Feedback Strategies

What Hattie Says

"Teachers, being nice people, have a lot of praise for kids who struggle. The problem with praise is that it has zero-to-negative impact on improving the task or the work. That isn't to say you shouldn't praise kids, because that's the essence of a lot of relationships. But you should separate it, so when you are talking about the work, you should be talking about the work, not the person.

If I tell you, 'Here are things you should change to improve,' and then I tell you how good you were, the next day, what do you remember? You'd remember the praise; that dominates.

Praise does make a difference to relationships, and obviously building relationships is critical. But I remind people that the reason to build a relationship is so that you can talk about the errors."

Key Take-Aways

  • Must be targeted on a specific goal to close the gap in learning (This way, it doesn't overwhelm the student or the teacher.)
  • Used by students to understand the next steps in their learning
  • Isn't focused on tasks
  • Focused on the self, the personal evaluation of the learner
  • Done during the learning process and not at the end

Structure feedback to identify what was done well, what needs improvement, and how to improve. This information can be conveyed orally, in writing, or as a question that causes students to reflect. ("What did you learn about... ?" What do you still have questions about?")

Make sure the feedback is factual, objective, and safe.

Prioritize feedback to address the most important needs first.

Limit the feedback to two to three specific recommendations linked to the learning goal(s).

Ask a student to tell you what he thinks you are trying to say to him.

Provide elaborated feedback (describing the what, how, why) in manageable units (don’t overload).

“In light of what I have provided you, what would you best do next?”

Reflecting On Your Feedback Practice

  • Do you give clear, concise feedback related to the learning goals?
  • Do you identify what was done well and what needs improvement?
  • Does your feedback include how they can improve?
  • Are your students expected to act on your feedback?
  • Do you provide the necessary time for them to act on the feedback?
  • Do you follow up on the feedback?