"The purpose of feedback is to improve conceptual understanding or increase strategic options while developing stamina, resilience, and motivation—expanding the vision of what is possible and how to get there." - Peter Johnston
The language we use with students impacts their mindset towards learning, their identity as learners, and their self-efficacy. The impact of our language can be positive, or it can be negative. Unfortunately, whether we realize it or not, the words we choose aren’t always the most beneficial to students’ learning and thinking. It is imperative that we stop and think about what we are saying and how it contributes to the mindset of our learners. Does our language contribute to a student’s growth mindset or a fixed mindset? When we praise, what is the impact of the words we are using to praise? Are we praising an individual’s effort and work, or are we praising the person?
Peter Johnston, author of Choice Words and Opening Minds, says that nonjudgmental praise validates a person’s thinking, encourages them to make further contributions, and provides opportunities for others to engage in productive classroom narratives. When a student makes a mistake, teachers are given an opportunity to turn it into a learning experience. Instead of saying, “I'm disappointed in you" or "You must not have been listening,” a teacher might say, “I bet you can find another way to do it.” Recognizing an error as temporary allows children the opportunity to change. An error does not mean you’ve failed forever, but you just haven’t found the solution yet. After all, we all make mistakes. Research has proven that process-centered feedback, as opposed to person-centered feedback, leads to more interest among children in accepting challenges.
As teachers, we want students to take risks, do their individual best, and work towards goals. Student achievement can actually become limited by the language the teacher uses with students, thus contributing to a fixed mindset. It’s important for us to consider how our language impacts students' thinking, emotions, and resilience when they are unsuccessful. Instead of the person-oriented feedback, “That is so great!” we may try process-oriented like, “I noticed how you…” and follow up with the actions and behaviors the student used to solve a problem. It’s important that our feedback is focused on the steps and strategies students use to complete a task or achieve a learning goal. Process-centered feedback goes beyond evaluating the end product. Process-centered feedback helps students understand how they can improve their approach and develop their skills. In addition to helping students set and work towards individual goals with actionable steps, you can ask open-ended questions to encourage reflection, scaffold feedback over time to help students adjust as they progress, and highlight their growth and improvement by reinforcing the idea that effort and practice lead to progress. You can use descriptive language that describes what you observed, using concrete language that identifies areas of strength and an area for them to improve.
Praise is related to power and control. The more important the person offering praise, the more powerful it is. Praise is also related to insecurity. The more secure a person is in what he/she is doing, the less impact praise can have. If someone praises you for your ability with basic math facts, chances are you could care less. If they praise you for something when you harbor some insecurity, there’s a good chance you will take the praise and feel good about it. For the moment, it feels great. Long term, however, because of the fixed form it invites, there can be other consequences. At the very least, you know people are judging you (Johnston, 2012). Mindsets of children can shift when they are placed in an environment where hard work and effort are valued, failures are acceptable, and teachers are encouraging.
How do we know when students realize the power of feedback? We will know they realize it when they pass on growth mindset language and process feedback to others. You can teach students how to use process-centered feedback by implementing rubrics and checklists. Focus on providing feedback that uses the exact language from the rubrics and checklists to guide students to the next step. If students are struggling, provide them with additional resources and strategies that support their process. Additionally, you can use process-centered feedback to support a growth mindset. A growth mindset is developed over time with intentional language and opportunities. Finally, you can encourage reflection and revision. Teaching students how to reflect and revise are essential steps to the learning process, and should be taught and celebrated.
I highly recommend reading and sharing Peter H. Johnston's books - Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Children's Learning and Opening Minds: Using Language to Change Lives. These books transformed how I communicate with everyone. Our language does have power. Therefore, we must use it carefully.
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