This blog post examines the psychological impact on students of red pen grading, a long-standing practice in education.
Among elementary school workbooks, there is one called ‘Red Pen’. This name isn’t just a memorable brand name; it stems from the unique symbolism of the ‘red pen’. The brand’s ‘Red Pen Teachers’, who are home-visit tutors, go directly to students’ homes to assist with learning and grade their work. This allows students to understand their own learning progress. This approach helps foster a sense of closeness with the teacher and provides students with a sense of accomplishment. Furthermore, the ‘red pen’ used by the home-visit teacher serves to draw more attention from the students. Even in Kumon learning, which many likely experienced as children, teachers primarily use red pencils. This is to intuitively distinguish mistakes from successes, ensuring students receive their grading results quickly. Indeed, recalling elementary school days, one might remember receiving test papers marked in red by the teacher after exams, often accompanied by the phrase “Well done!”
Thus, red has long been established as the color of grading in educational settings. This is why, when students or parents hear the word “grading,” they often picture a white test paper marked with red circles and diagonal lines. Why has red been so widely used in education? While individual preferences may lead to other colors, red is universally associated with grading.
A scientific analysis of the visual impact of red suggests it stands out exceptionally well. With a wavelength of 620-740nm, red strongly enters the eye. Its values of luminance 4 and chroma 14 make it particularly eye-catching compared to other colors. Typically, test papers have a background color of gray with a brightness of 79 and a saturation of 0, while text is printed in black with a brightness of 0.5. In this context, red stands out even more clearly due to its contrast with both the background and the text color. This characteristic of visually standing out compared to other colors naturally established red as the color for grading. However, since other highly visible colors like blue or purple could also be used for grading, it’s somewhat disappointing to view red as chosen solely because it’s “a color that stands out well.”
The symbolic meaning and psychological effect of red are also key reasons it is predominantly used as a grading color. Red, being the color of blood, instinctively evokes images of warning, prohibition, and danger. These associations can effectively highlight mistakes or errors, particularly encouraging learners to review content more carefully and attentively. However, research also indicates that the intensity of this color can cause students to feel intimidated or experience negative emotions. Consequently, some countries have banned the use of red for grading or replaced it with other colors. For example, some schools in English-speaking countries use purple or green pens instead of red to reduce students’ psychological burden. These attempts aim to convey a softer, more positive message rather than the warning or caution associated with red.
Red carries not only negative connotations but also positive ones. On the other hand, red symbolizes passion, energy, and confidence, serving to convey warmth to people. As exemplified by Orion Choco Pie, the red packaging symbolizing affection effectively enhances the product’s image of sharing warmth and conveying heartfelt sentiments. Furthermore, the ‘Red Devils’ T-shirts worn by our national supporters during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup are another excellent example showcasing red’s positive power. Thus, red has been used not merely as a color symbolizing warning or danger, but also as a color that inspires love, passion, and courage.
In educational settings, grading with a red pen carries meaning beyond simple error correction. Circling answers in red can convey “well done” to students or imply “you got it wrong, but let’s try harder next time.” Therefore, teachers using red to grade can be seen not just as pointing out mistakes, but as an act of conveying warm affection and encouragement to students. For example, drawing large red circles around well-answered sections while grading allows students to visually recognize their achievements and build greater confidence.
In this light, I propose ways to utilize red grading more positively. Drawing large red circles or smiley faces on correct answers emphasizes their sense of accomplishment. For incorrect answers, using green or blue ink can convey the need for correction while softening the warning tone. This small change could help students accept feedback without feeling hurt, encouraging them to approach their studies with greater enthusiasm.
