Teacher Praise Research Articles

Suggested behavioral interventions in the classroom to assist students prenatally exposed to drugs

The population of children exposed prenatally to alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine, and other legal or illegal substances has been rapidly growing in America. The known characteristics of this group include deficits in rule-governed behavior, impulsivity, attention to task, language, sleep attachment, learning, social competence, coordination, hypersensitivity to environmental stimuli, and conduct problems. The purpose of this paper was to describe the characteristics of this population and match known, empirically demonstrated, data-based strategies, such as teacher attention and praise, token reinforcement programs, daily report cards, contingency contracting, self-instructional training, self-management, peer tutoring, Direct Instruction, and combining behavior therapy with stimulant medication therapy, to specific academic and social deficits in children with parental histories of substance abuse. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Training pre-adolescent and adolescent students with moderate mental retardation name writing skills

The purpose of the present investigation was to determine whether school children with moderate retardation could learn to print their own first names with a systematic set of behavioral teaching procedures. Teaching procedures involved the use of task analysis, prompting, modeling, and contingent teacher praise. Teaching procedures were evaluated in a combination multiple baseline and pre-post-test design with repeated measures across subject-pairs. Results indicated that the children acquired the skills to print their names legibly during the 6-week training program. Follow-up data, taken at 10 and 15 days after the experiment was terminated, revealed that the subjects retained the writing skills that were previously trained.

The effects of reducing teacher questions and increasing pauses on child talk during morning news

The effects of reducing teacher questions and increasing pauses on student talk during morning news sessions were investigated. The length of student discourse was observed during random 10-min samples of the lesson, together with frequency counts of teacher questions and pauses. Concomitant measures of teacher praise, directives, control statements and student call-outs were also obtained. Within the constraints of a within-subjects reversal design (ABAB), experimentally reducing teacher questions and replacing these with pauses and/or topic-related statements was associated with an increase in child discourse. Teacher praise and directives did not systematically alter across experimental phases but both teacher control statements and child call-outs reduced during the intervention phases. Reducing teacher questions and increasing the use of pauses by the teacher was associated with increases in student discourse without adversely affecting classroom behavior. These results support the hypothesis that teacher questions foil pupil talk in morning news thereby obstructing the pedagogical value of these sessions.

Programming generalization of in-class transition skills: teaching preschoolers with developmental delays to self-assess and recruit contingent teacher praise.

We investigated a self-management intervention package that taught preschoolers with developmental delays to self-assess performance of targeted skills and to recruit teacher praise. Self-assessment alone resulted in increases in active engagement across all participants during the training sessions, but generalization to classrooms was sporadic and short-lived. When recruitment of contingent praise was added to the training package, treatment effects generalized to the participants' classrooms and teachers' rates of contingent praise increased. The implications of combining self-assessment and recruitment of contingent teacher praise are discussed.

The Effects of Contingent Teacher Praise, as Specified by Canter's Assertive Discipline Programme, on Children's On‐task Behaviour

Summary The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of contingent teacher praise, as specified by Canter's Assertive Discipline programme, on children's on‐task behaviour. In Western Australian primary schools (and in an increasing number of British schools) Canter's programme is widely used. However, while there are many anecdotal reports of its effectiveness there is a relative absence of well controlled research studies reporting objective data. In the present study, three teachers from three separate primary schools and eight randomly selected children from each of their classes were systematically observed. Continuous data collection indicated that following training in the appropriate use of praise, as specified by Canter, all three teachers successfully increased their rates of praising. Of the 24 children, all but one evidenced increases in levels of on‐task behaviour. However, observations conducted during a follow‐up phase revealed reductions in the use of praise by the teachers a...

Gender differences in teacher‐student interactions in science classrooms

AbstractThirty physical science and 30 chemistry classes, which contained a total of 1332 students, were observed using the Brophy‐Good Teacher‐Child Dyadic Interaction System. Classroom interactions were examined for gender differences that may contribute to the underrepresentation of women in physics and engineering courses and subsequent careers. The Brophy‐Good coding process allows for examination of patterns of interactions for individuals and groups of pupils. An analysis of variance of the data yielded a significant main effect for teacher praise, call outs, procedural questions, and behavioral warnings based on the sex of the student and a significant teacher‐sex main effect for direct questions. Significant two‐way interactions were found for the behavioral warning variable for teacher sex and subject by student sex. Female teachers warned male students significantly more than female students. Male teachers warned both genders with similar frequency. Male students also received significantly more behavioral warnings in physical science classes than female students. In chemistry classes, both male and female students received approximately the same number of behavioral warnings.

Increasing teacher praise and altering its distribution to children of differing on-task levels.

Increasing teacher praise and altering its distribution to children of differing on-task levels.

Effects of Self-Evaluation Training of Seriously Emotionally Disturbed Children on the Generalization of their Classroom Rule following and Work Behaviors across Settings and Teachers

Self-evaluation training was operationalized as a training package comprised of the following components: systematic contingent reinforcement intended to promote acceptable rates of appropriate behavior prior to the introduction of self-evaluation training procedures; self-evaluation, and procedures designed to promote accurate self-evaluation; tokens and back-up reinforcement; and teacher praise. Training was provided to a group of three seriously emotionally disturbed students, ages 9, 10, and 11, who received their education in an institutional setting. Then, in a multiple baseline design, subjects self-evaluated in their classroom to determine if generalization of high rates of appropriate behavior demonstrated in the training setting would occur. Data indicate that generalization to the classroom could be claimed for each of the three subjects.

Teacher expectations in infant school: associations with attainment and progress, curriculum coverage and classroom interaction.

There is still much debate, particularly in North America, about whether teachers' expectations have an effect on pupils' achievement, and through which factors expectations might be mediated. This paper reports on associations between teachers' academic expectations at the beginning, and children's attainments at the end of the school year. The study took place in infant schools in London. Associations were significant during all three years of infant school, and were not explained by children's attainments at the time of the expectation rating. Range of effects, in standard deviation units, of associations between expectations and progress over the school year ranged from 0.4 to 0.8. Two possible mediating factors between expectations and attainment were explored: differential curriculum coverage and differential classroom behaviour. It was found that children for whom teachers had higher expectations were given a wider range of activities in written language and mathematics, and this was so over and above attainments at the beginning of the school year. In contrast, there was no evidence that expectations were related to measures of classroom interaction like teacher praise and instructional contact.

A Principal's Inservice Training Package for Increasing Teacher Praise

This study examined the effects of a school principal's application of a behavioral training procedure, referred to as a Principal's Inservice Training Package, on the praise behaviors of all teachers in his school. A secondary purpose was to describe the subsequent changes in the disruptive behaviors and classwork and homework completion of selected students in each teacher's classroom. A multiple baseline design was applied across praise behaviors to demonstrate independence of these target behaviors. By sequentially applying the inservice training package to individual praise behaviors, the controlling effects of the package were shown. With the application of the inservice training package, the average rate of both specific praise and outside circle praise rose. Follow-up data taken one year later indicated that use of specific praise remained high, while outside circle praise remained higher than baseline. Changes in student behaviors following the introduction of the inservice training package included a decrease in disruptive behavior and an increase in work completion.

The effect of multisensory instruction upon the on-task behaviors and word reading accuracy of learning disabled children.

The effects of multisensory instruction upon the word reading accuracy and on-task behaviors of seven-, eight-, and nine-year-old learning disabled students were investigated during a series of four experiments. Visual and auditory instruction with and without teacher praise was compared with a visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile instruction with and without teacher praise. Results of the single subject reversal design experiments indicated that all four types of instruction increased word reading accuracy when compared with pretest scores. Nevertheless, there were significant differences in effectiveness among the four treatments. Visual-auditory instruction alone was far less effective than visual-auditory with praise and the multisensory procedure with or without praise. Alternatively, visual-auditory with praise was the most effective of all the procedures.

Disparate Teacher Attention Favouring the More Able: Some Data from Papua New Guinean Community and Provincial High Schools

Several authors have indicated that the pygmalion effect (Rosenthal and Jacobson, 1968) may best be accounted for in terms of differential teacher attention to pupils whom they perceive as more and less able. Researchers have reported such disparate interaction patterns in primary and secondary classrooms in a number of countries. This paper reports separate non-participant observational studies of six community school classes and five provincial high school classes, showing that the teachers directed a disproportionately large number of questions (the principal teacher-pupil interaction initiator) to those pupils judged most able. In the high school study, teacher praise and disapproval were observed to be similarly unevenly distributed to the more able pupils’ advantage. These results are discussed as possible exemplars of the self-fulfilling prophecy in our schools.

Increasing positive self-referent statements to improve self-esteem in low-income elementary school children

The purpose of this study was to increase verbalization of positive self-referent statements in an effort to increase corresponding self-esteem scores. A total of 30 children from 10 elementary school classes were divided into an experimental group, a control group, and an inventory group. All children received pre- and post-experiment administration of the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. The experimental group received teacher praise contingent upon verbalizing positive self-referent statements. Control group students from these same classes received no praise for their statements. Inventory group students were from different classrooms and only took the Coopersmith Inventory. Results showed that experimental group students made significantly more positive self-referent statements than control students. Self-esteem scores for experimental group students were significantly higher than scores for control and inventory students.

Teaching Behaviorally Disordered Students to Increase Teacher Attention and Praise in Mainstreamed Classrooms

The purpose of this study was to substantiate the findings of previous research regarding the efficacy of training behaviorally disordered students to recruit reinforcement and assistance from teachers. This study extended those findings by investigating the effect of systematically fading external experimenter reinforcement of students for prompting and praising teachers in the regular classroom. Utilizing a multiple baseline design across subjects, three behaviorally disordered students were systematically trained to prompt teachers for help, praise teachers after receiving help, and prompt teachers for approval on their academic and social performance. Results indicated that all three subjects were able to modify the amount of teacher help they received in the regular classroom. After experimental interventions were removed, both student and teacher behaviors were maintained over baseline levels.

Increasing and maintaining rates of teacher praise. A study using public posting and feedback fading.

This study investigated the effects of public posting of feedback on the praising behavior of teachers in a classroom for handicapped children. In an ABABCA design, following baseline, the daily rate of teacher praise was posted on a graph in the classroom. To reduce the reactive effects of monitoring, observations of teacher behavior were made using random audio tape recordings. Additionally, public posting feedback was gradually faded in an attempt to facilitate maintenance. The procedure resulted in an increase in teacher praise to a rate nearly twice what was observed during baseline. This behavior change was maintained after the withdrawal of the treatment procedures. The implications of this method are discussed.

The Consequences of Teacher Praise and Criticism

Abstract A ‘visiting teacher’ gave her lesson, then asked children for evaluations of (i) how they regarded her, (ii) how they thought she regarded each of them and (iii) how they regarded themselves, so as to provide baseline measures for the study. On her next visit she formed three treatment groups by giving out her own evaluations of each child on individual cards, praising the behaviour of one third of the class, criticising another third while the remaining third received no feedback cards. The same measures were then taken a second time. From the results, children did not appear to process praise or criticism as mirror opposites. In particular, criticism appeared to be deflected into negative ratings of the teacher rather than of the self. Results are considered in terms of a selective gating hypothesis and wider implications are discussed.

A Comparison of Teacher Approval and Disapproval Statements across Categories of Exceptionality

Researchers have long sought to identify teaching acts that have a predictable effect on learner performance. The contingent use of teacher praise is well documented for its positive influence on the social behavior of handicapped youngsters. However, results of the present study indicate that teachers of the mentally retarded, multihandicapped and learning disabled and/or behavior disordered make limited use of praise over criticism in managing classroom behavior. Even though the technology exists for training selected teacher competencies, e.g., use of contingent praise, it would appear that problems remain in connection with maintaining these skills in applied settings.

Pupil Perceptions of Teacher Praise

Previous articleNext article No AccessPupil Perceptions of Teacher PraiseGreta Morine-DershimerGreta Morine-Dershimer Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Elementary School Journal Volume 82, Number 5May, 1982Special Issue: Students in Classrooms Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/461279 Views: 7Total views on this site Citations: 14Citations are reported from Crossref Copyright 1982 The University of ChicagoPDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article: Kwon, So-Yeon, 황신해, 김민진 유치원 교사의 유아 칭찬 특성 분석 연구, Korean Journal of Early Childhood Education 39, no.66 (Nov 2019): 401–420.https://doi.org/10.18023/kjece.2019.39.6.017Ana Muñoz, Marta Ramirez Teachers’ conceptions of motivation and motivating practices in second-language learning: A self-determination theory perspective, Theory and Research in Education 13, no.22 (Jul 2015): 198–220.https://doi.org/10.1177/1477878515593885Karen B. Moni, Christina E. van Kraayenoord, Carolyn D. Baker Students' Perceptions of Literacy Assessment, Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice 9, no.33 (Jun 2010): 319–342.https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594022000027654Dee Oseroff‐Varnell Communication and the socialization of dance students: An analysis of the hidden curriculum in a residential arts school, Communication Education 47, no.22 (Apr 1998): 101–119.https://doi.org/10.1080/03634529809379116Jeffrey L. Derevensky, Randie Leckerman Teachers' Differential Use of Praise and Reinforcement Practices, Canadian Journal of School Psychology 13, no.11 (Jul 2016): 15–27.https://doi.org/10.1177/082957359701300102Ouida Taylor Student Interpretations of Teacher Verbal Praise in Selected Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Choral Classes, Journal of Research in Music Education 45, no.44 (Aug 2016): 536–546.https://doi.org/10.2307/3345421 Melinda A. Solmon , and Jo A. Carter Kindergarten and First-Grade Students' Perceptions of Physical Education in One Teacher's Classes, The Elementary School Journal 95, no.44 (Oct 2015): 355–365.https://doi.org/10.1086/461808Peter A. Hastie Players' Perceptions of Accountability Factors in Secondary School Sports Settings, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport 64, no.22 (Jun 1993): 158–166.https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.1993.10608793Abdellah Marzouk, Marielle Tousignant Perceptions des élèves à l’égard des comportementsdes stagiaires dans les cours d’éducation physique, Revue des sciences de l'éducation 18, no.22 (Nov 2009): 253–267.https://doi.org/10.7202/900733ar Alexis L. Mitman , and Andrea A. Lash Students' Perceptions of Their Academic Standing and Classroom Behavior, The Elementary School Journal 89, no.11 (Oct 2015): 55–68.https://doi.org/10.1086/461562Thomas L. Good Two Decades of Research on Teacher Expectations: Findings and Future Directions, Journal of Teacher Education 38, no.44 (Jul 1987): 32–47.https://doi.org/10.1177/002248718703800406Thomas L. Good Classroom research: A decade of progress, Educational Psychologist 18, no.33 (Oct 2009): 127–144.https://doi.org/10.1080/00461528309529270Ronald W. Marx Student perception in classrooms, Educational Psychologist 18, no.33 (Oct 2009): 145–164.https://doi.org/10.1080/00461528309529271Greta Morine-Dershimer Instructional Strategy and the “Creation” of Classroom Status, American Educational Research Journal 20, no.44 (Jun 2016): 645–661.https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312020004645

On Praising Effectively

Previous articleNext article No AccessOn Praising EffectivelyJere BrophyJere Brophy Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Elementary School Journal Volume 81, Number 5May, 1981 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/461229 Views: 44Total views on this site Citations: 20Citations are reported from Crossref Copyright 1981 The University of ChicagoPDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Catherine M. Gale, Svein Eikeseth, Fillip Ferreira Eikeseth Effects of enthusiastic and non‐enthusiastic voice in praise on the behavior of children with autism and typically developing children, Behavioral Interventions 28 (Jul 2022).https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.1901X. Christine Wang, Wei Dai, Biying Hu, Zhanmei Song ‘Good job!’: unpacking praise practices of high- and low-quality early childhood teachers in China, Early Child Development and Care 191, no.22 (May 2019): 266–280.https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2019.1614571Daniel J. Bergman “I Think You Mean …” Potential Perils of Teacher Paraphrasing and Alternative Responses for Student Engagement, The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas 91, no.4-54-5 (Oct 2018): 201–211.https://doi.org/10.1080/00098655.2018.1500261Jonathan G. Perle Teacher-Provided Positive Attending to Improve Student Behavior, TEACHING Exceptional Children 50, no.44 (Feb 2018): 204–212.https://doi.org/10.1177/0040059918757954Margaret T. Floress, Shelby L. Beschta, Kari L. Meyer, Wendy M. Reinke Praise Research Trends and Future Directions: Characteristics and Teacher Training, Behavioral Disorders 43, no.11 (Jun 2017): 227–243.https://doi.org/10.1177/0198742917704648Jonathan G. Perle Teacher-Provided Positive Attending to Improve Student Behavior, TEACHING Exceptional Children 48, no.55 (May 2016): 250–257.https://doi.org/10.1177/0040059916643707Daniel Bergman Comparing the Effects of Classroom Audio-Recording and Video-Recording on Preservice Teachers' Reflection of Practice, The Teacher Educator 50, no.22 (Apr 2015): 127–144.https://doi.org/10.1080/08878730.2015.1010054George G. Bear Teacher Resistance to Frequent Rewards and Praise: Lack of Skill or a Wise Decision?, Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation 23, no.44 (Oct 2013): 318–340.https://doi.org/10.1080/10474412.2013.845495Jing Wang, Martin Cortazzi Changing Cultural Ways with Praise: A Distant Action Research Project in China, (Jan 2013): 95–115.https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137296344_6Gina Coffee, Thomas R. Kratochwill Examining Teacher Use of Praise Taught During Behavioral Consultation: Implementation and Generalization Considerations, Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation 23, no.11 (Jan 2013): 1–35.https://doi.org/10.1080/10474412.2013.757150Jeng-Yi Tzeng, Cheng-Te Chen Computer praise, attributional orientations, and games: A reexamination of the CASA theory relative to children, Computers in Human Behavior 28, no.66 (Nov 2012): 2420–2430.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.07.013Bo-Ra Jeon, Jung-Sub Kim Development and Validation of a Teacher's Praise Disposition Scale, Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education 24, no.55 (Oct 2012): 627–642.https://doi.org/10.13000/JFMSE.2012.24.5.627S. Ens, A. B. Olson, C. Dudley, N. D. Ross, A. A. Siddiqi, K. M. Umoh, M. A. Schneegurt Inexpensive and safe DNA gel electrophoresis using household materials, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education 40, no.33 (Feb 2012): 198–203.https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.20596Daniel J. Bergman, Cathlina C. Bergman Elements of Stylish Teaching: Lessons from Strunk and White, Phi Delta Kappan 91, no.44 (Jan 2010): 28–31.https://doi.org/10.1177/003172171009100406ELLEN MCINTYRE, DIANE W. KYLE, GAYLE H. MOORE A primary-grade teacher's guidance toward small-group dialogue, Reading Research Quarterly 41, no.11 (Nov 2011): 36–66.https://doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.41.1.2Dawson R. Hancock Impact of Verbal Praise on College Students' Time Spent on Homework, The Journal of Educational Research 93, no.66 (Jul 2000): 384–389.https://doi.org/10.1080/00220670009598733George G. Bear School Discipline in the United States: Prevention, Correction, and Long-Term Social Development, School Psychology Review 27, no.11 (Dec 2019): 14–32.https://doi.org/10.1080/02796015.1998.12085894Jeffrey L. Derevensky, Randie Leckerman Teachers' Differential Use of Praise and Reinforcement Practices, Canadian Journal of School Psychology 13, no.11 (Jul 2016): 15–27.https://doi.org/10.1177/082957359701300102Donald L. Pratt Responsibility for student success/failure and observed verbal behavior among secondary science and mathematics teachers, Journal of Research in Science Teaching 22, no.99 (Dec 1985): 807–816.https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.3660220904 Jere E. Brophy , and Walter Doyle Two Reaction Papers, The Elementary School Journal 82, no.55 (Oct 2015): 519–533.https://doi.org/10.1086/461285

Teacher Praise: A Functional Analysis

Classroom-process data indicate that teachers’ verbal praise cannot be equated with reinforcement. Typically, such praise is used infrequently, without contingency, specificity, or credibility. Often it is not even intended as reinforcement, and even when it is, it frequently has some other function. The meanings and functions of behaviors typically included under the category of teacher praise are determined by the degree of congruence between verbal and nonverbal components and by the context in which the interaction occurs. Much teacher praise is determined more by teachers’ perceptions of student needs than by the quality of student conduct or performance. Considerations of classroom feasibility and probable student response to teachers’ attempts at social reinforcement suggest that teacher praise should remain infrequent, but that it could be made much more effective. Attribution theory is an important supplement to social learning/reinforcement theory for suggesting guidelines for praising effectively.