Stressed and worn out from report-writing? Don't worry; we've got your back! Here are 5 phrases you can use when writing student feedback and reports. They're positive, simple, and easy to adapt to any subject or year level.
Here at Base, we're all about helping teachers develop great systems and processes so you can work smarter, not harder. Using comment banks is one strategy to cut down on marking time, and another one is having phrases like these that you can rely on to give great student feedback.
Here at Base, we're all about helping teachers develop great systems and processes so you can work smarter, not harder. Using comment banks is one strategy to cut down on marking time, and another one is having phrases like these that you can rely on to give great student feedback.
1. In this task/term/semester/ unit, you showed that you can...
This one is useful for highlighting achievements and focusing on the positive improvements students made.
- In this Area of Study, you showed that you can identify arguments in a range of texts, and analyse the ways in which authors attempt to persuade their audiences.
- In this unit, you showed that you can identify key themes and ideas in novels, and identify evidence to support you.
- In this assignment, you showed that you understand how energy can change forms.
2. You’ve made great progress in [skill/content], and you should be especially proud of...
This is also great for highlighting progress and growth.
Examples:
- You’ve made great progress in integrating quotes from the text into your analysis, and you should be especially proud of the way you’ve been using analytical verbs to extend your writing.
- You've made great progress in structuring your essays, and you should be especially proud of the clarity of your topic sentences.
- You've made great progress in your use of scientific vocabulary, and you should be especially proud of the effort you put into revising these.
3. While you showed great progress in [skill/learning behaviour], you're still learning to...
This is a handy phrase for students who are working below the level. It uses the 'not yet' approach to encourage a growth mindset.
Examples:
- While you showed great progress in identifying the author's overall contention, you're still learning to identify each argument and claim the author makes throughout a text.
- While you showed great progress in exploring your ideas in depth, you're still learning to polish your formal writing by checking your spelling and punctuation.
- While you showed great progress in using lab equipment safely during experiments, you're still learning to explain your findings in a structured scientific report.
4. For example...
Remember to use student and parent-friendly examples to illustrate your points. Most of your audience aren't going to be experts in your subject area, and using examples helps them to understand your feedback.
Examples:
- For example, while an author's overall contention might be that uniforms are outdated in 2024, a supporting argument might be that uniforms discourage independence and freedom of expression.
- For example, remember that the title and author of a text require capital letters.
- For example, in scientific reports, we use subheadings to divide each section of writing and follow specific rules when creating our tables and graphs.
5. To continue improving [subject/skill/understanding of x], I recommend you...
This one is great for providing actionable steps the student can take to improve. I also like to add how I can support the student here (eg. with additional support in class, by visiting lunch club, by sending me pieces of work for feedback etc).
Examples:
- To continue improving your analytical writing, I recommend you revisit the high quality samples provided, and practice using the analytical verbs we learned in class.
- To continue improving your editing skills, I recommend you practice reading through your work multiple times before you submit it, and review using our CAPS strategy to check for errors.
- To continue improving in Science, I recommend you use the time provided at the end of experiments to make a start on your report writing and seek support if you're stuck.