Feedback That Supports Partner Collaboration

Timely verbal feedback throughout various stages of academic tasks can serve as an effective teaching practice. Feedback should be specifi c and provided at the appropriate time so it acknowledges behaviors that support learning.

In partnerships, students should be working together to help each other better understand the concepts and skills presented by the teacher. Therefore, the responsibility for learning and mastering content falls not only on the student, but also on his or her partner. When giving verbal feedback to partners, focus on and relate to the behaviors that will support the learning goal of the partnership by connecting feedback to positive cooperative behaviors.

Feedback can also help students to understand expectations and, in turn, stay more engaged during the lesson.
This is because the teacher gives his or her attention to the group behavior he or she most wants to see in the
classroom. The other groups quickly begin to model themselves after the group that is receiving the teacher’s
positive attention.