Comparison of Alfie Kohn and Stephen Krashen on Intrinsic and Extrinsic Rewards

Although I searched for contrasts, Alfie Kohn and Krashen seem to have the same view point regarding extrinsic rewards: that they do not motivate students to reach their fullest potential. While, unfortunately, Krashen merely sites the studies of others, Kohn offers more insight into this issue by providing actual reasons such as his own psychoanalytical view, "Rewards and punishments are both ways of manipulating behavior" (Alfie Kohn, Punished by Rewards)and sites his own research.

Krashen offers evidence that rewards do not result in higher achievement for the student. Krashen sites studies done on the Accelerated Reader program. This is a program where "children earn points by taking tests on the" books content and "children get prizes in exchange for the points". (Krashen, The Power of Reading) He sites McQuillan (1997) who "reviewed studies that measured the effectiveness of these programs...and concluded that there was no evidence that they improved reading achievement or attitudes toward reading". (Krashen, The Power of Reading)

Alfie Kohn gives us the reasons why these kinds of extrinsic rewards don't work in the long term. First of all, "rewards cause people to lose interest in whatever they were rewarded for doing". (Alfie Kohn, The Risks of Rewards) Secondly, "A child promised a treat for learning or acting responsibly has been given every reason to stop doing so when there is no longer a reward to be gained". (Alfie Kohn, The Risks of Rewards)

Kohn goes on to talk about the detrimental effects of rewards. Children who receive rewards ask for help less for fear that "asking for help may reduce the probability of receiving a reward". (Alfie Kohn, The Risks of Rewards) Children who engage in tasks that are reward based have decreased self-esteem and in fact extrinsically rewarded tasks "may increase kids' dependence on us" (Alfie Kohn, Five Reasons to Stop Saying "Good Job!") as they are constantly relying on outside sources for approval.

The most frightening effect on achievement of extrinsic rewards, tangible or non-tangible, is that "people offered a reward generally choose the easiest possible task." (Alfie Kohn, The Risks of Rewards) While "In the absence of rewards...children are inclined to pick tasks that are just beyond their current level of ability." (Alfie Kohn, The Risks of Rewards) How will students ever learn if they only pick the tasks at which they know they will succeed?

As far as the use of extrinsic rewards in my classes, currently all 600 of my students do not receive a grade. So, that extrinsic motivational factor does not exist for me to eliminate in my attempt to get them to try harder (or at all). I have spoken with other teachers in my town and those who teach "for credit" classes at universities enjoy their jobs much more (this is evidenced by their 7 years in the same job and the high rate of turnover in a job like mine and in the uni-won positions). I look forward to the day when my students receive a grade in my class. I aspire to teach at the university level and would not eliminate grades in my classes.

I say "Good Job!" all the time and in light of these readings I am reducing "Good Jobs" by at least 50% in my middle school classes. The 50% I am keeping is my response to the entire class, rather than individual students. For the individual students, of them don't understand much of what I say except "Good Job!", so my new solution is to say "Thank you". This way I am not judging them but merely showing my appreciation that they have made the effort to complete their in class assignment.

With my elementary school classes, 120 seven year olds, I have stopped saying "Good Job" 80% of the time. Once again reserving this praise for the entire class rather than the individual students. These kids are highly intrinsically motivated when age and level appropriate teaching methods are used. They are excited about English and their metacognition of their new comprehension abilities, as they execute TPR or practice a new conversation from the days lesson, is as Kohn and Krashen have proved reward enough.

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References:

Kohn, Alfie. (Sept. 2001). Five Reasons to Stop Saying "Good Job!" [Electronic version]. Young Children. ; (Dec. 1994). The Risks of Rewards [Electronic version]. ERIC Digest.; (Sept. 1995) Punished By Rewards? [Electronic version]. Educational Leadership.

Krashen, Stephen (2004). The Power of Reading. Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.