The Behaviourist Approach to Teaching in Class

What is Behaviourism and How Can it be Utilized in Schools

May 7, 2009 Rachel Wills

Behaviourism is a tenet based on the idea that behaviour can be learned without involvement of the mind. But how can this principle be used in schools?

Behaviourism is a theory expounded by the psychologist B F Skinner, who argued that cause and effect is what controls behaviour, not the mind or reasoning. The keyword to Behaviourism is “conditioning” or “training.” The story about Pavlov’s dogs illustrates this idea.

All about Pavlov’s Dogs

The physiologist Pavlov noticed that his dogs salivated at feeding time at the smell of food. He decided to explore this reaction and accompanied feeding time with the ringing of a bell. This he did over a long period, which is what conditioning requires. One day, he rang the bell but did not bring food. The dogs continued to salivate. Through this, Pavlov learned that the dogs had made a mental association between the sound of the bell and the experience of food. The dogs had “learned” a response through conditioning to a particular stimulus, in this case, the bell.

Classical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning

There are two sides to the Behaviourist approach:

Classical Conditioning
Operant Conditioning

Classical conditioning is simply about conditioning through a neutral stimulus. Nothing else is involved. An example of this is the sound of the bell in schools that encourages the automatic response of children to go to class.

Operant conditioning means reinforcing a particular behaviour through punishment or reward. An example of this is to give someone a treat if he behaves or to berate bad behaviour.

In both Operant and Classical conditioning, Behaviourism is all about behaviour only, and not about the cognitive thought processes of the higher brain.

Different Levels of Learning

Bloom’s Taxonomy illustrates the pyramid of learning. The lowest tier is simply to recall. This can be seen in young children who recite the alphabet. The pinnacle of Bloom’s Taxonomy is evaluation. This means being able to reflect upon the information and formulate a fresh view.

In the context of learning, the Behaviourist model for learning is teacher-directed, pedagogic and concrete. It is all about “do as I say.” This involves the lower levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. The more gifted learner who is at the top of the learning pyramid might not benefit from a Behaviourist-dominated lesson.

Appropriate Use of Discipline in Lesson Plans

The Behaviourist view in terms of teaching includes highly-structured lesson plans. Strategies include approaches such as lectures, demonstrations and directed instruction. This can include punishing bad behaviour and encouraging good behaviour. This will preserve healthy teacher pupil boundaries. The Behaviourist approach to teaching is easy to evaluate, for it is structured, directed and concrete.

When the Behaviourist Approach is Appropriate within the Classroom

The Behaviourist approach might be best suited to a class of young or less able learners, for the objectives are clear and are easy to measure. This form of teaching might also be necessary for moving things along, keeping to deadlines such as exams, discouraging late-comers and people texting during class. The Behaviourist approach might also be appropriate for a class full of unruly teenagers, but a different approach might be needed if a pupil is at risk of becoming excluded.

Behaviour Management in Class

The Behaviourist approach is only one theory that can be applied to teaching and learning. More able students might become fidgety if too much Behaviourism is applied. There are other approaches that can be used such as the Cognitivist or Humanist approach, but no lesson plan can work if it is completely Behavioural-free. A little discipline helps keep the lesson structured and moving along.

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