If you’ve spent even five minutes scrolling through teacher Instagram or exploring EFL blogs, chances are you’ve come across the term WAGOLL. It’s one of those buzzwords that keeps popping up — short, catchy, and (spoiler alert) actually useful.
WAGOLL stands for “What A Good One Looks Like.” And no, it’s not just educational jargon. It’s a powerful way to show students exactly what success looks like — clear, concrete, and achievable. If you’re new to the concept, don’t worry — once you try it, you’ll wonder why it’s not part of every lesson plan.
🎯 Why Bother With WAGOLLs?
Let’s be honest: how many times have we asked students to “add more detail” or “improve the structure” and seen them stare back blankly? Often, they’re not being defiant — they just don’t know what that really looks like.
That’s where WAGOLLs step in. They:
- Make expectations visible
- Reduce student guesswork
- Build confidence — especially for learners who need more structure
- Encourage reflection and analysis
They’re especially useful for language learners, who benefit from seeing vocabulary and grammar used naturally, rather than isolated on a worksheet.
🧑🏼🏫 What Counts as a WAGOLL?
Pretty much anything can serve as one:
- A solid piece of student work from a previous year
- Something you write yourself to model a skill
- A short dialogue, email, or paragraph
- Even a short video or visual project
What matters is that it’s accessible, relevant, and clearly tied to the task you’re working on.
✍️ Flip It: Use a WABOLL, Too
Once your students have seen what “good” looks like, show them the flip side — a WABOLL: What A Bad One Looks Like.
Looking at a weaker example side-by-side with a strong one gives students a chance to spot the differences, make judgments, and think like evaluators.
Some good starter questions:
- What’s strong about this piece?
- What’s confusing or unclear?
- How could this be improved?
This kind of comparison builds metacognitive skills and helps learners move from passive to active engagement.
🚀 Final Thought
We can’t expect students to hit a target they can’t see.
No matter how well we explain a task, if students don’t know what success looks like, they’re left to guess — and that guesswork often leads to frustration, self-doubt, and missed potential. WAGOLLs remove that barrier. They offer clarity. They build trust. And most importantly, they show our students that we’re on their side — not just telling them what to do, but showing them how to do it well.
Because excellence isn’t just about talent — it’s about knowing what’s possible.
So next time you’re tempted to jump straight into an activity, take a step back. Show them a model. Talk about it. Break it down. Success begins with a clear example. And that’s what a WAGOLL is all about.