Constructive Feedback

Overview

In this lesson, students practise giving and receiving constructive feedback on their peer’s narrative draft. They learn to support, challenge, and clarify spoken meanings during a brief peer review discussion.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• use effective discussion strategies to ask questions and respond to ideas in peer feedback
• identify the main point and explain the tone of feedback they receive or give
• give specific, kind feedback that supports or challenges implied meanings in a peer’s draft
• edit their feedback notes so they are clear, fair, and actionable

Success criteria

Students can:

• use sentence starters to question, agree with, or challenge ideas respectfully
• explain what they think the writer is trying to achieve and where it shows in the draft
• give at least two pieces of feedback: one strength and one suggestion for improvement (with a reason)
• summarise a peer’s feedback in one or two sentences before revising their own draft

Curriculum links

• Literacy: use interaction skills for identified purposes and situations, including supporting or challenging stated or implied meanings in discussion
• Literacy: use comprehension strategies such as monitoring and questioning to interpret ideas in spoken feedback
• Literature: analyse how language features and sentence patterns contribute to tone and meaning
• Literacy: plan/create/edit by refining writing based on feedback for an intended purpose and audience

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Warm-up: Feedback lens Teacher reads two short examples of feedback (one vague, one specific) aloud; students hold up fingers to rate clarity (1–5). Students briefly explain what made the better feedback helpful, using one sentence.

2. 5–10 min · Direct teach: “Support and challenge” phrases Teacher models a short peer-review conversation using feedback language that includes: a stated claim, a reason, and an invitation to clarify (e.g., “I notice…”, “I’m wondering…”, “I agree because…”, “I think it could be stronger if…”). Students repeat the phrases and practise choosing one to match different moments (when to question, when to agree, when to challenge implied meaning).

3. 10–20 min · Peer review round 1 (listening + responding) Teacher groups students in pairs; provides each pair with a narrative draft excerpt (or students use their own drafts if available) and a feedback checklist. Student A reads their excerpt to Student B, while Student B completes two notes: (a) what the excerpt is trying to do (purpose/point) and (b) one tone moment they notice; then Student B asks one “wonder” question and one “what would you change” question.

4. 20–25 min · Switch roles (round 2, same focus) Teacher reminds students to listen for tone in spoken feedback and to respond directly to the question asked. Students swap roles and repeat: Student B reads; Student A gives one strength and one actionable suggestion, using a reason linked to the draft.

5. 25–29 min · Whole-class debrief: Summarise and act Teacher asks two students to share (without naming classmates): “What was the clearest suggestion?” and “How did it change your next step?” Students write a one-sentence summary of the feedback they received and circle the next edit they will make.

6. 29–30 min · Exit check Teacher collects a quick exit ticket with two prompts: one strength noticed and one improvement suggestion (must be specific). Students submit their ticket to show readiness to revise.

Resources

• Peer feedback checklist (print or digital) with fields: strength, suggestion, reason, question, tone moment
• Narrative draft excerpts or students’ drafts (printed or digital)
• Timer visible to students
• Sentence starter strips (Support / Challenge / Clarify)
• Exit ticket slips or digital form

Assessment

• Formative during peer review: teacher listens for appropriate interaction skills (asking questions, responding to implied meaning respectfully, clarity of reasoning)
• Checklist review: ensure each student gives at least one strength and one actionable suggestion with a reason
• Exit ticket: checks that feedback is specific and linked to the draft

Differentiation

• Provide additional sentence starters for students who need structure (e.g., “I think the writer wants… because…”, “I’m not sure about… can you explain…?”)
• For students needing challenge: ask them to identify a language feature that shapes tone (e.g., sentence pattern) and link it to the feedback suggestion
• EAL support: allow sentence starter use and permit explanations using simpler wording while still requiring a reason and a question
• SEN support: reduce feedback targets to “one strength + one edit” while keeping the requirement for specificity

Extension (optional)

• SKIP