Assessment for Learning – Classroom prompts for Children

All of these AfL tools and prompts require modelling by the teacher.

Glossary:

  • Concept Map:

This is a method of noting down all that is known about a topic before it is taught. It can highlight misconceptions as well as prior knowledge. It can be completed at the end of a topic and the before and after versions compared and evaluated. There are two versions in the pack. The ‘Tigers’ example shows a technique suitable for KS1 and the ‘What do I know about . . .’ example is suitable for KS2.

  • Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats:

A tool to teach children how to view problems or situations from different perspectives; facts; positives; difficulties; emotions; alternatives and management of the different perspectives.

  • Group Roles:

When children work collaboratively it is useful for them to adopt different roles within the group. These roles should be rotated so that pupils experience them all.

K W L Grid:

This is used at different times during the lesson or unit of work. The first column is used to note what is already known about a topic or story. The second column contains questions that the children want to know about the topic or story and the third column is for the things that have been learnt.

  • Marking Ladder:

These are used to list the success criteria for a piece of work or finished outcome. The pupils work in pairs to evaluate their writing against the checklist before submitting it for marking and agreement by the teacher. The pupil and the teacher comment on areas for development.

  • Mind Map:

A graphical technique with the topic in the centre and the main themes radiating out on branches. These branches in turn form branches containing further details and ideas. Useful for note-making/taking, revision, planning, organising thoughts. Colours can be used to highlight and differentiate aspects of the topic.

  • PEE Poster:

A prompt to encourage children to elaborate upon what they have read or found out.

  • Pit Stop for Learning:

A motivational tool for use during independent work to help pupils to question the way in which they are learning and working.

  • Plenary Dice:

A kinaesthetic and visual method of reflecting on learning.

  • QUADS Grid:

This is similar to the K W L grid but is useful for individual work. The pupil notes the questions that they wish to find in information or fiction texts in the Qu column. The answers are noted in the A column, the details in the D column and the source of the information in the S column.

  • Question Hand:

Useful for story starters, opening paragraphs of journalistic reports, recounts or retrieving information from historical texts.

  • Question Tree:

A large tree drawn with six branches. Each branch represents a question: Why? Where? When? What? Who? How? The pupils write questions on leaves and stick them on the branches.

  • Spelling Poster:

This poster shows the five strategies that are useful for learning spellings: analogy; syllables and phonemes; roots; handwriting; mnemonics.

  • Tickled Pink:

A self-evaluation technique for pupils to recognise what they have done well and what need further development.