Embedded HLP - How to Teach
HLP 8 and HLP 22
Provide Positive and Constructive Feedback to Guide Students’ Learning and Behavior
The effective provision of feedback is one of the most important instructional practices for teachers. Feedback is used to guide student learning and behavior and increase motivation, engagement, and independence. Effective feedback must be strategically delivered and focused on tasks, processes, or self-regulatory actions. Feedback should be goal directed and is most effective when the learner has a goal, and the feedback informs the learner how to improve performance toward reaching that goal. Feedback may be verbal, nonverbal, or written, and should be timely, contingent, genuine, meaningful, age appropriate, and at rates commensurate with task and phase of learning (i.e., acquisition, fluency, maintenance). In equitable and inclusive classrooms, educators take care to provide meaningful feedback to all students and recognize the potential for unconscious bias that may prompt lowered expectations or deficit thinking toward historically marginalized students. Educators must consider age, cultural background, learning preferences, and classroom dynamics when providing public or private feedback.
| HLP 8 - Download Leadership Guide | HLP 22 - Download Leadership Guide | This resource is intended for school leaders (Administrators, Teacher Coaches, Mentors, etc.) to support their teams in effectively implementing the high-leverage practices (HLPs) in the classroom. |
| HLP 8 - Download Faculty Guide (Higher Education) | HLP 22 - Download Faculty Guide (Higher Education) | This resource is intended to support educator preparation faculty and staff looking to embed high-leverage practices (HLPs) in professional development, implementation, teacher candidate observation and feedback efforts at their school site. |
Related Publications
HLPs in Special Education Social/Emotional/Behavioral Laminated Guide (#3)
HLP 8 and HLP 22 Information
Research has demonstrated that feedback can be used to help students meet learning goals, as well as to increase motivation, engagement, and independence for students (Hattie, 2008). Standards from professional organizations, including the InTASC Standards (CCSSO, 2011), CEC’s preparation standards (2016), and the National Board of Professional Teaching standards (2012), emphasize the importance of feedback. Several reviews of research have found that effective instructional feedback has a powerful influence on learning and achievement (Coalition for Psychology in Schools and Education, 2015; Deans for Impact, 2015; Hattie & Timperley, 2007; Thurlings et al., 2013). Effective feedback is (a) clear, specific, explanatory, and timely; (b) addresses a faulty interpretation of content; and (c) emphasizes the goal of learning and how the student can make better progress towards that goal (Hattie & Timperley, 2012). When the student is still learning content, the educator should continue to provide explicit instruction, but feedback can be used when the student is farther along in their learning to correct misconceptions or to indicate how they can make progress towards a learning goal. Finally, research has shown that feedback is effective in improving achievement for students with disabilities and multilingual language learners (WWC, 2014), including those who are struggling with reading (WWC, 2009a), writing (WWC, 2012), and mathematics (WWC, 2009b).
Effective educators take care to provide meaningful culturally appropriate feedback to all students. Because they hold high expectations for their students and take steps to ensure that all students meet their learning goals, they acknowledge the strengths and assets their students bring to their work and select critical skills for meeting learning goals. They explain, in student-friendly language, the rationale for the feedback and steps needed for improvement. They check for understanding and model if needed. Educators also consider intersectional backgrounds, experiences, learning preferences, and classroom dynamics when providing public or private feedback.
Use of feedback can also help build relationships between teachers and students with student cultural identity at the core. An educator who knows a student well is in a positive position to leverage the knowledge of their culture, language, faith, athletic or other interests to craft feedback that further provides motivation, inspiration, and relationship-building and affirming messages. Using feedback based on students’ cultural background or out of school interests is a fantastic opportunity to build the educator-student relationship and develop momentum that extends to academic pursuits.