Clear Grading

Effective grading begins and ends with clarity and communication. After all, how can grades be effective if they aren’t clearly understood? Grades are merely symbols intended to communicate a larger idea determined by the classroom teacher. And if teachers are unable to communicate the details of their grading practices and the intended meaning of their grades, how useful can those grades be to the intended audience?

In this case, clear grading refers to particular practices that increase an intended audience’s understanding of the purpose and meaning of classroom grades, along with practices intended to maximize the transparency of classroom grading.

While only a small number of the 25 grading practices have a primary function of increasing clarity and communication, their importance is disproportionately high because they guide teacher decision making and help others to understand the grades.

The following four grading practices can increase clarity of grading grading: