CELTA TP potholes - Don't rush through feedback

Summary

In this video, experienced Selter trainer and assessor Jonga shares insights on common teaching mistakes trainees often make, particularly during feedback sessions. He emphasizes the importance of avoiding rushed feedback and ensuring that all learners, including those who process more slowly, have the time to fully engage with the material. Key tips include purposeful monitoring, encouraging group discussions, nominating individual learners, and asking thoughtful questions to assess understanding. Jonga also advises against asking the generic 'Do you understand?' instead suggesting more targeted questions for effective feedback. His advice aims to help teachers improve their practice and avoid predictable pitfalls.

Takeaways

• 😀 Don’t rush through feedback—allow adequate time for all learners to process the information.
• 😀 Purposefully monitor learners during exercises to gauge their understanding before giving feedback.
• 😀 Give learners time to discuss answers in pairs or small groups before offering whole-class feedback.
• 😀 Avoid asking for volunteer answers in class. Instead, nominate individuals to ensure everyone participates.
• 😀 For online lessons, have learners write their answers in the chat but wait to post until instructed.
• 😀 When reviewing answers, ask learners to explain *why* their answer is correct to deepen understanding.
• 😀 Replace the question 'Do you understand?' with more specific check-for-understanding questions.
• 😀 Ensure you give slower processors or less confident learners time to contribute and catch up.
• 😀 Rushing through exercises can leave some learners behind. Be mindful of pacing and allow time for everyone.
• 😀 Engage all learners by making sure everyone gets an opportunity to respond, not just the quick ones.

Q & A

What is one common mistake that trainees make in teaching practice?

One common mistake is rushing through feedback on exercises, such as controlled practice for new language or comprehension questions, without allowing enough time for all learners to process the information.

Why do trainees often rush through feedback?

Trainees often rush through feedback because they don't want to bore their students and may be nervous about dragging out the process. This can lead to skipping important steps that help learners fully understand the content.

What problem can arise when a teacher moves too quickly through feedback?

The problem is that some learners may not have fully understood the material but feel pressured to say they do, leading to gaps in understanding for those who need more time to process.

How can you ensure that feedback is more productive?

To make feedback more productive, it's important to monitor learners' progress during exercises, allow time for them to discuss answers in pairs or small groups, and avoid rushing through the process. Focus on less confident learners and make sure everyone has a chance to contribute.

What does purposeful monitoring involve in a teaching context?

Purposeful monitoring involves moving around the classroom or visiting breakout rooms online to observe how learners are finding the exercise, ensuring you're aware of who might be struggling before jumping to feedback.

Why is it important to allow learners time to discuss answers in pairs or small groups before whole-class feedback?

Allowing learners to discuss answers in pairs or small groups helps less confident learners build understanding in a less pressured environment, ensuring that more learners can participate and contribute when it's time for whole-class feedback.

What should you do to avoid getting the same few students to answer in class feedback?

Nominate individuals by their names to ensure that everyone gets a chance to answer. This encourages more participation and ensures that all learners are involved in the feedback process.

How can online feedback be adapted to ensure equal participation?

In an online setting, you can have students write their answers in the chat but tell them not to post until instructed. This way, faster typists won't dominate the discussion, and everyone can contribute at the same time.

Why is it important to ask learners to explain why their answer is correct during feedback?

Asking learners to explain why their answer is correct helps deepen their understanding and slows down the process, allowing those who didn't get the correct answer a chance to catch up and fully grasp the concept.

Why is the question 'Do you understand?' not a helpful question for gauging learner comprehension?

'Do you understand?' is not helpful because learners are often hesitant to admit they don't understand. Instead, it's better to ask specific questions that require learners to demonstrate their understanding, ensuring that they truly grasp the material.