A case study of speed-marking. Result: a popular method of providing written corrective feedback for both teacher and students. More research needed to evaluate effectiveness.

1. John Blake
University of Aizu
Speed-marking: A case study

2. Introduction
1. Background:
– Situation, Problem, Cause & Proposal
2. Speed-marking
– Procedure
3. Case study
– Participants, Data collection
4. Results
– Student evaluation, Teacher evaluation
5. Conclusion

3. Background
Situation Problem Cause Proposal
Students
expect
feedback on
their writing

4. Background
Situation Problem Cause Proposal
Students
expect
feedback on
their writing
Teachers
spend long
time
responding
to writing

5. Background
Situation Problem Cause Proposal
Students
expect
feedback on
their writing
Teachers
spend long
time
responding
to writing
Students
need to
wait for
feedback

6. Background
Situation Problem Cause Proposal
Students
expect
feedback on
their writing
Teachers
spend long
time
responding
to writing
Students
need to
wait for
feedback
One teacher
to respond to
writing of all
students

7. Background
Situation Problem Cause Proposal
Students
expect
feedback on
their writing
Teachers
spend long
time
responding
to writing
Students
need to
wait for
feedback
Respond to
writing
during
class time
while
students
work on
different
task
One teacher
to respond to
writing of all
students

8. Speed-marking
Why do lifts have mirrors?
Mirrorsareusedtodistractpassengers.People
lookinginthemirrordonotnoticethespeed
ofthelift.

9. Speed-marking
Speed-marking can be achieved using the same distraction technique, but
rather than a psychological distraction like a mirror, a concrete learning activity
is used.
While students are discussing errors in pairs or small groups, the teacher has
chance to rapidly respond to student writing.

10. Speed-marking: Preparation
Create directed writing task
e.g. Write an email inviting
your teacher to an event.
Provide details about the date,
time and place.
Anticipate errors

11. Speed-marking: Procedure
Write
• Read instructions
• Complete written task
Hand-in
• Hand texts to teacher
Discuss
• Discuss how to correct
displayed errors
Check
• Share ideas on
displayed errors
Lists
• Unobtrusively collects and
lists student errors
Shows
• Displays error list
Corrects
• Responds to student texts
• Adds errors to displayed
list to buy extra time
Checks
• Corrects and explains
displayed errors
• Returns student texts
mins
15
1
15+
5+
Students Teacher

12. List of errors
This is an extract of the list of 30+ errors collected from a
persuasive essay on online gaming.
The errors listed will depend on the correction policy.
1. There is two reason
2. I think there are 2 reason
3. First, Gaming is…
4. And another reason is…
5. Children are difficult to…
6. I don't think…
7. There are good point.
8. Because gaming is XXX.
9. There are several researches.
10. They decrease your ability of eyes.

13. Major: Computer Science
Participants: Second-year undergraduates
Participants: 3 classes, total = 82 students
Level: approximately B1 (mean TOEIC = 381)
Motivation: Low
This case study was conducted at the University
of Aizu, Japan.
Case study

14. Seven speed-marking activities were completed.
Student and teacher views were collected.
Case study: Data collection
Students
Formative
questionnaire
(one class)
Summative
questionnaire
(three classes)
Teacher
Reflective log
Comments on
each activity

15. Case study: Data collection
Two questionnaires were used with students.
Formative questionnaire
Should I continue to use speed-marking?
Is it useful for you for?
Please share any ideas you have in English if possible.
Summative questionnaire
This four-question survey is reproduced below:

16. All the comments received from one class are grouped below
Results: Formative questionnaire
I think it is useful
Useful but I don`t like [sic]
Useful
Useful!!
Useful
Useful
Useful!!
I think it is useful.
It is useful for me.
I think very useful.
Useful
Honesty troublesome, useful! [sic]
I think it is nice.
I think very good thing [sic]
It is great idea. [sic]
Very good.
Great idea.
So good!!
I think good. [sic]
I think it is good way. [sic]
I think the class is good.
I think such style is good but, I want to know the
correct answer of my mistake point [sic]
I think the class is interesting. Because. This is good.
[sic]
I could notice my wrong. I did not know. [sic]
I think it is prepare way. [sic]
Students can know their dependency and
correct answer. [sic]
Because I want to teach grammar. [sic]
I want you to continue with this.
No problem.
I agree to continue the current style.
I could get some tips to increase my English
skills
他の人の問題から学ぶことができた。[I was able to
learn from the problems of others]
参考になる。[It provided me with useful information]
今までの英語の授業ではあまり教えてもらえなかっ
た部分について学ぶので良いと思う。
I think it was good as I could learn aspects that I had
not been taught in English class until now

17. Results: Summative questionnaire

18. Strongly agree Agree No opinion Disagree Strongly disagree
Results: Summative questionnaire
Note: 69 individual responses (2 students submitted twice)

19. Results: Summative
questionnaire

20. The first batch of student views are reproduced below. The general
sentiment was very positive.
Results: Student views
Student opinions (first 22)
• Even English words that
everyone knows will not appear if
you panic.
• I have no complaint.
• Great
• Not bad
• One of easy to study way.
• I think that it is fascinating for me.
• It seems that some people do not
listen to the comment seriously.
• I agree speed-marking because I
am improved writing skill by that.
• I can write faster
• This can discover my English
mistakes.
• It is better to immediately notice
English mistakes.
• I think that it is an efficient
learning method.
• It is suitable as formal of the test.
• I have not my idea.
• I learn my mistake many times.
• I don't create English sentences
in daily life. Then, It becomes
good stimulation for me.
• I would like to think carefully, if I
had to choice.
• I can improve my English ability.
• It a useful to learn.
• It is fun, but it was difficult for me.
• No view
• I was fun. I learned. I improved
my skill.

21. “I will use speed-marking with all my
writing classes. Students enjoyed the
experience. I could see the progress
that students made over just activities.
Best of all, there was no pile of
homework to take home! ”
Results: Teacher opinions
• challenging – due to the pressure to
complete marking while students are
discussing
• time passed quickly – due to the
challenge
• able to provide prompt feedback
• no out-of-class marking

22. Conclusion
Speed-marking was popular with both
students and teacher. Students
receive prompt feedback. Teacher
completes marking during class time.
The teacher and the majority of
students believed speed-marking
helped them improve their writing.
Beliefs, however, are not proof.
The efficacy of speed-marking
should now be evaluated using a
large-scale experimental study.

23. Any questions, suggestions or
comments?
John Blake
jblake@u-aizu.ac.jp
Feel free to email me, especially if
you want to try out speed-marking.