We all know that feeling… thirty books to mark, plus assessments and suddenly that’s the weekend gone. But what if we could make our marking speedier and more efficient? What if we could use our marking to stretch and challenge? And what if our marking really could inform our planning and help us know our kids better?
This was the thinking behind some recent research we did on how to cut down the hours of laborious marking without compromising on the quality of feedback and the importance of assessment. So here are our top strategies to help free up your weekend and put planning firmly on the top of our agendas…
- Focus on one thing: There is a place for in-depth, all inclusive marking perhaps for assessments. However, most of the time, stick to focused marking because it is much easier for the students to digest. Share the focus with the students before they complete the task and break it down. E.g. I am focussing on how you analyse language/how much critical terminology you use accurately/introductions and conclusions/your line of argument/AO3 context etc…
- Use a skills worksheet: Using a simple key, simply mark where particular skills have been met. Tick off on a checklist, easily identifying which skills have not been met and targeting DITS to these skills.
- Using an overview sheet: tackle misconceptions, spag errors, praise, concerns, stretch and challenge and generic DITs all on one sheet. Simple print out a copy for each pupil to stick into their books, highlighting anything specifically relevant to them.
- Effective peer marking: share with them the marking criteria, get them to reword it or highlight most important things that are being assessed prior to the task. Discuss the skills and levels as a class or in groups. Allow them to choose the levels they are aiming for and connect with that level in some manner. Once the task is complete, revisit the mark schemes they have deconstructed, clarify any issues with it now the task has been completed. Then peer marking will take place. Model the task and the marking, talking them through the thinking process. Focus them on how we mark their books for guidance. Use green pen for peer/self-marking and a different consistent colour for your own marking. It takes training, but can work really well.
- Use technology: record your class feedback as a video or sound file to share with pupils on the student drive or other on-line platform.
- Live marking: Marking there and then: focus on 2 or 3 students each lesson. Target specific students (e.g. those who have missed lessons or have particular weaknesses.)
- Use the yellow box: Highlight just a section of work e.g. just the middle section of an essay, and close mark this, targeting feedback specifically on just this area. Make sure they respond by drawing an empty yellow box (vary the size depending on how much you are asking them to do .e.g. redraft an entire paragraph.
For further information, please contact any of the Lead Practitioners.
Download example overview template: overview-mark-sheet
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