Abstract: Skinner is one of the main representatives of modern American behavioral psychology school, and reinforcement theory is the most important part and foundation of his learning theory. His theory is not only of great theoretical significance, but also of great practical significance. By expounding Skinner's reinforcement theory, this paper points out some practical applications of this theory in special education, including small step teaching, reward mechanism, behavior shaping and correction. At the same time, it points out several principles that should be paid attention to in the application of reinforcement principle in special education, including the principle of consistency, timeliness and effectiveness of reinforcement. Keywords: practical application of reinforcement theory in special education 1 reinforcement theory 1. 1 Skinner's reinforcement theory is a concept borrowed from Pavlov by Skinner, but its connotation has changed. In Pavlov's classical conditioned reflex, reinforcement refers to the presentation of unconditional stimulus after conditioned stimulus; In Skinner's operant conditioning, reinforcement refers to the event that accompanies the behavior, which helps to increase the probability of behavior recurrence [1]. In his theoretical system, he believes that human behavior is mostly operational, and any learned behavior is related to timely reinforcement [2]. So reinforcement is the main independent variable, and the control of reinforcement is the control of behavior. According to Skinner's theory, children's behavior is to get the attention of adults. Once adults give different forms of attention to children's behavior, such as praise or criticism, it will strengthen children's behavior. So researchers can shape children's behavior through reinforcement. In Skinner's theory, he divided reinforcement into different types according to different standards. 1.2. 1 According to the nature of reinforcement, Skinner divided reinforcement into positive reinforcement (positive reinforcement) and negative reinforcement (negative reinforcement). Positive reinforcement refers to the appearance of stimulus after an individual makes a certain behavior, thus enhancing the probability of the behavior. Negative reinforcement means that a stimulus is excluded after an individual makes a certain behavior, thus enhancing the probability of the behavior. It can be seen that whether it is positive reinforcement or negative reinforcement, the result is the same, that is, it can enhance the possibility of behavior recurrence and enhance behavior. The only difference is whether the number of stimuli increases or decreases. 1.2.2 the extent to which human behavior is affected by reinforcement. According to the influence of reinforcement on human behavior, Skinner divided reinforcement into primary reinforcement and secondary reinforcement. Primary reinforcement refers to the reinforcement to meet the basic physiological needs of human and animal survival and reproduction. Food, water, safety, warmth, sex and other primary enhancers. Secondary reinforcement means that if any neutral stimulus is repeatedly combined with primary reinforcement, it can obtain its own reinforcement properties. Secondary enhancers, such as money, education, care, identity, etc. At first, it doesn't have a strengthening effect, but it has a strengthening effect because it matches with primary enhancers such as food and sexual desire. 1.2.3 Skinner and his colleagues divided reinforcement into continuous reinforcement (also called immediate reinforcement) and intermittent reinforcement (also called delayed reinforcement) according to the interval between behavior and reinforcement. Continuous reinforcement refers to strengthening the correct response at each time or stage, that is, when an individual makes a correct response within a period of time or time, reinforcement comes or is removed immediately. For example, when children sweep the floor, parents immediately praise them; Children help their mothers cook, and parents will be sure at once. In the long run, children will form a good habit of doing housework. Intermittent reinforcement means that there is a certain time interval between the occurrence of behavior and the appearance or removal of reinforcement, or it appears or is removed in proportion. Intermittent strengthening can be divided into fixed strengthening and non-fixed strengthening. The study also shows that if non-fixed strengthening is used, the predetermined strengthening time and reaction times do not appear in the fixed standard, and the reaction will be stable and uniform, and it is not easy to fade [1]. 2. Practical application in special education 2. 1 Application of small steps Skinner believes that human behavior towards a goal is complex and consists of a series of single elements. If it is decomposed, we will regularly control the elements of each combination, that is, decompose the overall goal into many steps and small goals, and give timely positive encouragement (positive feedback) to each small goal. Or correct or give a bad evaluation (negative feedback) to students' adverse reactions and behaviors caused by completing the steps, so as to urge them to achieve a small goal, then start the next goal and finally achieve the overall goal [3]. This teaching method is still widely used in special education, such as task analysis and job analysis. These methods all need to decompose a knowledge point or skill to be taught into several small knowledge points and small steps. The purpose of doing this is to refine and simplify a kind of knowledge and skills that are difficult for special students to master, reduce the difficulty of knowledge, and enable students to master it easily. At the same time, when imparting knowledge or skills, regardless of the students' operation and completion, they should give timely feedback so that students can understand whether they are right or wrong. On the one hand, you can define your learning goals and adjust your learning behavior. At the same time, due to the simplification of tasks and teachers' timely feedback and evaluation, students' learning enthusiasm can be mobilized, students' learning initiative can be increased and the compulsion of learning can be reduced. 2.2 The use of incentive mechanism In people's eyes, special children are children in the corner of society, and they rarely have the possibility of success, so people tend to ignore this group. In society, such children are often given the cold shoulder by others and can not be recognized by others. For example, many students studying in the same class, their academic performance in ordinary schools is far less excellent than that of some ordinary children. However, with the emphasis on students' academic performance, many of their other advantages are often ignored and praised, but they are often discriminated against by classmates and teachers, and their desire for success is gradually erased. But this doesn't mean that they don't need success, praise and recognition. They are also eager for spiritual needs (honor, status, reputation, etc. ) can be satisfied in my heart. Therefore, students' good grades, even small progress, can be affirmed, praised and rewarded in time, either orally or in writing; It can be material (primary reinforcement) or spiritual (secondary reinforcement); It can be continuous (continuous reinforcement), that is, good behavior is rewarded once every time it appears, or it can be intermittent (intermittent reinforcement), that is, good behavior appears many times and is rewarded once after reaching a certain number [3]. Slowly, these students' self-confidence will be greatly improved, their mental health will be improved, and their ability and motivation to do things will be improved unconsciously. Studies have shown that the personality development of children with mild mental retardation in regular classes lags behind that of cram schools and children in regular classes, and children in regular classes are relatively more likely to have problems such as inferiority, lack of independence, immaturity and poor tolerance [4]. Therefore, in the process of special education, we should pay attention to discovering students' bright spots, praise their progress and advantages in time, and strengthen them moderately to increase students' advantages and progress probability. 2.3 Skinner's key research object is to strengthen the application in the process of shaping and correcting children's behavior and to strengthen the control of children's behavior. He believes that reinforcement plays an important role in the generation and development of children's behavior, mainly in the following aspects: First, in his view, reinforcement is an important method to shape students' behavior. Strengthening in teaching means that educators transmit positive or negative information about their specific behavior to students in a certain strengthening way. As long as they understand the reinforcement effect and manipulate the reinforcement technology well, they can control the behavioral response and shape a kind of children's behavior expected by educators at will. At the same time, Skinner successfully applied his reinforcement theory to the correction of children's bad behavior. This kind of calibration work is not complicated. As long as adults pay attention not to strengthen children's bad behavior at any time, any place and in any way, this bad behavior can be corrected. This method and principle have been well applied in special education. For example, in the application of the combination of school education and family education, teachers and parents make certain plans and measures according to the students' situation, and ask students to shape new behaviors or correct bad behaviors. In these plans and measures, it is pointed out that once students meet the specified requirements, parents or teachers will give corresponding incentives in time, which can be material or spiritual. Similarly, if they fail to meet the requirements, they will eventually achieve the set goals and improve students' behavior. 3 The application principle of reinforcement principle in special education Because of the particularity of special students, the reinforcement adopted is effective, and several principles need to be paid attention to: 3. 1 Consistency means that teachers should adhere to the content, nature and standards of reinforcement for students, and all kinds of feedback information provided by reinforcement should be consistent to avoid contradictions [5]. Because of the weak cognitive ability of special students, their cognition of perceived things is often not fixed and will be influenced by many external factors. For example, a teacher makes a positive evaluation of students' behavior, while another teacher makes a negative evaluation of students' behavior, and students are often at a loss. 3.2 Timeliness means that teachers give timely information feedback after students' behavioral responses, so as to improve students' awareness and understanding of reinforcement [5]. Because the special students have poor memory ability. Most of their memories of things are unconscious, and most of them stay in the short-term memory stage. Therefore, if the interval between a certain behavior and reinforcement is too long, and they participate in some irrelevant behaviors and stimuli, they will easily forget their own behaviors or reactions, making the direction of reinforcement unclear and confusing the impact on behavior. 3.3 Efficiency means that teachers should give full play to the positive and effective influence of reinforcement on behavior in teaching [5]. For example, too many positive comments can enhance students' self-confidence and corresponding behavior, but at the same time, it will also breed arrogance and complacency. At the same time, the persistence of special students' interest is relatively poor. Their interest in some things is often three minutes, and most of them stay on the surface. Therefore, if their reinforcement is fixed or relatively simple for a long time, then these reinforcement will not strengthen them. Therefore, when strengthening special students, we should be good at inspiring them to have high-level needs, inspiring them to set achievement goals, thus inspiring them to have lasting work enthusiasm, and we can also combine material incentives with spiritual incentives and so on. Observe the changes of students at any time, adjust their own strengthening methods and materials at any time, and then achieve the purpose of strengthening.