March 21, 2022

March 21, 2022

How Compliments & Praise Can Aid Learning In Children

Children thrive on praise. They love to feel like they are doing something right, especially if it’s something new they’re learning. In fact, there are many things to understand about how compliments and praise can aid learning in children, and why praise is important in the classroom for teachers.

Of course, not all praise and compliments are equal, so learning how to use these tools effectively is important. Here’s what you need to know to help successfully bring praise and compliments into the learning process.

Praise: What Is It And Why Do Kids Need It?
Praise is a pretty easy concept to understand. When you tell a child that how they’re acting or what they’re doing is good, that’s praise. Using praise helps to show a child how to positively think and talk about themselves, so it’s key to raising both confident students and confident children.

The Science Of Praise
You may be wondering: how are encouragement and praise linked to child development theory? It’s a good question! Many brain studies show that people react to social approval in the same way that they react to cash rewards. It feels good, and different types of praise can lead to helpful outcomes.

For teachers in the classroom, praise and encouragement fall under the Behaviorist Theory of learning. This theory states that the response children get from a teacher determines their development and behavior. If a certain type of behavior is reinforced through praise or encouragement, that behavior will increase. (Think of incentives like sticker charts or awards for kids who turn in their work on time.)

There’s no doubt about it – on a psychological level as well as a physiological one, praise and encouragement are great tools.  The real question we have to answer now is: what is the role of praise in learning?

Different Types Of Praise
What is effective praise? Many different types of praise can be employed to benefit children.

You can send children vague but positive messages about their behavior, like a high five, which will engender positive feelings in them and can even motivate them to keep trying when they’re struggling with something.

There is also something called process praise, which has been found to be very motivating for children in situations where they’re working hard or making difficult choices. Process praise includes phrases such as “Well done,” or “You’ve been practicing, I can tell.” If used appropriately, this type of praise can work to keep a child engaged in a task they find challenging. Process praise also works to create a good attitude toward improving skills through effort. When a child embraces this belief, they will learn better.

Is All Praise And Encouragement Helpful?
Some studies have found that you can actually undermine motivation if certain types of praise are used. Of course, this depends on the circumstances surrounding the situation, but sometimes praise can actually damage the self-esteem of a child or fuel issues such as the development of narcissism.

Some kids also don’t like to get praise as much as others. They don’t want attention or feel embarrassed if they get it, which can have the opposite effect of what you’re trying to achieve by praising them in the first place.

Tips for Effective Praise And Compliments
So, how can you ensure that you’re using praise and compliments as effectively as possible? Some tips that can help include:

  • Use it all the time – It’s important to remember that children don’t simply need encouragement or praise when they’ve done something; they also need to know they have support when they’re struggling. Look at the big picture when considering how you dole out praise and compliments and think about how to praise kids even if they’ve failed, not just when they’ve succeeded. If they’re feeling overwhelmed, lost, or upset, make sure to offer praise, encouragement, and compliments at those times as well.
  • Avoid insincere praise – Kids can pick up on a lot more than we may give them credit for. If they think you’re just feeling sorry for them or trying to manipulate them with praise in some way, it won’t have the desired effect.
  • Be careful of giving extreme praise – If you go too far and tell a child that they’re perfect, this type of inflated praise can cause problems. It sets a standard that is simply too high and may set expectations that a child doesn’t feel as if they can live up to. Keep your praise realistic but positive.
  • Don’t praise them too easily – If a child can do something very easily, and they know you are aware of it but praise them anyway, they may assume you have no idea what the task has involved or that you have low expectations about what they can do.
  • Use praise in situations that kids control – You really shouldn’t praise a child for special abilities or gifts they have. Instead, save the praise for things they can control. In various studies, researchers have found that if you praise a child for abilities they possess, they avoid challenges. But if you praise them for things they have to work towards, it bolsters their confidence and self-esteem.
  • Don’t compare – Avoid praise that involves comparing one child to another. It’s not a good idea to praise a child for outperforming their peers. Studies have found that praise then only works when a child is outperforming others, teaching kids that where they stand competitively is what matters, not mastering the skill or achieving the goal itself.

Praise and compliments, when used correctly, can be a great tool that helps to build up a child’s confidence. As long as you’re aware of the pitfalls to avoid, you can effectively use praise to aid learning and boost your child’s development.

Featured image by Katrina Wright on Unsplash