Fist to Five- gauging student's prior knowledge & receiving feedback.

Went to the AEU Student Teacher Conference yesterday. The keynote speaker was Glen Pearsall who gave us some great practical tips. One of these was Fist to Five which can be used to gauge students prior knowledge and to get feedback from students. It involves students raising their hand and signalling a ranking by the number of digits they hold up. A closed fist is the lowest ranking and showing five digits is the highest ranking.

To gauge prior knowledge fist to five can be used by asking the class to rank their understanding of a topic. This is especially helpful when starting or returning to a unit of work. For example you could ask, 'Rank your knowledge on the Titanic from fist to five. Fist being I have no knowledge and five being that I could be given an honorary PhD for my work on Captain Smith.' A digital photo of fist to five could be taken as a record. This could be used to decide what level the lesson is pitched or how you might structure groups. At the conclusion of the lesson, or unit, fist to five could be repeated and compared to the first photo as a way for students to reflect on their learning. It also provides you with feedback on how the student feels they are progressing.

Fist to five can also be used to get feedback from students on your performance. Ask questions like, 'Rank how engaging you think the activity was,' or, 'Rank how well you understand the instructions.'

I am looking forward to using fist to five during my teaching placements. Any advice or feedback on my understanding of the concept would be greatly appreciated.

Glen Pearsall has a few books full of great ideas like fist to five. These include And Gladly Teach, and Classroom Dynamics.