The Effects of Visual Performance Feedback on Behavior-Specific Praise and Reprimands in Secondary Classrooms

Research indicates that teachers should deliver high rates of behavior specific praise (BSP) as these statements are associated with positive student outcomes such as increased academic engagement and correct academic responding. Unfortunately, in practice, teachers deliver higher rates of reprimands than BSP statements to students in their classrooms. Regrettably, reprimands are associated with negative student outcomes like decreased academic engagement and increased inappropriate student behavior.

Though little research has been done to examine the differential rates of BSP and reprimands delivered to students of varying races and gender, numerous scholars have found disproportionate rates of exclusionary discipline (e.g., office discipline referral [ODR], suspension) for students of color (e.g., Black, Native American). That is, students of color receive higher rates of discipline and harsher punishments for subjective behaviors (i.e., defiance, respect) than their white counterparts.

Providing teachers with performance feedback is one promising intervention found to alter teacher behaviors, with emerging evidence supporting its use to improve disproportionate practices. To extend this body of research, the present study used an ABC multiple baseline across participants design to investigate the effects of visual performance feedback on BSP and reprimands as well as the differential rates by race and gender in secondary classrooms. In the B phase, teachers received visual performance feedback on their total rates of BSP and reprimands daily. Teachers entered the C phase if they had disproportionate rates of BSP by race or gender during the B phase. The C phase included visual performance feedback plus disaggregated data by race and/or gender. Visual analysis indicates a functional relation between visual performance feedback for both BSP and reprimands. All four teachers had immediate and sustained increases in BSP and reprimands showed downward trends during intervention phases. Three teachers required the C intervention phase and mixed results were found for the equitable delivery of BSP by race and gender. Limitations, implications, and future research are discussed.