Group Contingencies to Increase Appropriate Behaviors in the Classroom: Tips for Success

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Parks Ennis

Group contingencies are effective classroom-based interventions that can be used to increase the academic engagement of students with disabilities. This article defines and outlines examples of dependent, independent, and interdependent group contingencies. In addition, tips for success, including making reinforcement accessible to students, pairing reinforcement with behavior-specific praise, integrating self-monitoring, and providing a visual display of progress toward reinforcement, are discussed. Strategies for preventing challenges to implementation are also discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 471-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Markelz ◽  
Jonte C. Taylor ◽  
Tom Kitchen ◽  
Paul J. Riccomini ◽  
Mary Catherine Scheeler ◽  
...  

Effectively managing a classroom is crucial in promoting positive student outcomes. Behavior-specific praise is an empirically supported strategy to reinforce desirable student behaviors. Following a review of the literature, we identified tactile prompting and self-monitoring as effective methods to increase teachers’ use of behavior-specific praise while sustaining intervention long enough until teachers contacted natural maintaining contingencies. We created electronic tactile awareness prompting with self-monitoring (eTAPS) by combining two applications on an Apple Watch. Using a multiple-baseline-across-participants design, this study primarily investigated the effects of eTAPS on special education teachers’ use of behavior-specific praise. Secondarily, this study investigated the impact that behavior-specific praise would have on the on-task behaviors of targeted students with disabilities demonstrating frequent off-task behaviors. Results indicated that eTAPS was effective in increasing and maintaining behavior-specific praise rates. Furthermore, significant increases in student on-task behavior occurred. Implications of results and future research are discussed.



2021 ◽  
pp. 105345122199480
Author(s):  
Stephanie Morano ◽  
Andrew M. Markelz ◽  
Kathleen M. Randolph ◽  
Anna Moriah Myers ◽  
Naomi Church

Motivation and engagement in mathematics are important for academic success and are sometimes compromised in students with disabilities who have experienced a history of frustration and failure. This article explains how general and special education teachers can implement three research-supported strategies for boosting motivation and engagement for elementary students with or at risk of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in the mathematics classroom. The strategies include (a) reinforcing engagement and motivation in mathematics using behavior-specific praise and token economy systems; (b) teaching self-monitoring and self-regulation strategies to promote attentive behavior and academic achievement; and (c) using the high-preference strategy to build behavioral momentum and support completion of nonpreferred tasks.



2020 ◽  
pp. 109830072095193
Author(s):  
Ashley Elizabeth Knochel ◽  
Kwang-Sun Cho Blair ◽  
Donald Kincaid ◽  
Anna Randazzo

This study examined the impact of teacher training interventions on establishing equity in teacher implementation of a common positive behavior classroom support strategy, behavior-specific praise (BSP), in four elementary classrooms. Teacher self-monitoring and written performance feedback were used to support teachers in improving classroom practices by establishing proportionate praise and discipline practices across racially diverse students. A multiple-baseline across participants design was used to evaluate the impact of self-monitoring and written performance feedback with and without equity-focused procedures on teacher delivery of BSP and reprimands and their perception of student classroom behavior. Results indicated that the typical self-monitoring and written performance feedback were effective in increasing the participating teachers’ overall rates of delivering BSP and reducing reprimands; however, substantial disparities in praise delivery were observed among student racial groups across teachers. Additional feedback regarding equity was necessary for reducing disparities in teacher behavior. The results also indicated that teacher perception of student classroom behavior improved, as a result of the teacher training intervention.



2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 207-219
Author(s):  
Mary Rose Sallese ◽  
Kimberly J. Vannest

The effects of self-monitoring (SM) on teacher behavior are well documented, but previous research does not attempt to control for reactivity as a threat to internal validity. This study examined the effects of a multicomponent SM intervention on the use of a classroom management practice with participant masking to address this absence in the literature. Participating teachers selected between two practices (behavior-specific praise and opportunities to respond). A multiple baseline design across four pre-service teacher interns occurred in general education classroom settings. Participant masking to the purpose of the study precluded exposure to SM, performance feedback, and goal setting. Analyses included an independent visual analysis by three masked raters, an independent quality review for What Works Clearinghouse standards, a nonparametric statistical analysis based on data characteristics, and correspondence reporting between visual and statistical analyses. Overall results indicated an increase in the rate of classroom management practice use by the participants and good social validity across the three constructs. Student outcome data for on-task behavior were inconclusive. Limitations and implications for research and practice are discussed.





2020 ◽  
pp. 105381512092709
Author(s):  
Andrew Markelz ◽  
Benjamin Riden ◽  
Sara D. Hooks

Multicomponent interventions have successfully increased early childhood teachers’ rates of behavior-specific praise (BSP); however, package interventions do not allow for nuanced examinations of intervention components. We examined the effects of an intervention package with training, goal setting, self-monitoring, and tactile prompting on early childhood teachers’ BSP rates using an add-in, multiple probe, component analysis. In addition, we measured child on-task behaviors to assess the relation between increased BSP rates and children behavior. We used visual analysis and found that each component increased teachers’ BSP rates; two out of three teacher participants needed the most intense intervention (tactile prompting) to reach mastery criterion. Variable generalized BSP statements to other children in the class occurred between baseline and intervention components. The percentage of child on-task behaviors systematically increased in relation to higher BSP rates.



Author(s):  
Ashleigh E. Eaves ◽  
Keith C. Radley ◽  
Brad A. Dufrene ◽  
D. Joe Olmi ◽  
Lindsey E. Bernard




1996 ◽  
Vol 12 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 61-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher H. Skinner ◽  
Craig S. Cashwell ◽  
Merrily S. Dunn


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