Skill of Reinforcement

Micro Teaching Skill of Reinforcement

1. Skill of Reinforcement By: Joyti Sehrawat Rao Lal Singh College of Education

2. Reinforcement The term reinforcement means to strengthen, and is used in psychology to refer to anything stimulus which strengthens or increases the probability of a specific response. For example, reinforcement might involve presenting praise (the reinforcer) immediately after a child cleans his room (the response). By reinforcing the desired behavior with praise, the child will be more likely to perform the same actions again in the future. Reinforcement can include anything that strengthens or increases a behavior, including specific tangible rewards, events, and situations. In a classroom setting, for example, types of reinforcement might include praise, getting out of unwanted work, token rewards, candy, extra playtime, and fun activities.

3. Types of Reinforcement Positive Reinforcement Negative Reinforcement Punishment Extinction

4. Skill of Reinforcement It can be defined as “the effective use of reinforcers to modify pupils’ behavior in a desired direction”

5. Reinforcers The stimuli that provide or contribute to the pleasant experiences , for strengthening the responses or behaviors of individuals are called Positive reinforcers The stimuli providing unpleasant experiences for weakening the undesirable behavior can be termed as negative reinforcers Reinforcers can be used verbally and non verbally

6. Feedback vs Reinforcement

7. Purpose of Reinforcement skill To increase pupil participation To facilitate learning To motivate the learners To develop desirable behaviors To modify undesirable behavior To develop self management of learning experiences through self reinforcement

8. Skill Components Positive Verbal Reinforcement Positive Non-verbal Reinforcement Negative Verbal Reinforcement Negative Non- verbal Reinforcement Extra verbal cues Repeating and Rephrasing Pupil’s Response Writing Pupil’s Responses on the Blackboard

9. 1) Positive Verbal Reinforcement Involves giving verbal or linguistic expressions which act as reinforcers. Eg : Saying ‘good’, ‘Very good’, ‘Right’, ‘Correct’, ‘Fine’, ‘Yes’, ‘Well done’, ‘Excellent’ Also, ‘Go on’, ‘carry on’, ‘Go ahead’, ‘Continue’ act as reinforcers Repeating and paraphrasing pupils responses.

10. Teacher: How are forests helpful to us? Pupil: They are helpful in conserving soil. Teacher: Good (positive verbal reinforcers) How are they helpful in conserving soil? Pupil: The roots of the trees hold the soil together Teacher: Correct (positive verbal reinforcers). The trees are very useful in conserving soil as they hold the soil together. (Teacher summarizes pupil’s ideas).

11. 2) Positive Non-verbal Reinforcement Teacher uses gestures and performative behaviors to reinforce the students responses. Eg : Nods and smiles Moving towards the responding pupil Giving a friendly look Writing pupil’s responses on the black board

12. Teacher: What are three states of matter ? Pupil: Solid, Liquid and Gas Teacher: (Nods when pupil was responding , positive non verbal reinforcer) If you put a piece of ice after sometime? Pupil: The ice in the container would melt and turn into water. Teacher: (Moves towards the pupil when he/she was responding, Positive non verbal reinforcer.)

13. 3) Negative Verbal Reinforcement Used to strengthen the occurrence of a particular behavior and weaken the occurrence of undesirable behavior. Eg : ‘ No’, ‘Incorrect’, ‘Wrong’, ‘Stop it’, ‘Not true’ ‘I do not like what you are doing’, ‘that is not good’, ‘I do not expect this from you’ ‘Try again’, ‘Think again’

14. Negative verbal reinforcers should not be used extensively in order to facilitate learning. If not used appropriately, this may decrease the level of motivation and interest of students.

15. Teacher: What will happen if water is heated? Pupil: It will turn into ice. Teacher: No (Negative verbal reinforcer) Think again Pupil: It will turn into water. Teacher: That is incorrect (Negative reinforcer) Try again

16. 4) Negative Non-verbal Reinforcer Given to weaken the certain undesirable behaviors of learners through non verbal gestures ‘Frowning’, ‘Disapproving stares’, ‘Nodding the head’, ‘Tapping impatiently’ , ‘Avoiding the particular the particular pupil and moving away from him’,

17. Teacher: What will happen if water is heated? Pupil: It will turn into ice. Teacher: Frowns (Negative non-verbal reinforcer) Think again Pupil: It will turn into water. Teacher: nodding with disapproval (Negative reinforcer) Try again

18. This type of reinforcement should be used with caution as it leads to disrupt rapport between pupils and the teacher. Also it may discourage them

19. 5) Extra Verbal cues Teacher uses the utterances, like ‘hmmm…’, to encourage the pupil to continue with their answers. However, too frequent use of extra verbal cues tends to lower their effectiveness as reinforcers and become a part of teacher’s mannerism.

20. 6) Repeating and Rephrasing Pupil’s Responses

21. 7) Writing Pupils’ Responses on the Blackboard

22. Some cautions regarding the use of skill Too frequent use of reinforcement should be avoided. Only correct and novel responses should be reinforced A variety of reinforcers should be used to avoid monotony and to increase the effectiveness of reinforcers Reinforcements like giving medals and prizes, writing comments etc. should be rarely used. Reinforcements may be given to the whole class from time to time as well as to the individual pupils. Reinforcement should be given immediately after pupil responses. Delayed reinforcements should be normally avoided. Reinforcement may be personalized by calling pupil’s name to increase its effectiveness. Reinforcement should be given keeping in view pupil’s level of maturity

23. Micro Lesson Plan Class: VII Time duration: 6 min. Subject: Science Concept: Transmission of heat Pupil Teacher Activity Pupil Activity Component of Skill Transferring of heat from one place to other is known as ‘Transmission of heat’, what are the methods of transmission of heat? Correct . Can you define it? Conduction When heat flows from one particle to other Positive verbal

24. Pupil Teacher Activity Pupil Activity Component of skill Good. Name the method in which particles moves to take heat No, Try Again Nodding. Is there any other method of transmission of heat? ‘Hmmm’ T hen in how many ways heat can flow from on place to another Writing pupils response on black board It is Radiation Convection is the method in which heat flows using any medium There is one more method in which heat flows using any medium. It is called radiation. There are three ways of transmission of heat – Conduction , convection and Radiation Positive verbal Negative Verbal Positive non verbal Extra verbal cue Writing pupils response on black board

25. Observation Sheet : Reinforcement Skill Name of Student teacher: Class: Subject: Concept: Teach/Reteach: Supervisor: Sr. No. Components Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Use of Praise words Repeating and Rephrasing pupil response Use of positive non verbal reinforcers(including extra verbal cues) Writing pupils’ answers on the black board Use of negative verbal Use of negative non-verbal reinforcers Inappropriate use of reinforcement *0- Extremely weak, 1- Very weak, 2- weak, 3 – Average 4- Average, 5- Good, 6- Very good, 7- Excellent 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6