Effects of Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) on Middle School Teachers' Praise and Reprimand Frequency

Abstract

There is a large body of empirical research showing the effectiveness of teacher praise as an intervention to reduce unwanted classroom behaviors and increase student engagement. Despite this evidence, research shows that teachers do not naturally provide praise at high rates. Over the past 60 years, researchers have tested numerous methods to improve rates of teacher praise including prompting, visual performance feedback, and peer coaching. In our study of 15 teachers, we investigate the effects of Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) on middle school teachers' rates of praise and reprimands. Using a regression analysis, results showed that CW-FIT increased teachers' frequency of praise compared to teachers not using the CW-FIT intervention. Future directions and implications for using tier 1 behavior management systems to increase levels of teacher praise are discussed.