Formative Feedback Afl

Elements of Practice
Formative
Feedback
Good feedback helps pupils move
forward in their learning.
What’s this about?

Feedback was the starting point for Dylan Wiliam and Paul Black’s
research into formative assessment. Since the central tenet of
formative assessment is that assessment can improve learning, the
nature and quality of feedback is crucial.
Teachers can spend a lot of time marking pupils’ work, but the reality
is that this can have little effect on improving their learning. Often,
marks or comments on work tell pupils about success or failure but
not about how to move on in their learning.
Feedback is more effective if it is focused on the learning intentions

Suggestions for and success criteria of the task. This helps pupils understand the
improvement should causes of their success or failure and become more aware of what
scaffold rather than counts as quality in their learning. Quality feedback involves giving
tell pupils what to do to them time to talk about and reflect on their learning and how it
improve. They should offer might be improved. Peer and self-assessment, as well as teacher
clear guidance on how work assessment, contribute to formative feedback.
can be improved, the next
steps in learning and how For feedback to improve learning, pupils need to know three things:
pupils can take them. • where they are in their learning;
• where they need to go (their next steps); and
• how to get there (what improvements they can make).
Suggestions for improvement should enable pupils to ‘close the gap’

Feedback should focus by taking their learning forward. Feedback is formative when they
attention on what needs to have time to reflect on and respond to these improvement prompts.
be done to improve. Crucially, they need to take responsibility for their own learning and its
improvement. We can’t do it for them!
Why it’s important

Feedback can have a positive or negative impact on pupils’ learning.
“Just as we use the term Good quality feedback can significantly raise both pupils’ self-esteem
“formative” to describe the and their performance. The way they feel about themselves as
experiences that shape us learners is learned, and teachers need to be aware of the powerful
as we grow up, a formative messages they may be sending through feedback, whether verbal,
assessment is one that non-verbal or written. Effective feedback is specific to the pupil (rather
shapes learning.” than comparative) and is descriptive (rather than evaluative). The
Dylan Wiliam, 2006 first thing a pupil should do when given feedback is to think, not react
emotionally.
An AfL culture embraces the notion that everyone can have areas for
Formative feedback improvement, even the best. With its emphasis on effort rather than
focuses on success and ability, supportive feedback builds self-confidence and sends a clear
improvement, not just message to pupils that everyone can improve.
measuring performance.
To ensure shared understanding among teachers, Resource
2 offers general guidelines for a school feedback policy.
Assessment for Learning A Practical Guide 29

Elements of Practice / Formative Feedback
How to go about it
Applying formative feedback
The vast majority of • Ensure that your pupils know the criteria for feedback as they
formative assessment is engage in the learning task.
informal, with interactive • Give feedback that is accurate and realistic by focusing on the
and timely feedback and learning intentions and success criteria.
response. • Use effective questioning, discussion and prompts to focus on how
the learning can be improved.
• Model the process of giving feedback, and help pupils develop the
skills and approaches to do it themselves.
Marking with improvement Structuring quality feedback

prompts. Use the following four steps to help structure your feedback. This
process is often referred to as two stars and a wish.
1. Highlight success: find two or three successes referring to the

learning intention or success criteria.
“I started quality marking 2. Identify an area for improvement: find something that could be
with just one group of improved (not always the worst part!).
children at a time. I’m 3. Give an improvement suggestion: write a prompt that will help the
now in the way of writing learner make the improvement. Bear in mind that three levels of
prompts, and children are prompt can be used:
getting used to feedback –Reminder: reminding the pupils of the learning intention/success
from their talk partner, so criteria;
it doesn’t take so long.” –Scaffold: giving examples of what they could do or asking focused
questions; and
–Example: giving the pupil concrete examples or suggestions that
they can use.
4. Give time: give the pupil an opportunity to read the improvement
and make the changes.
30 Assessment for Learning A Practical Guide

Elements of Practice / Formative Feedback
More to think about

To make providing formative feedback manageable, do not begin by
focusing on every piece of work produced by every pupil. Instead,
start by structuring your feedback in this way for one group of
pupils. Then focus on other groups in turn to ensure that they all
receive feedback over a month or so.
This kind of ‘quality’ marking is not the only marking approach!

Remember that different types of feedback can be appropriate for
different purposes, including:
• oral feedback;
• acknowledgement marking (dated, signed);
• ticking right or wrong;
• ‘quality’ marking by the teacher, with ‘closing the gap’ prompts to
move the learning on; and
• ‘quality’ marking by the pupil or pupils (reflection time).
Pupils should know what While reflection time (where pupils self-assess or work with
counts as good work – they a partner or small group to give and receive feedback) can be
need to have a nose for very effective, these skills need to be modelled and rehearsed.
quality! When using peer assessment, make sure that partnerships are
appropriate and will offer support to one another.
Avoiding unhelpful feedback

Feedback is unhelpful and can reinforce failure when it is:
• too kind;
• too vague;
• too critical;
• too excessive; or
• too late.
Timing is important
Providing only end-point feedback may come too late, leaving little
opportunity for the pupil to make improvements. Think about giving
feedback while the work is in progress.
See Section 1: ‘A Mindset for Learning’ for

information on using praise.
Assessment for Learning A Practical Guide 31

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Elements of Practice

What’s this about?

Feedback is more effective if it is focused on the learning intentions

Suggestions for improvement should enable pupils to ‘close the gap’

Why it’s important

Assessment for Learning A Practical Guide 29

Marking with improvement Structuring quality feedback

1. Highlight success: find two or three successes referring to the

30 Assessment for Learning A Practical Guide

More to think about

This kind of ‘quality’ marking is not the only marking approach!

Avoiding unhelpful feedback

See Section 1: ‘A Mindset for Learning’ for

Assessment for Learning A Practical Guide 31

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