Download Using Behavioral Techniques in the Classroom

Planning Lessons - Step One
The Plan
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Specify objectives
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Select learning activities
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Organize learning activities
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Specify evaluation procedures
Planning Lessons - Step Two
Content Organizational System
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Review/assess the content
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Overview the content
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Present the content
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Exercise the content
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Summarize the content
Planning Lessons - Step Three
Preliminary Planning Sheet
I. Direction
1. Activity
2. Objectives
3. Entry
Characteristics
II. Specifics
1. Content
2. Procedures
3. Results
III. Provisions
1. Resources
2. Feedback
3. Follow-up
What activity do you plan to initiate?
What are the students supposed to learn from the activity?
What prior skills and understanding do you expect the learners to
bring to the lesson?
What specific content will you cover?
What specifically will you and the learners do during the
activity?
What results do you expect?
What facilities and materials will you and the learners need in
order to carry out the activity?
How will you and the learners be provided with feedback
regarding their progress?
What activities will you assign as a means of extending or
reinforcing the lesson?
Planning Lessons: Step Four
Written Plan
Teacher:
Target student(s):
IEP/IFSP goal:
Short-term objectives:
Materials:
Procedures:
Key vocabulary:
Time required:
Short-term assessment:
Long-term evaluation/assessment:
Using Behavioral Techniques
in the Classroom
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Assumptions: all behavior can be explained through the
ABCs (antecedent, behavior, consequence).
Operant conditioning: many behaviors are emitted
spontaneously and are controlled primarily by their
consequences.
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Characteristics:
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Focus on observable specific behaviors rather than global.
Assessment of the target behavior to be altered.
Evaluation of the lesson effectiveness.
Concern for producing change that is socially significant.
Reinforcement:
an increase in the frequency of a response when it is
immediately followed by certain consequences
Positive reinforcement: events which will increase the frequency of the behavior
that they follow.
 Primary (unconditioned)
 Secondary (conditioned)
 Negative Reinforcers: events that will increase a response when they are
removed.
 Timing: to maximize the effect of reinforcement, a reinforcer should be
delivered immediately after the target response.
 Magnitude
 Schedules
 Continuous: each response is reinforced.
 Intermittent: reinforcement is delivered after some of the responses
rather than all of them.
 Ratio schedule: reinforcement is contingent upon the emission of
a certain number of responses.
 Interval schedule: reinforcement is contingent upon the amount
of time that passes before a response can be reinforced.
Punishment & Extinction
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Punishment: the presentation of an aversive event or
the removal of an item/event (after the target response)
event that decreases the frequency of the target
response.
 Putting bitter tasting liquid on tongue after cursing.
Or
 Taking away toy after it is thrown.
Extinction: the cessation of reinforcement of a
response.
 No consequences follow the response.
 An event is not taken away nor is it presented.
Shaping & Chaining
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Shaping: the terminal behavior is achieved by reinforcing small steps or
approximations.
 Requires reinforcing behaviors already in the repertoire of the individual
that resemble the target behavior.
 Successive approximations: responses that are increasingly similar to
the final goal are reinforced, and they increase; Those responses
dissimilar to the final goal are not reinforced, and they extinguish.
Chaining: a sequence of responses. Each response proceeds in a relatively
fixed order until the chain is completed and the last response proceeds in a
relatively fixed order until the chain is completed and the last response is
reinforced. Sometimes only the final behavior is reinforced.
 Ex. Going to a restaurant, dieting, learning to play a musical instrument.
 Forward
forward.
 Total task presentation.
Shaping &. chaining: both use discriminate stimuli & reinforcers to teach
new behaviors.
Prompting & Fading
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Prompts: antecedent events that help to initiate a response. They come
before a response is performed and are designed to facilitate its
performance. When the prompt does result in the target response, the
target response may be reinforced.
 Types:
 Guiding: physical, verbal
 Instructions
 Pointing
 Observing
 Goal: obtain the terminal response in the absence of prompts.
Fading: the gradual removal of a prompt.
 Abrupt removal of prompt: response may no longer be performed.
 Prompts may be progressively reduced and finally omitted.
 Not all prompts needed to be faded.
Prompts:
assist the child in accomplishing the task
Least-to-most:
 Verbal
 Gestural
 Partial physical assistance
 Full physical assistance
Graduated guidance: a less structured strategy of
reducing prompts.
Cue: a prompt that directs attention to a specific
dimension of an object/task.
Discrimination & Stimulus Control
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Error correction: methods of preventing or reducing student
errors in order to create a reinforcing environment for learning.
Differential reinforcement: reinforcing a response in the
presence of one stimulus and not reinforcing the same
response in the presence of another stimulus.
Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO):
delivery of a reinforcer after any response except the target
response. The individual is reinforced only when not
performing the target response. Behaviors other than the
target response are reinforced. The goal is to decrease the
target response.
Task Analysis/Learning Hierarchies
Breaking down a body of content into its component parts or
steps.
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Components of TA:
1. Method: select the method that will be used to
introduce the skill: direct instruction, peer instruction,
observation, self-instruction.
2. Content: determine the size and number of
steps/subskills in the content according to the
cognitive ability and current skills of the learner.
3. Process: decide the method to be used: fading,
chaining, total task.
4. Feedback: the means of providing reinforcement to
the learner.
Controlling Error Rates During Group
Instruction
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Why important:
 Students learn more when response errors are kept to a minimum.
 Procedures promote positive social interactions fewer disruptive and
aggressive behaviors.
How to:
 Time delay
- chaining or task analysis
 Choral responding
Activity criteria
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Brief responses.
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Only one correct answer is possible.
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A maximum of 5 to 10 minutes is allotted per session.
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Begin with demonstration of response required.
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Children must understand type or response required.
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Use gestural signs to prompt responding.
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Decrease the amount of response.
Tutoring
Teacher roles:
 Training
 Identifying the program objectives
 Selecting pairs
 Designing, administering, and/or overseeing a system
for monitoring student progress
 Selecting and organizing materials
 Observing tutor performance
 Providing support and feedback to student teams
 Doing whatever is necessary to maintain a positive
and enthusiastic learning environment
Classwide Peer Tutoring
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All students participate as both tutors and tutees.
During training, the teacher carefully describes and models
the peer tutoring process for the students, then has them
practice each step until the peer tutoring sessions are
functioning smoothly.
Students divided into 2 teams: with members of each team
subdivided into pairs who alternate being tutor and tutee.
Teams receive points for academic engagement and
appropriate behavior.
During the daily tutorial sessions, the tutor obtains responses
from the tutee and provides corrective feedback or
reinforcement for correct responses.
Cooperative Learning
Required for success:
 Clear defined group objectives and instructions.
 Make decisions about placement before beginning the
activity.
 Groups are monitored carefully to determine if students
need task assistance or process assistance.
 An evaluation of each group is conducted by the teacher.
Process of cooperative learning:
 Begin with small tasks.
 Teacher models behaviors for group.
 Some skills necessary for cooperative learning may require
direct instruction.
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Learning Centers
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Identify the area of instruction to be covered through direct
instruction.
List the skills/concepts which have already been taught.
Identify activities which can be used for drill and practice of
concepts/skills.
Determine each student's stage of learning (acquisition,
fluency, or generalization).
Select activities which provide performance feedback on a
frequent basis.
Avoid paper-and-pencil worksheets.
Establish rules for behavior and practice.
Take advantage of motivational factors.
Additional References
Bedwell, L. E., Hunt, G. H., Touzel, T. J., & Wiseman, D. G. (1984). Effective
teaching: Preparation and implementation. Springfield, IL: Charles C.
Thomas.
Carkhuff, R. R., & Berenson, D. H. (1981). The skilled teacher: A systems
approach to teaching skills. Amherst, MA: Human Resources Developing.
Good, T. L., & Brophy, J. E. (1991). Looking in classrooms. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
Posner, G. (1985). Field experience: A guide to reflective teaching. New York:
Longman.
Wolfgang, C. H., & Wolfgang, M. E. (1992). Schools for young children.
Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.