When I first started with VIPKid, I was dead set against using feedback templates. I thought they were impersonal, and honestly, lazy. Fast-forward to a few months later. I found myself re-writing many of the same phrases over and over. While of course, every student is different, there are common mistakes that many English-language learners will make. On top of that, if I wasn’t able to write my feedback immediately, I found myself omitting things or forgetting what we had reviewed in class. This required me to scroll back through all the slides or watch the playback to be sure my feedback was complete. So…
I began making my own templates.
Before I continue, I’d like to share a few disclaimers:
- You can choose to make your own templates, or use some that were already created. There’s no right or wrong answer. I chose to make my own because I wanted my feedback to look and feel different than any other teacher’s. But that takes more time up front.
- There is no right or wrong way to write feedback. Some teachers write three lines for every class. Some teachers recap the class. Some teachers use the “Ed Nace” style. There’s no faster way to start an argument on Facebook than to insist one specific style is right. So choose the style that works for you and your students.
- Warning: Mine is long-ish, and I probably recap more than some teachers would like. If this style doesn’t suit you, use your own!
Where to Get Feedback Templates
There are several different options to get feedback templates.
Feedback panda
I personally use Feedback Panda. You can read this post for a much more detailed explanation. I write all my own templates and save them as personal templates. I will also share a quick video of how I get ready for class. With all of the benefits of Feedback Panda, it’s not free. If you use a referral link to sign up it’s $10 per month or $110 per year. In my opinion, it’s worth every penny.
Google Slides Slidekick
Within the free app Slidekick (available through the Google Slides Facebook page) there are feedback templates under the lessons section. There are several to choose from, and if you are using Slidekick anyway to get digital rewards, then you’ll already have the app open and have them at your fingertips. Slidekick and the planner (below) are only available for VIPKid teachers since the content is lesson-specific. If you teach for another ESL company, I’d recommend Feedback Panda all the way!
Google Slides Planner
The planner is really the best of both worlds if you are looking for a free option that allows you to write customized feedback. Here, you can write feedback, customize notes about your students, and save your favorite feedback for future lessons. There are tutorials on the Facebook page, or they are available on a Google Drive for those who aren’t on Facebook. To get access to the planner, you must review the materials and then pass a quiz.
Sample Before/After Feedback
For those of you who are concerned that the feedback will not be personal, I can assure you that’s not the case. I make every feedback personalized based on the student and the lesson. The difference is that the templates ensure I don’t leave out an important part of the lesson. Here’s an example of before and after feedback:
Template (before)
**Overall Feedback** We started today’s lesson by reviewing the common, high-frequency words “little,” “years,” and “that.” [name] did well filling in the blanks with the right words! [name] reviewed the vocabulary words “kitten,” “puppy,” and “chick.” She learned the difference between egg, baby, and adult. [name] practiced saying, “A _ is a/an __.” (foal/baby, chick/baby, dog/adult, chicken/adult, kitten/cat.) We learned the phrase “care for” and identified ways to care for animals. We reviewed the sentence, “A __ grows up to be a .” (kitten/cat, cub/lion, chick/chicken, puppy/dog.) [name] read a story about a kitten and puppy. For phonics, we reviewed words with -wh and -sh and words ending in -ock and -uck. [name] was able to use her words to complete sentences. We practiced punctuation, using periods at the end of statements and question marks at the end of questions.
**Homework** [name] has homework due in the next lesson. She needs to draw a room, a farm, and the wild. In each one, she should draw some pets, farm animals, and wild animals in the correct places. She should label them, and bring the poster to class next time to show her teacher.
Actual Feedback (after)
**Overall Feedback** We started today’s lesson by reviewing the common, high-frequency words “little,” “years,” and “that.” Tracy did well filling in the blanks with the right words! Tracy reviewed the vocabulary words “kitten,” “puppy,” and “chick.” She learned the difference between egg, baby, and adult. Tracy practiced saying, “A _ is a/an __.” (foal/baby, chick/baby, dog/adult, chicken/adult, kitten/cat.) Tracy also learned that her toy pig Pew Pew was a “piglet” and “A piglet is a baby pig.” We learned the phrase “care for” and identified ways to care for animals. We reviewed the sentence, “A __ grows up to be a _.” (kitten/cat, cub/lion, chick/chicken, puppy/dog.) The only thing that Tracy needs to practice is remembering to add the “s” to “grows.” It is difficult because the question asks “What does a _ grow up to be?” (with no “s.”) But the answer should be “grows.” Tracy read a story about a kitten and puppy. For phonics, we reviewed words with -wh and -sh and words ending in -ock and -uck. Tracy had generally good pronunciation but I made some small corrections with “uck” to be sure her pronunciation was distinct. We practiced punctuation, using periods at the end of statements and question marks at the end of questions.
**Homework** Tracy has homework due in the next lesson. She needs to draw a room, a farm, and the wild. In each one, she should draw some pets, farm animals, and wild animals in the correct places. She should label them, and bring the poster to class next time to show her teacher. I know she said she had started on this already, so hopefully she can finish the other pictures too! Tracy does a great job on her homework!
**Next Steps** I am so sorry that I cancelled class last week. My son is feeling much better now. Thank you very much for understanding! I will see Tracy on Friday!
Love you!
Trust me when I say that working smarter does not mean you have to work harder. You can use templates to help speed up the process, while still making your feedback complete, accurate, and personal.
I hope you found these examples helpful, and if you have any tips of your own, please let me know in the comments! If you are considering becoming a new VIPKid teacher and would like some help, please contact me, and I’d be happy to help you through the process!
