Five steps to give friendly feedback that motivates your learners
Giving and receiving feedback are tricky processes. When feedback is done recklessly, it can crush someone’s effort and demotivate them. As trainers, educators, or coaches, we aim to foster learning and growth for our students, colleagues, trainees, and coaches. How then do we ensure that our feedback supports that and not cause a demotivating cycle?
Here are five steps you can use for meaningful and nurturing feedback for learning.
Step 1. Prepare your feedback!
Note down your observation and define the purpose of your feedback
Step 2. Start positive!
Find at least two positive observations and describe their effect elaborately before moving to the next part.
Step 3. Dose!
Give one or two observations of what did not go well and their effect to the desired outcomes. Pause for acknowledgement or confirmation.
Step 4. Be practical
Give a practical tip that can be instantly applied to improve the behaviour and outcome and guide the learner to apply it.
Step 5. Celebrate success!
When there’s obvious improvement, highlight and celebrate it. Boost your learner’s motivation to give the process another try!
In the iCRA courses, Making Blended Learning Work and Making Education Work, we dive deeper into the process of preparing feedback and administering it in face-to-face, written and online settings.
