English · Year 4 · Poetic Forms and Figurative Language · Summer Term

Giving and Receiving Feedback

Learning constructive ways to provide and accept feedback on spoken presentations and written work.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS2: English - Spoken Language
• KS2: English - Writing Composition

About This Topic

Giving and receiving feedback forms a core skill in Year 4 English, supporting spoken language and writing composition under the UK National Curriculum. Within the Poetic Forms and Figurative Language unit, students provide and accept comments on peers' spoken presentations of poems and written pieces using similes or metaphors. They differentiate constructive feedback, like 'Your simile paints a vivid picture; try varying your pace for more impact,' from unhelpful types such as 'I don't like it.' Pupils also create criteria lists, such as voice projection and figurative language use, and practise incorporating suggestions to refine their work.

This topic strengthens listening and responding skills in spoken language, while advancing writing through evaluation and editing. It aligns with KS2 standards by promoting discussion, debate, and iterative composition. Students gain confidence in collaborative critique, essential for poetry where subjective elements like imagery benefit from multiple viewpoints.

Active learning suits this topic perfectly. Role-plays and peer reviews offer safe practice, immediate application to authentic work, and reflection opportunities that embed skills deeply and build classroom trust.

Key Questions

1. Differentiate between constructive and unhelpful feedback.
2. Design a set of criteria for evaluating a peer's presentation.
3. Explain how to incorporate feedback to improve one's own work.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze feedback to differentiate between specific, actionable suggestions and vague, unhelpful comments.
• Design a rubric with at least three criteria for evaluating a peer's spoken presentation.
• Explain how to incorporate specific feedback into a draft of written work to improve clarity and impact.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of feedback received on their own written or spoken work.
• Create a revised piece of writing or presentation incorporating feedback from peers.

Before You Start

Introduction to Similes and Metaphors

Why: Students need to understand these poetic devices to effectively give and receive feedback on their use.

Basic Presentation Skills

Why: Students should have some foundational experience in speaking in front of the class to benefit from feedback on spoken delivery.

Key Vocabulary

Constructive Feedback	Specific, helpful comments that aim to improve a piece of work, focusing on what can be changed or enhanced.
Unhelpful Feedback	Comments that are vague, overly critical, or do not offer suggestions for improvement, such as simply stating 'I don't like it'.
Criteria	A set of standards or principles used to judge or evaluate something, like the specific elements to look for in a presentation or poem.
Revision	The process of improving written work by making changes based on feedback, editing, and rethinking ideas.
Figurative Language	Language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation, such as similes and metaphors.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Feedback means only pointing out mistakes.

What to Teach Instead

Constructive feedback includes positives to build confidence and specifics for growth. Role-play activities let students experience balanced exchanges, revealing how praise encourages openness to suggestions.

Common Misconception

You must always follow every piece of peer feedback.

What to Teach Instead

Feedback provides options; students choose what fits their intent. Group discussions during reviews teach justification, helping pupils value critique without blind acceptance.

Common Misconception

Only teachers give reliable feedback.

What to Teach Instead

Peers offer fresh perspectives with guidance. Collaborative criteria design shows students their input matches teacher standards, fostering trust in peer processes.

Active Learning Ideas

Pairs: Feedback Sandwich Practice

Pair students to share a 1-minute poem recitation. The listener responds using the sandwich method: one positive, one specific suggestion, one positive. Partners switch roles, then discuss what made feedback helpful. Record examples on class chart.

20 min·Pairs

Small Groups: Criteria Creation Workshop

In groups of four, brainstorm and refine five criteria for poem presentations, such as expression and figurative impact. Groups present to class; vote and combine into shared rubric. Apply rubric to sample recordings.

30 min·Small Groups

Whole Class: Revision Carousel

Display anonymised poem drafts around the room. Students rotate in pairs, leaving one sticky-note feedback per piece using class criteria. Return to own work, select one comment, and revise accordingly. Share changes.

40 min·Pairs

Individual: Feedback Reflection Journal

Students receive peer feedback on a poem, note agreements and disagreements, then rewrite one section. Pair-share revisions and explain choices. Compile into personal improvement log.

25 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Authors receive editorial feedback from agents and publishers to refine manuscripts before publication, ensuring the story is engaging and well-crafted for readers.
• Designers present their concepts to clients, who provide feedback on aesthetics, functionality, and target audience appeal to guide the final product, whether it's a website or a piece of furniture.
• Musicians collaborate in bands, offering each other suggestions on melody, rhythm, and lyrics during rehearsals to shape a song into its best possible form.

Assessment Ideas

Peer Assessment

After students present their poems, provide them with a feedback form. The form should ask: 'What was one thing you liked about the presentation?' and 'What is one specific suggestion to make the poem or presentation even stronger?' Students complete this for a partner.

Exit Ticket

Students write down one piece of feedback they received on their written work today. Then, they write one sentence explaining how they plan to use that feedback to revise their work.

Discussion Prompt

Facilitate a whole-class discussion using the prompt: 'Imagine you received feedback that said, 'Your metaphor is confusing.' What are three different ways you could ask for clarification or what might you change to make it clearer?'

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you teach Year 4 students constructive feedback?

Model examples with class poems, contrasting helpful and vague comments. Use structured formats like feedback sandwiches in pairs for practice. Display class-created criteria posters as constant references, ensuring feedback stays specific, kind, and actionable during reviews.

What criteria work for evaluating Year 4 peer presentations?

Criteria should cover voice clarity, expression matching poem mood, effective figurative language delivery, and engagement with audience. Co-create with students for ownership: rate on scales, justify scores in pairs. This ties to spoken language standards and poetry unit goals.

How does peer feedback improve poetry writing in Year 4?

It highlights unnoticed issues like unclear metaphors and suggests alternatives from peers' views. Revision carousels prompt targeted edits, boosting composition skills. Tracking changes over drafts shows progress, aligning with KS2 writing standards for evaluation and improvement.

How can active learning help with giving and receiving feedback?

Role-plays and peer review stations provide low-stakes practice, modelling positive exchanges. Hands-on tasks like criteria workshops build shared understanding, while revision activities apply skills immediately. These methods make abstract social rules concrete, increase engagement, and develop resilience through real interactions.