Anticipating misconceptions

Preparing a good hinge-point question to assess students understanding requires a knowledge of possible misconceptions and common difficulties. There are a number of places you can get support with identifying these:

• You could use examiner reports from exams or SATs.
• Your own student ideas from lessons activities, test answers or out of lessons activities (such as homework).
• There is also a wealth of online resources which you could use.

Examples

• Mathematical misconceptions
• AAAS Science Assessment
• Best Evidence Science Teaching

Explore and share

Take some time to explore these resources. Can you share any other sources of common difficulties with particular topics that you teach?