Praise is the most common way in which teachers reinforce positive behaviour - but positive feedback gets less frequent as pupils get older, according to a new report.
The report - published by Children in Scotland in a bid to inject young people’s perspectives into the debate on deteriorating behaviour in school - finds that verbal praise is the most common form of recognition pupils receive for good behaviour, and that it is also “the most meaningful”.
Praise reinforces that pupils are “doing well in school and makes them feel more positive about school”, it says, as well as helping to motivate them.
The report adds that “without this incentive, there is a risk that some young people could become demotivated and lose confidence in themselves”.
More praise in primary schools
However, the report says staff recognising positive engagement in school changes as pupils get older, with young people reporting they “received more praise in primary school” than in secondary.
One young person says: “The only recognition I have had in the senior phase is from the [Scottish Qualifications Authority]. Sometimes that’s positive, sometimes not, if the qualification isn’t achieved.”
Another says: “There is less praise for seniors and it can lead to negative feelings around the school.”
The report is based on views expressed by Children in Scotland’s 17 “inclusion ambassadors”, a group of secondary school-aged students who have a range of additional support needs (ASN) and attend a variety of educational provisions across Scotland.
The report says challenging behaviour has been “a prominent feature in discussions about Scottish education in recent months”, but that research has focused on the experiences of teachers and other school staff.
It adds that “there has been less evidence relating to the views of children and young people”. It aims to begin to plug that gap.
The report says, overall, “the majority of the group felt that many of the strategies being used in their school did not support or motivate young people to make positive behavioural choices”.
Mixed feelings over merit and points systems
The group reported that merit and points systems could motivate young people to make positive choices but could be “inconsistent” leading to “feelings of unfairness”.
They also report that some teachers resort to shouting too readily, which they say could have a negative impact on other pupils, especially those with ASN.
When it comes to exclusions from school, the young people recognise this “could be an immediate solution to allow the rest of the class to continue learning” but they question whether it is a long-term solution.
They suggest students who are excluded “might be more likely to behave in a similar way in the future because of the stress, lack of support and strained relationship with the teacher”.
As well as calling for “the positive achievements, actions and decision making of all pupils” to be recognised, the report calls for teachers to “build and maintain trusting relationships”, to use “a calm voice” and to tailor their expectations to individual’s ability.
The group also suggests that a young person’s behaviour can deteriorate if they are faced with work that is too difficult or they are not getting the right support in order to participate in class.
Specific praise ‘more helpful’
Jonathan Firth is a psychology teacher, teacher educator, author and researcher based at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. He says praise can help “if it’s specific and comes in a general atmosphere of support and respect”.
Dr Firth - who will deliver a presentation on metacognition at the researchED Scotland conference in Aberdeen this Saturday - says: “It’s going to be more helpful to tell someone what they did well than just to say, ‘well done, great job’.
“Plus, young people, perhaps especially teens, are pretty good at detecting insincere feedback. That’s why we place an emphasis on student relationships. They will respond to honesty and to being respected and listened to.
“Feeling good at something - a sense of competence - is definitely a part of motivation, but again, that’s probably only going to help if the praise is believable.”
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