ADI Part 3 - Feedback and Encouragement

Feedback and Encouragement

The SE will assess your ability to give the appropriate feedback at the correct level under this sub skill area. Feedback and encouragement are very closely linked to your communication techniques, and could in fact be regarded as a sub skill of good communication.

Learning is a continual process of teaching and assessing, to ensure that learning is taking place, and to ensure that the learning is achieving the results that we want.

The learner needs continual feedback on what is going wrong and what is going right. You need to develop your communication skills to a high level to get this right.

As you'll read in the communication skills area of the sight, everything you say or do will be interpreted by your learner (SE) and will be regarded as feedback. It's how you communicate with everyone you meet every day. It's simply not possible to communicate in any other way.

Every 'oohh', every shake of the head, every sharp exhale . . . they all communicate and they are all feedback. Be careful in the messages you send.

A well known principle of adult learning is that feedback needs to be constructive, correct, and given immediately.

So, when your pupil eventually masters that difficult emerge after much hard work, tell them . . "well done Pete. That was great. All your hard work is really paying off now . . ."

If all you do is point out faults, you could destroy your learners confidence and morale. Your learner will have no idea when things are going well, so could find it almost impossible to improve.

You're use of language is entirely your choice, and you'll base it on the pupils language. More of this in the communication skills section.

I've heard of instructor trainers who tell trainees to avoid words like 'fantastic' and 'brilliant'. They don't like it because they say it leaves no where else to go. How can you get better than fantastic?

The answer is to get to know your pupils. Your learner may think that 'great' is a higher level of achievement than 'fantastic'. The world is a varied place. Each and every human being in it has a different view of things, and none of us have the right to say what terminology is or is not correct for good communication.

That's why I believe these 'rules' to be nonsense. Use your judgment. Say what comes naturally to you. But then . . . that's just my view. Yours may be different.

A very important thing to keep in mind is that feedback is a two way process. Your learner gets feedback from you, and you have to pick up the feedback from your pupil.

You have to listen very carefully indeed to what the SE tells you. Watch for facial gestures indicating difficulty or lack of understanding. Then act on it.

If the SE asks you questions, answer them as professionally as you can. Obviously, pick your timing . . . don't get involved in a conversation as the SE is negotiating a busy junction.

Read the communication section, where I'll be explaining some of the techniques you can practice to ensure that the feedback you give is easily interpreted.

ADIT Team.