Formative assessment/feedback: (i) Before the Sts start working on their reports, the T informs Sts about the learning
goals and the expected outcomes related to each of the days.
(ii) Using learner-friendly language (i.e., language which is suitable for the language
proficiency of the Sts in the group), the T answers Sts’ questions and, if needed,
explains the success criteria again.
(iii) Feedback loops (Barker & Pinard, 2014; Carless, 2019)
At the end of each day, the T checks the progress made by the Sts, and if there are pairs
who lag behind, s/he arranges short feedback sessions with them.
During those feedback sessions, the T gets information about the steps taken already
and asks questions aiming to uncover the reasons for not completing the missing parts
of the task.
Sts who receive both positive and negative feedback about their progress adjust their
actions, leading to a change in trajectory in their learning and growth.
Learning point: By spending time with students and answering their questions, the
teacher tries to find ways to help students internalise and use the assessment criteria
successfully. Such practices ensure that students engage with the assessment criteria in
meaningful ways and that their learning progress is supported not only throughout the
project but also throughout the academic year.
When the assessment feedback is provided constructively, timely, and regularly (e.g.,
immediately after the completion of each stage of the project), the trust between the
teacher and students grows, and it becomes a two-way interaction where students are
learning not only to tackle an identified problem (i.e., single loop learning) but also
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how to approach and resolve similar problems (i.e., double loop learning) (Carless,
2019).
(iv) The T provides tailor-made feedback to the Sts that will facilitate the completion of
the goals on the specific day.
