SESI’s Behavior Tip of the Month: Behavior Reinforcement

Using Reinforcement to Increase Positive Behavior in the Classroom

The concept of reinforcement is simple yet powerful: behavior followed by pleasant results is likely to be repeated in the future. Using reinforcement to encourage positive behavior in the classroom requires careful planning and a thoughtful approach. Here’s how educators can effectively use reinforcement to increase socially appropriate behavior for all students, including those with disabilities.

How to Apply Reinforcement Effectively

• Use behavior-specific praise: Explicitly state the behavior you want to see again. For example:
  • “Thank you for sitting down and getting started on your work.”
  • “The group at the teacher’s table is doing a great job sharing materials.”
• Consider alternatives for students who don’t enjoy adult attention: Use written praise, private notes, or positive calls home.
• Implement a token economy: Students earn tokens (e.g., points, tickets) for meeting expectations and exchange them for items, activities, or privileges. Examples:
  • Students earn “classroom bucks” to spend at a school store.
  • Points for safe behavior can be exchanged for extra recess or a late homework pass.
• Provide differentiated reinforcement: For students with intensive needs:
  • Reinforce every instance of critical target behavior, e.g., “Great job transitioning quietly!”
  • Reward consistent behavior with preferred activities, such as a break or use of a fidget toy.

Selecting Effective Reinforcers

To ensure a reward is genuinely reinforcing, it must be valued by the student. Here’s how to identify effective reinforcers:

• Ask students directly which rewards they’d like to earn.
• Use a reinforcement survey to rank preferences.
• Observe students’ behavior to identify their natural preferences.
• Consult families about what their child enjoys at home.

Remember, the person behaving determines the value of the reinforcement. For students who don’t enjoy public praise, consider alternative approaches like private feedback or notes home.

Establishing Schedules of Reinforcement

Reinforcement schedules are critical for maintaining and generalizing desired behaviors. Key considerations include:

• New or effortful behaviors should be reinforced more frequently with valuable incentives.
• Gradually transition from frequent to intermittent reinforcement as behavior improves.
• Avoid “ratio strain” by thoughtfully fading reinforcement instead of stopping abruptly.

Fading Reinforcement

The ultimate goal is for students to sustain positive behaviors through natural reinforcers, such as social acceptance or personal satisfaction. To achieve this:

• Gradually reduce reinforcement frequency as behaviors become more consistent.
• Shift from tangible rewards to social reinforcement, such as specific praise.
• Introduce new challenges and adjust reinforcement to focus on higher-level behaviors.

By thoughtfully implementing and fading reinforcement, educators can help students build lasting positive behaviors and achieve success in and beyond the classroom.