Encouraging Children

Children need both encouragement and praise.

  • Make your encouragement personal.
  • · Give specific and direct praise. Reword your praising words from fatigue and general ("That's good") to a personal and specific ("I like the way you are working on that paragraph").
  • Give encouragement until a task is done well. Then praise the student for a job well done.
  • Empty praise is frustrating to the student and does not produce the sustained effort needed to finish a difficult lesson.

Words to Encourage

  • Keep Going-you are getting it...because.
  • You are trying very hard...because.
  • I know that you can do it....because .
  • I like the way you are focusing.
  • You are my star student today because...
  • I know sounding out words is difficult.
  • Your persistence has paid off.
  • You are putting forth wonderful effort and really learning a lot.
  • Keep up the good work.
  • I like the way you self-corrected yourself.
  • You are my star student today because...
  • That is the mark of an excellent student.
Words to Praise
  • Well done!
  • Great effort-it really paid off.
  • 100% Perfect
  • Excellent work.
  • I am proud of you!
  • Good going.
  • You are really moving now.

By Jenny Beaumont, Swan Learning Center, www.swanlearningcenter.com