One of the more subtle uses of verbal feedback is the re-direction of learner effort.

I say ‘subtle’ because learners often aren’t fully aware of what you are doing when you use it in this way.

Or, if they are aware, they understand implicitly that this is the game and that they should follow what you are suggesting.

This stands in contrast to the odd occasion in which a learner will push against any attempt to re-direct their efforts. While rare, this can happen. But it is usually a result of an underlying issue connected to behaviour, as opposed to anything inherently wrong with the technique.

Here are some examples of verbal feedback that re-directs student effort:

• ‘Back on task now, Sam. Thanks very much.’
• ‘Let’s get thinking about the third question again. I’ll be back in two minutes to see what ideas you have.’
• ‘I wonder if there’s a better way to do this? Come on – I want you to have a look and find out for me.’
• ‘Interesting approach, Sarah, but I’d like to see you following the method to begin with.’
• ‘Now this could be a more useful avenue to pursue. Try it out and I’ll be interested to hear what you think.’
• ‘Let’s park that question and discuss it after the lesson. Right now, I want you to focus on the task.’
• ‘Remind me of the instructions. Right, so let’s keep those in mind for the rest of the activity.’
• ‘Is this the right way to do it? No? OK, so what is the right way? Perfect! Off you go then.’
• ‘I think this might be a dead end. Why don’t you try going back and having another look? See if the third bullet point gives you any ideas.’
• ‘Remember what we talked about last lesson? That’s right – keeping focussed.’

In each example the teacher’s aim is to change the direction of learner effort.

Some of them are procedural, some behavioural and some concerned with thinking about how to tackle a task.

This reflects the wide variety of reasons why learners might lose focus or direct their effort down unproductive paths.

Verbal feedback intended to re-direct learner effort tends to be brief and specifically concerned with what learners are doing in the moment.

Good practice tends to involve the teacher regularly scanning the room during tasks, looking to see whose effort levels are low, whose effort is being expended in unhelpful directions, and who might benefit from a brief reminder or passing suggestion about what they should be doing.

Verbal feedback of this type is as much about you helping students to self-regulate their own effort as anything else.