Quick and Easy Ways to Use Exit Tickets in the Classroom

You probably know about and use exit tickets. But, what are the different ways you can use them and the subsequent benefits of each method?

What are exit tickets?

Exit tickets are a form of formative assessment. To clarify, this type of ongoing assessment allows you to gauge how students are doing throughout a lesson or unit, rather than waiting until the very end. Therefore, use exit tickets to learn what questions students have, what concepts are not coming together for them, and use that information in future instruction to support student learning.

Furthermore, exit tickets should not result in a grade. Make sure students know that. Instead, use exit tickets to help guide your instruction. The purpose is for the teacher to know how to better teach students toward the end goal, therefore, misunderstandings and mistakes are expected, not graded.

How are exit tickets and formative assessment different from summative assessments?

Summative assessments occur at the end of a unit. These types of assessments come after all the intended instruction on a given topic and give the teacher a read on how well or poorly students understand the concept. Overall, the intention of a summative assessment is to assign a grade before moving on in the scope and sequence.

Types of Exit Tickets

#1:Rate your understanding:

• 3:I am an expert and could teach someone else
• 2: I have a good grasp but some questions
• 1: I understand a few things but am mostly confused
• 0: I do not believe I understand the concept at all

#2:Analyze your actions:

• How motivated were you to work today?
• Explain

#3: Talk about instruction

• You worked in small groups today. How does working in small groups impact your learning?
• What can they do differently? What can group members do differently? Do they need the teacher to help?

#4: Make it an open format

• What is a question you have that will stay with you?
• What do you look forward to learning tomorrow?
• Write a quiz question from what we learned today.
• What was the one thing you liked most about being here today?
• What was a struggle you had today? How did you overcome it?

#5: Create a call to action or empowerment

• Write about how you will take what you learned today to teach someone else.
• Explain the impact that what we learned today can have on the world
• What is one thing that our learning today made you want to go out and do?

In general, exit tickets should be used to tell teachers what their students know, don’t know, can do, can’t do, and how student interests and questions can guide further instruction. How do you use exit tickets? How will this post change your use of exit tickets?

Like what you read? Sign up for our email list to get more tips to inspire, motivate, and change how your students read and write for academic success.

Want even more? Join our online professional development communitywhere we’re piloting a new way to teach, learn, and grow your literacy instruction.