Reinforcement practices of black and white teachers in integrated classrooms.

Abstract

The Positive Reinforcement Observation Schedule was used to obtain data concerning expressed preference for and observed use of positive reinforcement in integrated classrooms taught by 30 black and 30 white female elementary school teachers. Results indicated the following: (a) Black and white teachers emit virtually equal rates and types of reinforcers. (b) Only 32% of the combined sample actually use the reinforcers they state they prefer, (c) Reinforcement emission in classrooms occurs at a relatively low rate, (d) Teachers reinforce oppositeraced children more frequently than children of their own race, (e) Males are reinforced more frequently than females. (/) Black females are the least reinforced group of all. These results are related to previous research and implications are drawn.

Teachers’ Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Patterns as a Function of Teacher Race, Student Gender, and Student Race

“…The behaviors affected were verbal behaviors, with black children having received more verbal praise and verbal praise with nonverbal praise than white children, and white teachers having given more verbal criticism to black males before covariance procedure. The race of student effect was not totally consistent with the Hillman and Davenport (1978), Brown et al (1970), and Byalick and Bersoff (1974) studies. The proportion of black to white students could be a factor influencing the race of student effect.…”

“…Brown, Payne, Lankewich, and Cornell (1970) found that teachers gave more praise and less criticism to students of the opposite race. The research of Byalick and Bersoff (1974) also found that teachers reinforced opposite race children more frequently than children of their own race. Female teachers of both races verbally reinforced opposite race boys the most; boys of both races were the most frequently reinforced group.…”

Teacher Communication Patterns as Related to the Race and Sex of the Student

“…In naturalistic settings no differences in treatment were found by Barnes, 1978;Cornbleth and Korth, 1980;and Meyer and Lindstrom, 1969. Studies by Brown, Lankewich, Payne, and Cornell (1970) and Byalick and Bersoff (1974) found that teachers gave more praise and less criticism to students of the opposite race.…”

School deportment and student teacher sex and ethnicity

“…Despite evidence that discipline is an important concern among teachers of minority (Baughman & Dahlstrom, 1968;Buxton, Prichard, Bingham, Jackson, & Talps, 1974;Byalick & Bersoff, 1974) and male (Good, Sikes, & Brophy, 1973;Licata & Willower, 1975) students, very little empirical data concerning crossethnic or cross-sex teacher x student interactions in noncognitive situations have been published (Asbury, 1974;Byalick & Bersoff, 1974). Most cross-ethnic or cross-sex investigations have dealt with teachers' perceptions (e.g., Adams & LaVoie, 1974;Buxton, et al, 1974;Jaeger & Freijo, 1975;Rajpal, 1972), instructional behavior (Coates, 1972;Phillips & Bianchi, 1975;Yando, Zigler, & Gates, 1971) or test administration behavior (Allen, Dubanoski, & Stevenson, 1966).…”

“…Most cross-ethnic or cross-sex investigations have dealt with teachers' perceptions (e.g., Adams & LaVoie, 1974;Buxton, et al, 1974;Jaeger & Freijo, 1975;Rajpal, 1972), instructional behavior (Coates, 1972;Phillips & Bianchi, 1975;Yando, Zigler, & Gates, 1971) or test administration behavior (Allen, Dubanoski, & Stevenson, 1966). Findings for those studies could be grouped into those which suggested teachers favored students of different ethnicity or sex (Brown, Payne, Lankewich, & Cornell, 1970;Byalick & Bersoff, 1974), those which suggested teachers favored students of same ethnicity or sex (Allen, Dubanoski, & Stevenson; Coates; Rajpal), and those which suggest that ethnicity and sex of teachers were of little consequence (e.g. Baughmhn & Dahlstrom; Yando, Zigler, & Gates).…”