Marking policies – every school has one, it can varyfrom school to school, and every teacher is expected to internalise and apply them. However, therea few “m쾱Բ”pillars NQTs can familiarise themselves with which will give them a solid foundation.
Handwriting
Try to develop legible, clear handwritingthat, if at all possible,emulates the handwriting being taught throughout the school.
Corrections
Your policy will no doubt have some symbols forthings such as new paragraphs, spellingsand punctuation in literacy, and small ticks in maths and dots for incorrect calculations.
It may also suggest a cut-off point for the number of corrections you make in a piece of work, so that pupils do not become discouraged by their work being heavily corrected.
Try to spread this allowance evenly over a piece.If only the first paragraphor first few calculations are corrected, it can give the impression that you haven'tread it all.
Comment focus
A good marking maxim is tohighlight two positive features about the work and a moving on comment, which encourages further progress.
It's useful if the positive commentsin some way reflect how the child has achieved the set objective.For example, if it was to use commas in a list, at least one of your comments should reflect that objective: “You have begun to use commas in a list and...”
Moving on comments
In maths, it could be another calculation. In literacy, it could range from encouraging children to write a sentence with two adjectivesto redrafting the opening two sentences of their story to include a more powerful verb or advanced punctuation.
Remembertoallow time within the next lesson for that group to respond to your comment.It's equally important that you acknowledge whatever that response was in your next marking session.
If it isn't clear how often you should make a moving on comment,ask for guidelines – using them on everypiece of work can leave you feeling overwhelmed. And if you're writing as many as 50 words in each book and you have 35 books in one subject, that's 1,750 words. If you're marking literacy and maths each day, that would quickly add up to 3,500 words per day – and you haven't even started on a foundation subject.
Each day, focus on a different group in literacy and mathsto ensure every child receives a moving on comment in these subjectsat least once a week, and perhaps every few weeks in a foundation subject.
Planning comments
Before you start your marking,thinkof four or five comments for each group, rather than 35 different ones.
It's the positive things yousay whichmatter mostto a child, rather than the myriad and time-consuming different ways you can think of saying it. Andit helps you avoid that dreaded moment when you have to resort to Tippex.
Marking timetable
You mayhave already been warned that you should mark your literacy and mathsevery day, but core subjects will mount up quickly.
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, teaching days will be so full that you'll forget the focus of a task you tackledon Mondayif you leave it until Wednesday to address.
Trynot to neglect othersubjects such as RE or art and design. Theseare often the first placeOfsted looksto gaugewhether or not a teacher is keeping up-to-date with their marking. If it helps, develop a workable marking timetableand stick to it.
Avoid emotive expressions
Try not to include emotive vocabulary such as “disappointment” in your comments.If you are at a bit of a loss as to know what to say I would suggest: “You have tried hard with...” or “Perhaps we can talk more together next lesson about...”
Add praise
Finally, do not get weary of that lovely praise ink stamper or sticker you have in your arsenal.Children love it.
Although tedious at times, marking is avaluable tool for gauging and moving a child’s learning forward. And,perhaps more importantly, it also communicates to children that you care about them and what they are doing.
Suzanne Webster is aretired teacher and School Improvement and Advisory Service(SIAS) consultant