This article discusses the use of behavior-specific praise (BSP), an effective technique for promoting prosocial behavior and managing classrooms. It addresses the criticism that BSP may reduce students' intrinsic motivation and offers directions on how to use BSP to provide students, especially those with challenging behaviors, with useful…

While it may seem almost intuitive that offering rewards to students will yield better results, that is not how it works; the result often is the opposite. The paradox of rewards is that their effect often has a limited impact on students, who then will lose curiosity; it also makes them feel as if they are being controlled--a negative motivating…

This Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) guidance report is designed to support senior leaders in primary and secondary schools to make better-informed decisions about their behaviour strategies. It includes a number of practical examples of programmes and approaches that should be helpful in schools and classrooms where behaviour is generally…

This evidence review synthesises the best available international evidence regarding approaches to behaviour in schools to: (1) Produce an overarching model or framework explaining why school pupils may misbehave (Review 1); (2) Review the effectiveness of classroom-based approaches to behaviour trialled in robust research studies (Review 2); and…

The 13th iteration of the International Conference on Educational Data Mining (EDM 2020) was originally arranged to take place in Ifrane, Morocco. Due to the SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) epidemic, EDM 2020, as well as most other academic conferences in 2020, had to be changed to a purely online format. To facilitate efficient transmission of…

This publication provides practical, step-by-step guidance for teachers on becoming more effective in classroom management by using a positive and constructive, rather than negative and punitive, approach to foster prosocial student behavior. The publication is divided into an introduction and three parts. The Introduction examines why effective…

Some educators are turning to the process of contingency management within a classroom as a short term, immediate motivator which can work for virtually every student, regardless of his/her final grade in the course. Contingency management consists of providing a set of alternatives from which those chosen by the student reward the students in…

Utilizing a behavioral approach to classroom management, this book provides effective methods for preventing and remediating student misbehaviors. These tested and proven management strategies are highlighted with actual case studies of behavior problems involving average and exceptional students from elementary and secondary settings. Teacher,…

Argues, in response to Kohn's article in the same "Kappan" issue, that honest feedback on student performance (informational rewards) are usually necessary for initial learning to occur successfully. Some rewards do work and have long-term benefits. The current philosophy of assigning teachers a facilitative role renders them impotent and blames…

Historically, very little research that meets the scientifically based standards as defined by the No Child Left Behind Act has been conducted on the effectiveness of educational technology on student achievement. The purpose of this study was to explore and seek to understand urban city teachers' perspectives on the benefits or effects of…

Teachers often repeat words like "good" or "o.k." in praise of children's work. Other examples of words they can use are listed. Activities to get the students themselves involved with the praise words are also suggested, e.g., build a praise dictionary. (RM)

The discussion of the role of motivation in study skills instruction examines the behavioral definition of motivation and the notion that a student's previous reinforcement experience influences information gained in the learning process, and gives suggestions to teachers for facilitating a learning environment for low achievers. (MSE)

Problem-focused strategies to motivate students are too teacher-controlled to be effective. In solution-focused settings, the student is asked to be the expert. In problem-focused situations, the teacher describes the problem and decides the strategy. Tips for developing solution-focused motivation strategies are provided. (MLH)

Suggests several positive reinforcement methods that teachers may employ with inner-city students to improve student responsibility, organization, and motivation. These methods include offering incentives for grade improvement, tangible and nontangible reinforcers, token systems, and social reinforcement. (GC)

Although intrinsic rewards are important, they (along with punishment and encouragement) are insufficient for efficient learning. Teachers must supplement intrinsic rewards with extrinsic rewards, such as praising, complimenting, applauding, and providing other forms of recognition for good work. Teachers should use the weakest reward required to…