Module 12
Developing 21st Century Approaches
Module 12 Exercise 2 Reading
Encouraging Skills
Praise advances the notion that work has no value unless it receives praise. In contrast, encouragement conveys respect and belief in learners' abilities, and recognizes efforts rather than achievements. Other differences between praise and encouragement can be found in the following table.
| Praise | Encouragement |
| Stresses how other people feel | Stresses learners contributions, skills, and areas of improvement |
| Often focuses on I… statements, such as I am so proud of you! | Often focuses on You… statements, such as You handled that very well! |
| Cultivates selfishness | Cultivates self interest |
| Promotes fear of failure | Promotes acceptance of being imperfect |
| Advances dependency | Advances self sufficiency |
| Comes with judgment | Comes without judgment |
Some strategies to encourage learners include:
- Being positive: You worked a long time on that.
- Focusing on strengths: You used details in your drawings.
Encouraging learners to strive for improvement: Since you are not satisfied, what else can you do?
- Being specific in identifying desirable behaviour: Thank you for being patient!
- Encouraging effort: Look at the progress you have made!
Intervening Skills
Teachers who are effective facilitators carefully monitor learners and make decisions about when to intervene. Teachers intervene to
- provide feedback during project work
- provide confirmation with rationale
- ensure two-way communication
- enable a congenial relation to develop
- improve processes
- ensure fairness
- help clarify
- refocus
- assist in conflicts
- remind groups of ground rules
Teachers consider the following before intervening:
- What to say
- How to say it
- When to say it
- Who to say it to
- Why they should say it
