what are the types of homework

7 Types of Homework for Students

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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There are seven types of homework. These are practice, preparation, extension, integration, research, application, and flipped homework.

Each type of homework has its own role for students learning. The important task for teachers is to select homework that will best provide holistic support to a student.

This doesn’t mean just supporting students for the upcoming exams but also ensuring students are not overwhelmed by homework and that they can still live a balanced life outside of school.

Types of Homework

1. practice.

Practice is the most common task students have when they are given homework. It entails attempting to reinforce information learned in school so that students will commit it to long-term memory.

An example of practice homework is math workbooks. Usually, a teacher will complete the math task in class so students know how to do it, then give them a workbook of 20 – 50 tasks to complete overnight to reinforce the task.

The benefit of practice homework is that it can certainly help students commit what they learned in class to memory. This is especially the case if teachers used spaced repetition. This is a strategy whereby the teacher re-introduces things learned in previous weeks and months during homework revision so the information is not lost over time.

The downside of practice homework is that the child is learning on their own during this period. This means that, if the child hasn’t sufficiently learned the content in class, they don’t have anyone to help them during homework time. This can lead to a great deal of frustration and despair for students staring at a piece of paper feeling lost and confused.

Related: Homework Statistics

2. Preparation

Preparation homework is given to students before a lesson so they have the important information at hand before class.

Commonly, this occurs when teachers provide reading materials for students to look over between class. They then come to class having read the materials so they are ready to discuss and debate the topics.

It’s also commonly used in language learning, where it’s called pre-teaching of vocabulary. The teacher provides vocabulary to learn before class so the students can come to class and practice it together.

The benefit of preparation homework is that it bunches a lot of the didactic (non-interactive) parts of learning into the pre-class time so students can spend most of their time in class interacting with the teacher and peers.

The downside of preparation homework is that it rarely works as expected. Teachers often spend the first 10 to 15 minutes of class re-teaching what was supposed to be done for homework either because students found it too hard or they didn’t do the tasks.

3. Extension

Extension homework involves providing students with tasks that are based upon what was learned in class, but goes over and above those tasks.

It is the equivalent of teaching a student to swim then letting them out into the ocean. The students have to apply their knowledge in a new context without the support or ‘ scaffolding ’ of a teacher hovering over their shoulders.

The benefit of extension homework is it can give students a lot of confidence. They can go home and feel as if they’re excelling at their work when they find that they’re doing it without the support of a teacher.

The downside of extension homework is that it can be risky: by definition, students are extending themselves beyond what was learned in class, meaning they will come across new information and new contexts where they might need help that’s not available at the time.

Related: Homework Pros and Cons

4. Integration

Integration homework requires students to bring together, or ‘integrate’, knowledge from various subjects and knowledge areas into one project.

The homework may involve the integration of history lessons with writing lessons to create a book report, or the integration of math with business studies to create a business plan.

Integration is great for students to draw connections between things they have learned in various different classes at school. However, it also involves a lot of complexity that may make students feel confused or overwhelmed.

5. Research

Research homework involves using your time after school and on weekends to gather data that will be discussed in class.

Often, this can involve interviewing family members, taking photos around your community, or looking up information on the internet.

The benefit of research homework is that students often come to class with exciting things to share. They will also come with questions to help stimulate conversation in class.

However, it’s important for teachers to be aware that not all students have access to high-speed internet and other resources to conduct research. In fact, in my homework statistics article, I discussed how a staggering 24% of low-income American teens regularly fail to complete homework due to lack of access to technology.

6. Application

Application homework involves taking knowledge learned in class and applying it to real-world settings.

This is common in immersive language learning settings, for example, when teachers ask students to go out into the streets and practice new vocabulary when ordering a drink or buying food.

The benefit of application homework is that it gives real-world context to what was learned in class. By applying your knowledge, you can more effectively commit it to memory than simply rote learning it at your kitchen table.

Application in a real-world setting provides a context and a story that you can easily pull from your memory in the future, helping you to retain information long-term.

7. Flipped Homework

The flipped learning movement is a movement that involves making students learn at home on their own then come to class to practice it.

For teachers, this means thinking about school as the space for ‘traditional’ homework and home as the space for instruction.

This is increasingly popular with technology and hybrid learning environments. For example, a teacher might assign a YouTube video to watch as homework before class. Then, the class involves dissecting the video and critiquing it.

The benefit of flipped learning is that it maximizes time for constructivist and hands-on active learning in the classroom. The downside is students can get confused during preparation, they may not complete the preparation work, or technology may fail on them.

What are the Functions of Homework?

Homework serves multiple purposes. These include:

• Getting Ahead: Many schools and parents give their children homework (including private tutoring help so their children can have an advantage in life over other children.
• Keeping Up: On a societal level, many governments encourage homework so that students can keep up with other societies in the ‘education race’ of the 21st Century. Some societies, like South Korea, heavily emphasize homework, and others feel they need to keep up.
• Catching Up: Many students are assigned homework to catch up with the rest of their class. If you find a topic very difficult, you may find you need to spend a lot more time on your own working through the information than your peers.
• Retention: Homework helps you to repeat and retain information. With extra practice, you can commit information to memory.
• Excitement: Some well-made homework can get students excited to come to class to discuss what they did.
• Application: Situation-based learning, where you’re applying what you learned in class to real-world situations, can help progress students’ knowledge in ways that you can’t in school.
• Home-School Relationships: Homework also serves the purpose of ensuring parents know what’s going on in school. Many parents like to see what children are learning so they can monitor their children’s progress and keep teachers accountable.

Homework comes in all shapes and sizes. While many teachers stick to the old fashioned repetition homework mode, I’d encourage you to try out a range of other types of homework that can keep students engaged, encourage more discussion and collaboration in class, and ensure that the difficult work where students need the teacher’s help takes place in the classroom. This will provide maximum support for your students, help propel them forward, and prevent arguments for why homework should be banned .

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What Kinds of Homework Seem to be Most Effective?

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If you made it past the headline, you're likely a student, concerned parent, teacher or, like me, a nerd nostalgist who enjoys basking in the distant glow of Homework Triumphs Past (second-grade report on Custer's Last Stand, nailed it!).

Whoever you are, you're surely hoping for some clarity in the loud, perennial debate over whether U.S. students are justifiably exhausted and nervous from too much homework — even though some international comparisons suggest they're sitting comfortably at the average.

Well, here goes. I've mapped out six, research-based polestars that should help guide you to some reasonable conclusions about homework.

How much homework do U.S. students get?

The best answer comes from something called the National Assessment of Educational Progress or NAEP . In 2012, students in three different age groups — 9, 13 and 17 — were asked, "How much time did you spend on homework yesterday?" The vast majority of 9-year-olds (79 percent) and 13-year-olds (65 percent) and still a majority of 17-year-olds (53 percent) all reported doing an hour or less of homework the day before.

Another study from the National Center for Education Statistics found that high school students who reported doing homework outside of school did, on average, about seven hours a week.

If you're hungry for more data on this — and some perspective — check out this exhaustive report put together last year by researcher Tom Loveless at the Brookings Institution.

An hour or less a day? But we hear so many horror stories! Why?

The fact is, some students do have a ton of homework. In high school we see a kind of student divergence — between those who choose or find themselves tracked into less-rigorous coursework and those who enroll in honors classes or multiple Advanced Placement courses. And the latter students are getting a lot of homework. In that 2012 NAEP survey, 13 percent of 17-year-olds reported doing more than two hours of homework the previous night. That's not a lot of students, but they're clearly doing a lot of work.

That also tracks with a famous survey from 2007 — from MetLife — that asked parents what they think of their kids' homework load. Sixty percent said it was just right. Twenty-five percent said their kids are getting too little. Just 15 percent of parents said their kids have too much homework.

Research also suggests that the students doing the most work have something else in common: income. "I think that the debate over homework in some ways is a social class issue," says Janine Bempechat, professor of human development at Wheelock College. "There's no question that in affluent communities, children are really over-taxed, over-burdened with homework."

But the vast majority of students do not seem to have inordinate workloads. And the ones who do are generally volunteering for the tough stuff. That doesn't make it easier, but it does make it a choice.

Do we know how much homework students in other countries are doing?

Sort of. Caveats abound here. Education systems and perceptions of what is and isn't homework can vary remarkably overseas. So any comparison is, to a degree, apples-to-oranges (or, at least, apples-to-pears). A 2012 report from the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development pegged the U.S. homework load for 15-year-olds at around six hours per week. That's just above the study's average. It found that students in Hong Kong are also doing about six hours a week. Much of Europe checks in between four and five hours a week. In Japan, it's four hours. And Korea's near the bottom, at three hours.

How much homework is too much?

Better yet, how much is just right? Harris Cooper at Duke University has done some of the best work on homework. He and his team reviewed dozens of studies, from 1987 to 2003, looking for consensus on what works and what doesn't. A common rule of thumb, he says, is what's called the 10-minute rule. Take the child's grade and multiply by 10. So first-graders should have roughly 10 minutes of homework a night, 40 minutes for fourth-graders, on up to two hours for seniors in high school. A lot of of schools use this. Even the National PTA officially endorses it.

Homework clearly improves student performance, right?

Not necessarily. It depends on the age of the child. Looking over the research, there's little to no evidence that homework improves student achievement in elementary school. Then again, the many experts I spoke with all said the same thing: The point of homework in those primary grades isn't entirely academic. It's about teaching things like time-management and self-direction.

But, by high school the evidence shifts. Harris Cooper's massive review found, in middle and high school, a positive correlation between homework and student achievement on unit tests. It seems to help. But more is not always better. Cooper points out that, depending on the subject and the age of the student, there is a law of diminishing returns. Again, he recommends the 10-minute rule.

What kinds of homework seem to be most effective?

This is where things get really interesting. Because homework should be about learning, right? To understand what kinds of homework best help kids learn, we really need to talk about memory and the brain.

Let's start with something called the spacing effect . Say a child has to do a vocabulary worksheet. The next week, it's a new worksheet with different words and so on. Well, research shows that the brain is better at remembering when we repeat with consistency, not when we study in long, isolated chunks of time. Do a little bit of vocabulary each night, repeating the same words night after night.

Similarly, a professor of psychology at Washington University in St. Louis, Henry "Roddy" Roediger III , recommends that teachers give students plenty of little quizzes, which he says strengthen the brain's ability to remember. Don't fret. They can be low-stakes or no-stakes, says Roediger: It's the steady recall and repetition that matter. He also recommends, as homework, that students try testing themselves instead of simply re-reading the text or class notes.

There's also something known as interleaving . This is big in the debate over math homework. Many of us — myself included — learned math by focusing on one concept at a time, doing a worksheet to practice that concept, then moving on.

Well, there's evidence that students learn more when homework requires them to choose among multiple strategies — new and old — when solving problems. In other words, kids learn when they have to draw not just from what they learned in class that day but that week, that month, that year.

One last note: Experts agree that homework should generally be about reinforcing what students learned in class (this is especially true in math). Sometimes it can — and should — be used to introduce new material, but here's where so many horror stories begin.

Tom Loveless, a former teacher, offers this advice: "I don't think teachers should ever send brand-new material that puts the parent in the position of a teacher. That's a disaster. My own personal philosophy was: Homework is best if it's material that requires more practice but they've already received initial instruction."

Or, in the words of the National PTA: "Homework that cannot be done without help is not good homework."

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Culminating Projects in Teacher Development

Types of homework and their effect on student achievement.

Tammi A. Minke , St.Cloud State University Follow

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Keywords and Subject Headings

• Does the amount of homework impact students’ academic achievement in school?
• What type of homework has the best impact on students’ academic achievement in school?

The literature review in Chapter 2 describes homework trends over the years, different types of homework, what constitutes worthy homework, reasons for homework incompletion, homework completion strategies, parent involvement, positive and negative effects of homework, and recommended time spent on homework for students today in high school, middle school, and elementary students.

Recommended Citation

Minke, Tammi A., "Types of Homework and Their Effect on Student Achievement" (2017). Culminating Projects in Teacher Development . 24. https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/ed_etds/24

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Latest Facts

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34 facts about homework.

Written by Hayden

Modified & Updated: 31 Oct 2024

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Homework has been a subject of debate for decades, with strong opinions on both sides. Some argue that it helps reinforce learning and build essential skills, while others believe it adds unnecessary stress and detracts from family and personal time. Understanding the various aspects of homework, from its historical origins to its modern-day implementation, can provide valuable insights into its true impact on students. Here are 34 facts that offer a comprehensive look into homework’s role in education , its benefits, drawbacks, and how it continues to shape student experiences today.

Key Takeaways:

• Homework can improve academic performance and essential skills, but excessive assignments may cause stress and inequity among students, highlighting the need for balance.
• The discussion about homework is evolving, with a focus on quality over quantity, driven by research and changing societal attitudes toward student engagement and well-being.

Historical Context

Homework has been a part of education for centuries, with a mixed reception. This section covers the origins and legislative shifts that shaped homework policies.

• Origin of Homework : Homework is often attributed to Roberto Nevelis of Venice , though this claim remains disputed. Horace Mann helped promote it in the U.S.
• Homework Ban in California : In 1901, California passed a law banning homework for children under 15 due to concerns over health and well-being.
• British Homework Trends : British students typically receive more homework than their European peers, averaging about 5 hours per week.
• Spanish Homework Time : Students in Spain reportedly spend around 6.4 hours per week on homework, sparking calls for reduced assignments from parent associations.

Types of Homework

Different types of homework serve various educational purposes. This section breaks down the common forms.

• Practice Exercises : Tasks designed to reinforce classroom learning, such as solving math problems .
• Reading Assignments : These encourage comprehension and critical thinking through book or text analysis.
• Research Projects : These assignments require students to explore specific topics in-depth.
• Experimental Assignments : Students conduct hands-on experiments to apply theoretical knowledge practically.

Benefits of Homework

Homework isn’t without merit. There are clear academic and personal development benefits, especially for older students.

• Improved Academic Performance : Studies show that homework can positively impact grades and test scores, particularly for high school students.
• Skill Development : Homework fosters critical thinking, self-regulation, and problem-solving abilities .
• Time Management : Students learn to manage their time effectively by juggling assignments and deadlines.
• Increased Independence : Completing assignments on their own can build a student’s confidence and autonomy.
• Parental Involvement : Homework often creates an opportunity for parents to engage in their children’s education.

Drawbacks of Homework

Despite the benefits, homework has its downsides. This section explores the negative impacts, from stress to equity issues.

• Student Stress : A large percentage of students report that homework is a leading cause of stress, contributing to anxiety and sleep deprivation.
• Reduced Free Time : Excessive homework can limit time for extracurricular activities , socializing, and family interactions.
• Negative Attitudes : Many students view homework as a burden, leading to disengagement from the learning process.
• Inequality in Access : Students from disadvantaged backgrounds may struggle with homework due to a lack of resources or support at home.
• Questionable Effectiveness for Young Learners : Research suggests that while homework can be beneficial for older students, younger children may not see significant academic gains.

Current Trends in Homework

Homework trends have evolved over time, particularly with the rise of digital learning and new educational philosophies.

• Increased Workload : The amount of homework assigned has risen over the years, leading to concerns about student well-being.
• COVID-19 Impact : Remote learning during the pandemic shifted how homework is perceived and executed, blending in-class activities with at-home tasks.
• Homework Strikes : Movements advocating for reduced homework have emerged, with parents and educators questioning its necessity.
• Finnish Approach : Finland’s education system, known for assigning minimal homework and offering more recess time, presents a successful alternative model.

Educational Perspectives on Homework

Educators and researchers have differing views on homework’s effectiveness. Here are some perspectives that shape its use in schools.

• Teacher Perspectives : Some teachers emphasize quality over quantity, assigning meaningful tasks that reinforce classroom learning without overwhelming students.
• Mixed Research Findings : Studies show varying results on homework’s correlation with academic performance, particularly between younger and older students.
• Policy Changes : Schools across the globe are reconsidering their homework policies in response to feedback on workload, stress, and student engagement.

The Future of Homework

As education evolves, the future of homework continues to be a topic of interest, shaping how students learn both in and out of the classroom.

• Balancing Act : Finding the right balance between beneficial homework assignments and student well-being remains a key challenge.
• Self-Directed Learning : Future trends may involve fostering more independent, self-guided learning through manageable, meaningful assignments.
• Parental Involvement : Encouraging healthy parental involvement is crucial, but excessive pressure can hinder a student’s motivation.
• Cultural Shifts : Changing societal attitudes towards education are influencing how homework is viewed, with more focus on holistic student development.
• Integration of Technology : Homework increasingly incorporates digital tools, offering varied and interactive learning experiences.
• Mental Health Considerations : Growing awareness of mental health issues among students has prompted schools to rethink homework load and its effects on well-being.
• Holistic Education : The push for more well-rounded education models continues, prioritizing student health and happiness alongside academic achievement.
• Technological Influence : As digital learning tools evolve, so too will the nature of homework, with more opportunities for interactive and personalized learning.
• Ongoing Debate : The conversation around homework will continue to evolve as educators, parents, and policymakers seek the best approaches for future generations .

The Homework Debate Continues

The homework debate continues as educators seek the best ways to support student success. While homework can improve academic performance, particularly when paired with tools like multiplication games or after-school tuition , it can also create stress and limit free time. As education evolves, balancing meaningful assignments with student well-being will be key. By integrating fun learning methods like games and personalized tuition, homework can become more engaging and manageable, helping students build skills without overwhelming them. The future of homework will depend on creating this balance.

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The U.S. Department of Education has categorized homework into four sections depending on their pattern. Each kind offers specific learning scopes to students. As an industry insider, TutorBin faces different queries from tutors and students.

We get this query from tutors: what type of homework is most effective? Our experts, who have years of tutoring experience, have taken the initiative to answer this question. According to them, through these four categories of homework, students gain knowledge and achieve learning goals. 

Students have different abilities, and their learning process varies depending on their abilities, interest, and learning pace. Considering the vast segment of students with all differences, our experts have jotted down these four kinds of homework and their effectiveness in improving students’ learning capability, practical skills, and knowledge base. 

4 Types of Homework and Their Pattern: 

Education has changed a lot in the last decade. Some are very vocal about how homework increases efficiency or what is the importance of assigning homework. Before you ask what type of homework is most effective, let’s see how many types of homework exist in our academics.

These four categories will give them a fair overview of why the majority of teachers assign different homework for students. If you still feel that these diverse homework types can’t help you enough, you may take help from an expert homework solution to sort out your confusion.

Before going further into these 4 types of homework, let’s move forward and know how balanced homework helps students to learn effectively. Here, we have created an infographic and students to inform students about the benefits of doing homework in their academic years.  

1st Homework Type- Practice

The first category is pretty common for students. If you look around, you will notice that teachers are assigning this type of homework to continue the learning process, even after the educational hours of grad school or university. The key intent here is to cement what they have learned in their educational institutions. Practice is the first type of homework that focuses on practicing your lessons until you memorize them fully. The essence of this type is that the more you exercise, the more efficiently you utilize your knowledge.      

Here Are The Tips For Students Who Wants To Master Their Subject With The Method:  

Take homework seriously like your class. Your learning at home helps you to retain knowledge. 

Practicing is all about a deep understanding of the subject you have learned.  

It is also essential to master the necessary skills for handling complex problems.  

Learning from your mistakes helps you to understand what you should not repeat.  

2nd Homework Type- Preparatory 

As the name suggests, the Preparatory homework type is the preliminary of the main topic. Teachers introduce this type of homework to ensure that students get an idea of which topics their teacher will cover on subsequent days.

Firstly, teachers assign a pre-reading of chapters of the study materials with the purpose of preparing students for upcoming lessons. Secondly, while doing preparatory homework, students get enough time to have an idea and the concept, which helps them prepare their questions if they have any doubt. The subject understanding could be better with this kind of homework. 

Expert Tips For Students Who Want To Get Benefited With This Homework Method:      

Take notes of the major ideas from the lesson when you are reading it. Discuss in class.

Don’t forget to highlight the area you find challenging to understand. Bring it to class and discuss that section. 

While reading it, you might get confused. It is also common to have doubts. Note it and get clarification from your teacher. 

3rd Homework Type- Extension  

Other than these two types mentioned above, one of the common types of homework teachers assign is Extension. When we talk about extension homework, we see that professors generally assign this to grad school and university students. They do it with the intent to know what knowledge they have gained from a specific lesson.

The main motive of teachers here is to test how the students use their intelligence and creativity to apply their knowledge. Besides knowledge application, extension homework is also beneficial for students as the homework is thought-provoking and research-oriented. The extensive exercise enables students to gather knowledge from different resources and use them to strengthen their knowledge base. 

Expert Tips For Students For This Homework Method That Has Diverse Benefits:

While doing any assignment, do as much research as you can. Your resources help you to learn more.  

While studying, try to come up with your perspective. You can discuss it with your teacher for better clarity. 

Look for a new problem-solving approach if you are a STEM student. It enhances your knowledge application.    

4th Homework Type- Integration  

Integration is the 4th type of homework that teachers assign for a larger project. It could be a science practical or a project report. Majorly, teachers allocate this type of homework for grad school and university students pursuing higher studies. 

Thorough planning is required for this kind of homework. It will help you to organize and plan effectively. 

When you attempt integration homework, you must keep track of all information and research.

Parameters on which experts check the homework effectiveness   

Being an educator, it’s up to our teachers to select what type of homework suits students. We have described four categories of homework with you and explained what effect they have on students’ learning. Depending on the features of this homework, teachers use them with the aim of improvement. 

Strategizing homework for students depends on the learning pace and abilities of students. The effectiveness of a particular category can also differ according to students’ type, subjects, and academic level. Some assignments are proven more useful for weaker students.

Sometimes, teachers also try different combinations of two types of homework to ensure that capabilities, individual thought, creativity, and problem-solving attitude increase considerably.   

Exercises that tell you what type of homework is most effective  

Conclusion  .

Homework has been a matter of concern for behavioral or scientific reasons. Although this concept has been there for decades, its role and effectiveness have become controversial due to its usage in the educational system.

Experts have studied the changing trends of homework and concluded that enhancing student ability is possible with the proper application of the right type and amounts of homework. It just depends on the teacher’s strategy that makes homework most effective for their academic and upcoming professional life. 

TutorBin experts provide such information regularly. To get the latest updates, visit our blog page. If you are facing homework problems, and having difficulty in learning or need to improve your grades, our expert homework writers can help you out. It does not matter what type of subject help you are seeking, experts are there to cater your needs. From CS homework help to mechanical engineering homework help online, we have every option for you.

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The 4 Common Types of Homework Practice

Every student has differing abilities when it comes to the learning process. The primary goal of homework is to re-enforce what was taught previously in the class earlier in the day. Anything outside what was taught in the classroom should not be included in the homework. If the protocol is followed by tutors; homework can be seen as a way of cementing what has previously been taught in the class.

We shall take a look at four types of homework. It follows the pattern described by the U.S. Department of Education.

1. Practice

This is the common type of homework that we see around us. It is the take home assignment given to students. The intention is to cement what the students have learned earlier in the day and it is also targeted at helping students master some specific skills. The key to success with this type of homework is practice.

The following tips will be of valuable help for the kids:

• Learn from your mistakes. Get over missed test or class problems
• Home should be seen as a necessity
• Dig deep to understand the steps-especially in mathematics
• Master the basic skills because they will be needed for more complex skills

2. Preparatory

This is the type of homework that introduces the students to concepts and the ideas that will be covered in the class in the near future. When students are made to learn vocabulary or to read a chapter in a text that is billed for discussion in the next class; they are undertaking preparatory homework.

Help to effectively execute this assignment:

• Take note of the major ideas seen in the passage and bring them up in the class
• Take down notes on areas of difficulty and ask questions on them the following day in class
• Write down areas that are confusing for discussion the next day in the class

3. Extension

When teachers feel it is time to challenge the intelligence of their students; they give extension homework. It will give students the opportunity to apply what they are taught in the class to something new.

The following tips will be of help:

• Students should be resourceful in tackling this problem
• You will need a problem solving approach to the new and unfamiliar material
• You have to think about concepts in different ways and through different angles

4. Integration

Here, students will be made to apply different skills to a single task. It might be on a topic based on book reports or on a larger project.

Here are helpful tips:

• You are expected to keep milestones for multi-step milestones. You must plan thoroughly and effectively.
• Get organized. It is a must to keep track of all information and research.

Final thoughts

The above represents the four divisions of homework according to the U.S Department of Education. When homework is based on the lessons learnt in the class or future attempt; it will be easy for students. That is the original concept that should be sustained.

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• Professional development
• Managing resources

The role of homework

Homework seems to be an accepted part of teachers’ and students’ routines, but there is little mention of it in ELT literature.

The role of homework is hardly mentioned in the majority of general ELT texts or training courses, suggesting that there is little question as to its value even if the resulting workload is time-consuming. However, there is clearly room for discussion of homework policies and practices particularly now that technology has made so many more resources available to learners outside the classroom.

Reasons for homework

• Attitudes to homework
• Effective homework
• Types of homework
• Homework is expected by students, teachers, parents and institutions.
• Homework reinforces and helps learners to retain information taught in the classroom as well as increasing their general understanding of the language.
• Homework develops study habits and independent learning. It also encourages learners to acquire resources such as dictionaries and grammar reference books. Research shows that homework also benefits factual knowledge, self-discipline, attitudes to learning and problem-solving skills.
• Homework offers opportunities for extensive activities in the receptive skills which there may not be time for in the classroom. It may also be an integral part of ongoing learning such as project work and the use of a graded reader.
• Homework provides continuity between lessons. It may be used to consolidate classwork, but also for preparation for the next lesson.
• Homework may be used to shift repetitive, mechanical, time-consuming tasks out of the classroom.
• Homework bridges the gap between school and home. Students, teachers and parents can monitor progress. The institution can involve parents in the learning process.
• Homework can be a useful assessment tool, as part of continual or portfolio assessment.

Attitudes to homework Teachers tend to have mixed feelings about homework. While recognising the advantages, they observe negative attitudes and poor performance from students. Marking and giving useful feedback on homework can take up a large proportion of a teacher’s time, often after school hours.

• Students themselves complain that the homework they are given is boring or pointless, referring to homework tasks that consist of studying for tests, doing workbook exercises, finishing incomplete classwork, memorising lists of vocabulary and writing compositions. Where this is actually the case, the negative effects of homework can be observed, typified by loss of interest and a view of homework as a form of punishment.
• Other negative effects of poorly managed homework include lack of necessary leisure time and an increased differential between high and low achievers. These problems are often the cause of avoidance techniques such as completing homework tasks in class, collaborating and copying or simply not doing the required tasks. In turn, conflict may arise between learners, teachers, parents and the institution.

Effective homework In order for homework to be effective, certain principles should be observed.

• Students should see the usefulness of homework. Teachers should explain the purpose both of homework in general and of individual tasks.
• Tasks should be relevant, interesting and varied.
• Good classroom practice also applies to homework. Tasks should be manageable but achievable.
• Different tasks may be assigned to different ability groups. Individual learning styles should be taken into account.
• Homework should be manageable in terms of time as well as level of difficulty. Teachers should remember that students are often given homework in other subjects and that there is a need for coordination to avoid overload. A homework diary, kept by the learner but checked by teachers and parents is a useful tool in this respect.
• Homework is rarely co-ordinated within the curriculum as a whole, but should at least be incorporated into an overall scheme of work and be considered in lesson planning.
• Homework tends to focus on a written product. There is no reason why this should be the case, other than that there is visible evidence that the task has been done.
• Learner involvement and motivation may be increased by encouraging students to contribute ideas for homework and possibly design their own tasks. The teacher also needs to know how much time the students have, what facilities they have at home, and what their preferences are. A simple questionnaire will provide this data.
• While homework should consolidate classwork, it should not replicate it. Home is the outside world and tasks which are nearer to real-life use of language are appropriate.
• If homework is set, it must be assessed in some way, and feedback given. While marking by the teacher is sometimes necessary, peer and self-assessment can encourage learner independence as well as reducing the teacher’s workload. Motivating students to do homework is an ongoing process, and encouragement may be given by commenting and asking questions either verbally or in written form in order to demonstrate interest on the teacher’s part, particularly in the case of self-study and project work.

Types of homework There are a number of categories of useful and practicable homework tasks.

• Workbook-based tasks Most published course materials include a workbook or practice book, mainly including consolidation exercises, short reading texts and an answer key. Most workbooks claim to be suitable for both class and self-study use, but are better used at home in order to achieve a separation of what is done in class and at home. Mechanical practice is thus shifted out of class hours, while this kind of exercise is particularly suited to peer- or self-checking and correction.
• Preparation tasks Rarely do teachers ask learners to read through the next unit of a coursebook, though there are advantages in involving students in the lesson plan and having them know what is coming. More motivating, however, is asking students to find and bring materials such as photographs and pictures, magazine articles and realia which are relevant to the next topic, particularly where personalisation or relevance to the local context requires adaptation of course materials.
• Extensive tasks Much can be gained from the use of graded readers, which now often have accompanying audio material, radio and TV broadcasts, podcasts and songs. Sometimes tasks need to be set as guidance, but learners also need to be encouraged to read, listen and watch for pleasure. What is important is that learners share their experiences in class. Extensive reading and listening may be accompanied by dictionary work and a thematic or personalised vocabulary notebook, whereby learners can collect language which they feel is useful.
• Guided discovery tasks Whereas classroom teaching often involves eliciting language patterns and rules from learners, there is also the option of asking learners to notice language and make deductions for themselves at home. This leads to the sharing of knowledge and even peer teaching in the classroom.
• Real-world tasks These involve seeing, hearing and putting language to use in realistic contexts. Reading magazines, watching TV, going to the cinema and listening to songs are obvious examples, offering the option of writing summaries and reviews as follow-up activities. Technology facilitates chat and friendship networks, while even in monolingual environments, walking down a shopping street noticing shop and brand names will reveal a lot of language. As with extensive tasks, it is important for learners to share their experiences, and perhaps to collect them in a formal or informal portfolio.
• Project work It is a good idea to have a class or individual projects running over a period of time. Projects may be based on topics from a coursebook, the locality, interests and hobbies or selected individually. Project work needs to be guided in terms of where to find resources and monitored regularly, the outcome being a substantial piece of work at the end of a course or term of which the learner can claim ownership.

Conclusion Finally, a word about the Internet. The Web appears to offer a wealth of opportunity for self-study. Certainly reference resources make project work easier and more enjoyable, but cutting and pasting can also be seen as an easy option, requiring little originality or understanding. Conferring over homework tasks by email can be positive or negative, though chatting with an English-speaking friend is to be encouraged, as is searching for visual materials. Both teachers and learners are guilty of trawling the Net for practice exercises, some of which are untried, untested and dubious in terms of quality. Learners need guidance, and a starting point is to provide a short list of reliable sites such as the British Council's  LearnEnglish  and the BBC's Learning English  which provide a huge variety of exercises and activities as well as links to other reliable sources. Further reading Cooper, H. Synthesis of Research on Homework . Educational Leadership 47/3, 1989 North, S. and Pillay, H. Homework: re-examining the routin e. ELT Journal 56/2, April 2002 Painter, L. Homework . English Teaching Professional, Issue 10, 1999 Painter, L. Homework . OUP Resource Books for Teachers, 2003

First published in October 2007

Mr. Steve Darn I liked your…

Mr. Steve Darn I liked your method of the role of the homework . Well, I am one of those laggard people. Unfortunately, when it comes to homework, I definitely do it. Because, a student or pupil who understands new topics, of course, does his homework to know how much he understands the new topic. I also completely agree with all of Steve Darn's points above. However, sometimes teachers give a lot of riff-raff homework, just like homework is a human obligation. This is a plus. But in my opinion, first of all, it is necessary to divide the time properly, and then to do many tasks at home. Only then will you become an "excellent student" in the eyes of the teacher. Although we live in the age of technology, there are still some people who do not know how to send homework via email. Some foreign teachers ask to send tasks by email. Constant email updates require time and, in rare cases, a fee. My above points have been the cause of constant discussions.

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