Effective Strategies for Staying on Task: Positive Reinforcement in Middle-level Teaching

Modern classrooms contain many internal and external distractions that make it difficult for students to stay on task. This is especially true for middle-level students. To help students overcome these distractions and give them the best opportunities to learn, middle-level teachers must develop strategies to manage their classrooms and provide lessons that keep students engaged.

For educators wanting to learn about engaging students and enhancing the way they manage a classroom through positive reinforcement, the Arkansas State University (A-State) online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) – Middle Level Education 4-8 program offers courses like Teaming, Teaching, and Learning in Middle Grades; Advanced Methods for Teaching in the Middle Grades; and Theories and Strategies of Classroom Management. The program curriculum creates a strong base for keeping students on task and focused as they learn.

One popular approach to improving engagement and minimizing distractions is positive reinforcement, which encourages desired behaviors by rewarding students. Positive reinforcement includes giving praise or rewards to let students know they are doing a good job, and research suggests it is effective. A recent study shows that when middle school teachers praise their students at least as much as they reprimand them, their class performance increases by 60-70%. In fact, higher ratios of positive reinforcement with few or no reprimands “are predicted to result in the best student outcomes.”

Understanding Positive Reinforcement

Using positive reinforcement to manage a classroom means giving students rewards and recognition when they behave the way the teacher prefers. There are five well-known positive reinforcement strategies used in the classroom:

1. Using a range of methods: Use a variety of reinforcement methods, including verbal praise, tokens and activity-based rewards, so every student feels recognized.
2. Giving praise in a proactive and timely manner: Simple acknowledgments immediately after a student does something positive (like saying “good work” or giving them a thumbs-up) reinforce good behavior.
3. Set realistic expectations: Make sure the expectations you have of students are realistic and adjust them to meet the needs of individual learners.
4. Figure out how your students receive praise: Some students respond better to verbal praise, while others do well with group rewards.
5. Build a system for group rewards: Create a consistent system where students can earn tokens, points, gifts or extra privileges when they behave properly.

Clear Expectations and Objectives

Setting clear expectations and objectives is key to keeping students on task and focused. The class-wide function-related intervention teams is a classroom management strategy that helps teachers create a positive environment by reducing disruptions and encouraging positive social skills among students. This strategy offers three core principles for using positive reinforcement effectively:

1. Teaching appropriate behaviors that include following directions and showing respect
2. Increasing praise from teacher to student
3. Organizing the class into teams where students can work together to stay on task and develop their social skills

A-State’s online MAT – Middle Level Education 4-8 program includes courses like Theories and Strategies of Classroom Management, which teach educators how to implement these principles effectively. As a result, positive reinforcement ensures student engagement and behavior management throughout teachers’ lessons.

Use of Rewards and Incentives

Selecting the right rewards and incentives can greatly improve student engagement. This potential impact is why it’s so important to understand the difference between performance-based and task-oriented learning environments.

In performance-based environments, students are motivated by achieving high scores or competing against peers. In task-oriented environments, students are encouraged to focus on completing tasks to the best of their abilities, which promotes a deeper engagement with the material.

Engaging Activities and Varied Instructional Techniques

To help students stay on task, middle-level educators need to develop flexible strategies that meet the dynamic needs of their students. Here are three more methods that have proven effective in keeping students focused, according to Edutopia:

1. Less instruction: Rather than having long lessons, using concise, focused explanations allows students more time to engage with the material.
2. Incorporating movement: Keeping students moving can have a major impact on focus. When students are encouraged to move and stay active, they are less likely to get restless and lose focus.
3. Giving students choices: Offering options in assignments or activities gives students a sense of ownership over their learning. This promotes engagement and helps students connect with the material by tailoring their approach to fit their interests.

Empowering Students Through Positive Reinforcement

As distractions in the classroom continue to multiply, educators must adopt strategies that help students stay on task and engaged. Edutopia notes that positive reinforcement — combined with clear expectations, the right rewards, engaging activities and effective classroom management techniques — offers a solution to this growing problem. A-State’s online MAT – Middle Level Education 4-8 program provides valuable knowledge and insights for teachers seeking to grow their careers and better manage their classrooms.

Learn more about A-State’s online MAT – Middle Level Education 4-8 program.