The document lists 12 active formative learning (AFL) strategies teachers can use to check student understanding, get feedback, and engage students in lessons. Some strategies include using traffic light cards to gauge comprehension, think-pair-share to discuss questions in pairs before sharing with the class, and numbered heads together where students within groups must agree on an answer for their number. The strategies aim to provide instant feedback to teachers and encourage peer interaction and reflection among students.

1. Top 12 AFL Strategies
Not a red pen in sight!
Lesley Ann McDermott

2. Progression Traffic Lights
• Use traffic lights as a visual means of showing
understanding. Laminate for display.
RED, AMBER, GREEN
• Either give students red, amber, green cards which
they show on their desks or ask for raised hands.
• At the beginning of the lesson ask for prior knowledge.
• Review in the plenary session.
Instant feed back to inform your planning.
RED = don’t understand, know nothing, not confident...
AMBER = know a little, nearly there...
GREEN = totally get it, got is sussed, confident learner etc...

3. Think, Pair, Share
• Pose an opened ended question or problem to which
there may be a variety of answers.
• THINK: Allow ‘thinking time’ and direct them to
think about the question.
• PAIR: Students then work in pairs to share ideas,
discuss, clarify and challenge.
• SHARE: Share ideas with another pair or with whole
class
• It is important that students need to be able to
share their own partner’s ideas as well as their own.
• Peer interaction and thinking time are powerful
factors in improving responses to questions.

4. Numbered heads together
• Divide students into groups of 4,
students each given a number 1-4
• Teacher poses a question or problem.
• Each individual in the group has to
contribute an idea, answer or solution.
• The group then have to agree on which
idea will be their group answer.
• Teacher calls out a number randomly
1-4.
• Students with that number raise their
hands, and when called on, the student
answers for his or her team.

5. ABCD TF YN cards
• Laminate lettered cards A, B, C, D, or T, F, Y, N,
• Ask Multiple choice questions: A, B, C, D.
• Even better when there is more than one correct
answer to spark a discussion, or when the answers
depend on the assumptions the student makes.
• Ask True/False or Yes/No questions.
• Students hold lettered cards up in response.
A B C D T F Y N
If you can’t afford active vote or get hold of active vote
this is a cheaper alternative!

6. Class basketball
• Pass a soft ball to one student to give one main idea
from the lesson to share with group.
• The ball then passes to another student to give
another main point of the lesson.
• Once a student has taken part s/he cannot be passed
the ball again.
• This continues until the teacher thinks the main
points have been given.

7. Student created problems
• Students in pairs/groups pose
a question for the class to
answer – write it on mini
whiteboards or post its.
• At end of the lesson take the
questions and ask other
groups to answer them.
• Students in groups then work
on answers –
• Groups feedback to class with
answers.

8. Find the fib
• Write two correct statements about
the lesson and one fib
• Ask students to tell you which one is
the fib and why?

9. One, Two, Review, Review
• ONE: ‘I’ – ‘I learned this...’
• TWO: ‘you’ – ‘You thought/added...’
• REVIEW– ‘I now know...’ – what they have learned
from paired conversation
• REVIEW – ‘I didn’t know/think this because...’ – allows
reflection on thought processes.
• Starts with the individual’s contribution and then
moves onto the paired learning experience.
One
‘I’
Two
‘You’
Review
- I now know...
Review – I didn’t
know/think of
this because...

10. Two Stars and a Wish
• Peer assessment, self assessment or teacher
assessment
• Identify two positive things the student has done
well and what you wish they could do in the future.
• It may be assessment, behaviour, presentation driven.
Ask if they can act on the wish next time or there
and then for immediate action.
• This could be recorded in their books on a sheet.

11. Smiley faces
• Got it sussed. Ready to move on!
• Nearly there! Understand some parts
but not all.
• Unsure. Do not understand and need
to look at it again!



Good for checking
knowledge on
revision lists.
Students draw smiley faces to
indicate how comfortable they
are with the topic. .

12. Thumbs
• I get it
• Sort of – half way there...
• I don’t get it



Check class understanding of what you are
teaching by asking them to show their thumbs.

13. Post it
• Set an area of wall space for students to stick post it
notes.
• Groups, pairs, individual can answer.
• Instant feedback to inform your planning.
What I have learnt? What I have found easy??
What have I found
difficult?
What do I want to know now?

14. Top 12 AFL Strategies