Further Evaluation of a Practitioner Model for Increasing Eye Contact in Children With Autism

Cook et al. recently described a progressive model for teaching children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to provide eye contact with an instructor following a name call. The model included the following phases: contingent praise only, contingent edibles plus praise, stimulus prompts plus contingent edibles and praise, contingent video and praise, schedule thinning, generalization assessments, and maintenance evaluations. In the present study, we evaluated the extent to which modifications to the model were needed to train 15 children with ASD to engage in eye contact. Results show that 11 of 15 participants acquired eye contact with the progressive model; however, eight participants required one or more procedural modifications to the model to acquire eye contact. In addition, the four participants who did not acquire eye contact received one or more modifications. Results also show that participants who acquired eye contact with or without modifications continued to display high levels of the behavior during follow-up probes. We discuss directions for future research with and limitations of this progressive model.

Praise Research Trends and Future Directions: Characteristics and Teacher Training

Teacher praise is an effective classroom management tool. Training teachers to increase their use of praise can improve student disruptive and off-task behavior. The purpose of this article is to examine different characteristics of praise and the training methods used in the literature. Training methods with positive treatment acceptability and demonstrated impact are summarized. Results indicate that most research focuses on behavior-specific, verbal, and contingent praise delivered to individual students. Most training studies used a combination of two or more methods that most commonly included a didactic, feedback, or goal setting component. Only half of the training studies measured treatment acceptability and the majority of these ratings were positive. Most studies training teachers to use praise had positive results. More research focused on infrequently studied praise characteristics (e.g., gestures, physical, and private) and training methods (e.g., in vivo, self-monitoring, and incentives) is needed. Implications for future praise research are presented.

Developing a Student-centered and Inclusive Music Classroom

Classroom behavior is a common concern among many music educators. This is particularly true for music educators who teach in inclusive settings. This chapter is designed to provide effective tools and strategies at the micro-level (e.g., behavior and management techniques), and the macro-level by informing the reader of philosophical underpinnings that encompass a successful inclusive classroom. The socialization and lasting relationships that all students develop in school are also of considerable importance. Therefore it is imperative for music educators to strive for a caring, inclusive environment that is conducive for all students to learn. The practical strategies suggested at the end of this chapter are presented to encourage music educators to create a tolerant, caring classroom that is conducive for music teaching and learning. Many of the techniques discussed in this chapter are just examples of good teaching regardless of what population of students you are teaching. Effective classroom management begins long before the students enter the music room. A well-prepared environment is essential for optimal instruction and is particularly important when teaching music to students with special needs. This groundwork can be time-consuming and requires a thoughtful approach to the classroom setting; however, it is well worth the planning when the classroom becomes an inclusive and student-centered environment. Conroy, Sutherland, Snyder and Marsh (2008), explains that specific teacher interventions can lead to improved student behavior. These interventions include: (a) close supervision and monitoring, (b) classroom rules, (c) opportunities to respond, and (d) contingent praise. As music educators, we can apply these principles to music classrooms. The next section of this chapter is designed to relate these interventions to music teaching and learning, and to provide strategies for music teachers. Close supervision and monitoring. Conroy et. al found that close supervision and monitoring can by implemented in the music classroom in the following ways: (a) student proximity to the teacher; (b) a music teacher’s ability to visually monitor all students; (c) active engagement with students; (d) student access to teacher; and (e) ratio of adults to students that is conducive to close supervision.

Increasing Retarded Adults' Compliance with Occupational and Household Tasks with a Guided Compliance and Verbal Praise Procedure: A Preliminary Investigation

We examined the use of a guided compliance procedure for increasing compliance with occupational and household tasks in community dwelling, mildly retarded adults. Two clients were admitted to an inpatient unit and were observed in a training room and a behaviour unit setting. In both settings, the clients were requested to engage in a number of occupational and household tasks, similar or identical to tasks they confront in the community. Training consisted of contingent praise for compliance, and physical guidance, applied contingent upon occurrences of noncompliance. Data were collected on compliance, aggression, verbal abuse, and proper application of the training procedure. Training was conducted in a multiple baseline across the two settings. These preliminary results suggest that guided compliance was successful in increasing compliance, with only a minimal and transitory increase in aggression and verbal abuse observed for one client, predominantly in the early phase of training. Largely anecdotal follow-up data suggest that the effect generalised to the community and maintained for at least five months.

Nurse—Patient Interaction in a Token Economy

Fourteen long-stay psychiatric patients on a token economy ward were divided into two groups to assess whether the giving of tokens affects staff–patient interaction. Group one received contingent praise and tokens; Group two contingent praise and non-contingent tokens. The length of time and frequency of nurse–patient interactions was measured in both groups over a 5-month period. Several significant differences between groups were found. The giving of contingent tokens affected nurses' behaviour in the following ways.

A Comparison of Teacher Approval and Disapproval Statements across Categories of Exceptionality

Researchers have long sought to identify teaching acts that have a predictable effect on learner performance. The contingent use of teacher praise is well documented for its positive influence on the social behavior of handicapped youngsters. However, results of the present study indicate that teachers of the mentally retarded, multihandicapped and learning disabled and/or behavior disordered make limited use of praise over criticism in managing classroom behavior. Even though the technology exists for training selected teacher competencies, e.g., use of contingent praise, it would appear that problems remain in connection with maintaining these skills in applied settings.

Instructional Pacing: Definition and Research Needs

Classroom characteristics such as instructional orientation and composition of work groups and instructional procedures such as teachers' use of contingent praise and systematic correction are major contributors to academic success. An important factor that has not received a great deal of attention is instructional pacing. Instructional pacing is characterized by the manipulation of two distinct time periods within an instructional sequence: the within-trial interval and the intertrial interval. This paper discusses research that has examined the components of the within-trial interval and intertrial interval. In addition, a research strategy is suggested to examine the components of instructional pacing. Such research would provide teacher training programs with an empirically valid teaching competency in instructional pacing, and would provide teachers with a powerful teaching tool.