The Ongoing Study of How and When Teachers Should Praise Students
Should teachers praise their students?
It’s a simple question with a multiplicity of answers.
A 2020 study published in the journal Educational Psychology concludes that teachers who use praise see a 30% increase in good behavior from their classes.
Meanwhile, reprimands actually increase misbehavior and unwillingness to comply with instruction.
Researches suggest a 3:1 or 4:1 praise-to-reprimand ratio. So for every one reprimand, a teacher should provide three or four positive reinforcements.
Unfortunately, this study flies in the face of previous research.
According to a 2014 study by the Sutton Trust, teachers who give struggling pupils “lavish praise” can make them even less likely to succeed.
Too much praise can “convey a message of low expectations.”
Researchers warned that if failure brings students CONTINUE READING: The Ongoing Study of How and When Teachers Should Praise Students | gadflyonthewallblog
