Nurture Playbook

Strategy 1 · Learning intentions and success criteria

Technique menu

At the end of every meeting, each teacher chooses one or two of these to try in class over the next month, and decides what they will do less of to make room. Their partner observes one lesson and gives feedback.

  1. 1

    Strengths and weaknesses discussion

    Students discuss anonymous examples of work, naming what makes each one stronger or weaker.

  2. 2

    Model papers

    Students study worked examples of different quality before they start, so they can see what good looks like.

  3. 3

    Choose-swap-choose

    Students pick their best piece of work, a partner picks too, and they talk through any difference in their choices.

  4. 4

    WALT, WILF, TIB

    We are learning to, What I’m looking for, This is because: one simple shape for sharing the intention, the criteria and the reason.

Also in this strategy, not on your menu

  • What not to write
  • Immediate and delayed post-tests
  • Test-item design
  • Daily sign-in

All five strategies

  • Clarifying, sharing and understanding learning intentions and success criteria Your focus
  • Engineering effective classroom discussions, activities and tasks that elicit evidence of learning11 techniques
  • Providing feedback that moves learning forward7 techniques
  • Activating learners as instructional resources for one another12 techniques
  • Activating learners as owners of their own learning5 techniques

Techniques from Embedded Formative Assessment, 2nd edition (Wiliam, 2018). Several headings cover more than one technique, so Wiliam puts the total at more than 70.