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Math PK-2 > Strategies > Growth Mindset Feedback

Growth Mindset Feedback

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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, especially for math achievement, as it helps them feel positive Emotion.

Use It in the Classroom

Watch how this second grade teacher encourages growth mindset in her students by focusing her feedback on the challenging process. By tasking them with challenging problems, they embrace struggle as part of the learning process and learn to persist.

  • One critical way teachers can provide growth mindset feedback is by reframing mistakes as learning opportunities. Research has shown that a student's error orientation, that is whether they believe errors help them learn, is a critical part of their overall view of their math abilities. 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 Motion Math provides a variety of adaptive games that playfully teach conceptual foundations of math while also fostering a love for challenge by providing growth mindset feedback.

  • 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

    Self-Efficacy

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

    Research

    Student Confidence in Math

    The importance of embracing errors as learning, emphasizing reasoning, and relating math to student strengths from Digital Promise's Ask a Researcher

    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

    Student Background
    Social and Emotional Learning
    Emotion
    Motivation
    Self-Regulation
    Stereotype Threat
    Cognition
    Numeracy and Mathematics

    More Teacher Modeling & Support Strategies

    Accessible Vocabulary & Syntax

    Teachers support language development by using and providing vocabulary and syntax that is appropriately leveled (e.g.

    Brief Instruction Steps

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

    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.

    Model Positive Connections to Math

    Teachers sharing math-to-self, math-to-math, and math-to-world connections models this schema building.

    Predictability: Environment & Structure

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

    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.

    Model Assignment or Skill

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

    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 Emotion helps them learn Self-regulation skills.

    Incorporate Students' Cultural Practices

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

    Encourage Student Self-advocacy

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

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