This Will Supercharge Your Teaching
Your class have written an exam answer. But what should you do next with the class? What are the most high value next steps?
TILF will do this for you - it will analyse the strengths and weaknesses of what your class can do, and then recommend up to 5 next steps.
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Let me show you.
You know I am a massive fan of TILF, the AI marking and feedback tool.
It’s not just for students. Kelly at TILF is trying to get teachers to use it for their marking. This is what happens if teachers use TILF. You can get all of your essays marked, with personal feedback.
But now Kelly is offering class reports, which summarise what the whole class needs to learn next.
These are extracts from reports for separate schools, uploading essays on An Inspector Calls and Power and Conflict poems.
TILF Class Reports
From an essay on the presentation of female characters.
1. Expanding Analysis of Key Female Characters
Strengths Observed
Students frequently recognize that Sybil Birling represents upper-class arrogance and prejudice.
Many essays identify Sheila Birling’s transformation from naive/materialistic to more socially aware.
Common Gap
Description
Students often mention only one female character (e.g., Sybil or Sheila) without considering the full spectrum of women (e.g., Eva Smith, Edna, or contrasting older vs. younger generation women).
Analysis remains brief: after stating a quote, students don’t always unpack its implications for themes like social responsibility or gender roles.
Student Example
Original: “Priestley shows Sybil is ‘cold’… She hates Eva’s class.”
Revised: “Priestley depicts Sybil Birling as ‘cold,’ reflecting her upper-class indifference. By dismissing Eva with ‘girls of that class,’ Sybil demonstrates how the privileged demean lower-class women, highlighting both class and gender prejudice.”
Suggested Action
Character Comparison Paragraphs: Require students to discuss at least two female characters, analyzing how each reflects a different societal issue.
“Why It Matters” Expansion: After each quote, instruct students to explain how the language reveals Priestley’s commentary on women’s roles or vulnerabilities.
From an essay comparing Remains and one other poem.
3. Use of Textual Evidence
Strengths Observed:
Students are selecting pertinent quotes that illustrate central ideas, such as “Drink and drugs won't flush him out” (Remains) or “But nothing happens” (Exposure).
Most essays show a clear effort to back up statements with direct references to the text.
Common Gaps:
Some students simply insert quotes without explaining how the language, structure, or imagery supports their argument.
Example:
Original: "'Drink and drugs won't flush him out' shows the soldier's attempt to escape his guilt."
Revised: "'Drink and drugs won't flush him out' shows the soldier's attempt to escape his guilt, reinforcing Armitage’s message that psychological scars persist beyond the battlefield. This parallels Owen’s depiction of inescapable environmental threats in ‘Exposure.’
Suggested Action:
Quote Integration Drills: Assign brief tasks where students must introduce a quote, analyze key words or images within it, and explicitly link it back to the theme.
Model Paragraphs: Show examples of a well-structured paragraph that weaves a quote into the argument and elaborates on its significance.
From an essay on how Priestley presents Sheila.
5. Using Textual Evidence Effectively
General Literary Analysis
Strengths Observed:
Ability to select relevant textual evidence.
Example: "Sheila’s remorse, 'I know I had a part in this,' highlights her growing sense of justice."
Common Gaps:
Struggle to integrate textual evidence effectively within analytical frameworks.
Example:
Original: "Sheila feels guilty and this shows she is different from her family, as seen when she says, 'I know I had a part in this.'"
Revised: "Sheila’s admission, 'I know I had a part in this,' illustrates her growing divergence from her family's dismissive attitude, underlining her moral development."
Suggested Action:
Implement activities that practise integrating textual evidence with detailed commentary on its significance to the author’s broader message.
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