Feedback strategies for: Elementary reading Elementary and secondary writing Math problem solving Social studies textbook comprehension Science textbook comprehension Project-type assignments Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Elementary Reading An elementary reading teacher wanted to be able to use formative assessment consistently in her instructions Her three goals: raising awareness, organizing and reflecting 1) She listened to students read at least weekly, recording fluency 2.) these notes she gave the students in a “kid-friendly note” to take home Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Reading Progress Sheet The teacher devised a progress sheet Each time she observed a student working on a goal (e.g. Sounding out a word) she made a tally mark in the “mastered” column After 5 tallies, student and teacher would reconsider the goal and decide whether it was mastered or still needed work The 3rd graders were able to write down the goals themselves Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Reading Progress Sheet Date Unit Progress Made Set a Goal Mastered Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Elementary Writing A 4th grade teacher taught her students how to write paragraphs Task: write a paragraph to answer the question “Do you think dogs or cats make better pets?”; have a clear topic sentence, a clear concluding sentence and at least 3 supporting details Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Written Feedback The teacher decided to give them written feedback The first thing to do is to compare the student’s work with the criteria for the assignment Observing the characteristics of feedback content 1.) focus 2.) comparison 3.) function 4.) valence 5.) clarity 6.) specificity 7.) tone Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Examples of Good Feedback for 4th Grade Paragraph Description Comments Your topic sentence and concluding sentence are clear and go together well. Focus: About the work Comparison: Criterion-referenced Function: Descriptive Valence: Positive Clear: Yes Specific: Yes Tone: Supportive These comments affirm and describe achievement in terms of the criteria for the assignment. They communicate to the student that the teacher noticed these specific features and tied them to the criteria for good work. One or both of these can be used in combination with the constructive criticism that follows. You used a lot of details. I count seven different things you like about dogs. Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Secondary Writing An 11th grade English teacher gave the following assignment to her class: “In Act One of the play A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry portrays many conflicts among members of the Younger family. Identify the conflict that you relate to the most. Recount several incidents that portray this conflict and explain why you relate to this conflict more than to the others.” Furthermore, the teacher specified the following details: 1.) Title should be “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry: Act One Essay” 2.) Introductory paragraph should include play title and author, identify conflict, and tell why the student relates to it 3.) Body paragraphs should contain details from the play and explanation, plus quotes if possible 4.) Concluding paragraph should restate the thesis without repeating it verbatim Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Examples of Good Feedback for Secondary Essay Description Comments Your introductory and concluding paragraphs are nice “bookends” that state your theme Focus: About the work Comparison: Criterion-referenced Function: Descriptive Valence: Positive Clear: Yes Specific: Yes Tone: Supportive This feedback affirms and describes achievement in terms of the criteria for the assignment. It communicates to the student that the teacher noticed these specific features and tied them to the criteria for good work. The paragraphs in the body of your essay are about siblings not getting along, which is great. But there aren’t many details, either about Walter and Beneatha or about you and your seven brothers. Let’s start with the play: can you think of some specific dialogue that shows Walter and Beneatha’s conflict? You could look back through Act One to find exact references. Focus: About the work and about the process Valence: Criticism accompanied by suggestion for what to do next Tone: Implies student as agent This constructive feedback criticizes a specific feature of the work, explains the reason for the criticism, and suggests what to do about it. This comment suggests two strategies (thinking and looking over the text) for finding more details to write about Walter and Beneathea. Note that the tone is helpful; the teacher asks questions rather than giving orders (“Read that play again!”) Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Feedback to Writing Giving feedback to writers requires knowing what successful writers do. Successful writers state logical, interesting topic sentences or theses and then support them with details This process forms the criteria against which to compare student writing and the foundation for making suggestions for improvement Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Math Problem Solving Successful problem solvers use a process > a problem-solving process 1.) identify the problem 2.) define or make a mental representation of the problem 3.) identify one or more strategies that would work to solve the kind of problem and then choose and apply one of the strategies 4.) evaluate the solution they arrived at to see if it is a reasonable response to the problem Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Feedback to Math Problem Solving Feedback should start by noticing what the student did, rather than what the student did not do Example: 1. student correctly identified that the problem was asking for ... Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Textbook Comprehension in Social Studies or Science To give feedback on homework or classwork that involves answering chapter questions: 1. Don’t just mark answers right or wrong. 2. Don’t just supply the answer Ask questions that suggest strategies: 1.) Where in this chapter can you read more about [topic]? When you find that place, what does it say? 2.) Do you see any order to these questions? 3.) What is this question asking you to do? Does it ask you to explain something that is already covered in the book? Does it ask you to make connections with other information or with real life? Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Content-Area Project Assignments Students were to select a topic, locate and read information about it, formulate a thesis, and write a report The report was to state the thesis, support it, and illustrate it with tables, charts, or pictures Teacher has to translate this into “kid- friendly” language Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Kid-friendly Language (part I) Ask students to write a brief paper in three paragraphs: 1.) explaining the general topic area they chose and why they were interested in it 2.) what preliminary research they did and what their tentative thesis or interpretation is 3.) how they plan to continue the work on their project Teacher reads these papers and has a brief conference with each student, providing feedback about their topic, thesis and research Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Kid-friendly Language (part II) As a second interim step, organize peer feedback as a class activity when the projects are at the draft stage During any kind of group work, teacher should be on the lookout for opportunities to provide feedback, usually oral, about work habits, collaboration and other important skills that will enable students to continue to learn and to produce quality work Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019

Conclusion Whatever the subject, you should focus your feedback: On the task or process used The feedback should be primarily: 1.) criterion-referenced 2.) descriptive 3.) positive 4.) clear 5.) specific 6.) phrased in a way that affirms students as the agents of their own learning Fachdidaktik III 21/02/2019