Exit tickets are a powerful tool in the teachers toolkit. Many teachers use exit tickets as a form of informal formative assessment. But their benefits go beyond simple comprehension checks.

In this article, we'll dive into the 8 reasons you should be using exit tickets in your classroom.

1. Identify opportunities for differentiated instruction

Exit tickets are a quick way to gauge student understanding. With this instant feedback you can tailor your teaching to suit learners' needs.

With exit tickets in Ziplet you can follow up with students either individually, or in groups. If you need to send the same message to multiple students individually (one on one), you can pick students and send a message to each with one click, making it easier to differentiate your teaching.

2. Provide summative and formative assessment on the fly

Exit tickets highlight comprehension throughout learning sequences. 

They provide insight at the conclusion of a lesson or unit (summative) of student learning.

They also help teachers identify the next steps based on student feedback (formative).

3. Informal and low pressure form of assessment

Unlike tests, exit tickets are a low pressure form of assessment.

The fact that they are a small task completed within the comfort of the classroom reduces stress.

Without worrying about grades, students feel at ease responding in a meaningful manner. 

4. Encourage students to develop self analysis and critical thinking skills

Reflective practice involves ‘learning through and from experience towards gaining new insights of self and practice’ (Finlay, 2008).

One of the best ways to promote learning is via self analysis, which develops critical thinking skills.

Encourage students to reflect on questions such as:

• What goal are you currently working on with your learning? 
• What's one change you have made recently to become a better learner?
• Explain what it means to be a good learner in this class

Such questions also promote critical thinking skills. These are imperative for success both within and outside the classroom. 

By honing critical thinking skills, students are better positioned to succeed in their learning and the real world.

Ziplet Plus teachers can access our full set of Growth Mindset questions in their Ziplet account. 

5. Promote learning reflection and improved recall

Research indicates that information repetition in the first 24 hours drastically reduces rates of memory loss. This will also serve to enhance recall abilities, such as for exams. 

Exit ticket questions encouraging students to engage in this process include:

• What are 3 things you learned today?
• What was the most important thing you learned in today's class?
• What is one thing you learned from our last assignment?

Find our full list of student reflection questions in your Ziplet account.

6. Improve student motivation

Research shows that exit tickets can improve motivation. When students feel heard, their motivation levels grow. This leads to an increase in learning outcomes. 

Motivation improves particularly when students see teachers making changes based on their suggestions. 

We should feel confident asking students questions about our teaching styles. 

It’s our responsibility to receive this feedback in an honest and open manner. We can then use it to make meaningful adjustments. For instance, many of my students have requested greater opportunities for group work.

The following questions are a good place to start for helping students feel heard:

• What is one thing I could explain more clearly?
• If I were the teacher for the day, one change I would make would be…
• What's one change I can make to better support your learning?

7. Support shy or quiet students

Many students are apprehensive or too shy to speak in front of their peers. 

With exit tickets, they can express themselves more openly, knowing that their thoughts will remain confidential. 

8. Increase communication 

We all know how time consuming teaching can be. As much as we’d like to check in regularly with each student, we just don’t have the time.

Exit tickets with tools like Ziplet are an effective way for communication to take place. With a glance, you have valuable information about students’ feelings and progress. 

Conclusion

We all want our students to achieve the best outcomes. With exit tickets, you can gauge understanding and adapt your teaching to suit the needs of all learners.

Try using exit tickets with your students. The suggested questions in your Ziplet account are a great place to start. If you haven’t already, you can sign up for a free account.