Behaviorists study how behaviors are influenced by environmental stimuli. Environmental stimuli that drive behavior include antecedents that occur before a behavior takes place and consequences that occur after. In the learning arena, behaviorism techniques introduce stimuli that produce desired behavior. These techniques include concepts such as reinforcement, repetition and teacher-centric learning.
Teacher-centric learning involves direct or explicit teaching. Under the behaviorism approach, teachers lead classes. They control what information they teach in the classroom and use approaches such as drilling, lecturing and demonstrating. These methods introduce structure and predictability into the classroom. Some children, such as those with learning disabilities, perform better in highly structured classrooms. Teacher-centric learning also involves immediate reinforcement of desired behaviors or reinforcement of concepts through repetition.
Teachers use positive reinforcement as a behaviorism approach. Positive reinforcement occurs when a teacher adds a stimulus after a certain behavior. For example, a teacher might give a child a sticker when the child answers a question correctly. Positive reinforcement increases the likelihood of repeated behavior. This type of reinforcement also motivates students. According to the University of California Berkeley's Teaching Guide for Graduate Student Instructors, behavior is continuously modified until students receive reinforcement.
Behaviorist learning principles benefit children with learning disabilities, by approaching not only learning issues, but behavioral issues as well. These teaching methods work best on subjects that require students to memorize facts, such as history, social studies and mathematics. The behaviorist approach to learning also involves breaking down large skill sets into smaller, more manageable skills. This allows students to master concepts before moving to the next skill set. For example, teachers break down phonics into individual letter sounds before moving to more advanced concepts.
Sometimes positive reinforcement backfires. Children might become reliant on rewards for desired behaviors. Teachers can counteract this by reducing rewards when the child begins to display the desired behavior. Behaviorism also doesn't work well for all subjects. Concepts such as writing, which requires students to analyze and interpret information, might not benefit from the behaviorist approach.