Behavior

Specific
Praise

Behavior
Specific Praise is: an
evidence
based classroom

management strategy that

improves
student behavior by
letting students know exactly

what they are doing correctly.
For example: Sydney, I like
how you are sitting with your

hands
to yourself.

Why use BSP?

BSP can be easily incorporated into any

instructional setting.

BSP is a nonintrusive way to reinforce

specific, desired behaviors of your students

BSP is cost free, and not time-consuming.

Who
is this strategy used for?

Students with EBD

Students with ADHD

All students

Which characteristics will

BSP help the students
overcome?
BSP praise can help students
who are noncompliant,
inattentive, engage in off
task behavior and minor
distractions.

Teachers who deliver high amounts of praise experience fewer off-task and

disruptive
behaviors from their students allowing more time for instruction.

Additionally,
praise increases intrinsic motivation of students and helps them feel

more competent.

Successful Implementation:

How does it work?

Directly link the praise statement to the

student behavior you want to increase.
The praise statement should include
feedback on the appropriateness and
successfulness of the student behavior.
Determine if the praise statement serves as
an opportunity for genuine, positive, and
meaningful interaction between the teacher
and student.
The praise statement should reflect the
students diverse skill level.
Evaluate whether the praise statement is
actually reinforcing.

First, think about the behaviors you would

like to see in your classroom (e.g., listening
while others are speaking, giving your best
effort). Write down a list of specific
behaviors that will help students continue
to progress academically and behaviorally
in your classroom (e.g., pay attention to the
speaker, raise your hand and ask questions
when confused). Then use this list to begin
noticing and acknowledging student
behavior. You may post some of these
positive behavioral expectations around
your classroom as a reminder for you to
praise those specific behaviors. This can
also serve as a reminder for students to
display the desired, specific, appropriate
behaviors.

Resources:
STORMONT, M., & REINKE, W. (2009). The Importance of Precorrective Statements and Behavior-Specific Praise and
Strategies to Increase Their Use. Beyond Behavior, 18(3), 26-32.
Haydon, T., & Musti-Rao, S. (2011). Effective Use of Behavior-Specific Praise: A Middle School Case Study. Beyond
Behavior, 20(2), 31-39.
LANDRUM, T. J., & SWEIGART, C. A. (2014). Simple, Evidence-Based Interventions for Classic Problems of
Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. Beyond Behavior, 23(3), 3-9.