classroom management for exceptional learners...classroom management for exceptional learners diane...

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ClassroomManagementforExceptionalLearners

DianeMyers,Ph.D.TexasWoman’sUniversity

October11,2018

Behaviorbasics

Thethree-termcontingency

Alberto&Troutman,2013:BrandiJ

Antecedent:

Anystimulusthatprecedesabehavior

Behavior:

Anyobservableandmeasurable

actofanindividual(response)

Consequence:

Anystimuluspresented

contingentonaparticularresponse

Reinforcement• Reinforcementincreasesthelikelihoodofabehaviorinthefuture.• Whetheraconsequenceisreinforcingornotdependsonthelearner.• Onlythefuturerateofabehaviordeterminesifaconsequenceisreinforcing.

• Reinforcementcanbepositiveornegative.• Positive:Somethingisaddedtotheenvironment.• Negative:Somethingisremoved fromtheenvironment.

What’sgoingonhere?

• Rafaelisoftenlatetoclass.Whenhearrives,hispeersoftenclapandmakestatementslike,“Gladyoufinallyshowedup,Rafa.”Rafaelsmilesandsitsdown,butnotuntilhehashigh-fivedafewfriends.• What,behaviorally,isgoingonhere?

• Rogerdoesn’tcareforhismathteacher.Duringclass,heoftenswearsandtearsuphiswork,whichresultsinhimgettingsenttotheprincipal’soffice,wherehechatswiththesecretaryandotherrule-breakers.• What,behaviorally,isgoingonhere?

Whydowecare?

• Whatdotheconceptsofreinforcementandpunishmenthavetodowithstudentbehavior?

• Afewthings:• Knowingthemechanisms behindhowbehaviorworkscanhelpyoushapebehavior:trickscanfailyou,butthescienceneverwill.• Understandingthatreinforcementandpunishmentarescientificphenomenathataffectratesofbehaviorwillhelpyouselectconsequencesbasedonyourobservations(ratherthanonwhatyouthinkwillwork).• Ifweknowcertainconsequencesincreasethelikelihoodofbehaviorswewanttosee,wecanplantohavethoseconsequencesfollowthebehaviorswewanttosee.

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Function

• Function:thekeytodepersonalizingbehavior.• Whatisthestudenttryingtoget?• Whatisthestudenttryingtoavoid?

• Knowingthefunctionofastudent’sinappropriatebehaviorwillhelpyouselectanappropriateinterventionandteachanewbehaviorthatmeetsthesamefunction.

Empirically-SupportedPracticesEstablishingandteachingroutinesandexpectations

Structureandexpectations

• Whatdoes“structure”intheclassroommean?• Physicalstructure(e.g.,furniture,décor)• Embeddedstructure(e.g.,routines)

• Whataresomeroutinesthateveryoneshouldknow?

• Classroomexpectations:• Select3-5positivelystatedexpectations(canbesameasSW)• Defineexpectationswithinthecontextofroutines

RuleswithinRoutinesMatrix

Routines

Rules

Entering Classroom Seat Work Small Group

ActivityLeaving

Classroom

Be Safe

Be Respectful

Be Responsible

Expectations

ClassroomRoutines

Groupwork Deskwork Quizzesandtests Arrival Dismissal

RespectOfferideas

Completealltasks

Sitwithfeetontheground

Getupandstretchifnecessary

Studyforallassessments

Readthroughanddouble-checkallwork

Getallsuppliesfortheday

Lockbelongingsinlocker

Checkonhomework

Packnecessarymaterials

Responsibility

Complimentothers’ideas

Listenandmakeeyecontact

Worksilently

Readquietlyiffinishedahead

ofothers

Keepeyesonyourownpaper

Studywithothers

Keepphoneoffandinbag

Moveoutofthewayquickly

inthehall

Letotherssitwithyouonthe

bus

Holddoorsforthosewithbags

ReadytoLearn

Keepmaterialsorganized

Movedesksquietly

Keepdeskareaclean

Keepaislesclear

Keepdeskareaclean

Usescrappaper

Closelockerdoorsquietly

Movechairsquietly

Pushchairsunderdesks

Walkinthehallways

Whatthebehaviorslooklike andsoundlike(positivelystated!)

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Thematrixaloneisnotenough!

• Howdoweensurethatstudentswillfollowtheroutineswithinourmatrix?

• Expectationsandroutinesmustbetaughtlikeacademics.

• Consideramodel,lead,testformat(i.e.,Ido,wedo,youdo).• Providemultipleopportunitiesforpracticeandfeedback.• Determinehowyou’llassessstudents’understandingofcontent.

Establishingandteachingexpectations,summary• Beginbydefiningyourexpectationswithinthecontextofyourclassroomroutines.

• Postyourrules-within-routinesmatrixandrefertoitoften,includingusingitasawaytoidentifybehaviorsthatdonotmeetexpectations

• Teachbehavioralexpectationsasyouwouldacademics:haveanoutcome,determinehowyouwillmeasurestudents’progresstowardthatoutcome,andmakeconnectionstofutureinstruction.

Behavior-specificfeedback:Praise

Whatisbehavior-specificpraise?

• Behaviorspecificpraiselookslike:• Identifyingthelearner(s).• Identifyingthespecificbehaviorbeginacknowledged.• Astatementthatoccursdirectlyafter(i.e.,asaresultof)thebehavior.

• Whataresomeexamples?

Exampleornon-example?

• Forthefollowing,identifyifthepraisestatementisspecificandcontingent.• Rod,Ilikehowyou’resittingquietly.• Todd,you’redoingagreatjob.• Class,youalldidverywellstayingontaskyesterday.• Ned,you’rereallydoingagreatjobtakingnotes.• Maude,yourskirtislovely.• IlikehowSherryandTerryareraisingtheirhands.• That’sthewaytodoit,Nelson!Keepitup!• Ralph,you’rebeingreallysuccessfulwiththatindependentwork.

Moreaboutdeliveringpraise.

• Whyisspecific,contingentpraisemoreeffectivethangeneralpraisestatements?

• Deliverpraiseinyournaturaldemeanor.

• Praiseshouldsoundsincere.

• Notallstudentswillfindpraisereinforcing.• Whymightthisbethecase?• Whataresomeoptionsforprovidingpraisetothesestudents?

Alberto&Troutman,2013;Simonsen&Myers,2015

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Behavior-specificfeedback:Errorcorrection

Thinkaboutthefollowingscenarios.

• Duringclass,astudentmakesaloudandoff-topiccomment(e.g.,“It’sagooddayforgettin’rowdy!”or“WhoelsestayedupallnightplayingFortnite?”).Whatisastandardteacherresponse?

• Astudentmispronouncesawordwhilereadingalong(e.g.,says“seven”whenthewordis“severe”).Whatisastandardteacherresponse?

Errorcorrection

• Firstresponsetominorbehaviorerrorshouldbespecificandcontingenterrorcorrection.• Identifyproblembehavior.• Identifyexpectedbehavior.• Reteach ifnecessary.• Providefeedback.• Reinforceassoonasappropriatebehaviorisdisplayed.

Remember:Academicandsocialbehavior

• Itiscriticalforustorememberthatallbehaviorsarelearnedthroughconsequences:academicandsocialbehaviorsarebothbehaviors.

• Learningacademicbehaviorscantakealongtime.Studentsmayrequireremediation,extrainstruction,anddifferentapproaches.• Thesameistrueforsocialbehaviors.• Keepaninstructionalmindset.

Questionsanddiscussion. Thankyou!dmyers1@twu.edu