Jennifer Bowyer SEOH ABA Project Part 2 EDP 596 November 2, 2012 1.

Three articles that address Prestons behavior problems of being out of his seat and talking to his peers come from the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. The first article, JABA 1995, 28,227-228 Number 2(Summer 1995) The Differential Effects of Teacher and Peer Attention on the Disruptive Classroom Behavior of Three Children with a Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder by John Northup, Carmen Broussard, Kevin Jones, Teresa George, Timothy R. Vollmer, & Melissa Herring, is based on a functional analysis of three students ( 2- 7year old males & 1- 9year old female) with ADHD. The purpose of the analysis was to evaluate peer attention as a direct form of positive reinforcement that could be important to treatment planning. The targeted behaviors were out of seat behavior and inappropriate vocalizations. The assessment was to examine the difference between teacher attention and peer attention as a positive reinforcer for eliminating the target behaviors and staying on task. First, the students completed an easy math worksheet and the only teacher attention they received was in the form of reprimands for the occurrence of a target behavior. Second, the students completed another easy math worksheets and received peer attention upon the occurrence of a target behavior. The peers were selected as a helper and were told what to say when they saw the target behavior and whatever else came to their minds. The researchers found that Peer and teacher attention may not be functionally equivalent, that peer attention can function as a unique form of positive reinforcement The classroom teacher and I discussed this method of using a peer to be positive reinforcement but we felt that the peers would not be able to actively engage in their own sustained silent reading so I chose not to use it. The second article from JABA 1973,6,125-130 Number 1 (Spring 1973) Reducing Latency of a Childs Responding to Instructions by Means of a Token System by Nancy Jellstedt & Beth Sulzer-Azaroff deals with response latency of following directions by an 8 year old little boy who is emotionally disturbed. The study was to reduce the amount of latency time for the child to follow directions and put away his things. The experimenters placed the boy in a room gave him 5 minutes of play time, directions to put items away and be seated to begin work, directions for work, work period, directions to put work materials away, 5 minutes of play time, directions given to put play items away and prepare to go back, and going to the classroom and preparing to go home. The study results showed that when a token reinforce system was introduced itpromptly and effectively reduced the time it took for the subject to follow specific directions. I believe this approach would work well for Preston. His other teachers have used token reinforcement and he has responded well. The third article from JABA 2011, 44, 393-396 Number2 ( Summer 2011), Using Teacher Greetings to Increase Speed to Task Engagement by R. Allan Allday, Miranda Bush, Nicole Ticknor, and Lindsay Walker is a study that determines if teacher greetings would reduce the latency of task engagement. Three participants were identified by their teachers as having difficulty initiating task

appropriate behavior. Two participants were in high school and one was in junior high school. The study used a multiple base line design. The teachers then greeted each student by name as they entered the classroom, and included a brief, positive interaction that communicated expectations of the teacher. The results of the study found, response latency figures showed that, irrespective of the session when it was introduced, token reinforcement promptly and effectively reduced the time it took for the subject to follow specific directions. I feel that token reinforcement will be the first step to Prestons intervention and if he shows no progress then the next step would be to add the greeting in addition to the token system. 2. The baseline data is shown on a simple line graph. STUDENT: Preston Behavior Observation Period Monday Wednesday Friday Monday Friday After intervention Off task (T= talking to peers, O=out of seat) T-T-T O-O-O 5 T, O 5 T, O 5 T,O-O 5 T, O 5 Language Arts

T-T-T T T -T T T-T

10 10 10 10 10

5 5 5 5 5

10 10 10 10 10

Student Behavior Observation

Number of Intervals of Inappropriate Behavior 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 Number of Observation Sessions (9:28am-9:38am) Series2 Series1

Out of Seat= O Series 1 Talking to Peers= T Series 2

3. My subject is a 12 year old 7th grade boy. My objective is to have him read 8 out of 10 minutes in sustained silent reading without talking to his peers or getting out of his seat. 80% performance will allow Preston to perform as well as other students in the setting. The setting is Crestview Local Middle School, language arts class, third period Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The length of time is 10 minutes at the beginning of the period. The setting is the beginning of language arts class every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The antecedent is being instructed to begin sustained silent reading. The consequences are attention from peers and teacher, and avoidance (gets out of reading). My intervention is based on Prestons persistent bad behavior that includes being out of his seat and talking to his peers instead of engaging in sustained silent reading at the beginning of class three days a week. Due to Prestons diagnosis of ADHD, I believe he would benefit greatly from a token based positive reinforcement system. 4. The schedule of data collection is a time graph before and after intervention to show his behavior change. If this were an experiment, I would again use a time graph. My objective, if this were an experiment, would be to reduce latency, correct the behavior with positive reinforcement. A time graph before and after intervention would allow me to see if my choice of intervention reduced latency and eliminated bad behavior. 5. The following steps will be used for intervention: 1)Preston will receive a point for participation every day he comes into the room and reads for 8 out of 10 minutes during his sustained silent reading. The point is used as a token reward for positive reinforcement. According to Adair & Schneider, 1993; Higgins, Williams, & McLaughlin, 2001; Mueller, Williams, & Trahnt, 2003, tokens are used for general classroom management and task engagement.2) The positive reinforcement will be at intermittent levels and will include picking a card with a students name to answer a question, passing out reading logs, and writing page numbers on a clip board. 3) If Preston does not come into class and engage in reading he will not receive his point and lose the next opportunity to participate in the positive reinforcement stated above. 4) Preston also has a folder he takes to every class and check list that each teacher fills out at the end of the period to track his behavior for the day. The intervention will take place for 10 sessions and will be modified if necessary.