Providing children with feedback—both praise and suggestions on how they can improve—is a way to guide and shape a child’s behavior. Typically used in schools, classrooms, or programs as a recurring daily practice, positive and corrective feedback can help you positively reinforce good behaviors and correct negative behaviors.
How To Implement Positive Feedback
Positive feedback is a type of verbal positive reinforcement. When kids are displaying positive behaviors you would like to see again, try praising them using positive feedback. Often, offering more than a “good job” can make a bigger impact. By acknowledging and reinforcing positive behaviors, you are fostering a positive learning environment and encouraging future positive actions.
Here’s how it works:
Describe the Situation: Name exactly when and where the positive behavior occurred.
Describe the Behavior: Tell the child exactly what they did that you want to praise them for.
Describe the Effect: Let the child know what happened as a result of their positive behavior and be specific.
Example: “Today while we were working on an art project (Situation), you helped pick up the crayons and markers (Behavior). This helped me out and saved me time so we could get outside faster (Effect). Thank you for being so supportive!”
Helpful Hint
When you use the language of Words to Live By, and the corresponding Skill Builders, you are teaching children how to monitor and regulate their own behaviors. Incorporating the common language of Words to Live By into your feedback helps children internalize the Words, creates an opportunity for a teachable moment, and builds upon the lessons or skills you are teaching throughout the day.
Example: “Damien, by waiting your turn during this game, you are showing everyone you know how to work together and be a team player.”
Immediate, positive feedback in real-time reinforces the social emotional skill or skills the child displayed. When children receive frequent positive attention, they are less likely to display negative behaviors for attention.
How To Implement Corrective Feedback
Corrective feedback is information you provide to children about how their behavior or actions affect others. It is meant to lead to positive change and provide a way to address problem behaviors quickly and effectively. When you notice behavior from a child that you do not wish to see, it is best to address the behavior right away using specific language about exactly what the child did.
Describe the Situation: Name exactly when and where the undesired behavior occurred.
Describe the Behavior: Describe exactly what they did that you don’t want to be repeated.
Describe the Effect: Explain what happened as a result of their negative behavior or how the negative behavior made you feel. Be specific.
Example: “Today when we were outside (Situation), you did not share the jump rope with Rico and teased him for wanting to play (Behavior).This hurt his feelings and made him cry (Effect).”
Helpful Hint
The best way for a child to learn is to understand the consequences of the choices that they make. Corrective feedback links the specific behavior to a specific outcome. This “cause and effect” helps the child see what happened because of their actions.
Tips for Effective Facilitation and Implementation
- Avoid yelling or using a stern voice when giving corrective feedback. Notice your tone of voice and body language—were you concerned, scared, or disappointed at the child’s behavior? It is appropriate to reflect the emotion of the effect, but should never lead to yelling or anger.
- Be timely. Feedback is most effective when it is given immediately. It will be harder for students to remember their behaviors or the situation after too much time has passed between the situation and your feedback.
- Make sure feedback is heard and understood. Get on your student’s level and be sure to make eye contact with them so you know you have their attention.
- Make sure the “effect” matters to the child. If the child has no connection to the effect, it’s unlikely to change the behavior. For example, “Michael, today when you were in line (Situation), you were distracting the group and not following directions (Behavior) which made us late to music class.” (Effect). If the child doesn’t like music class, then they are not going to care about making everyone else late.
- Provide feedback in private. To avoid embarrassing the child, it is best to provide corrective feedback privately, one-on-one. Providing corrective feedback to several children who are all exhibiting the behavior may be useful when done in public, as it helps teach the entire group. Use your best judgment.
When positive and corrective feedback is given in a trusting and supportive environment, children improve their behavior and social emotional skills.
