Begin the student commentary by identifying the standard or task students were assigned. If it's a writing standard requiring students to make text-to-self connections in their writing, then your comment should be: "You made text to self connections in your writing." If students did not meet the standard or task, write: "You did not make text-to-self connections in your writing."
Write a general statement about what the student did that demonstrates she has mastered the standard or task. For example: "You have written sentences that tell how the events in the story are like your life." If the student did not master the standard or task, you write: "Joe you did not tell how the story is like his life."
Cite a specific example from the student's work that highlights what they did correctly. For example: "Your sentence about how you play in the snow like the characters and his friends shows how you connected the story with your own life." If the student didn't do the task correctly, highlight what they did. For example: "You have written about things you like to do in the summer with your family."
Write something that values students' effort, and tell what the student can do to extend or improve her work. Faculty Focus states: "Students want to know specifically and concretely what they needed to do better." For example, if the student met the standard, you write: " You have done such a good job making a text-to-self connection. Next time try to think of two ways the story is like your life and two ways the story is not like your life."