Essay about Positive Reinforcement for Children

Positive reinforcers- Likely to repeat their behaviour when they get something they desire. He suggested this was the most effective way of encouraging new learning. Positive reinforcers for children include gaining adult attention, praise, stickers, sweets and treats.

Communicate with children and young people in a way that is appropriate to the individual, using both conventional language and body language

This paper will discuss the effects of praise on reducing disruptive behavior over a period of time. There is a clear behavior that is needing change, disruptive behavior, and we can change this behavior by implementing praise. The participant is a single subject whom is in the 2nd grade. We will examine whether praise can help reduce the disruptive behavior or if we will have to find another intervention to help reduce this disruptive behavior that is being displayed in the classroom.

Behaviourist approaches – children learn as a result of what they see and what happens to them.

This encourages the child to continue the positive behaviour and they will be rewarded with positive attention and something for example as a toy or treat.

All children will crave attention from an early age, as babies we coo and smile      To get attention. This is why it 's important to build positive relationships from an early age or as soon as possible the reason for this is children need support and attention from us, if the relationships are not good the children may feel they can not get positive attention easily so are more likely to show unwanted behaviour to get negative attention. Taking time to talk and have fun with children is therefore important.

It is essential that positive behaviour is always promoted and praised to encourage children to continue their ‘good choices’. Teachers and other adults in schools should also demonstrate positive behaviour as children notice when adults’ behaviour is out of character. If teachers are being positive role models it is more likely that pupils will also behave in a positive way.

Children model their own behaviour on others and if adults can effectively communicate and exchange age or developmental appropriate information with children this can encourage them to behave in acceptable ways. Frustration at their own inability to communicate effectively can lead to behavioural problems.

Reinforcement is an essential part in identifying and encouraging a certain behavior. In the most classic definition, positive reinforcement is a method of identifying to children which behaviors are acceptable and appropriate and which are not (Sigler, E. & Aamidor, S, 2005). Reinforcement is often given as praise for doing a certain task. As educators, saying “great job” or a simple word like “fantastic” are expressed towards students as praise. However, when a student is struggling and praise is given such as “you are doing so well”, the negative aspects of praise present themselves. The child is aware of the empty praise therefore it may work against the teacher if it is taken as a false

All children are different in their unique way. The goal of this assignment was to observe different children in an uninterrupted environment. Although all the children observed were the same age, they all acted differently during their observation. The differences in the way we react to different situations are what make us human. These differences can be explained through the theories that different psychologist have developed over the years. Some children react better to things like praise from a teacher or being able to be creative in the activities that they are participating in.

“This study was based upon the principal of reinforcement. The purpose of the study was to define observable terminal behavior, the use of descriptive adjectives during play; defining an observable terminal behavior, devising a method to record and measure important categories of spontaneous verbal behavior and manipulating the consequences of the children’s use of language, the presentation of social reinforcement and access to materials contingent upon a specific form of verbal behavior”. (Hart & Risley, 1968).

Early childhood is one of the most impressionable times in a child’s life. By the time a child is old enough to begin school, they can easily be considered walking, talking sponges. They observe, and commonly act out, the world around them as they absorb it. Much of the information that children acquire early in their lifetime is learned from those around them. Furthermore, a lot of children act out and repeat behaviors that are presented to them throughout their upbringing. We hope that these learned behaviors are positive and enhance the child’s wellbeing, but that is sometimes not the case.

this may be that a therapist gives praise to the client who has shown positive movement with

However a reinforcer might work more efficiently compared to a punisher as her students are in the stage of industry vs inferiority where, their main goal is to win the approval of the adults and gain a sense of accomplishment (Rosenthal, Gurney, & Moore, 1981). Reinforcers will also be able to form more positive schemas in their mental model, this is crucial in the concrete operational stage of their development as well. In this age group, the behaviours displayed in the classroom is one that is more aware of oneself ("CDC - Child Development, Middle Childhood (9-11 years old) - NCBDDD", 2017). This will play a role when peer pressure comes into the picture. As they are aware of their fellow classmates observing them, they are more cautious of what the say and what they choose to display ("CDC - Child Development, Middle Childhood (9-11 years old) - NCBDDD", 2017). This is because friendships game more importance in that age group. They want to be accepted and not make a fool out of themselves ("CDC - Child Development, Middle Childhood (9-11 years old) - NCBDDD",

way to break children from their bad habits and enhance their good behaviors. Nichols (2014), mentions in the intervention section that when a parent addresses their childrens positive behavior with praise or love, it can be almost as effective as money or prizes, these behaviors can enhance the child’s good behavior. (Nichols, 2014).