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a ready-to-run workshopSeparating Feedback From Grades
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Separating Feedback From Grades (Workshop)

Here is a counterintuitive finding: when you put a grade and a comment on the same work, students read the grade and ignore the comment. Separating feedback from grades, at least sometimes, is what lets your careful feedback actually land.

Key takeaway

Research finds that when a grade and a comment appear together, students read the grade and ignore the comment; separating feedback from grades, at least sometimes, is what lets careful feedback actually land.

Format
PLC / team meeting
Length
45 minutes
Group size
Any (works 4-40)
Who can run it
Any teacher-leader
You will need
Slides (5)Printed handoutYour feedback practice in mindA timer
Aligned to
Learning Forward: Rigorous ContentInTASC 6: AssessmentResearch on grades and feedback
Share / assign

Why it works

Research (notably Ruth Butler) found that students given both a grade and a comment tend to focus on the grade and ignore the comment, gaining little, while students given comments alone engage with and benefit from the feedback. Grades, especially, crowd out the processing of feedback and can shift students toward ego and performance rather than learning. Strategies to separate feedback from grades, giving comment-only feedback at times, returning feedback before the grade, requiring students to act on feedback before seeing a grade, help feedback actually land and keep the focus on learning.

The research: Research on grades and feedback (Butler).

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

    The core activity: let feedback land by separating it

    Teachers leave with a way to separate feedback from grades on a task.

    Grades crowd out feedback, so separate themWhen a grade and comment appear together, students read the grade and ignore the comment. Separate them, at least sometimes, so your feedback actually lands.

    Facilitator notes

    A grade beside a comment means the comment goes unreadStudents focus on the grade and skip the comment. Separate feedback from grades, at least sometimes, so your careful feedback is actually used.

    Adapt it

    Participant handout

    One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

    K12 Academics · Professional Learning

    Separating Feedback From Grades: let it land

    <b>Grades crowd out comments:</b> give feedback without the grade, at least sometimes, and require engagement with it.

    1. Whether students engage with my feedback or just check the grade:
    2. How I will separate feedback from grades (comment-only, feedback first):
    3. How I require students to engage with feedback:
    4. How I keep the focus on learning:
    5. A task to try it on:

    Make it stick

    Let feedback land:

    Common questions

    Why do students ignore my comments?
    Research finds that when a grade accompanies a comment, students focus on the grade and ignore the comment. Separating them, comment-only or feedback-before-grade, lets the feedback land.
    Do I have to stop grading?
    No. But at times, give comment-only feedback, return feedback before the grade, or have students act on feedback before seeing the grade, so the feedback is processed, not crowded out.
    Won't students just want the grade?
    Often yes, which is the problem. Separating feedback from grades (at least sometimes) and requiring engagement with feedback first keeps the focus on learning, not just the score.

    Go deeper

    Build it into a bigger day

    Workshop
    Feedback That Moves Learning
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    Feedback Literacy
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    Grading for Equity