Various research studies, including those by Hattie and Timperley, Wiliams, and Dweck, have shown that feedback focused on praise is the least effective, but often the one most used by teachers. Carol Dwek found that pupils who received praise were less likely to challenge themselves to more difficult tasks and risk failure, and thereby kept looking smart. However, feedback on strategies used in an activity meant pupils were more likely to come up with workable solutions. Those who received feedback on their effort, reported greater enjoyment – even after failure – than pupils who were praised on a task.
This staff meeting starter encourages a discussion about the types and impact of feedback given to pupils in your school.
Linked resources
In the resource bank you will find a number of resources to support the use of effective feedback. Go to the resource bank page and type ‘feedback’ in the search bar.
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