Increasing teachers’ behavior-specific praise using self-monitoring and a peer teacher’s feedback: the effect on children’s academic engagement

Abstract

This study examined the effects of teacher self-monitoring combined with peer teacher feedback on their use of behavior-specific praise (BSP). We also examined its effect on children’s academic engagement. The study was conducted in general education classrooms at a Japanese elementary school using a multiple-probe design across participants. Participants included two teachers and 57 children in first and second grade. After the baseline phase, an intervention based on a self-monitoring procedure and peer teacher feedback was implemented to increase teacher use of BSP. Both teachers’ BSP use and children’s academic engagement increased post-implementation; similar effects were maintained in a follow-up session two months later.

Keywords:

• Academic engagement
• behavior-specific praise
• classroom management
• peer teacher feedback
• self-monitoring

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this paper.

Notes on contributors

Kazuki Niwayama

Kazuki Niwayama, Ph.D. is an associate professor of special education at Osaka Kyoiku University in Japan. His current research interests include classroom and behavior management and school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports.

Yosuke Maeda

Yosuke Maeda, MA, is a psychological consultant of Takarazuka Municipal Board of Education in Japan. His current research interest is behavioral consultation for children with special needs.

Yumi Kaneyama

Yumi Kaneyama, MA, is a doctoral student of clinical psychology at Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan. Her current research interest is applied behavior analysis for children with autism spectrum disorder.

Hiroshi Sato

Hiroshi Sato, Ph.D. is a professor of clinical psychology at Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan. His current research interests include cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression in children and adolescents.