In learning, one of the most important factors is a feeling that you are getting somewhere. For some students, learning at school can seem like an endless list of exercises, in which they move from one task to the next. This can lead to a lack of a sense of direction in their learning or a feeling that there is no value in it. It is important, therefore, that students receive feedback on what they have done and that their effort is recognised and valued. As teachers, we typically respond to the form aspect, but it is only through the content aspect that we can really recognise our students as individuals with their own ideas.
Feedback is also extremely important in helping students to progress.
Research shows that students monitor who gets positive feedback and who doesn't. They quickly work out who the teacher thinks are 'good' students and who are 'bad' students. Practical ideas Feedback can come from other students as well as from the teacher. Feedback between students is best done in pairs or threes with students who are friends with each other. Feedback between students can be given a clear focus by asking them to produce a single rewritten version of their work which draws on what each of them has done.