Pedagogy First. Technology Second.

Task, Not Person

The strategy, as published

Exactly as it appears on the card

Part of Feedback & the Learner in 03 Feedback, where it sits alongside its neighbouring strategies, the infographic and the thinking for the whole area.

Why you might use it

The problem it may help with

The fastest way to make feedback backfire is to aim it at the person. Kluger and DeNisi found that comments threatening self-concept decrease performance; attention pulled to the self is attention pulled off the work.

The card's two examples carry the rule. This paragraph needs restructuring gives the pupil somewhere to go. You need to try harder gives them somewhere to hide.

What it might look like

One version of it, in a classroom

Rereading his comments before returning books, a teacher rewrites each one whose subject is the pupil until its subject is the work: you have not explained this becomes this step needs the reason it works, and you must check your work becomes three of these answers fail the estimate test.

Try it

A way to begin

Scan your last set of comments for sentences whose subject is the pupil. Rewrite each so the subject is a specific piece of the work.

What to notice

Reading what happens

  • Whether returned work produces defensiveness or redrafting; the difference often follows where the comments were aimed.
  • Which pupils you most often address person-first. It may be exactly the ones for whom work-directed comments would help most.

Things to think about

Before and while you use it

  • Task-directed does not mean cold. The warmth can live in the conversation while the written feedback stays on the work.

Inclusive practice

The lens this connects with

Through the inclusive practice lens, this is one of the approaches that may reduce barriers around:

The wider thinking

Where the evidence sits

Kluger and DeNisi's analysis holds that the closer feedback moves to the self, the less useful it becomes; Hattie and Timperley's levels tell the same story from a different dataset. The card’s attribution stands as published: Kluger & DeNisi.

The fuller picture, sources included, is in further reading and evidence for Feedback.

Keep exploring

Where next?

Back to this strategy in 03 Feedback, across to what you're trying to improve, or into all 144 at once.

Want to take this further?

Support is available

Pedagogy First gives you a starting point. If you want support exploring how approaches like this can work across your school, trust or professional learning programme, that work is available.

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