Positive Reinforcement: Praise Compared to the Candy Token

1. Positive Reinforcement: Praise Compared to the Candy Token Marjorie Barnes EDU 702.22 Fall 2008

2. Table of Contents • Introduction 3 • Statement of the Problem 10 • Review of Related Literature 11 • Statement of Hypothesis 16 • Method • Participants 17 • Instruments 20 • References 23

3. Introduction • Candy is the main reinforcer used inside the elementary classroom to manage the behavior problems. • Teachers start out with other token or symbolic rewards such as stars, coupons, and play money but in the end use candies.

4. In a fifth grade classroom I witnessed the token start-out. Students were rewarded play money for completing homework assignments and for their behavior inside and outside of the classroom, but the end result was that they added it up to purchase candy at the class shop. • In an art room, if students earned coupon (s) during the art prep then they get to claim a reward for the candy box after they have accumulated five coupons.

5. In a kindergarten class I have witnessed the symbolic reward start-out. Each student gets a star for their behavior throughout the day. If students earn five stars during the course of the day, then they get a reward from the prize box, which is full of candies.

6. Traditionally schools have used punishment to deter students from unwanted behavior, but this consequence behavior system has been proven ineffective. (Siegel, 2008). • According to the Families and Advocates Partnership for Education “punishment is one of the least effective responses to problems behaviors” (As cited in Siegel, 2008) • Now, many teachers in compliance with the Department of Education have implemented positive reinforcement systems in their classrooms.

7. Positive reinforcement by definition is increasing in the frequency of a preferred behavior due to the addition of a stimulus and according to Skinner (1937) positive reinforcement is more effective at changing and establishing preferred behavior than punishment. • Therefore many teachers have chosen to use reinforcers such as candies, stars, free-time, etc to increase preferred classroom behaviors. • So, what makes the candy such as a powerful or more prevalent reinforcer used in the classroom by elementary school teachers?

8. Statement of the Problem • I will compare two positive reinforcers – candy and praise. • In my reading, I have discovered that praise can be just as effective as tangible rewards. So, why haven’t elementary teachers eliminated the use of candy as the reinforcer and take greater measures to implement the praise reward?

9. Review of the Literature • One alleged effect of reinforcement is that it undermines intrinsic interest in task; however findings show that verbal praise produces and increase intrinsic motivation. The only negative effect appears when expected tangible rewards are given to individual simply for doing a task (Cameron & Pierce, 1994). 

10. Praising student’s intelligence gives them a short burst of pride (“you must be smart at these problems”); rather, students must be praised for their effort (“you must have worked hard at these problems” or “I know it was a hard assignment, but you stuck to it and got it done”). Effort praised students will remain on task, confident, and eager (Dweck, 2007).

11. There are different effects of reinforcement with different kind of students. Student with an external locus of control (those who believe that their actions are determined more by outside events and other people than themselves) perform better with tangible reinforcement than with verbal reinforcement. (Cotton,2008)

12. According to Wise (May 2008), the reinforcement is the process of shaping behavior by controlling the consequences of the behavior. In addition, individuals can choose from several responses to a given stimulus. • In 1911 theorist E.L. Thorndike developed the law of effect, it stated that, all things being equal, responses to stimuli that are followed by satisfaction will be strengthened, but response that are followed by discomfort will be weakened. This response has come to be known as the law of effect. The law of effect states that behaviors that are followed by good consequences are likely to be repeated in the future. (As cited in Siegel, 2008)

13. According to Barnett (2007), B.F. Skinner a key contributor in the development of the reinforcement theory, stated that people can choose to exhibit certain behavior on what happens to them as a result of their behavior. “…behavior is followed by a consequence, and the nature of the consequence modifies the organism tendency to repeat the behavior in the future.” (B. F. Skinner N.D)

14. Research Hypothesis • HR1:  If praise can be just as effective as candy as a reinforcer, teachers with the proper implementation and continuity of praise can reduce or even eliminate candy as the primary reinforcer inside elementary classrooms.

15. Methods • The participants are 20 students in the District 75 special education school. • Six of them are kindergartners, six of them are first graders, and 8 are third graders

16. The class has a staffing ratio of 12:1:1 (twelve students, one teacher, and one paraprofessional) and a staffing ratio of 8:1:1 (eight students, one teacher and one paraprofessional. • They are from a Hispanic background and an African American background.

17. Instruments • The instruments to be used are: • Consent forms • Surveys • Questionnaires • Work sheets • Child’s journal • Checklist • Word search (to be used as a part of the reward process; it will be given after students have completed task) • Test

18. Teacher Survey • What gender are you? • (1) Male (2)Female •  How experienced are you? • (1)1-2 years, (2)2-5 years, (3)5-10 years, (4)More than 10years •  What is the largest population of students do you teach? •  (1)White, (2)Asian, (3)African-American, (4)Caribbean

19. Questionnaires • Please check one of the following boxes to indicate if you (4) strongly agree, (3) agree, (2) disagree, or (1) strongly disagree with the following statements. • Praising is my one of my main reinforcer • I use candy as my main reinforcer • I think praising would be a effective behavior modification for my classroom • I think praising in conjunction with candy reward is the only way to control the behaviors that exist with my classroom.

20. Teacher praise does not necessarily reinforce learning. • Greater achievement gains are noted when praise is delivered privately than when it is given public. • Greater achievements gains result when students are praised relatively to the performance of their classmates •  Praising students who answer correctly in class discussion is often intrusive and distracting • Praising student may be embarrassing to the recipient. • No contingent praise is negative

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