Giving Feedback
and Encouragement
Feedback is
crucial to learning. It is an important part of learning....adults and students
alike. For some students it is the only time they hear anything positive all
day. Feedback is to inspire someone to create an action plan to solve a problem
and act upon it. There are many types of positive feedback models. Choose one
that best fits your desired outcome. Please remember:
1. Contingent on
appropriate behavior
2. Descriptive
3. Conveyed with
enthusiasm
4. Contingent on effort
My personal choice
of feedback is based on appropriate behavior or on the child’s effort towards
the appropriate behavior. To be most effective, it must be descriptive of the child’s desired
behavior that is desired. For example, “Rachel and Sarah, thank you for
following directions and pushing in your chairs! Can you help the others? Maybe Mike needs some help with his chair.”
Just start small. Try
to give a few more than the day before. Begin with a reminder system for you. Maybe
place rubber bands on your wrist and remove one when you give positive feedback
or encouragement. A little goes a long way in the eyes of a child.
