Growth Mindset Feedback

Overview

Providing feedback that focuses on the process of developing skills conveys the importance of effort and motivates students to persist when learning. When students believe that their skills can be developed through dedication and hard work instead of innate abilities, they can develop a growth mindset. Research has shown that this type of feedback is particularly supportive of marginalized students.

Use It in the Classroom

Watch how this school incorporates growth mindset feedback as an inherent element of its culture. They implement techniques for teachers and peers to give and receive respectful and specific feedback, encouraging a growth mindset approach. They also use language such as "good mistake" and "aha mistake moment" to describe their mistakes, seeing them as opportunities for growth.

When providing growth mindset feedback, it is important to remind students of the progress they have made while also supporting them during times of struggle. Teachers can support a growth mindset by specifically attending to the effective strategies they use, effort they put in, and practice they do when providing feedback.

Design It into Your Product

Videos are chosen as examples of strategies in action. These choices are not endorsements of the products or evidence of use of research to develop the feature.

Learn how Lexia Reading Core5 provides continuous feedback on ongoing effort. After learners complete challenging activities, they receive feedback that emphasizes their persistence and effort, which supports a growth mindset.

Developers can provide feedback that stresses the learning process when learners accomplish a difficult task. Along the way, they can also give feedback during setbacks to motivate learners to continue trying, which grows their sense of intelligence as something that can be developed.

View References

Resources

Below are additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.

Examples

Encourage a Growth Mindset

Four ways to foster a growth mindset in students

Examples

Growth Mindset Feedback

Sentence frames for providing growth mindset feedback in different situations

Research

Growth Mindset for Math

Jo Boaler explains the importance of learning from mistakes

Research

Self-Efficacy

Subtopic that includes research on the factors that lead people to develop self-efficacy on Digital Promise's Research Map

Research

Student Goals

Subtopic that explores how student goals relate to academic achievement and their motivation to learn on Digital Promise's Research Map

Research

Student Motivation

Topic that includes research on the factors that motivate students to learn and reach their goals on Digital Promise's Research Map

Research

The Secret to Raising Smart Kids

Scientific American article by Carol Dweck on the importance of process praise

Factors Supported by this Strategy

Literacy

Cognition

Inhibition & Self-regulation

Metacognition

Student Background

More Teacher Modeling & Support Strategies

Accessible Syntax

Teachers can support language development by using and providing Syntax that is appropriately leveled (e.g., short, simple structure for young students).

Accessible Vocabulary

Teachers support language development by using and providing Vocabulary that is appropriately leveled (e.g., using word wall words).

Brief Instruction Steps

Content that is provided in clear, short chunks can support students' Working Memory.

Building Trusting Relationships

Building positive and trusting relationships with learners allows them to feel safe; a sense of belonging; and that their academic, cognitive, and social and emotional needs are supported.

Discussing Emotions

Teaching students how to label, identify, and manage emotions helps them learn Inhibition & Self-Regulation skills.

Encourage Student Self-advocacy

Overtly encouraging all students to seek support and ask questions creates a safe space for risk-taking and skill development.

Feedback on Writing

Providing constructive feedback supports students' writing development by letting them know how to improve their writing.

Foster Growth Mindset

Teachers can help students understand that learning involves effort, mistakes, and reflection by teaching them about their malleable brain and modeling their own learning process.

Incorporate Students' Cultural Practices

Learning about students' cultures and connecting them to instructional practices helps all students feel like valued members of the community, which improves Motivation.

Model Positive Connections to Literacy

By sharing their own reading and writing, teachers can create a literacy community that supports students in finding meaning in their own work.

Model the Assignment or Skill

By talking through their thinking at each step of a process, teachers can model what learning looks like.

Predictability: Environment & Structure

Maintaining consistent classroom routines and schedules ensures that students are able to trust and predict what will happen next.

Read-alouds

Reading aloud regularly exposes students to new and familiar Vocabulary and texts.

Read-alouds: Deliberate Topics

Reading aloud books about skills children are learning provides another model for their development.

Student Choice

Providing students a voice in their learning is critical for making learning meaningful.

Wait Time

Wait time, or think time, of three or more seconds after posing a question increases how many students volunteer and the length and accuracy of their responses.

Literacy 4-6

Growth Mindset Feedback

Overview

Use It in the Classroom

Design It into Your Product

Resources

Factors Supported by this Strategy

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