Reinforcement is anything that makes a behavior more likely to happen again.
Key Idea
If you want to see more of a useful behavior, notice and reinforce it when it happens.
What This Can Look Like
The student begins the first problem. Instead of waiting until the entire worksheet is finished: “You got started right away — nice start.” The student asks for help instead of leaving: “Great asking. I can help.”
✓Try This
- •Reinforcement works best when it is: - immediate - connected to the behavior - meaningful to the student - frequent enough while a skill is developing Reinforce small steps at first.
Keep in Mind
Reinforcement is not the same as bribery. Effective reinforcement helps strengthen skills we want the student to be able to use more independently over time.