Today, I had the opportunity to observe a Year 12 Standard English session focused on comprehension skills. What I thought was super valuable was the way Jana gave her student the opportunity to give their own response first which she then would write notes and provide detailed feedback. The session began with a past paper question, using a timed strategy to gauge an understanding of the students time management skills. After the response was completed, together, they went line by line through the response which clarified certain phrases and neatened certain expressions.
The student practiced framing their responses using direct quotations and key human experiences, which not only helped build stronger arguments but also reinforced the idea that a good response is always rooted in specific details and a centralised idea/human experiences that is derived from the rubric.
Reassurance was also key in ensuring the Year 12 did not lose confidence which is critical in such an early stage of learning new skills. Jana’s feedback was consistently constructive, providing specific praise for parts of the response that were well thought out, even if other areas needed further refinement. By acknowledging and reminding the student of their strengths, Jana helped build confidence in their abilities, reinforcing the idea that they are capable and time constraints may have rushed the response. Rather than just focusing solely on areas that needed improvement, she also celebrated the student’s successes, no matter how small. This simultaneous balance of praise and constructive feedback prohibited the student from feeling like they were not capable and kept them motivated to continue refining their skills.
Concluding the session, it was clear how valuable these small, focused strategies are in helping students refine their comprehension skills and directly attacking and integrating the rubric into their response. By working line by line, providing reassurance and practicing time management, the student was better equipped to tackle any comprehension question that might arise. It was a clear reminder that tutoring develops, empowers and equips students with the tools they need to critically and thoughtfully engage with each comprehension text, no matter the style or form.
Jessica Ciappara
