The impact of positive feedback

Studies show that how we talk to our students and children has a significant impact on how they progress.

Traditionally, we have been led to believe that incentivising students through punitive or threatening language is an effective route to helping them succeed, when in fact, the opposite is true!

When we use growth mindset language we make it safe for students to make and learn from their mistakes, embrace challenges and enjoy learning. This leads to overall greater academic success, confidence and intelligence.

Here are some top tips on how you can give more positive feedback to your young person throughout their learning journey.

Offer feedback that is specific to the task and genuine in its delivery.

A simple “well done” is great, but “you’ve really got the hang of these algebraic equations now” is even better and can make such a difference to a student having a tough time believing in themselves.

Here are some other examples of specific and genuine praise:

“Good job sticking with that homework even though it was tricky. Your perseverance was impressive.”

“Your handwriting is looking lovely! Keep it up.”

“Well done for prioritising harder subjects when revising. I recognise your effort”

“I enjoyed your essay! It was structured very well.”

REFLECTIVE DIALOGUE

Engage your students in a conversation about their work. Ask open-ended questions that encourage them to reflect and consider different approaches. Ask them what they could have done better or how they reached their answer.

An effective strategy for encouraging reflective dialogue is:

WWW: What worked well

• My essay had good spelling and grammar

• I finished it on time

• I made a strong argument in the introduction

EBI: Even Better If

• I could have used more own knowledge

• I could have planned it better

• I could have spent more time editing

CREATE A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Foster an atmosphere where students feel safe to make mistakes and learn from them. A supportive environment encourages risk-taking and growth.

You can do this by using non-verbal cues: Sometimes a smile or a nod can reinforce your verbal feedback, showing your students that you are engaged and supportive of their efforts.

Celebrate improvement and progress: Make it a point to celebrate milestones and improvements, no matter how small. This recognition can do wonders for a student’s confidence and motivation.

Model that it is okay to make mistakes and learn from them. You can do this by sharing your own stories of failure and growth, and modelling compassion for yourself. Far from permitting your student to become ‘lazy’ or slack, instead it will show them how to not give up in the face of challenges and setbacks.