Assignment:
1. Explain why it is important to provide specific verbal and written praise. Why is specific praise more effective?
Praise is a powerful tool to motivate students and, frankly, all students enjoying being praised. Specific written and verbal praise allows students to know exactly what they did well. Through the use of specific praise, students are being praised for effort, ability, and noteworthy behavior as opposed to a general job well done. The power of praise in changing student behavior is that it both indicates teacher approval and informs the student about how the praised academic performance or behavior conforms to teacher expectations (Burnett, 2001). General praise (L.e. Good job; or You're so smart) may result in student receiving a fixed mindset, and thus believe that academic or athletic ability are innate and may be as willing to grow (Bennett, 2018).
Specific praise (i.e. I can see the effort you put in and you managed to improve your score or Great intro, it was concise and well- written installs more of a growth mindset, allowing students to understand that hard work and effort, not natural ability, is more beneficial and rewarding. Effective and specific praise is a valid method of positive reinforcement. It's an efficient classroom tool to encourage students to build upon their current success, continue to motivate learning, increase self-esteem, and increase participation in classroom discussions and group activities (Bennett, 2018).