Reinforcement can be defined as a stimulus that follows depending upon a person’s behavior, hence improving the probability of a particular behavior being repeated. Positive reinforcement can be conceptualized best as something nice being given for doing something nice. Positive behavior will occur more frequently if it is immediately followed by the presentation of a reinforcer. Positive reinforcement techniques, when done well and with the right balance, can be transformational for student behaviours and outcomes. The purpose of this article is to describe how reinforcement can be used more systematically in the classroom. I have located the research of this paper within a qualitative approach (Gay 1992; Babbie 1998; Leedy & Ormrod 2013). This decision was informed by the fact that this paper is not interested in the quantification of data.

reinforce, punishment, negative reinforcement, positive reinforcement, bribe, classroom