Effects of Brief Training Plus Electronic Feedback on Increasing Quantity and Intonation of Behavior Specific Praise Among Preschool Teachers

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a brief training plus e-mail-specific performance feedback (ESPF) on increasing preschool teacher's use of behavior-specific praise (BSP) statements. Quantity of BSP was measured using a frequency count, while voice intonation of BSP statements was measured using a voice recording system. A multiple probe design across four preschool teachers who taught in inclusive preschool classrooms was used to evaluate the effectiveness of ESPF on BSP delivery. As an outcome measure, researchers examined whether changes to the teacher's BSP affected children's task engagement during class activities. Results indicated a functional relation between ESPF and an increase in the quantity of BSP statements. Voice intonation of BSP statements increased for three participants following ESPF; however, a clear functional relation was not present in the data. Results also indicated that increased quantity and intonation of BSP statements resulted in a tendency for increased mean task engagement across all children; this finding may warrant further investigation. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.