Feedback
Providing feedback
Once an assessment has been completed it is important to let the learner know how they had got on.
Feedback can be a good way to motivate someone and help them along their learning journey. Without feedback, or the right type of feedback, learners can be left thinking either they are on the right path even though they may not be or that they are never going to get past a hurdle.
When giving feedback we need to be honest but also respectful of the work the learner may have put in and their current abilities. For example, if someone did not do well in an interview skills workshop; saying ‘they would never get a job if they were like that in a real interview’ is not going to encourage them to want to continue and it can affect their self-esteem. However explaining in a constructive way some of the areas to improve on gives the learner something to work with.
Take a popular singing talent show – If the judges just say ‘you’re no good’ or ‘don’t give up the day job’ this does not help the individual. If the judges say ‘work on your breathing when you are trying to hit the high notes’ the person can leave knowing what they can do better for their next audition.
When you give constructive feedback you help people to get better at their learning or work.
You also need to be mindful of how much negative feedback you give to someone. Reeling off a string of negatives, even in a nice way, again can have the affect of someone left thinking they are no good or will take forever to learn the skill. One way to provide supportive feedback is the feedback sandwich method. This consists of:
- Start with something positive
- Introduce areas they need to improve
- End with something positive
Watch the video for an example of how to use the feedback method.
Different people respond to different types of feedback. Some people need more personal encouragement and praise, others can be more interested in just the task at hand. Ideally, you can use a mixture of both approaches however, this may depend on yours or you learners’ working style. Below are some examples.
| Personal Approach | Task-based approach | |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Well done for getting through that, I know you were really nervous | That demonstration was well thought out |
| Areas for improvement | How did you feel the [ ] section went? Maybe for future sessions you could….. | Next time you could …. |
| End | You can relax now, you’ve done your bit! | Once you have completed …. you can move on to…. |
The do’s and don’ts of feedback
It can be hard to know what to say when giving feedback – you don’t really want to upset anyone or you could feel that you are being repetitive. Below are some do’s and don’ts to help.
Do
Don’t
Before you move on to the next lesson, complete the Giving feedback assessment below.