Face

This chapter demonstrates that face is a central concern in feedback. Based on an understanding of face as relational and accomplished in situated talk, the chapter examines how feedback participants use language to enhance, maintain and challenge relationships, i.e. how they do facework. Analysis shows that face has important implications for the effectiveness of feedback through analysing extracts which demonstrate, on one hand, feedback going wrong (for example a trainer obscuring a critical message, a supervisor shutting down a discussion about teaching and a teacher resisting feedback) and on the other hand, face being skillfully negotiated. The chapter highlights the aspects of facework which can help feedback participants present their positions more effectively and suggests ways that feedback participants can develop a better understanding of face to ensure that they meet their own face needs and those of their interlocutors.