we all know getting feedback from what we've taught is too important in the process of teaching and learning..so let me put my finger on the most important questions which arises here:
what is your idea about getting feedback at class?Do you think it differs according to different levels?
what is the best way to get feedback in basic and Elementary levels and what about intermediate and advanced ones?
Replies
One of the best feedbacks is body language. Watch how your students react to the lesson. Another is "Are the students learning?" Again, to me that is more important than a formal feedback.
In Mexico, we had a meeting once a month with the parents. That was an opportunity for feedback as they would tell me what their child liked or disliked (you should be aware that in come cultures a student will never criticize the teacher even on a form) whereas the students might not.
I also do my own critique of lessons after I have taught them. Did the students seem engaged? Did they understand the topic? Is there a better way to present it. In Korea, we taught the same conversational class for a month. We had different students each week so we could use the same lesson plans. The final week was always much better than the first week as the lessons got refined with each class. There we did get collective feedback from the students on their last day. They had questionnaires in their language and listed their favorite 3 classes and could add comments. As a teacher, I always wanted to be in the top 3. We also had teacher mailboxes and the students would leave us notes.
Dear Tim
wow!! the way you pointed the feedback, was really a sort of new approach towards it..
i do agree with consideration of students' interest in participating class activities after learning a new lesson..
i myself try to get that by setting sometime for them to make a conversation by using the new expressions,vocabularies and grammar they've recently learned.
For sure doing your own critique after teaching each lesson is so essential.That's what most teacher's may do by the end of each term.i myself take notes of what i have concluded by such a critique and try to use the experiences i've gained for the next classes..
hmmm although the last feedback of your course in Korea was exciting but it seems a bit risky at the same time;)without any doubt, you have been on the top list constantly..
Thanks for commenting here and good luck!
well, first of all I like to acknowledge the importance of the topic, many thanks to those who posted it. Now as an elementary teacher every now and then I get feedback from my students (second grade students ) they mainly tell me what part of the activity the enjoyed the most and which one they disliked it. It has played an important role in how to improve some lessons and when to keep some others. Even, that has given me the clue of how to change the strategy to convince them that no matter how boring the lesson seemed , it was important for them however. I have to admit that my feedback has not been so formal but I has worked wonders. I wholeheartedly recommend it. So maybe the reader will infer from my experience that elementary level feedback might be informal, however the info that it provides must be recorded to increase its effectiveness.
Dear Frank
Thanks for commenting and help us use your practical points and experience.
You've pointed on the most important factor that should be definitely considered in the process of getting feedback..
we need to let students feel free,safe and at the same time confident to speak and show us how much they've learned and which parts have been tough for them to understand..so the way you've chosen for low-level ones seems so fruitful..providing friendly and informal situation to reduce the fear of exam and evaluate the students and the success of your teaching method at the same time,,
well done and Good luck :)
T Mal thanks for sharing your experience and the useful link.
yes you are right,getting a right feedback is so important..
thank you WMW..yes i agree with you. getting feedback would help us getting weakness of our students and set some time to help them with that.
With regard to feedback I have a link that might answer your question although you would have to simplify the questions for beginners or get someone to answer the questions in first language. I did experience trying to get feedback from a group of housewives most of whom had little or no experience of school or teaching and the format was set by college admin to measure teacher performance. A member of admin entered with the forms and asked me to leave while they were filled in. I asked if there was an interpreter she informed me there was not. I left the room and waited outside but could see the students confusion as most could barely write their name or read little more than their names and addresses. The lady came out of the class very red faced.
She had realised that whoever wrote the feedback form had not taken into account the level of students or the concept that some students have no experience of education to compare. This is something we as teachers must bear in mind. Will they understand the questions, is it in the right format. We later worked with admin and designed the form with happy and sad faces and got a more advance student who spoke their language to ask the questions. We must also take into consideration what do we actually want to know.
please read the following link http://tlc.cbu.ca/node/18