Response to
Student Feedback
It is very important that my students know that I hear their feedback and that I want to improve. Here, I have documented constructive feedback that I have received from students and how I have responded to it.
AB Writing (Fall 2023)
BYU English Language Center
Feedback:
I feel like she can be more firm in class.
Response:
The next semester, I determined to set clearer expectations at the beginning of the semester. So, during the first week, my students and I made class rules today and hung them up in the room. We made expectations for them as students and me as a teacher.
Feedback:
She should give us our grades maybe a week before the semester ends.
Response:
I also made a goal to stay up-to-date with my grading and to get no later than two days behind. It was an ambitious goal but I was able to achieve it 95% of the time. In fact, the following semester, two of my students thanked me for responding and grading so quickly. I was happy to see that I was able to improve this aspect of my teaching.
AB Speaking and Listening (Winter 2024)
BYU English Language Center
Sending more homework.
Feedback:
Response:
In my first semester at the BYU ELC, we were told not to give any homework. Then in my second semester, we were told we could give minimal homework. Thus, I was responding to this these directives. That being said, I have found that usually my students want homework because they are in an intensive English program and want to use this time to improve their English as much as they can. Thus, I now give daily homework.
However, I always try to ensure that my homework is purposeful and that students know the reason for the practice they are doing at home. I also ensure that each homework assignment has an element of accountability. This accountability and clear purpose motivate students to complete the homework. I also try to be aware of my students and their workload. I frequently ask questions both to the whole class and to individuals about how they are feeling about the workload and if they feel that the homework is helpful.
Feedback:
I think Ms. Smith should add more Lats practice.
Response:
The LATS is the standardized proficiency assessment created by the English Language Center and administered at the end of each semester. It is now accepted by several universities for admissions. Because its format is unique, students need practice to understand what will be expected of them. Since receiving this feedback, I have ensured that my classes always include LATS practice. I also like to point out to students when we are completing an activity that is not explicitly LATS or TOEFL practice but will still help them improve their scores on these exams.
FB Speaking and Listening (Summer 2024)
BYU English Language Center
Feedback:
She advances a bit slower, but for me that's okay.
Response:
Since this feedback, I have tried to be more aware of the pace at which I am progressing in the course. I have learned that students can handle more in the course than I had expected in the first few courses that I taught. I like to do surveys throughout the semester to ask students about the learning pace in the course.
Feedback:
Be more authoritarian
Response:
Since this feedback, I have tried to be more clear about my expectations throughout my course. This class was a little rowdy, and I probably did not handle it as well as I could have. Going back, I would have set clearer expectations at the beginning of the course, reminded the students of my expectations throughout the course, and used strategic grouping to help them focus on their work.
FA Speaking and Grammar (Fall 2024)
BYU English Language Center
Feedback:
There is not enough speaking practice, and we don’t have speaking tests. But the final LATs exam includes speaking. I hope we can practice speaking and have speaking tests in class. This will help us prepare for the final exam.
Response:
This is true. On the LATS speaking exam, students are expected to respond to questions through a video response format. In my first semester, I used projects to assess their speaking instead of exams. However, I found these difficult to assess, and students also wanted practice for the LATS. Thus, in the next semester, I implemented a speaking quiz for each chapter, where students responded to questions that elicited the target grammar in a video format, mirroring the structure of the LATS.
AA Reading (Winter 2025)
BYU English Language Center
Feedback:
I would really love to have more time for the book club.​
I really like the book discussion, I wish that they were longer.
Response:
I love to hear that the students love the book club so much! I have since tried to give them about 10 mins extra of book club time in class.