🤔 Reflection & Improvement

Indicators of success, feedback mechanisms, and strategies for iterative lesson improvement.

Success Indicators

Cognitive Indicators

  • Students can explain the purposes of think-aloud and annotation in their own words
  • Padlet posts show text-based thinking, questions, and connections beyond literal comprehension
  • Exit tickets indicate changed understanding of scaffolding as temporary support, not simplification

Behavioral Indicators

  • Group observation shows balanced participation and peer-to-peer explanation
  • Students use metacognitive language ("I predicted," "I inferred," "I made a connection")
  • Groups engage in extended discussions beyond surface-level annotation

Feedback Collection Methods

Exit Ticket (3 Questions) +

  1. Describe how one peer helped you move from confusion to understanding in your group.
  2. Name two annotation symbols you used and what they helped you do.
  3. Write one question you still have about using think-aloud/annotation in your future classroom.

Teacher use: Question 3 reveals areas needing clarification in future sessions.

3-2-1 Feedback +

  • 3 things you learned today
  • 2 ways you will use this in your teaching
  • 1 area you still want to practise

Teacher use: Reveals transfer intentions and confidence gaps.

Instructor Observation Notes +

During group work, note:

  • Which groups struggled with annotation? (→ need repeat modelling)
  • Which scaffolding questions were most effective? (→ share with TAs for next session)
  • Did any groups finish early? (→ incorporate extensions next time)
  • Which role cards had the most/least uptake? (→ revise sentence starters)

Modification Strategies

If This Happens... Try This Adjustment
Many groups struggle with annotation Repeat the think-aloud modelling on a shorter text in the next session before group work
Strong groups finish early and disengage Add a micro-teaching challenge: pairs deliver a one-minute think-aloud to each other
Padlet becomes crowded with 90 students Use Google Slides with one slide per group instead, or split into two Padlet boards
Students still have misconceptions about ZPD after the lesson Revisit the ZPD concept using a concrete classroom video example in the next session
Groups rely too heavily on the Scribe; others are passive Rotate roles mid-task (after 15 minutes) or use "round-robin annotation" where everyone takes turns

Revisions for Next Iteration

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