Guidelines for Praise

Drawn from J.E. Brophy (1981) "Teacher Praise: A Functional Analysis" Review of Educational Research, 51, 5-32.

Effective Praise : Ineffective Praise:
is contingent on the behavior. is randomly given.
is specific about accomplishments. is restricted to global generalities.
rewards attainment of criteria. rewards mere participation.
shows spontaneity and attention to individuals. shows bland uniformity.
provides information about competence. gives no information about status.
orients student toward the task behavior. orients student toward comparison.
uses student's own accomplishments as context. compares student with peers.
is given in recognition of effort or success. is given without regard to effort.
attributes success to effort. attributes success to ability or luck.
fosters intrinsic or self-motivation. fosters extrinsic motivation.
focuses attention on student behavior. focuses attention on teacher.
supports task-related behavior. intrudes on task-related behavior.

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