Make More Effective Use of Praise

Back in 2002, I wrote up some simple pointers for educators and parents in “Hone Your Skills When Using Reinforcers and Reprimands,” an article you can find in the Behavior section of this site. Over a decade later, new research suggests that it is time to refine or tweak that advice.  It seems that praising the child instead of the behavior may actually backfire for students with low self-esteem. You can read more about the new research and its implications for us in the Behavior section, here.