Other Strategies for Challenging Behavior

Token Economies

TOKEN ECONOMIES

A token economy involves awarding tokens, chips, sticker, check marks, points, or other items/markings to students who demonstrate desired behaviors identified by the teachers.

Students may periodically exchange the tokens for rewards, which are items or activities desirable to them.

TOKEN ECONOMIES

Often effective for students who are resistant to other types of management techniques.

Easy to administer Immediate reinforcement while teaching

delayed gratification Lack of competition b/n students as they

compete only against themselves

TOKEN ECONOMIES

1. Select behaviors to be rewarded2. State desired behaviors in specific and

observable terms3. Decide how you will measure the

behaviors4. Decide where to monitor the behaviors5. Select the initial reinforcer6. Select your back-up reinforcers

TOKEN ECONOMIES

7. Place a value on the tokens8. Finalize the details by developing your own

monitoring sheet to keep track of awards and fines, and deciding how often and when tokens can be exchanged for reinforcers

9. Start your program10. Periodically modify your system to wean

your students from the token economy.

YOUR TURN

List five items that could be used as tokens in a token economy.