Embedded Files
Sometimes, teachers miss obvous opportunities to make their marking easier.
The idea of marking codes is embedded in UK schools from nursery classes onwards.
Most older children understand codes instinctively, even when their meaning flexes according to context. In an essay, it is possible that meanings are slightly different:
In secondary school, you should actively seek ways to introduce short form comments and marking codes into your classes as routine. In order to do this, you will generally need to invent codes and share them with your students. You need to think about these from the start of year - don't just start writing CDB on essays at busy times (could do better). These things take a little time. Here are a couple of (deliberately unrealistic) examples.
Example 1
Give an essay topic. Make your students write it down. For example:
'Hamlet was a wuss and a mummy's boy”.Write 300 words supporting this.
Make it clear what you are looking for in your marking criteria, and - this is important - get your students to write this down too. For example:
I'm looking for several examples of facts, opinions, and persuasive argument, and I want it to be clear which is which.
Finally, tell your students what your marking codes will be, and get them to write them down too. Make sure they understand them.
F = clearly stated fact
O = clearly expressed opinion
P = clear persuasion
? = unclear fact, opinion or persuasion
X = incorrect fact or illogical opinion
Hopefully, the objectives are clear: you are seeking to involve your students in the assessment process, and you are also getting them to do as much of the work as possible.
So, your marking should not look like this:
... but like this:
Now, of course there are issues with this approach - it needs a little effort from the student to decipher. However, in truth, most students have to decipher and interpret teachers' comments anyway. At least you are not writing demotivating red essays on top of their work.
Example 2
Discuss formal marking schemes with your students and add marking codes to specific criteria. For example, this set of criteria...
Students have incorporated at least one design feature in their work, name it and explained its use.
Students have identified at least two alternative design features, named them, and described their possible use.
Students have compared the chosen feature with alternatives and explained their choice
… might have these mark codes:
A1: Students have incorporated at least one design feature in their work, name it and explained its use.
A2: Students have identified at least two alternative design features, named them, and described their possible use.
A3: Students have compared the chosen feature with alternatives and explained their choice
??: Students have not met the criteria for awarding marks
If you are taking this approach, it is really important that the marking codes are discussed with students before, and after, the marking.
So your marking should not look like this...
... but like this:
Example 3
You can develop specific codes for specific students - again, the intention should be that you get your students to write down the codes in their workbooks at the same time as they write down their task. Example codes might be:
Student 1 needs to show more textual analysis. Tell them that this is what they must concentrate on, and that these are their mark codes.
Student 2 needs to improve the use of quotations. Tell them that this is their target, and that their mark codes are.
Example 4
Now then, you are all intelligent teachers, so I don't really need to include this example, but - just to be absolutely clear - I'm going to show an example of how not to use marking codes.
Remember the fundamental purpose of all TM4T time-saving techniques: we want to use our time on the things that we value, that are important. We do not save time just to do more of the same old work.
The following example shows a teacher who has misunderstood this point. P for punctuation and Sp for spelling are all very well, but simply bombarding a student with errors is unlikely to be productive. Be selective, and be focused in your marking.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse