March 21, 2022
March 21, 2022
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:
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