The intended purpose of praise is to provide children with feedback to let them know they are on the right track. Phrases like “Good job!” and “Nice work!” can leave children confused about the specific behavior you are complementing.
Praise: constructive feedback given to students by teachers and others on specific academic products. Praise refers only to positive feedback; feedback alone can be either positive or negative.
Encouragement: “Your hard work on solving word problems really shows.” Praise is one of the most influential tools a teacher or tutor can use. It encourages students to develop good study habits, utilize productive thinking and reasoning skills, and learn course content.
However, in recent years research has demonstrated that there is a difference between effective praise and ineffective praise (wrong praise). In one study, two groups of four-year olds were given puzzles to complete independently. One group was encouraged with the phrase, “You’re so smart!”
Effective classroom management remains the goal of every teacher in an attempt to improve student achievement. In teacher education and in-service training programs, the importance of using praise in the classroom has been proclaimed.
It is a favourable response to students’ good work or good behavior oh conducts that goes beyond mere affirmation or constructive feedback (Brophy, 1981: 270). From the definition, it can be noted that praise consists of a comprehensive response by the teacher to student behavior. This is more than feedback or a mere affirmation.
The reinforcement theorists recommend praise in the classroom widely. They conclude that because of the following reasons:
Praise can be extremely useful if done effectively. It performs the rule of given information to students on their work or behavior.
Having explored the ingredients of effective classroom praise, we must look at what does not constitute effective praise. These are:
From the above, we noticed that students will not be encouraged through praise unless it is offered effectively. From there, we identified the qualities of effective and ineffective praises according to Brophy (1981). Following the above guidelines will help you give praises that are impactful on your students.
Personal praise: Here you praise a student for a specific ability or quality. For example, you might say something like, “You have a great memory for vocabulary” is an example of personal praise.
Praise in the classroom is a valuable resource that every teacher has in their toolbox. It can encourage students who are struggling and reward learners who have been studying diligently and working hard on their language skills.
Before your class, choose three or four students you’re going to praise that day. That way, you can be sure that each and every student will benefit from the motivational power of effective classroom praise!
So, instead of overpraising, focus on giving specific, immediate praise to motivate your students, boost their self-esteem, and unlock their potential!
Behavior-based praise: This type of praise is where you comment on how a student is acting, an example would be, “You were really paying attention during the vocabulary lesson – good job.”
Research has shown that this type of praise doesn’t have a beneficial effect on motivation.
Immediate praise doesn’t need to be disruptive, but it shows students that you are paying attention and noticing good behavior and effort.
Praising a trait (intelligence, appearances, and abilities) can cause a child to believe there is something innate, something she has no control over, that enables her to be successful .
The intended purpose of praise is to provide children with feedback to let them know they are on the right track. Phrases like “Good job!” and “Nice work!” can leave children confused about the specific behavior you are complementing.
When a parent provides encouragement like, “Ellie, I love how you are walking while we are inside.” Then, Ellie knows she will please her mother if she continues to walk while she is inside. This kind of praise also provides a model for any other children to follow causing a ripple effect of good behavior. When a parent identifies a desired action or behavior and then reports those details to the child, she reinforces the desired behavior by drawing attention to it.
The idea of not praising a child seems outrageous to many parents. However, in recent years research has demonstrated that there is a difference between effective praise and ineffective praise (wrong praise).