AFTER A BAD GRADE · 02
How to identify the real learning gaps
Not every mistake is a learning gap. A gap reveals itself by returning.
Four steps to work through carefully.
- 1
Retry with an equivalent question
Change the numbers or context but keep the same skill. If the mistake returns, that is meaningful evidence.
- 2
Ask for the reason
A correct answer without an explanation may be accidental; the reasoning shows whether the concept is genuinely available.
- 3
Trace the prerequisite
When a step fails, test the skill underneath it. The visible difficulty often begins one level earlier.
- 4
Set a priority
Start with the gap that blocks the most questions, not necessarily the one that lost the most marks.
Quick check
Before moving on
- ✓ The mistake returns in similar questions
- ✓ The student cannot explain the step
- ✓ A prerequisite is missing
- ✓ The difficulty blocks several question types
KEY IDEADescribe the gap as an observable skill: ‘interpret the scale on a graph’, not ‘is bad at maths’.