English · Year 5 · Poetry and Performance · Term 4

Giving and Receiving Constructive Feedback

Practicing giving and receiving feedback on oral presentations and discussions in a supportive manner.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9E5LY01
• AC9E5LY09

About This Topic

Giving and receiving constructive feedback builds essential communication skills for Year 5 students during oral presentations and discussions. In the Poetry and Performance unit, students learn to provide specific, actionable comments that highlight strengths and suggest improvements. This practice aligns with AC9E5LY01, where students discuss how authors use language for effect, and AC9E5LY09, which emphasises presenting ideas clearly with attention to audience and purpose. By focusing on feedback frameworks, such as stating observations, impacts, and suggestions, students differentiate constructive criticism from vague or hurtful remarks.

These activities promote growth mindsets and collaborative environments. Students explore key questions like how specific feedback improves public speaking and why positive delivery matters. Regular practice helps them internalise habits of supportive dialogue, preparing them for group work and performances throughout the curriculum.

Active learning benefits this topic most because peer-to-peer exchanges and role-plays allow students to experience feedback in real time. They receive immediate practice in a safe space, reflect on their responses, and refine skills through iteration, making abstract concepts tangible and confidence-building.

Key Questions

1. How does specific and actionable feedback help improve public speaking skills?
2. Differentiate between constructive criticism and unhelpful commentary.
3. Design a feedback framework that promotes growth and positive communication.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze student presentations to identify specific strengths and areas for improvement based on feedback criteria.
• Evaluate feedback received from peers, distinguishing between constructive suggestions and unhelpful commentary.
• Formulate specific, actionable feedback statements for a peer's oral presentation.
• Demonstrate active listening skills when receiving feedback on their own oral presentation.
• Design a simple feedback form that includes prompts for observation, impact, and suggestion.

Before You Start

Oral Presentation Skills

Why: Students need foundational skills in speaking clearly and engaging an audience before they can effectively give or receive feedback on presentations.

Identifying Text Features

Why: Understanding how authors use specific language and structure in poetry helps students identify effective techniques to comment on during peer feedback.

Key Vocabulary

Constructive Feedback	Comments that are specific, actionable, and intended to help someone improve their work or performance.
Specific Feedback	Feedback that points to particular examples or details, rather than making general statements.
Actionable Feedback	Feedback that offers clear suggestions or steps that the recipient can take to make improvements.
Growth Mindset	A belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work, viewing challenges as opportunities for learning.
Feedback Framework	A structured approach or template for giving and receiving feedback, often including steps like observation, impact, and suggestion.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Feedback means only pointing out mistakes.

What to Teach Instead

Constructive feedback balances positives with suggestions for growth. Active role-plays help students practice full frameworks, like starting with strengths, so they see feedback as supportive. Peer discussions reveal how one-sided comments demotivate, building balanced habits.

Common Misconception

Receiving feedback requires immediate agreement or defence.

What to Teach Instead

Effective receivers listen actively, thank the giver, and reflect later. Group feedback circles model this process, allowing time for processing without pressure. Students learn through practice that pausing to consider input leads to better self-improvement.

Common Misconception

Any opinion counts as constructive feedback.

What to Teach Instead

Feedback must be specific and actionable, not vague opinions. Station rotations with exemplars show differences, helping students critique samples collaboratively. This hands-on sorting clarifies standards and improves their own feedback quality.

Active Learning Ideas

Role-Play Pairs: Feedback Sandwich

Pair students to present short poetry recitals. After each performance, the partner gives feedback using the sandwich method: positive comment, constructive suggestion, positive close. Switch roles and discuss what made feedback helpful. Debrief as a class on patterns.

30 min·Pairs

Feedback Carousel: Group Presentations

Form small groups for mini-discussions on poems. Groups rotate to hear one presentation, leave sticky-note feedback with one strength and one action step, then receive feedback from the next group. End with self-reflection on received notes.

45 min·Small Groups

Whole Class Feedback Circle

Students present poems one by one in a circle. Class members offer one-word descriptors for positives and one suggestion each. Presenter thanks the group before the next turn. Record common themes on the board for analysis.

40 min·Whole Class

Individual Feedback Journals

After watching peer videos of performances, students write feedback in journals using a template: what worked, what to improve, how to improve. Share select entries in pairs for discussion and revision.

25 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Actors receive notes from directors after rehearsals to refine their performances, focusing on specific lines, gestures, or emotional delivery to enhance the overall production.
• Journalists often have their articles reviewed by editors who provide feedback on clarity, accuracy, and structure, helping to ensure the final piece is well-written and informative for readers.
• Sports coaches give players specific feedback during and after games, pointing out successful plays and areas needing practice, such as passing accuracy or defensive positioning.

Assessment Ideas

Peer Assessment

After students present their poems, provide them with a simple checklist. The checklist should ask: Did the presenter speak clearly? Did they use expression? Did they make eye contact? Students tick 'Yes', 'No', or 'Sometimes' and write one specific positive comment and one specific suggestion for improvement.

Exit Ticket

Students write down one piece of feedback they received today that was helpful and explain why. They also write one piece of feedback they gave that they think was specific and actionable.

Quick Check

Teacher observes students during a pair-share activity where they discuss a peer's presentation. The teacher listens for students using specific language (e.g., 'I liked how you paused before the last line' instead of 'Good job') and offering suggestions (e.g., 'Maybe try speaking a little louder in the next stanza').

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you teach Year 5 students to give constructive feedback on presentations?

Start with explicit modelling using video examples of good and poor feedback. Provide sentence starters like 'I noticed...' and 'Next time, try...'. Use peer practice in pairs or small groups to apply frameworks immediately, followed by class reflection on what made comments helpful. This builds skills aligned with AC9E5LY09.

What is a good feedback framework for primary students?

A simple three-part framework works well: state a strength, note an area for growth with evidence, suggest an action. For poetry performances, examples include 'Your expression showed emotion well; volume dropped at the end, so project more next time.' Practice through role-plays reinforces this structure for clear, positive communication.

How does active learning support giving and receiving feedback?

Active learning engages students through role-plays, peer reviews, and feedback stations, turning passive listening into participatory practice. They experience giving feedback live, receive it personally, and reflect collaboratively, which deepens understanding and builds empathy. This approach fits AC9E5LY01 by linking language effects to real audience responses, making skills stick better than lectures.

Why is practising feedback important in the Poetry and Performance unit?

Feedback sharpens public speaking by targeting delivery aspects like pace, expression, and clarity, directly supporting AC9E5LY09. It fosters a supportive class culture for performances and teaches distinguishing helpful input from unhelpful, preparing students for ongoing discussions. Regular practice ensures growth in confident, audience-aware communication.