Is positive feedback a forgotten classroom practice? Findings and implications for at-risk students

Although using higher rates of positive to negative feedback is one best practice often recommended to teachers, particularly when it comes to students experiencing behavioral problems in classroom settings, research on the use of positive feedback in classroom teaching practice has revealed inconsistent results. Research has documented fluctuations in trends of teachers’ use of positive feedback strategies, justifying further inquiry into the current state of classroom practice. This study aimed to examine the current state of classroom feedback practices among teachers of a district who were asked to rate their students’ risk levels for developing emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). The researchers found that students identified as high risk and low risk for EBD received teacher feedback at a significantly different rate. Students identified as high risk for EBD received negative feedback at a higher rate than their same-setting peers. Implications for teachers on the use of feedback for students at-risk for EBD are presented.