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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. [email protected]
