Increasing New Teachers’ Specific Praise Using a Within-School Consultation Intervention

Abstract

Specific praise is an empirically supported classroom management strategy associated with desired academic and behavioral student outcomes when implemented appropriately in classrooms. Unfortunately, new teachers often begin their careers without the background knowledge or support to implement this strategy effectively and consistently. We investigated the effects of a within-school consultation intervention provided by mentors (i.e., veteran teachers), which involved self-management, regular structured meetings, and focused performance feedback, on new teachers’ specific praise rates across three new teachers using a concurrent multiple-baseline across participants design. Specific praise rates increased for each new teacher when within-school consultation was implemented, indicating a functional relation. Study limitations and implications for practitioners and researchers are discussed.

Keywords

specific praise classroom management teacher training induction mentoring consultation within-school consultation self-monitoring performance feedback

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Allen

C. T.

Forman

S. G.

(1984). Efficacy of methods of training teachers in behavior modification. School Psychology Review, 13, 26–32.

Beaman

Wheldall

(2000).Teachers’ use of approval and disapproval in the classroom. Educational Psychology, 20, 431–446.

Begeny

J. C.

Martens

B. K.

(2006). Assessing pre-service teachers’ training in empirically-validated behavioral instruction practices. School Psychology Quarterly, 21, 262–285.

Brophy

J. E.

(1981). Teacher praise: A functional analysis. Review of Educational Research, 51, 5–32.

Codding

R. S.

Feinberg

A. B.

Dunn

E. K.

Pace

G. M.

(2005). Effects of immediate performance feedback on implementation of behavior support plans. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 38, 205–219.

Codding

R. S.

Livanis

Pace

G. M.

Vaca

(2008). Using performance feedback to improve treatment integrity of classwide behavior plans: An investigation of observer reactivity. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 41, 417–422.

Codding

R. S.

Smyth

C. A.

(2008). Using performance feedback to decrease classroom transition time and examine collateral effects on academic engagement. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 18, 325–345.

DiGennaro

F. D.

Martens

B. K.

Kleinmann

A. E.

(2007). A comparison of performance feedback procedures on teachers’ treatment implementation integrity and students’ inappropriate behavior in special education classrooms. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40, 447–461. doi:10.1901/jaba.2007.40-447

Dutton Tillery

Varjas

Meyers

Collins

A. S.

(2010). General education teachers’ perceptions of behavior management and intervention strategies. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 12, 86–102.

10.

Dwyer

Osher

Warger

(1998). Early warning, timely response: A guide to safe schools. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/earlywrn.html

11.

Fixsen

D. L.

Blasé

K. A.

Timbers

G. D.

Wolf

M. M.

(2001). In search of program implementation: 729 replications of the teaching-family model. In Bernfield

G. A.

Farrington

D. P.

Leschied

A. W.

(Eds.), Offender rehabilitation in practice: Implementing and evaluating effective programs (pp. 149–166). New York, NY: John Wiley.

12.

Fixsen

D. L.

Naoom

S. F.

Blase

K. A.

Friedman

R. M.

Wallace

(2005). Implementation research: A synthesis of the literature (FMHI Publication #231). Tampa: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, National Implementation Research Network.

13.

Gable

R. A.

Hendrickson

J. M.

Young

C. C.

Shores

R. E.

Stowitschek

(1983). A comparison of teacher approval and disapproval statements across categories of exceptionality. Journal of Special Education Technology, 6, 15–22.

14.

Gonzalez

J. E.

Nelson

J. R.

Gutkin

T. B.

Shwery

C. S.

(2004). Teacher resistance to school-based consultation with school psychologists: A survey of teacher perceptions. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 12, 30–37.

15.

Gorman-Smith

(2003). Effects of teacher training and consultation on teacher behavior toward students at high risk for aggression. Behavior Therapy, 34, 437–452.

16.

Gunter

P. L.

Reed

T. M.

(1996). Self-evaluation of instruction: A protocol for functional assessment of teaching behavior. Intervention in School and Clinic, 31, 225–230.

17.

Gutkin

T. B.

Curtis

M. J.

(1990). School-based consultation: Theory, techniques, and research. In Reynolds

C. R.

(Ed.), The handbook of school psychology (2nd ed., pp. 577–611). Oxford, UK: John Wiley.

18.

Hook

C. M.

Rosenshine

B. V.

(1979). Accuracy of teacher reports of their classroom behavior. Review of Educational Research, 49, 1–12.

19.

Horner

R. H.

Carr

E. G.

Halle

McGee

Odom

Wolery

(2005). The use of single subject research to identify evidence-based practice in special education. Exceptional Children, 71, 165–179.

20.

Idol

West

J. F.

(2001). Consultation in special education (part II): Training and practice. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 20, 474–494.

21.

Kalis

T. M.

Vannest

K. J.

Parker

(2007). Praise counts: Using self-monitoring to increase effective teaching practices. Preventing School Failure, 51, 20–27.

22.

Leblanc

Ricciardi

J. N.

Luiselli

J. K.

(2005). Improving discrete trial instruction by paraprofessional staff through an abbreviated performance feedback intervention. Education and Treatment of Children, 28, 76–82.

23.

Maag

J. W.

(2001). Rewarded by punishment: Reflections on the disuse of positive reinforcement in education. Exceptional Children, 76, 173–186.

24.

Marshall

K. J.

Lloyd

J. W.

Hallahan

D. P.

(1993). Effects of training to increase self-monitoring accuracy. Journal of Behavioral Education, 3, 445–459.

25.

Martens

B. K.

Hirallal

A. S.

Bradley

T. A.

(1997). A note to teacher: Improving student behavior through goal setting and feedback. School Psychology Quarterly, 12, 33–41. doi:10.1037/h0088945

26.

Martens

B. K.

Witt

J. C.

Elliott

S. N.

Darveaux

D. X.

(1985). Teacher judgments concerning the acceptability of school-based interventions. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 16, 78–88.

27.

Martin

N. K.

Shoho

A. R.

Yin

Kaufman

A. S.

McLean

J. E.

(2003). Attitudes and beliefs regarding classroom management styles: The impact of teacher preparation vs. experience. Research in the Schools, 10, 29–34.

28.

Metzler

C. W.

Biglan

Rusby

J. C.

Sprague

J. R.

(2001). Evaluation of a comprehensive behavior management program to improve school-wide positive behavior support. Education and Treatment of Children, 24, 448–479.

29.

Moore Partin

T. C.

Robertson

Maggin

D. M.

Oliver

R. M.

Wehby

J. H.

(2010). Using teacher praise and opportunities to respond to promote appropriate student behavior. Preventing School Failure, 54, 172–178.

30.

Noell

G. H.

Duhon

G. J.

Gatti

S. L.

Connell

J. E.

(2002). Consultation, follow-up, and implementation of behavior management interventions in general education. School Psychology Review, 31, 217–234.

31.

Noell

G. H.

Witt

J. C.

Gilbertson

D. N.

Ranier

D. D.

Freeland

J. T.

(1997). Increasing teacher intervention implementation in general education settings through consultation and performance feedback. School Psychology Quarterly, 12, 77–88.

32.

Noell

G. H.

Witt

J. C.

LaFleur

L. H.

Mortenson

B. P.

Rainer

D. D.

LeVelle

(2000). Increasing intervention implementation in general education following consultation: A comparison of two follow-up strategies. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 33, 271–284. doi:10.1901/jaba.2000.33-271

33.

Pisacreta

Tincani

Connell

J. E.

Axelrod

(2011). Increasing teachers’ use of a 1:1 praise-to-behavior correction ratio to decrease student disruptions in general education classrooms. Behavior Interventions, 26, 243–260.

34.

Proctor

Silmere

Raghavan

Hovmand

Aarons

Bunger

Hensley

(2011). Outcomes for implementation research: Conceptual distinctions, measurement challenges, and research agenda. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 38, 65–76.

35.

Rathel

J. M.

Drasgow

Christle

C. C.

(2008). Effects of mentor performance feedback on increasing preservice teacher’s positive communication behaviors with students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 16, 67–77.

36.

Reinke

W. M.

Lewis-Palmer

Martin

(2007). The effect of visual performance feedback on teacher use of behavior-specific praise. Behavior Modification, 31, 247–263. doi:10.1177/0145445506288967

37.

Reinke

W. M.

Lewis-Palmer

Merrell

(2008). The classroom check-up: A classwide teacher consultation model for increasing praise and decreasing disruptive behavior. School Psychology Review, 37, 315–332.

38.

Reinke

W. M.

Sprick

Knight

(2009). Coaching classroom management. In Knight

(Ed.), Coaching: Approaches & perspectives (pp. 91–112). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

39.

Rollin

S. A.

Subotnik

R. F.

Bassford

Smulson

(2008). Bringing psychological science to the forefront of educational policy: Collaborative efforts of the American Psychological Association’s coalition for psychology in the schools and education. Psychology in the Schools, 45, 194–205. doi:10.1002/pits.20290

40.

Scruggs

T. E.

Mastropieri

M. A.

(1998). Synthesizing single subject studies: Issues and applications. Behavior Modification, 22, 221–242.

41.

Simonsen

Fairbanks

Briesch

Myers

Sugai

(2008). Evidence-based practices in classroom management: Considerations for research to practice. Education and Treatment of Children, 31, 351–380.

42.

Sutherland

K. S.

Copeland

Wehby

J. H.

(2001). Catch them while you can: Monitoring and increasing your use of effective praise. Beyond Behavior, 11, 46–49.

43.

Sutherland

K. S.

Wehby

J. H.

(2001). The effect of self-evaluation on teaching behavior in classrooms for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Journal of Special Education, 35, 161–172.

44.

Sutherland

K. S.

Wehby

J. H.

Copeland

S. R.

(2000). Effect of varying rates of behavior specific praise on the on-task behavior of student with emotional and behavioral disorders. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 8, 2–8.

45.

Sutherland

K. S.

Wehby

J. H.

Yoder

P. J.

(2002). Examination of the relationship between teacher praise and opportunities for students with EBD to respond to academic requests. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 10, 5–13.

46.

Wilkinson

L. A.

(2003). Using behavioral consultation to reduce challenging behavior in the classroom. Preventing School Failure, 47, 100–105.

47.

Wilkinson

L. A.

(2005). Bridging the research-to-practice gap in school-based consultation: An example using case studies. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 16, 175–200.