Tootling

Tootling is a classroom-based intervention used to increase peer prosocial behaviors, particularly offering and receiving help, while decreasing negative and disruptive peer interactions.^[1] Tootling is like tattling but refers to the reporting of only positive, rather than inappropriate, social behaviors.^[2][3] The idea behind this concept is if young children can learn to tattle on inappropriate behavior, then they are capable of monitoring and reporting prosocial behavior.^[2]

The objective of tootling is to get students to engage in more prosocial behaviors and to be aware and appreciative of these behaviors in others.^[2] Tootling is also helpful for teachers to foster awareness of positive behaviors and increase praise while downplaying a focus on negative behaviors and punishment.^[2] The word "tootling" is a combination of "tattling" (monitoring and reporting classmates antisocial behavior^[3]) and the expression "tooting your own horn".^[1] Tootling meets key criteria for classroom-based positive behavior support (PBS)^[4] and can be used in general and special education settings. In addition, tootling was considered a best practice strategy for special education instructors for providing an inclusive classroom.^[5]