Abstract:

Teacher training and teacher quality are an important part of the education system, therefore there is a need for new training programs for teachers to gain new knowledge and skills and to support their professional development. In recent years, new programs have been developed to offer knowledge and experience to teachers, and different methods such as consulting to increase the effectiveness of these programs have been suggested. One of these methods is performance feedback which can desirably change teacher behaviors and offer teachers opportunities to experience applying these newly learned methods in their classrooms. The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of performance feedback (PF) which was given daily to teachers following their training in classroom management strategies on the outcome of teacher-student dyads. This study was conducted using three teachers working in mainstreaming classes and their students with special needs. A single-subject design, the multiple-probe design with probe conditions across subjects, and the one group pretest/ post-test design were used to complete the research goal. As a result, performance feedback was found to have positive effects on teacher-use of target classroom management skills (individualization, transitions, and reinforcement). It was seen that intervention increased the preventive classroom management skills and classroom behaviors of teachers. Regarding the outcome for the children, the intervention program increased academic engagement and positive behaviors, while decreasing negative behaviors. Teacher opinions related to the performance feedback intervention were generally positive. Finally, social comparison data indicated that the intervention was socially valid, and by the end of the study the students who were participants in the research displayed more positive behaviors and less negative behaviors than the social comparison groups.

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