Summary
Students use self-reflection to indicate their level of understanding—whether they guessed (G), are unsure (U), or are completely sure (S). This strategy is a non-threatening approach for teachers to informally assess students' learning by allowing the students to self-reflect about their understanding. In addition to providing feedback, the GUS Method can also serve to group students in support of each other's learning.
Essential Question(s)
Procedure
Pose a question or set of questions to the class.
Ask students to answer the question(s), working independently.
Invite each student to label their answer(s) according to the GUS acronym: "G" if their answer was a guess, "U" if they are unsure of their answer, or "S" if they are sure enough to explain their answer.
Optionally, you may choose to extend this strategy by grouping students with differing GUS labels, or by inviting students to mingle with classmates. In either instance, ask students to clarify their processes or answers to support their peers' learning.