For me, the biggest difference between grade and feedback is that grade is about seeing the performance and the results, while feedback is about seeing the students behind the papers. I believe that feedback is way more important than grading, especially for younger learners who need to build confidence and develop curiosity in learning.

After staying with my first graders for a longer time, I gradually realized that teachers need to give feedback in a way students can really understand; otherwise, the feedback is meaningless. For younger learners, it means that, as a teacher, you need to use student-friendly language, limit your feedback to a few pieces that students can take in, and provide very specific ideas or guidance they can continue working on. We are all ordinary people who make mistakes as well as progress. Another aspect is that when giving feedback, we should always start from the good side and then point out things that students can improve.