How can you give feedback to speakers of different ages?

1 Know your purpose

Before you give feedback, ask yourself what is your goal and intention. Do you want to encourage, motivate, correct, or teach the speaker? Depending on your purpose, you may need to adjust your tone, language, and approach. For example, if you want to encourage a child who is shy or nervous, you may focus more on praising their strengths and efforts, rather than pointing out their mistakes or weaknesses. On the other hand, if you want to correct an adult who is making factual errors or misleading claims, you may need to be more direct and factual, and provide evidence or sources to support your feedback.

2 Consider the context

The context of the speech also matters when giving feedback. Is the speech formal or informal, academic or personal, professional or casual? Depending on the context, you may need to consider different aspects of the speech, such as the content, structure, style, delivery, audience, and purpose. For example, if the speech is formal or academic, you may need to pay more attention to the accuracy, clarity, and logic of the content, as well as the use of appropriate language and references. If the speech is informal or personal, you may need to pay more attention to the expression, emotion, and connection of the speaker with the audience.

3 Use the sandwich method

A common and effective way to give feedback to speakers of any age is to use the sandwich method. This means that you start and end your feedback with positive and supportive comments, and put the constructive and critical comments in the middle. This way, you can balance your feedback and avoid hurting or discouraging the speaker. For example, you can start by saying what you liked or appreciated about the speech, then mention what you think can be improved or changed, and then end by saying what you learned or gained from the speech. The sandwich method can help you build rapport, trust, and respect with the speaker.

4 Be specific and actionable

Another tip to give feedback to speakers of different ages is to be specific and actionable. This means that you should avoid vague or general comments, such as "good job" or "needs improvement", and instead give concrete and detailed examples of what the speaker did well or poorly, and how they can do better or differently. For example, instead of saying "you spoke too fast", you can say "you could slow down your pace and pause more often to let your audience digest your points". Being specific and actionable can help the speaker understand your feedback and apply it to their future speeches.

5 Ask for feedback

Finally, a good way to give feedback to speakers of different ages is to ask for feedback yourself. This can show that you are open-minded, humble, and willing to learn from others. It can also create a dialogue and a mutual exchange of ideas and opinions, rather than a one-way lecture or judgment. For example, you can ask the speaker how they felt about their speech, what they think they did well or poorly, what they want to improve or change, and what they need or want from you as a feedback giver. Asking for feedback can help you build a relationship, a conversation, and a learning experience with the speaker.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?