A Conceptual Replication of Targeted Professional Development to Increase Teachers’ Behavior-Specific Praise

Abstract

Multitiered support for professional development (MTS-PD) is a framework for applying a three-tiered support system to teacher classroom management professional development through targeted training and coaching. In this study, we conceptually replicated two prior MTS-PD studies. Following a school-wide training on behavior-specific praise (BSP), we conducted screening observations to identify teachers in need of additional support. Four teachers were identified and agreed to participate in a multiple-baseline design study focused on providing a targeted PD on BSP followed by emailed and texted visual performance feedback. We observed a functional relation between performance feedback and teachers’ increased use of BSP among participants. Teacher acceptability surveys indicated the teachers approved of the performance feedback intervention and preferred receiving it via text due to ease of access. The results of this study provide further support for the MTS-PD framework along with meaningful considerations for future research. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2020.1853486.