The Importance of Feedback

In any situation, but particularly in a learning situation, feedback is vital. It provides us with information that allows us to consolidate and improve our skills, and make the changes necessary to deliver the best that we're capable of.  For feedback to be effective it needs to be explicit, meaningful and honest.  If it is not, then it serves little or no purpose.


In my previous role as a classroom teacher, feedback took on many guises.  Sometimes it was spoken (the acknowledgement of a comment in a class discussion), sometimes it was written (the comment in a student's workbook), sometimes it was formal (as in the case of semester reports), and sometimes it was informal (the 5 minute chat in passing with a parent at drop off/pick up time).  Regardless of the situation or the recipient, I always made an effort to make sure that the feedback I gave was explicit, meaningful and honest.


In my role as a teacher of public speaking, I still provide regular feedback to both students and parents.  I also encourage the students to engage in self assessment and peer feedback.  Through learning to give feedback to others, students are encouraged to think about content and delivery, which in turn, consolidates their own understanding of these aspects.  They learn to provide  feedback in a positive, constructive manner, which not only allows them to see the value and importance of others' opinions, but also to see how these opinions can help them refine and strengthen their own skills.  They learn empathy, respect and courtesy, for the manner in which they provide feedback to others, invariably becomes the manner in which their peers' feedback is given to them.  It is always interesting to observe how the participants in most public speaking courses not only improve and develop their speaking skills, but also their thinking and feedback skills.


Explicit feedback targets both the positive and negative aspects of a student's presentation.  Telling a speaker that they did "great" is useless.  "Great" is an adjective that could be applied to any aspect of their presentation.  What exactly was it that they did that was great?  Was it their eye contact? Their expression?  Their choice of words?  The way they paused after a question or key fact?  For a student to learn, grow and develop, the feedback has to target precisely what was done well and what still needs some work. For example, "I liked the way you looked at the audience at the beginning of your speech, and again at the end.  Next time, see if you can remember to look at the audience after each sentence."  This tells the student exactly what they did well, and provides a suggestion for what they can do to improve.


Honest feedback not only builds resilience and perseverance, it provides the student with a goal to work towards in future presentations.  Honesty is not synonymous with nasty or blunt.  There are ways of phrasing honest feedback, so that students are empowered rather than belittled or limited.  For example, "I liked the way you included a rhetorical question at the end of your introduction.  When we ask a rhetorical question, we are appealing to the audience to think about something, so next time, remember to look at the audience rather than your cards."  This feedback acknowledges the student's efforts, while at the same time identifying an issue and providing them with a strategy to fix it.


Meaningful feedback takes into account where the student is currently at with their skill development, and what is realistically possible for them to work on improving.  A child who struggles to glance up from their palm cards at all during their presentation, is not likely to be able to understand and implement feedback that suggests they "scan" the audience.  You have to walk before you run....and in public speaking, you have to make eye contact before you learn to scan.


Feedback that is explicit, meaningful and honest allows students to celebrate their achievements with a sense of pride.  It allows them to take control of their own learning and progress, as they work to improve their skills and implement the suggestions that have been made. Without feedback, we fail to move forward.