Positive reinforcement: giving someone something they like, in order to increase the behavior. Positive reinforcement is so important. It allows us to change behavior without punishing. It shows children that what they are doing is “good” or “right”. Positive reinforcement could be as simple as a “great job” or time to do a special activity. We want to make sure we are providing positive reinforcement frequently enough so the child is learning what is socially appropriate.
Examples of positive reinforcement:
* Praise (great job completing that activity!)
* A preferred activity
* Special snack/candy
Keep in mind, not all children have the same likes, not all “likes” will serve as reinforcement, and when we try to reinforce we may actually accidentally have the opposite effect. I once provided really excited praise and scared the child. Another time, I praised a child and she shut down because she didn’t like the attention.
Another thing to keep in mind, we may inadvertently provide reinforcement when we are trying to punish (I.e removing a disruptive child from the classroom may be reinforcing his behavior because he wants to leave).
Coming soon: Course about functions to learn more!
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