Instructional Level and Engagement in Students With Behavioral Disorders

This study examined the effects of adjusting the difficulty level of instructional materials on the time on-task and comprehension of four students with emotional and behavioral disorders. All participants previously exhibited low rates of on-task behavior during reading assignments. Students were presented with reading materials at their instructional, frustration, and independent levels to assess the effect on time on-task and comprehension. All four students demonstrated the highest percent of on-task behavior when presented with reading materials at their instructional level. Comprehension scores were highest for all four students at the independent level and lowest at the frustration level.

Effects of Middle School Teachers’ Praise-to-Reprimand Ratios on Students’ Classroom Behavior

Middle school teachers frequently struggle with positively managing student behavior. However, praise-to-reprimand ratios (PRRs) have received little research attention. PRRs studied in elementary school have been positively associated with improvements in on-task and prosocial behavior, but limited research has been conducted on optimal PRRs in middle schools. We conducted this study in the context of a randomized control trial of Class-wide Function-related Intervention Teams Middle School (CW-FIT MS) to isolate the effects of one of the main components of the intervention, PRR. After controlling for the intervention, we examined the effects of PRRs in 28 middle school classrooms on (a) class-wide on-task behavior, (b) on-task behavior of students at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), and (c) disruptive behavior of students at risk for EBD. Multivariate regressions revealed a statistically significant linear relationship between middle school PRRs and the variables of interest: As PRRs increased, on-task behavior of the entire class improved, on-task behavior and grades of students at risk for EBD increased, and disruptive behavior of students at risk for EBD decreased. We discuss the implications of our findings and suggest areas for future research.

Applying High Leverage Practices to Increase Active Engagement and On-task Behavior of Students with Intellectual Disabilities during Literacy Activities

The high leverage practices of promoting active student engagement and using assistive and instructional technology can be implemented simultaneously in resource settings. The purpose of the study was to compare two commonly used methods of engagement, hand-raising and digital response cards, to determine their effect on students’ active engagement, on-task behavior, and reading comprehension. An ABAB design was used to evaluate the effects among high school students with intellectual disabilities during reading lessons. The results indicated there was a positive correlation associated with digital response cards on the level of active engagement, on-task behavior and skill acquisition as evidenced by whole group means.

Using Classroom Clickers to Increase Academic Engagement for Elementary School–Aged Students With Disabilities

Student engagement is a critical feature to the teaching and learning dynamic that takes place in the classroom. Technology is often used as a means for increasing student engagement, and Student Response Technology (SRT), where students use handheld clickers to respond during classroom instruction, is one form of technology used to do this. The current study examined the effect of SRT on student engagement in elementary classrooms for students with disabilities. A multiple baseline across participants design was used to measure student engagement across several areas, including rate of participation and on-task behavior. Both visual and statistical analysis yielded a relationship between use of SRT and two areas of engagement: student’s participation and on-task behavior.