SKILL OF REINFORCEMENT

Objectives

The student teachers will be able

1. To gain knowledge on ways of attracting and retaining the attention of the

class.

2. To understand various reinforcement techniques.

3. To apply appropriate reinforcement strategies

SKILL OF REINFORCEMENT

It was introduced by Pavlov in 1903.

All students generally need social approval of their behavior when they answer
a question, they are eager to know whether their answers are correct or not. when they
are appreciated for the correct answers, they are eager to continue their responses in
future also. This increases their participation.

Importance

• to increase pupils attention and participation

• to motivate pupils and to sustain motivation.

• to facilitate pupils behavior.
• to control disruptive pupils behavior.
• to recognize pupil’s achievements and efforts.

• to reduce the chance of extinction of pupils behavior

When thinking about positive reinforcement in teaching and education, the purpose is
to provide an incentive for students to repeat desired behaviors (Revermann, n.d.). In
other words, by providing students with a positive outcome when they accomplish
achievements or display certain behaviors, students are encouraged to do so again.

The timing and delivery of positive reinforcement is the key to effectively promote
certain behaviors (Revermann, n.d). In order for positive reinforcement to be effective,
the reinforcement must be appropriate for a student’s age, it should be genuine, and it
should be awarded straight after the target behavior.

Negative reinforcements are used for weakening

or eliminating the undesirable responses or
behaviors. These reinforcements are in the form
of verbal and non-verbal.

Major Components

The six major components of the skill are

Verbal reinforcement – comments like ‘Good’,

‘Well Done’

Gestural reinforcement – Facial expressions eg.

Smile.

Proximity reinforcement – teacher moving

nearer to the student evincing interest.

Contact reinforcement – patting the head

Activity reinforcement – teacher gives the pupil

a task they prefer as reinforcement eg. Project.

Token reinforcement – the teacher awards

marks, merit cards, writes comments like ‘Good”.
An appraisal Guide – Reinforcement

Component Tallies Component Tallies

Positive verbal Negative Verbal
Positive gestural Negative gestural
Proximity No reinforcement
Contact
Using pupil answers
Instruction for use

Tallies should be marked against the different components of the skill of reinforcement
whenever they occur. At the end of each lesson, the number of tallies is counted against
each component. Inferences can be drawn from the total.

Advantages of using Positive Reinforcement

✓ Students can learn through the social cues of their teachers as to what
constitutes acceptable behavior.
✓ Students actively enjoy being present and learning in the classroom.
✓ Use of positive reinforcement leads to heightened enthusiasm in students and
even the teacher!
✓ It leads to a greater sense of community in the class.
✓ It is used to increase student attendance and motivation.
Reference

1. Passi. B.K .Becoming Better Teachers Baroda.

2. Radha Mohan Teaching of Physical Science.
3. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.1632.

Follow up questions

1. What is the meaning of reinforcement?

2. Why is reinforcement necessary in a classroom?
3. What are the components of the reinforcement skill?
4. What are the advantages of using positive reinforcement?
 SKILL OF REINFORCEMENT

Specification Teaching Technique Students Participation Teaching Aid/

Black Board
Work
(Teacher enters the class and greets the class) Good morning mam!! (All the
Good morning everybody! students echo)
Recalls So, how many of your like gardening? (Some students raise their hands) Pictures of
Landscape gardens
Quite a few I see. Great!
(Teacher smiles at the students)
(Verbal and gestural reinforcement)

The others, do you at least have gardens where Yes mam!! Since plants are very
you live or some plant at home? important
(The teacher smiles at the students)
(Gestural reinforcement)
Relates Good to know that you all know how important Yes mam! We get food, air, Lists the benefits of
plants are. medicines and so many other day plants on the
to day life products from plants. blackboard.
And shade as well.
Compares Absolutely! But now-a-days you see a lot of trees Yes mam! And this process is called Pictures portraying
are being cut down to create space for buildings, deforestation
deforestation.
factories and other developments. activity.
(The teacher moves towards the students and pats
her back)
(contact and proximity reinforcement)
You are absolutely right. Deforestation is the It reduces place for animals and
removal of forest area. So, What are the effects birds to live.
of deforestation?
Explains Loss of habitat, correct! Claps for her everyone It causes global warming.
What else?
Absolutely correct! Good! It is the rise in Also mam, lesser the number of
temperature. trees, lesser is the purification of air
and more the pollution.
Well done all of you! (Verbal reinforcement)

Infers So, what do you think we should do to counter Mam, I think we should plant more
trees.
the problem?
Correct! And this process of planting trees in Afforestation. (All answer together)
deforested areas is called afforestation. What is
it called?
Appraises Good! (Verbal reinforcement) Maybe we could plant a sapling here
So what can we individually do?
in school or at our homes on special
 days, that way we could do
afforestation.
(The teacher moves to the student
and gives her a pen) (Token
reinforcement)
That’s a wonderful idea! I will see to it that we
discuss this idea with Principal mam and other
teachers.
Now, I want you to do a small work. I want you Yes mam!! (All echo together)
all to bring out the different plants that can be
planted in and around our School and make a list.
Okay? (Activity reinforcement)
That’s all for today. Thank you class! Thank you mam!! (All echo
together)
 OBSERVATION SCHEDULE FOR THE SKILL OF REINFORCEMENT

Name of the student teacher………………………………………………….

Roll No……………..………………….. Class ………………………………..
Topic………………………………………

Name of the observer….………………………….…………………………..

Dates………………… Time duration…………………….Teach/ Reteach

Component Not at all Very

Much

Teacher used Positive verbal reinforcers like 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

‘yes’ ‘excellent’ ‘Splendid’, etc.

Teacher repeated, rephrased the pupil responses, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

and used the pupil ideas for further development
of the lesson.

Teacher used extra-verbal cues like, ‘um um’, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

‘aha’ to encourage, and prompts like ‘carry on’,
‘think again’, etc, to help the pupils to arrive at
the appropriate answer.

Teacher used nonverbal cues like nodding, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

smiling, looking attentively at the responding
pupil, patting etc.

Teacher wrote the pupil’s answers on the 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

blackboard.
Teacher told the pupil directly that his answer is 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
wrong, and used sarcastic remarks.

Teacher used nonverbal cues like frowning, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

staring, looking angrily, etc.

There were instances where no reinforcement 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

was given, but could have been given.

There were instances of inappropriate use of 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

reinforcers.
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