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Building Positive Classroom Environments and Repertoires to Facilitate Cooperation and Eliminate Problem Behavior Deceleration Procedures |
Monday, May 30, 2022 |
5:00 PM–5:50 PM |
Meeting Level 2; Room 205A |
Area: EDC/AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Kent Johnson (Morningside Academy) |
CE Instructor: Kent Johnson, Ph.D. |
Abstract: Adopting a constructional approach to building repertoires increases cooperation amongst students and eliminates the desire to focus on targeting the deceleration of “problem” behavior. With reluctant learners for whom school has been a generally aversive experience, increasing the frequency of positive reinforcement can pay significant and extensive dividends. This symposium will describe and illustrate three different efforts to improve the learning environments of typical and near-typical students, as well as learners with developmental disabilities. First, Jason Guild and Kathy Fox will describe the application of the Morningside Model of Generative Instruction to a novel population of students learning functional living skills and classroom readiness repertoires. Next, Justin Halton will describe how supervisors at the Judge Rotenberg Center increased coaching of classroom teachers to enhance academic instruction and increase the use of positive reinforcement procedures. Finally, Hannah Jenkins will detail how she modified the Good Behavior Game to reduce aversive procedures in order to increase the frequency of positive reinforcement and increase cooperation amongst students. |
Instruction Level: Basic |
Keyword(s): building repertoires, classroom management, cooperation, instruction |
Target Audience: behavioral educators, teachers, behavior analysts |
Learning Objectives: 1. At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to describe, define, and illustrate the Good Behavior Game. 2. At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to describe and illustrate how to teach classroom readiness skills. 3. At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to describe and illustrate how to use teacher coaching to increase positive reinforcement procedures. |
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The Mystery Behavior Game: Turning the Good Behavior Game on its Head |
HANNAH JENKINS (Morningside Academy), Andrew Robert Kieta (Morningside Academy) |
Abstract: The Good Behavior Game has historically been used as a positive punishment procedure that creates cooperation through competition between groups in a single classroom. Using punishment procedures can influence students to make quick and short-lasting changes in behavior. To create long-lasting effects, the presenter modified the Good Behavior Game to use natural positive reinforcement at high rates for multiple behaviors. Following eight core design principles of governing groups, as defined by Ostrom, the students agree upon values, expectations, rewards, and punishments. Subsequently, the Good Behavior Game is switched from delivering a punisher for breaking a rule to accessing reinforcers for meeting expectations. Students now have multiple ways in which they can access reinforcement for multiple behaviors. Whereas the original game punished “talk-out” and “out-of-seat” behaviors, the Mystery Behavior Game rewards a variety of appropriate behaviors simultaneously during instruction and independent/partner activities. Community building occurs during the Mystery Behavior Game when students encourage each other to meet expectations individually and in groups. Data reveals substantial positive effects of the Mystery Behavior Game on increasing pro-social behavior and decreasing disruptive behavior. |
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Generative Instruction at New Story Schools of Ohio |
JASON GUILD (New Story Schools Ohio), Kathy Fox (New Story Schools) |
Abstract: Effective instruction should be available to all students, regardless of their disability. New Story Schools Ohio (Formerly Haugland Learning Center), located in Columbus, Ohio serves students with autism and other disabilities ages 5-21 in grades K-12. Eleven years ago, our collaboration with Morningside Academy began in our K-8 ASPIRE program leading to tremendous gains, including its students averaging more than one year’s grade level equivalency growth in the subjects of reading, writing, and math for six straight years. As our school has grown, we looked to bring elements of the Morningside Model of Generative Instruction (MMGI) to the rest of our students who would not have traditionally fit into the ASPIRE program. Our data show that the initial results for students working on classroom readiness and functional living skills have been very promising. The introduction of elements of MMGI has increased group participation, decreased behaviors of concern, and reduced the number of staff needed to support the students. This presentation will focus on the steps taken to apply MMGI to novel situations and new learners and the achievements of those students. |
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Monitoring and Evaluating Classroom Performance Through Teacher Coaching |
JUSTIN HALTON (Judge Rotenberg Center), Casey Gallagher (Judge Rotenberg Center) |
Abstract: Effective classroom management and quality instruction are two of the most desired attributes for any educational environment. At the Judge Rotenberg Center, a residential educational program for students ages 7-22 with severe disabilities and behavioral challenges, we have built procedures aimed to monitor and improve classroom management and instruction in the classroom. From March-September 2021, teachers did not receive the regularly planned observations and feedback due to Covid-19 related concessions. Upon returning to our previous practice, we wanted to take the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of our coaching system as it relates to teacher and student performance. Following baseline observations and data collection scheduled for October 2021, we will implement our coaching plan with an average coaching rate of 1x/week for each teacher over the next several months across all 20 classrooms at the Judge Rotenberg Center. Our data shows that increased rates of elicited responses from students and increased teacher praise statements may be attributed in part to teacher coaching. This study will help inform our future efforts to create learning environments with high rates of student responding and teacher praise. |
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