The Premack Principle States That

The Premack principle is sometimes referred to as the "grandma's rule" or offset/then. This is because at grandmas, you offset eat your dinner and then get a cookie. It is a principle of reinforcement that states that more than probable behaviors will reinforce less probable behaviors. First exit of bed (low probability), then coffee (high probability). First piece of work (less desired), so get paid (more than desired).

We operate under these contingencies all of the time. We tin utilise them to our advantage in the classroom for both our pupil'south behaviorand our own. The following are some tools and tips to have advantage of the Premack principle in your classroom and your life.

First, And then language

Use clear 'first, then' language in the classroom. Nosotros don't want to work incessantly without reinforcement, and neither practise our kiddos! Letting your students know what they are working for, or what is coming up next once they complete their consignment will increase compliance must faster versus working with no end in sight.

Build it into your schedule

Building fun activities into your schedule, or consistently post-obit the most difficult menses or chore with a more preferred action volition assist increase compliance and success in your classroom. For example, putting math (or whatever the nearly difficult part of the day is) right before recess or gym will help increase the likelihood of success within that menstruum. To read more nigh schedules in the special pedagogy classroom, click Here. It doesn't always have to exist anearly preferred activity either – y'all can do this with your most preferred or successful bookish menstruum too. If science is consistently smooth, piece of cake and enjoyable, use that to reinforce a menses that tends to be less successful.

Utilise visuals

Using commencement/then boards, visual schedules or even keeping tangible evidence of what's coming (e.chiliad. luncheon boxes out, candy treat on your desk-bound) will assistance serve as a visual prompt of what the expectation is. It will keep students on track and volition decrease how often you need to requite reminders of what everyone should be doing.

Here is an example of a kickoff/then card. Only re-apply it through the day either as a class for for private students. For less visual students tin merely write out, "Start math, then walking interruption" on top of their math worksheet. It does NOT always need to be fancy. If information technology works, stick with it!

Use it to modify your own behavior

Having a difficult time doing lesson planning, grading, or going to the gym? Set a contingency that y'all tin can but (preferred activeness) afterward you first complete your less preferred activity. For example, I know that I take to end all of my weekly to do list for work before I can go to the beach on the weekend. Knowing that preferred detail or activity is coming will increment the likelihood of the lower probability beliefs.

Using this contingency to increase compliance in your classroom and your life is non just a brusk-term tool. By definition of reinforcement, it volition also increase thefuture likelihood of the beliefs occurring again. Using the Premack principle to motivate and change behavior in the direction you lot want to encounter is not simply effective, merely fun too. Who doesn't want to work towards something they enjoy!

Like what y'all read? Don't forget information technology, Pivot Information technology!