Feedback in Language Training

At LTC we aim to provide the best possible service to our clients. One way to ensure the effectiveness of and satisfaction with the training is regular feedback with trainer and students.

Trainer Feedback

Receiving feedback from students is a useful way to improve trainer-student communication and gain valuable insight into your own teaching. Asking the right questions, giving students enough time to respond thoroughly, and ensuring that the feedback is anonymous are all important things to consider. Ideally, trainer feedback should take place continuously every few weeks, at the latest halfway through the course. At this point the students (probably) have seen enough to make helpful suggestions and there is still enough time to respond where appropriate.

The feedback is based on a set of four questions to evaluate what is going well and what is not going so well in the course. You can print the questions out, or write them up on the board.

The four questions are:

1. What is going well for your learning in the course? Be as specific as you can.
2. What is not going well for your learning? Again, be specific. List as many things as you can.
3. Based on your answer to the previous question, what can I (the trainer) do differently? What can you do differently?
4. Do you have any other comments or suggestions?

Student Feedback

Giving student feedback is extremely important. Ideally we can help students compare their own performance with the ideal and to diagnose their own strengths and weaknesses. You can help students in finding their own way of correcting problems and identifying goals. Build on their successes! Ideally, student feedback should take place about half-way through the course.

Feedback should:

• Contain encouragement
• Focus around course and topic learning outcomes
• Be specific about why something is good or not up to standard
• Guide students to become independent learners and their own critics
• Not focus on too many aspects at the same time
• Be unambiguous and clear

Please conduct feedback during every LTC course. It is important to give you and your students a clear picture of what is achieved and what lies ahead.

The information you receive is for your eyes only and does not need to be sent to LTC. You should of course consult with your training manager if any difficulties arise or any support can be provided.