The document discusses using color-coded feedback to help students identify strengths and weaknesses in their grammar. Color-coding errors in student writing can help raise students' awareness of common mistakes and motivate them to focus on improving specific grammar points. Research suggests color-coded feedback is more effective than traditional methods at helping students notice their errors and engage with feedback. The presenter conducted studies showing students found color-coded feedback easier to understand and that it helped them identify weaknesses to target in future writing.

1. Reshaping the Value of Grammatical Feedback on Writing Using University of Montana/ Toyo University, Japan Dan Brown TESOL Convention, Boston March 25, 2010 C o l o r s

3. Do you spend a lot of time giving students feedback on their writing? Is this one of your most time-consuming roles as an English language teacher?

8. Using a code with colors, rather than symbols or abbreviations

9. The idea of using colors as a code

11. A bit fanatical about color-coding

12. Why were the Thai students more active with colors, and what other benefits might there be from using a color code? My questions:

14. Student t A Writing 1

15. Student A Writing 2

16. Student t A Writing 3

17. Student t A Writing 4

18. Student t A Writing 5

19. Student t A Writing 6

20. Student t A Writing 7

21. How can you describe this student’s strengths/weaknesses in her written grammar?

22. Same student’s writings, different teacher’s feedback

23. Student t A Writing 1

24. Student t A Writing 2

25. Student t A Writing 3

26. Student t A Writing 4

27. Student t A Writing 5

28. Student t A Writing 6

29. Student t A Writing 7

30. What can you say about her grammar this time?

31. Writing 1 Student t B

32. How can you describe this student’s strengths/weaknesses in written grammar?

33. One purpose of colors: Raising students’ awareness “… .so compared to other feedback it was easier to understand my weak points. For example, pink was a weakness in my writing.”

34. Supported by current theory in second language learning Noticing and awareness are necessary for language acquisition. Schmidt, 2001 Nabei & Swain, 2002

39. Awareness = MOTIVATION “ It reminds me, so then I feel challenged. Every time I saw the blue one, I thought, ‘Oh, maybe my weakness is in agreement, so maybe next time I won’t make such mistakes again’…to make the blues disappear. Before this, I didn’t realize about agreement—so many blues!” -Indonesian graduate student

40. Motivation = Monitoring & Focused EFFORT “ I noticed that my weakness is in ‘green’, so I can only correct green parts…so I can reinforce that.” -Japanese adults, business purposes “… I have made many careless mistakes such as singular/plural agreement. I can focus on those points and I can correct them predominantly…”

41. Motivation, “ I knew there were certain grammar points which were not marked. I didn’t know which points were my strengths before. Noticing it this time has raised my confidence.” CONFIDENCE

42. Follow-up study To what extent does color-coded feedback help raise students’ awareness of their strengths & weaknesses in written grammar? How commonly do you make errors in writing for each of the grammar categories below? Not Very Common Common Subject/Verb Agreement 1 2 3 4 5 6 Singular/Plural Agreement 1 2 3 4 5 6 Verb Tenses 1 2 3 4 5 6 Articles 1 2 3 4 5 6 Prepositions 1 2 3 4 5 6

43. Follow-up study To what extent does color-coded feedback help raise students’ awareness of their strengths & weaknesses in written grammar? How commonly do you make errors in writing for each of the grammar categories below? Not Very Common Common Subject/Verb Agreement 1 2 3 4 5 6 Singular/Plural Agreement 1 2 3 4 5 6 Verb Tenses 1 2 3 4 5 6 Articles 1 2 3 4 5 6 Prepositions 1 2 3 4 5 6

44. Japanese Univ. undergraduate students 2 classes, 50 students Voluntary English course (motivated) Upper-intermediate level Only 3 writings over the semester Surveys of strength/weaknesses in grammar given before and after receiving feedback. Control group given coded feedback (without colors)

45. Student A Writing 1

46. Student A Writing 2

47. Student A Writing 3

48. A Student Perception of Strengths/Weaknesses Weakness Strength

49. Student B Writing 1

50. Student B Writing 2

51. Student B Writing 3

52. Student Perception of Strengths/Weaknesses Weakness Strength B

53. Student C Writing 1

54. Student C Writing 2

55. Student C Writing 3

56. C Student Perception of Strengths/Weaknesses Weakness Strength

57. Student D Writing 1

58. Student D Writing 2

59. Student D Writing 3

60. D Student Perception of Strengths/Weaknesses Weakness Strength

61. Shift from ‘How many errors?’ to noticing ‘What kind of errors?’ Focus on Quantity Quality

65. This would not be motivating!!!

66. Will this technique work for all classrooms, all teachers, and all students? Discuss with your neighbors possible challenges or difficulties in using color-coded feedback. (3 min.)

71. Sharpie (Accent) Retractable Highlighters These save time and make it manageable-- No need for removing caps

72. Thank you for coming! Questions or comments? [email_address]