Beyond teacher praise: Evaluating tootling as an inclusive intervention for academically engaged behaviour in Aotearoa New Zealand primary classrooms

Abstract

This thesis reports on two single case experimental studies investigating the effects of a peer-mediated behaviour intervention, known as “Tootling ”, on student behaviour in Aotearoa New Zealand primary schools. Tootling involves students recognising prosocial behaviours performed by their peers and reporting these events as “tootles” which are then read aloud to the class by the teacher. The studies aimed to evaluate whether Tootling increased academically engaged behaviour (AEB) at both, class-wide level, and for individual target students who have shown high rates of disruptive behaviours. Secondary questions examined whether Tootling influenced teacher-delivered praise and reprimands, teacher indices of happiness (IoH), and patterns in tootle submissions, including the focus of tootles on prosocial behaviours and school values. The intervention was implemented within the Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) framework, supporting alignment with the school’s values-based systems.

This research sought to address several gaps in the literature by examining the effects of Tootling across two culturally inclusive classroom settings in Aotearoa New Zealand. Study 1, conducted in a Year 0–1 classroom, with four target students, employed an A-B research design due to contextual factors. Study 2, conducted in a Year 5–6 classroom with three target students, used a multiple treatment single-case design to examine Tootling alone and in combination with a values-specific focus (respect, responsibility, resilience). Data on AEB, teacher praise and reprimands, IoH, and student tootle submissions were collected using direct observation and integrity measures.

Results demonstrated consistent increases in class-wide AEB across both classrooms, with the largest gains observed for target students identified as having low initial rates of academic engagement. Teacher praise and IoH showed variable but generally positive effects. Patterns of tootling submissions highlighted that students engaged actively in recording and acknowledging prosocial behaviours, linked to school values. The values-specific conditions in Study 2 also produced increases in tootles on the targeted value (respect, responsibility and resilience).

Overall, findings suggest that Tootling is a practical, effective, and socially valid whole-class intervention, with strong potential for integration within PB4L frameworks in Aotearoa New Zealand schools.