Mistakes are one of the main ways in which we learn.

They often present information that helps us to make significant alterations to our thinking and the ways in which we act.

Focussing verbal feedback on mistakes means drawing learners’ attention to these before providing the information needed to understand why they have made them, what they can learn from them and how to avoid repeating them in the future.

Here are four techniques you can use.

Identify mistakes in advance

You are an expert in the areas you teach.

Therefore, you will probably be able to identify in advance the kind of mistakes learners are likely to make.

If you do this – either by making a brief list or by running through the possibilities in your mind – you are then primed to spot the mistakes as and when learners make them.

This leaves you ready to intervene and offer feedback.

For example, a Year 5 teacher introducing a new topic might think back to the time they taught it last year, make a mental note of the common mistakes they remember learners making, and then be ready to swiftly give relevant verbal feedback should they see the same mistakes cropping up again.

Probe for misconceptions

Use questioning to probe learner understanding during activities.

Focus on trying to draw out any misconceptions learners hold about the learning.

Once these are in the open, you can offer feedback that helps learners change how they think.

For example, a religious studies teacher might probe learners’ understanding of a religion with which they have little familiarity.

Through doing this they draw out misconceptions the learner holds about that religion and can give feedback in response.

Observe and intervene

During activities, stand in a position from which you can observe the whole class.

Or, depending on what you are teaching, you might prefer to circulate so you can more closely scrutinise the work learners are doing.

On spotting a mistake, take this as an opportunity to intervene – to provide verbal feedback that can help improve learner performance.

Do consider the frequency of your interventions, though. For example, a learner who receives feedback from you three or four times in a matter of minutes may start to see your feedback in a negative light.

Verbal feedback after written feedback

Having handed out learner work that you have marked and that contains your feedback, circulate through the room and identify any learners who would benefit from further verbal feedback focussing on the mistakes they made.

For example, a maths teacher might pick out two or three learners who need clarification of the written feedback to feel confident about acting on it.

The teacher does this by verbally re-explaining the feedback and how it relates to the mistakes learners made.