Writing PLD 2023, session 5: Feedback and Conferencing

In this session, we explored how to make the most of feedback and conferencing. Dylan Wiliam stresses the importance of forming positive working relationships with students. This can help us to judge when, and how far, to push the challenge. Feedback should be focussed on building the student's own capacity for critical thought: they need to understand why you're suggesting something and engage in 'detective work' to become effective editors of their own writing.

We also considered Helen Walls' 30 second conferencing approach, which offers a way to connect with every student on a daily basis. This consists of specific praise including recognition of effort e.g. 'I can see that you have been trying to add finger spaces and have done it most of the time'. Alongside this, a next step (one piece of advice) that is recorded in the child's book.

Providing written feedback was also part of our discussion: how much and how (especially for our younger students).

We also revisited resources for determining progression, next steps and goal setting. These are included in the attached slides.

We agreed that the ingredients for effective feedback are:

• One bit of feedback at a time related to the goal of the session. 

• Goal is connected to the planning

• Planning is connected to the needs of the kids.  

• Praise EFFORT 

• Connect - Relationships 

• Kids ownership - respond to feedback or symbols 

• The style of feedback - oral or written or pic - must match individual needs 

• Above all, feedback should propel students forward to the next step (future focussed).

As a next step, we would like to consider whether we can introduce more continuity across spaces for how written feedback is given (for example, use of colours, symbols, language).