Prairie State Achievement Exam

Praise, is the act of making positive statements about a person, object or idea, either in public or privately. Praise is typically, but not exclusively, earned relative to achievement and accomplishment. Praise is often contrasted with criticism, where the latter is held to mean exclusively negative statements made about something, although this is not technically correct (see also Blame). Praise can be regarded as positive reinforcement, social reinforcement and verbal reinforcement.

Psychology of praise
Most people are responsive to praise and will increase in self-esteem or confidence if a suitable amount of praise is received. Some psychological theories hold that a person's life is comprised largely of attempts to win praise for their actions. However, some people are less affected by or even averse to praise, for example people with autism or schizoid personality disorder.

Using praise with children
Common advice is that praise should not be given to children without reason.
 * Reward the attainment of specifed goals, not just participation, of the child.
 * Ensure praise being given to the child is deserved.
 * Praise progress is in relation to an individuals past progress, NOT compared with others.
 * Teachers should NOT praise uninvolved students for not disrupting the class.