Demonstration of the Effects of an Increased Praise Ratio on Student On-Task Behavior

Abstract

Many authors recommend various praise to reprimand ratios for teachers to use to manage their classrooms (e.g., Flora, 2000; Nafpaktitis, Mayer, & Butterworth, 1985; Wheldall, 2005); however, these recommendations are based on correlational data or secondary findings from studies not directly manipulating the praise to reprimand ratio. The purpose of this study was to use a simple teacher training method to improve the praise to reprimand ratio used in the classroom and measure the resulting effects on the on-task behavior of an entire class of students. All teachers improved praise to reprimand ratios above baseline levels. As teacher praise to reprimand ratios improved, student on-task levels increased for all classrooms.