"They may indeed be positive but, as with punishment, the agenda is the same - control and manipulation. And, over time, this is exactly how these strategies are experienced by pupils. Kids probably rarely vocalise it but surely one of the most irksome aspects of being involved in reward schemes is that they often seem patently unfair. It is simply impossible for a teacher to run whole class reward schemes in an equitable manner. Recipients of rewards tend to be disproportionately from the top or bottom of any class (in terms of achievement and/or behaviour). And as for those who are identified as having special educational needs, particularly if there is a behaviour problem, boy is the reward and praise laid on thick." (you can read the rest of the article here ).

He does make a point. In Japan, I've often turned to reward schemes to motivate kids who see no purpose in learning a language that to them exists worlds away, especially when in some schools OC classes don't reflect in the student's grades. And of course, the kids who get rewarded the most are those who have a natural affinity for English, and those who behave so badly otherwise that even moderate effort earns them a sticker or point. This leads to a large group of resentful kids who feel their efforts aren't being rewarded and may further tune out, and a smaller group of kids who may become so tuned into the idea of a reward that they make it the basis for their education. The idea of learning because it's fun or important is lost.

What do you think? How can we use reward systems as effective classroom management? Can they be used at all?

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