EMPOWERING ENGLISH LEARNERS

QUESTIONING AND GIVING FEEDBACK FORMATIVELY

IN A PRIMARY ENGLISH CLASSROOM

Pham Lan Anh

Hanoi Metropolitan University

INTRODUCTION CLASSROOM PRACTICES

ABSTRACT
Formative assessment
is gaining more and
more attention in current
educational discussions.
This poster presentation
attempts to address
A MODEL OF QUESTIONING
Learning and assessment must be joyful
and no learning is possible if a child is
LEAD-IN
afraid of making a mistake since mistakes
CLARIFY
are seen as a good sign of learning. The
WAIT TIME

some of the practical need for teacher’s questioning and giving

issues facing formative PROBE

assessment in primary feedback formatively becomes clear when

English classrooms. We we consider that nearly all children suffer
ADJUST/CONFIRM

focus on practical
techniques of from bad experience of giving wrong
questioning that A MODEL OF FEEDBACK
prompts children to answers. As a teacher, we feel a sense of
demonstrate their
knowledge,
urgent change for this situation. We first
understanding and address several strategies of non-
skills. Much emphasis
will also be placed on threatening and child-friendly questioning
the importance of
informative feedback and giving feedback. Then we exemplify the
which involves children issue with classroom practices.
in self-assessment, self-
reflection and self-
regulation.
Overall, promoting
children’s learning is a
principal aim of schools,
and formative
assessment lies at the
heart of the process.
Only when questioning
and giving feedback is
formative, child-friendly
and non-threatening,
then both teachers and
children can obtain and
use information about
progress
learning
towards
goals
STRATEGIES
effectively.
QUESTIONING
- gathers evidence of student understanding
- elicits evidence of student thinking
- is guided by the learning goals towards which the
teacher and students work

QUESTIONING FORMATIVELY IN NON-THREATENING

MODE
- actively involves all students in the process. Use a USEFUL TOOLS
randomisation method to ensure that all students are
answering questions and being attentive.
- provides good wait time
- allows students to discuss answers with peers before
being called to contribute ideas

CONTACT
Pham Lan Anh
Hanoi Metropolitan University
Email: planh@hnmu.edu.vn
Phone: +84904308464
GIVING FEEDBACK
- provides information on current achievement
- informs future instruction
- is intended to improve learning outcome
GIVING FEEDBACK FORMATIVELY IN NON-THREATENING
MODE
- actively involves students in the process
- is used as friendly scaffolding
- activates student response in two channels:
+the growth channel (increasing competence)
+the well-being channel (prevent harm, threat or loss)
- makes feedback accessible and practical to students
CONCLUSION
Questioning and giving feedback
formatively requires a good deal of
strategies, among which aligning the
questions and comments with the learning
goals and reducing student’s risks of giving
out answers are essential. When done in
the right way and with the right intentions,
teacher questions and feedback can
empower students and lead to student
outstanding performances.
REFERENCES
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2009). Developing a theory of
formative assessment. Educational Assessment, Evaluation
and Accountability, 21(1), 5–31.
Cameron, L. (2001) Teaching languages to young learners. UK:
Cambridge University Press.
Carless, D., Salter, D., Yang, M., & Lam, J. (2011). Developing
sustainable feedback practices. Studies in Higher
Education, 36(4), 395-407.
Heritage, M. (2007). Formative assessment: What do teachers
need to know and do? Phi Delta Kappan, 89(2), 140-145.