HO 1

Scott Thornbury’s resume about grading.

Read and say how they are attributable to your learners.

Techniques: What can be graded?
There are a number of aspects of language that the teacher can grade when speaking to the
class. You might choose to grade none, one, some or all of these:
1 Grammar and lexis
Restrict language to those items below a certain perceived level of difficulty, for example, by
avoiding any grammatical or lexical items that have not yet been covered in the learners'
coursebook.
2 Sounds
Avoid listening difficulties that might be caused by pronunciation features, for example, by
avoiding elision and assimilation (e.g. saying. 'What do you want?' with each word pronounced
separately, rather than running them together as, for example, /wodzu:wont/).
3 Stress
Simplify what is said by stressing important words more strongly. Leave short pauses before
and after the stress to aid understanding, for example, 'I want you to answer only the ... third...
question'. This is known as punching key words.
4 Sequencing of content
State information in a logical order, perhaps mirroring the order that students will have to do
things.
5 Speed of delivery
Regardless of the language items used, slow down (or speed up). Introduce longer - or shorter -
pauses between clauses or sentences.
6 Discourse features and noise
The clarity of what is said can be affected by language used that is not central to the core
message. Any noise or unnecessary wrapping around the key message may add comprehension
difficulties and lead to confusion. Noise may be words or expressions (eg. you know, 'Well, what
I want you to do is ...*), entire sentences that add nothing to the message or distracting pieces of
information or commands about other things, such as discipline issues. Repetitions of
information in slightly different wording can also cause problems.
7 Complexity of message
Quite apart from the language used, there is also, of course, the issue of how complex the ideas
conveyed by the language are. Break difficult concepts down into smaller, more easily
understood pieces.
8 Quantity of message
Aim to say very brief things and avoid much longer ones.
Here is an example of different degrees of grading in terms of some of the issues mentioned
above. The teacher wants the class to work in pairs and write answers to a grammar exercise.
Notice that the shorter graded instructions actually contain more of the useful information.
Ungraded 'So, could you please - what I wanted you to do was to talk together to do the
exercise in pairs... so get together with a partner, could you... and it's on page 22.. so, OK, when
you've sorted out your pair, make a start on what you've got to do, and jot down the answers.
Graded
'OK Everyone. I want you to get into pairs, please. Turn to page 22, and do exercise
B. Talk together to agree the answers.' Highly graded
 'Get into pairs. (Waits for students to do it.) 'Page 22.' (Waits for students to
do It.) 'Exercise B. Work together.' (Uses a gesture to indicate pairs.)

HO2
10 Grading Tips for Teachers (Group A)

1. Avoid Grading Everything

This may come as a shock to new teachers, but not every assignment that comes
across your desk needs to be graded. While some amount of feedback is necessary,
some can also be wasteful. Plus, grading everything can take up valuable time that
could be better spent doing things like lesson planning.
There will be certain activities that are better to evaluate through a simple spot
check or a class discussion or assignments such as journal entries or book reports
that can be awarded participation points.
2. Utilize Different Grading Techniques
It's important to understand your school's grade preferences, and understand that
high school, middle school, and elementary school may need to be graded
differently. Similarly, public schools and private schools may be graded differently
based on preferences.
Here are a few to consider:
 Standards-Based Grading: Unlike traditional grading systems that assign a
single overall grade, standards-based grading is broken down into smaller
“learning targets,” and grading is based on how well the student
demonstrates their mastery of each target. Teachers assign activities such as
quizzes, essays, presentations, etc. and then assess the student’s mastery of
that activity with a grade of exceeding, meeting, or not meeting the standard.
One benefit of this grading technique is that teachers have a more immediate
understanding of how well their students are learning the material. With that
information, they can adjust their lessons in real time to better meet
students’ needs.
 Mastery-Based Education: Just as the name implies a mastery-based
approach to grading allows students to move through material as they master
it. Instead of a failing grade, struggling students can continue to practice
concepts until they’ve grasped them. This system can help level the
educational field for students with different needs or learning styles. It gives
fast learners the opportunity to quickly advance, while slower learners get
the time they need to grasp the material.
 E-S-N-U System: This approach is most commonly used in elementary
schools, specifically kindergarten through third grade. With this system,
students are assigned a grade of E (excellent), S (satisfactory), N (needs
improvement), or U (unsatisfactory). It’s also common in younger
classrooms to use acknowledgements—such as hard-working, well-
prepared, or well-organized—rather than a letter or number-based grade.
  Pass-Fail Systems: With this approach students either receive credit for a
class or not. Some teachers prefer to use pass-fail grading systems in courses
that have highly subjective material (such as fine arts or music). A pass-fail
method of grading can shift the focus away from grades and create an
environment in which learning is the reward.
Remember; there’s no one-size-fits-all method to grading. It’s important to keep an
open mind and be flexible in your grading techniques. Many classrooms can
benefit from a grading approach that incorporates multiple types of assignments so
students can demonstrate their learning in different ways.
3. Create Grading Rubrics
Rubrics are sets of scoring guidelines that teachers can use to provide consistency
in grading a student’s work. Grading rubrics or grading scales are beneficial for
both students and teachers. They help teachers avoid repetitive feedback and can
be recycled for other assignments, which saves time on grading. Rubrics also let
students know the expectations of each project, eliminating any confusion or
miscommunication. If you establish a grading scale, grade calculation is also much
easier because you know exactly what you are looking for. A gradebook is easy to
create when you have a specific rubric in mind.
As you’re developing your rubrics, remember you can tap into other grading
alternatives such as pass-fail, curve grading, or grading based on participation.
4. Use Your Students
Don’t forget your students can be a part of the grading process, too. Instead of
spending hours grading papers on your own, you can take advantage of peer
grading to save you time. One way to do this is to have students swap their
assignments with a neighbor and mark each other’s work as you go through the
answers.
Utilizing self-grading or peer-grading methods is a win-win for teachers and
students. It can help improve your students' understanding of the material and
sharpen their critical thinking skills—while at the same time taking some of the
grading work off your plate. A simple math quiz can easily be graded by the
students instead of sitting on your desk.

10 Grading Tips for Teachers (Group B)

5. Avoid Assigning Busy Work

As a new teacher, it can be tempting to assign busy work to soak up class time—
but it also creates more work for you. Often the curriculum doesn't need busy work
to help students learn it. Quality over quantity is key. Make sure the projects are
meaningful and worth the time it will take for you to grade it. If the activity
doesn’t relate to or strengthen your lesson plans, avoid assigning it.
6. Reduce Distractions
It’s easy to get distracted when we live in a world with social media, push
notifications, and text. When you sit down to grade, it’s important to find a quiet
environment that let’s you focus and be productive. Things like constant cell phone
alerts can be your worst enemy. Make sure to put your phone on silent mode or
leave it in another room to reduce distractions. If you’re working on your
computer, you can avoid online time sucks by blocking or hiding specific websites
or apps.
7. Carve Out Specific Time
Effective time management is key to stay on top of grading. You can avoid
mountains of paperwork by carving out specific times for grading—whether it’s
during your prep hour or during times of the day when you feel most productive.
Block off time on your weekly calendar to serve as a reminder for those times
when you need to be grading.
8. Use Technology
If you’re studying to become a teacher, it’s valuable to look into the different kinds
of technology solutions that can make grading easier for you. Many teachers can
benefit from using the following feedback, input, and tracking apps in their
classroom:
 Google Forms or Google Docs are both great for auto-grading or making
comments on student work.
 Mote is a Chrome extension that lets teachers add voice comments and
feedback to shared files, like Google Docs.
 Formative encourages students to learn from live feedback and corrections,
and teachers can watch as students answer questions and jump in to help.
 FreshGrade is an easy way to record, save, and share student learning.
 LearnBoost is a free electronic grading system for teachers.
 GoSoapBox features a web-based clicker to give instant feedback.
 Edulastic is a formative assessment tool that tracks achievement of
benchmarks.
 Kaizena saves time by assessing digital work on Google Drive.
 The Answer Pad is a teacher-friendly assessment app for the classroom.
 Kahoot! is a gamified classroom tool that makes assessment fun and
competitive.
9. Cycle Feedback
Many new teachers feel obligated to use grades as an opportunity for feedback on
every student’s work. While providing thoughtful feedback is a good thing, it’s not
necessary for every single assignment. Cycling comments will save you loads of
time and allow you to work smarter, not harder. Create a systematic approach to
which classes or assignments you spend extra time writing out extensive feedback;
then switch it up on the next round of grading.
10. Take Breaks
Instead of trying to power through hours of grading, step away every once and
awhile to give your brain a break. This piece of advice might seem
counterproductive, but studies show a bit of downtime here and there can
actually increase your productivity.
Working for long stretches of time without breaks can lead to stress and
exhaustion. To avoid this, make sure to get up and get moving every few hours.
According to “Psychology Today,” taking a walk, calling a friend, or simply
moving around can replenish your mental resources and allow you to work more
efficiently for longer periods.