When we give feedback to the students it is easy to give positive feedback since we know it will boost the self-esteem of the students.

Giving positive feedback is easy but the real challenge emerges if we need to give negative feedback on or challenge some part of a student’s performance.

How can we give constructive feedback and avoid hurting the students’ feelings?

This is a true skill and requires a lot of practice before it becomes natural. You will most likely find yourself in your own traps many times.

Read the dialogue below and try to work out the teacher’s tactics in giving feedback on an essay. Don’t cheat! The analysis is under the photo below but think for yourself first.

T: “Jim, your essay is improving month after month and I am so happy for you. Last year you got 55 points out of 100 and now you are at 70. Can you show me the essay and my corrections. Am I right in assuming that your next goal is 80 points, ? Any challenges?” (1)

S: “Thanks. Yes, 80 points has crossed my mind. I’ve been reading a lot of internet magazines recently and I think I need to keep on doing that. I’ve noticed how some writers have great logic in their texts and I have not got that yet. And I seem to mess up with the passive voice and misspel too many words.” (2)

T:”Yes, you are right. Stick to the essay model structure that we practised last month. What is the problem with the passive voice?” (3)

S: “I do not know how to use the tenses there. I’ve forgotten how it works. I’ve still got the handout about it. I’ll ask my girlfriend to explain it.” . (4)

T: “Ok, if it does not work get back to me about it. And the misspellings, they are a problem even for natives. What can you do about them?” (5)

S: “I’ve started to write difficult words in the reminder file in my phone. Mike advised me and I’ve already got 25 words there that I always get wrong.” (6)

T: “That sounds good. I’m truly pleased with your attitude this year. You do your homework and you seem to know how to study in your own style. Besides your classmates think you are kind and appreciate the help they give to you. Ok, I have to go now. Keep up the good work and you’ll reach 80 points in a month or two.” (7)

(1) The Teacher (T) says a very positive thing first to get the discussion going verifying it with 15 % increase in points. The T implies that the points may even get better and lures the S(tudent) to reveal his/her goals. The T is satisfied with the S’s personal goals. The T certainly remembers what the S’s problems are but does not want to repeat them since the S sees them in the essay. The T does not use words like ‘but’ or ‘however’ since it would bring the positive message to zero in the mind of the S. ‘Your essay went from 55 points to 70 but …’

(2) The T lures the student him-/herself to say the problems aloud and the S reveals what he/she has been doing to improve the quality of the essay and has an idea where the problems lie. Self-awareness is clearly there, which the T praises later on.

(3) The T agrees with the S on what needs to be done to the logic of the essays. The T also reminds of the things already done.

(4) The S admits that the fault is his/hers and has thought about the solution. So the S knows he/she is responsible for solving the issue.

(5) The T comforts the S and instead of providing the S with a solution wants the S to find it him-/herself.

(6) The S is already trying out a solution and it turns out that he/she is willing to take advice from other students as well.

(7) The T ends the discussion with very positive but frank comments on other than language skills the S’s attitude to studying English and other people, his/her social skills and maturity to be responsible for his/her own studies. I-messages like ‘I’m so happy for you’ or ‘I’m truly pleased with your attitude.’ send a message ‘I am on your side and try to help you.‘

The words of the teacher are easily forgotten but the feelings aroused by the feedback are not. So, let’s be careful! Our nasty remarks may be remembered for decades.

A summary of the main points in giving feedback

I am repeating these ideas here to make it easier for you to check if the teacher is following the strategy. Have this list and the phrases at the end of this article in front of you when you are giving this kind of feedback for the first time.

1. Give the positive feedback first.
2. Don’t voice the negative points at all. You trick the students to say them themselves. So, lure, lead and let the student tell what the problems are and how to solve them. Turn the challenging issue to a question and ask the recipient’s opinion about it: “What do you think about the logic in your essay? Was there anything you were not pleased with in your presentation?” How do you feel about the essay /presentation now that you look at it?  Did the presentation / essay writing go as you planned it?  What do you now think about the group discussion / process of essay writing ?  Which parts do you think you succeeded best in?  What are the next steps you intend to take?                                    
3. If the students cannot suggest a solution, send I-messages which will reveal your caring attitude; Asking for clarification: “Am I right in saying that writing logical arguments and using the passive voice are challenging for you?” or Expressing concern: “What I worry is that it seems hard for you to come up with strong main arguments.“
4. Avoid words like ‘but, however, nevertheless, nonetheless‘. They bring the positive feedback to zero. (This is the BIG TRAP!)
5. Positive feedback is easier to find in other skills than language (working well in groups,  helping others, asking for help, increase in motivation, better attitude to studying etc.) (Study skills, Social skills, Attitude / Motivation)
6. Teachers often pay too much attention to assessing language skills only. Focusing more on the efforts, study skills, social skills and attitudes of the students, low-achievers in particular, would boost the students’ self-esteem and motivation.
7. Repeat the most positive feedback at the end.  And encourage genuinely.

The question we teachers need to ask ourselves is:

“Our intentions in giving feedback may be good but what are the feelings aroused by the feedback session like? Disappointment, anger, humiliation, indifference, joy, relief or encouragement.”

Having read the dialogue above, my analysis on it and the summary on how to run a constructive feedback session with a student, you should be able to answer the following questions.

1. Why should we focus on giving positive feedback?
2. What is the best tactics bringing up challenges or negative comments?
3. What can you do if the students have no solution to the problem at hand?
4. Why should you avoid using words like ‘but’ or ‘however’?
5. What are the skills areas on which you can give feedback?
6. Why should you not focus only on language skills? Who benefit most?
7. How do you end a feedback session?

OK. One more try. See if you spot the teacher’s tactics better this time.

T:“Mike, here is your listening comprehension test. You got full points for the multiple choice test. Congratulations.”

S: “Oh, thanks.”

T: ”Something the matter? You don’t seem happy.”

S: ”Well, the open-ended questions.”

T: “What about them?”

S: “I only got 6 points out of 15. It’s always the same. I don’t know what to do?”

T: “There may be many reasons for that. I’ve come across this problem many times but I think you may have some idea what is going wrong.”

S: “Sorry but I don’t have a clue what to do about it.”

T: “Ok, am I right in saying that on the basis of your essay your vocabulary is not wide enough. And any movements or noise around you seem to disturb you, right?”

S: ” Could be. In this test I did not know what ‘ sufficient’ and ‘pedestrian’ mean and I was lost. I haven’t had time to practise any of the vocab learning tips we rehearsed last month.”

T: “Yes, you are on the right track. Your passive vocab has to be much larger than the active one. What about the concentration issue?”

S: “Now that you said it, you may be right. I follow what the others are doing in class and forget to focus on what I hear. Can I move to sit in the front in the next test, by the window and see if it is any better?”

T: “Yes, sure. But your multiple choice questions show that you listening skills have improved a lot since we started last year. I’m sure you will soon overcome this problem since you are motivated and you study hard in groups and hand in the assignments on time. I will go through the questions one by one tomorrow in class and let me know after the lesson where and why you missed the correct answers.