Effects of teachers' self-recording of behavior-specific praise on children's academic engagement in the classroom

Abstract

The present study examined effects of teachers' self-recording of behavior-specific praise on children's academic engagement in their classroom. The study was conducted in 3 general education classrooms in a Japanese elementary school,using a multiple baseline design across classes. The participants were the teachers of the 3 classes and a total of 85 children (2 first-grade classes, N = 28 and 27 students; 1 third-grade class, N = 30 students). In the baseline periods, the teachers' use of behavior-specific praise and the children's academic engagement during one 45-minute class was recorded several times a week for periods varying from 1 to 2 months. Next, in one 45-minute class per day, a self-recording procedure was implemented in which the teacher used behavior-specific praise while conducting class. The intervention continued for from 1 month to six weeks. During the intervention period, the trainer verbally praised the teachers 1 or 2 times a week when the recorded number of instances of behavior-specific praise had increased. After the intervention, the trainer's feedback was terminated; follow-up data were collected from 2 to 4 times per classroom during a 12-day period. All 3 teachers' self-recordings indicated that their use of behavior-specific praise increased during the intervention period, compared to the baseline, and that the percentage of the children's academic engagement increased during the intervention. The follow-up data showed that the teachers' use of behavior-specific praise and the improvement in the children's academic engagement were maintained after the end of the intervention. Individual or small-group intervention programs may be necessary for children who do not show an increase in academic engagement.