Clarke, Shirley. (2003). Enriching feedback in the
primary classroom. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Pp. 148
$60 ISBN 0-340-87258-6
Reviewed by Antonella Reffieuna
University of Turin, Italy
March 26, 2005
In line with the interest that Shirley Clarke has previously
shown for formative assessment in primary schools, her latest
book examines the aspect that chiefly characterises this form of
assessment, that is feedback. The components of feedback are not
only analysed from the theoretical standpoint: indeed, in the
spirit of action research, the book aims to provide teachers with
an operative guide. The structure of her argument is clarified
through specific subheads (“So… Key
principles…INSET ideas…”), she indicates
websites to visit for further information, and uses expressions
recorded in an actual school context, all of which clarify the
logical structure of the text, which is that of accompanying
reflection and predisposing teachers to taking operative
action.
Starting from the introduction it is made clear that feedback
is "the most powerful aspect of formative assessment" (p.1): the
fundamental characteristic of formative assessment is that of
providing pupils with information enabling them to determine the
next step they need to take and that gives them indications on
how best to take it.
Formative assessment, and in consequence the feedback
approach, are therefore centred around learning rather than
around teaching. In this connection, on page 3 a diagram taken
from Askew and Lodge (2000) shows the possibility that three
different levels of feedback exist: feedback as the teacher's
"gift", which thus takes place in a situation where direct
teaching predominates; ping-pong feedback, which implicates the
existence of a dialogue between teacher and pupil; and loops
feedback, which occurs within a free flow dialogue. Although the
first two forms of feedback are not entirely negative, indeed in
some specific situations they are even desirable, only loops
feedback is effective in that it is the expression of an approach
that considers learning to be the fruit of co-construction by
teacher and pupil.
While respecting the strictly operative goals, in the first
chapter the author carefully places her examination of the
characteristics of feedback within a theoretical reference
framework. For the purpose she quotes the principles of
constructivist theories, the theory of multiple intelligences,
neuroscience, studies on motivation and self-esteem, which are
analysed not in an isolated form but in relation to the
consequences for the teacher's behaviour in class (pp 10-14).
Chapter 2 is equally interesting, centred around "the coverage
dilemma" between range of contents and depth of treatment. The
priority in this connection must be "to achieve maximum learning
rather than maximum coverage" (p. 19).
The third chapter begins an examination of the characteristics
feedback may take on; very appropriately the author (p. 33)
reminds us to that while on one hand feedback is the most
effective element to improve pupils' school results, it can also
in some cases be the cause of regression. Unfortunately, though,
she fails to follow up on this assertion, and one has the
impression this may be due to a definition of positive and
negative feedback that is not entirely adequate. She repeatedly
stresses that feedback must be linked to the learning goals set
by the specific task assigned to the pupils, rather than
stimulating a comparison among the pupils themselves. Her failure
to consider learning as a process of change (which is not dealt
with in the book) and her consequent failure to specify what we
should understand by positive and negative feedback (in the light
of indications given by Ford and Lerner, 1992) leads her, in a
rather simplistic fashion, to identify negative feedback only
with correction of pupils or expressing negative opinions about
them. It might have been appropriate in this connection to go
back to the general meaning of feedback as defined in cybernetics
where the concept originated; mention of the fact that by
feedback we mean the return of information for the purpose of
regulating and controlling a process would have strengthened some
of the book's (perfectly valid) assertions and would have made it
clearer that feedback can originate from outside, but also from
within the pupil him/herself. This would have helped to put into
context the reference to the important role played by the
motivation to learn.
Despite these limitations the book has a lot to offer; indeed,
it may very well be that just because she is addressing primary
school teachers the author has fallen into the trap of
oversimplifying.
It is to the author's creditt that she places before teachers a
series of problems that are frequently ignored. In this
connection the distinction between instant feedback and
reflective feedback is an interesting one (p. 22), as is the
correlation with the time variable: instant feedback must come
about in class as the lesson proceeds; reflective feedback occurs
at the end of the lesson. It is also valuable that she has called
attention to behaviour that frequently remains implicit for the
teacher, but that sends pupils very precise and incisive signals:
tone of voice, body language, behaviour of the teacher assistant,
the words the teacher uses in speaking to pupils.
She dedicates special attention to the teacher's language,
which she correlates to the fact that children appreciate oral
feedback much more than written feedback. In this connection, she
repeatedly stresses the importance of children's ability to ask
for help and to utilise the help given them. Here, too, it might
have been helpful to dedicate some space to the importance of the
child's level of understanding, and it would have been
interesting to draw a comparison between the characteristics
feedback generally possesses with different types of
children.
The book concludes with an interesting concept: that the way
in which feedback is used should not be the exclusive object of a
teacher's individual choice, but should rather be agreed among
the entire school staff; indeed it should be a component of the
ethos characterising each specific school.
Overall, the book provides numerous interesting points for
reflection, of especial relevance within teachers' formative
development. It is to be hoped that the author will plan a
further work in which to develop in greater depth the key
concepts, which in some cases are little more than simply stated
here. It may of course be equally said that she has intentionally
left teachers the job of going into the material in greater
depth, which would be fully consistent with the strategies of
action research. However, one has to wonder whether, with a
concept as complex as that of feedback, teachers might not
require more detailed explanation.
References
Askew, S & Lodge, C. (2000). Gifts, ping-pong and
loops-linking feedback and learning. In Askew, s. (Ed.).
Feedback for learning. London: Routledge Falmer.
Ford, D.H. & Lerner, R.M. (1992). Developmental System
Theory. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
About the Reviewer
Antonella Reffieuna
Laboratory of Developmental Psychology
Department of Psychology
University of Turin – Italy
No comments:
Post a Comment