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Research has demonstrated that behavior specificity is a salient characteristic of teacher praise efficacy. Praise variety may also be an important characteristic to reinforce desired student behavior based on research about the quality of reinforcers. In this study, we used an alternating treatments design to examine the effects of varied and non-varied behavior-specific praise (BSP) on two first-grade students' on-task behaviors in U.S. general education classrooms. Visual and statistical analyses suggest both varied and non-varied BSP increased on-task behavior, with varied BSP resulting in marginally higher levels of on-task behavior. There was no functional relationship between varied and non-varied BSP conditions. Findings from this study contribute to teacher praise literature as the first to empirically investigate the effects of praise variety on student behavior. We discuss the implications of this preliminary research and encourage future inquiry into additional characteristics of praise.

The purpose of this review is to identify the application of eye-gaze stimulus preference assessment as well as the various characteristics of those assessments in the research literature. We conducted a systematic review that identified 18 articles using eye gaze to identify preferred stimuli. Of those studies, seven were used to determine a preference between biological and geometric motion, six were used to identify differences in social versus nonsocial stimuli, four looked at identifying preferred tangible items as potential reinforcers, and one looked at identifying preference for circumscribed interests related objects in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Implications for future research are also presented.

Evidence-based practices (EBPs) are strategies shown through rigorous experimentation to be effective when implemented as designed by educators in the field. The purpose of this review is to (a) describe the state and quality of evidence-based reviews and meta-analyses of studies on classroom and behavior management interventions for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs) and (b) summarize practices that can be deemed evidence-based. We identified 50 meta-analytic or systematic reviews encompassing 20 interventions implemented solely or in part with students with EBD. In total, our review identified eight interventions classified as EBPs for supporting students labeled with EBD in the meta-analytic literature. Implications for future research are presented.

Self-advocacy skills enable active student involvement in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) planning process. However, some students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) lack appropriate self-advocacy skills and may require specific instruction in how to prepare for and participate in their own IEP. Special educators may have limited knowledge and skills to foster the self-advocacy skills of students with EBD. Therefore, this article focuses on a research-based strategy, the Self-Advocacy Strategy (SAS), that can be used by educators to effectively promote students' self-advocacy skills. Research support and a detailed overview and guidelines on how educators can implement the SAS in their classrooms are included.

Behavior-specific praise is a research-based classroom management strategy that promotes appropriate student behaviors. Praise specificity, however, may not be the only characteristic of praise that enhances efficacy. The current study examined teacher's natural use of specific, contingent, and varied praise to understand additional qualities of praise. Praise statements of inservice special education (n = 12), inservice general education (n = 13), and dual special education/general education preservice (n = 17) teachers were observed in natural elementary school settings. Statistical results did not indicate differences between teacher groups and praise characteristics; however, descriptive results demonstrate all teacher groups delivered low rates of general and specific praise. Percentages of praise contingency (average range = 59%-91.2%) suggest teachers did not deliver sufficient praise statements contingent on student behavior. Furthermore, percentages of praise variety (average range = 44.5%-57.7%) show use of repetitive praise statements that may reduce efficacy on student behaviors. These findings and other implications are discussed in the context of future praise research.

Effective classroom management is pivotal in special education teachers' successful interactions with students who frequently engage in inappropriate and undesirable behaviors. One evidence-based strategy to promote positive social and academic outcomes is behavior specific praise (BSP). Yet, regardless of the evidential benefits of BSP, teachers continue to use low rates of praise because frequent student disruptions and general off-task behaviors reinforce teachers to reprimand. Apple Watch is at the forefront of a growing wearable industry and is increasingly common on special education teachers' wrists. With the assistance of a publicly available application (app), the Apple Watch easily becomes a tactile prompting device to vibrate on an interval schedule and remind teachers to deliver BSP. In this scenario situation, we examine how Apple Watch can serve as a tool to practice effective classroom management and foster a positive learning environment.

Teachers in special education classrooms often struggle with classroom management. In response, many educators are looking for technological solutions to assist in promoting positive classroom environments. Electronic behavior management programs (eBMPs) use strategies based in research that are shown to reduce challenging behavior and encourage positive behavior, such as reinforcement strategies and the Premack principle. This article explains the theoretical efficacies of eBMPs, describes three commonly used eBMPs, and provides procedures on how educators can get started implementing eBMPs with additional tips to consider.

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders exhibit high levels of inappropriate behaviors. Although many teachers are aware of the benefits of teacher praise, its use in classrooms remains low. Training students to recruit praise is a method to counter suppressing contingencies and increase praise rates for desired classroom behaviors. With minimal planning and training, students can begin recruiting the attention they seek while you begin delivering the praise needed to encourage and maintain appropriate behaviors.

Daily behavior report cards (DBRCs) have shown to be effective in addressing academic and behavioral challenges for a variety of students in past literature. The purpose of this literature review and analysis is to update and summarize findings on the use of DBRCs on academic and social behavior for students considered to have disruptive behaviors or identified with disabilities. We identified eleven studies in the literature examining DBRCs with 390 participants with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, specific learning disabilities, emotional behavioral disorders, speech and language, multiple disabilities, other health impairments, or considered to have disruptive behavior in Pre-K through sixth grade academic settings. We also calculated effect sizes overall for each study and student-based characteristics. Findings suggest that using DBRCs have a range from weak to strong impact on the academic and social behaviors of students considered to have disruptive behaviors or students with disabilities in classroom settings. We present implications for research and practice.

The purpose of this research study was to determine how Community Based Instruction (CBI) affects the social skills of middle school students with moderate to severe disabilities. Existing literature is limited in findings related to the influence of CBI on middle school students with moderate to severe disabilities. This qualitative study was completed using interviews and observations. Participants included students, teachers, and paraprofessionals from a middle school in Southern California. The findings of this study are intended to support the use of CBI in middle school special education classrooms and to demonstrate how a functional program can improve the social skills of students with moderate to severe disabilities. Educators and administrators who may want more information on CBI and its benefits may also utilize the findings.

An ABAB reversal design was utilized to examine the effects of an electronic daily behavior report card (eDBRC) on non-compliant, off-task, and disruptive classroom behaviors of a 16-year-old with autism spectrum disorder and a 17-year-old with an intellectual disability. The intervention was implemented by two preservice teachers (interventionists) in their final student teaching requirement. In addition to visual analysis procedures, effect sizes (i.e., Tau-U) were calculated. The research questions were: (1) What are the effects of eDBRCs on participants' disruptive and challenging classroom behaviors, (2) To what extent do preservice teachers implement eDBRCs with fidelity, and (3) Are eDBRCs a socially valid intervention? Upon completion of our study the eDBRC was effective in reducing non-compliant, off-task, and disruptive behaviors. We found that preservice special educators can implement a complex behavior intervention to support the outcomes of their learners during the student teaching experience. Additionally, we suggest eDBRCs are an acceptable intervention for students with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities.

Teachers who work with students who display challenging behaviors need to implement interventions to support them in the classroom. A daily behavior report card (DBRC) is one intervention that research suggests can reduce challenging behaviors and replace them with more socially appropriate behaviors. With step-by-step instructions, this column describes how to implement and evaluate DBRCs to support students displaying challenging behaviors.

Daily behavior report cards (DBRCs) have shown promise in reducing problematic classroom behaviors. The effectiveness of DBRCs has been used widely examined with respect to students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, specific learning disabilities, and other high incidence disabilities. Past research has primarily focused on students in primary grades, with a limited number of studies examining students in secondary grades, in particular students in high school. Even fewer studies have examined the effectiveness of DBRCs implemented by novice special educators. The purpose of the current study was twofold: (1) to examine the effectiveness of a DBRC in reducing off-task classroom behavior for a high school student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and (2) to evaluate the delivery of an intensive intervention by a novice special education teacher. A preservice special education teacher implemented the intervention. A changing criterion design was used to examine the effectiveness of the intervention. We analyzed the data using visual analysis and calculated effect sizes using Tau-U. The results suggested that DBRCs are an acceptable and effective treatment for reducing off-task behavior with a student with ASD when implemented by a novice special education teacher. Data were collected to measure the novice teacher's implementation fidelity. Additionally, the results showed that a novice special education teacher can be trained to implement a behavior management program for a student presenting inappropriate classroom behaviors with high fidelity.

Performing newly acquired skills over time (i.e., maintenance) and across settings and stimuli (i.e., generalization) is central to what students need to accomplish in preparation for life beyond the classroom. Students, including those with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), need opportunities to practice for the purposes of maintaining and generalizing skills. With practice, students develop the ability to perform skills adequately under appropriate conditions. This article details ways to teach and get students with EBD to practice generalization and maintenance of newly acquired skills.

Multicomponent interventions have successfully increased early childhood teachers' rates of behavior-specific praise (BSP); however, package interventions do not allow for nuanced examinations of intervention components. We examined the effects of an intervention package with training, goal setting, self-monitoring, and tactile prompting on early childhood teachers' BSP rates using an add-in, multiple probe, component analysis. In addition, we measured child on-task behaviors to assess the relation between increased BSP rates and children behavior. We used visual analysis and found that each component increased teachers' BSP rates; two out of three teacher participants needed the most intense intervention (tactile prompting) to reach mastery criterion. Variable generalized BSP statements to other children in the class occurred between baseline and intervention components. The percentage of child on-task behaviors systematically increased in relation to higher BSP rates.

Enormous resources are committed by universities to prepare special educators to impact student outcomes of our most vulnerable and neediest learners. Generalizing teaching skills from university to K-12 classrooms must be a component of teacher preparation curriculum; otherwise, we continue to merely train our teacher candidates and hope they sustain and generalize their newly acquired skills. Through self-reported surveys and extant data analysis, we identify the extent to which our sample of special education teacher preparation programs are teaching their teacher candidates to generalize newly acquired teaching skills to in-service settings in K-12 classrooms. Results indicate ambiguity with familiarity of generalization techniques and fidelity of implementation. Programming for generalization is absent in reviewed course syllabi, and student teaching supervisors report a disconnect between university and classroom realities. We recommend a systematic approach to programming for generalization by increasing awareness of generalization techniques through professional development, including accountability measures in course syllabi, focusing on high-leverage practices to create more cohesive preparation programs, and improving communication between instructors and student teaching supervisors. Limitations and future research recommendations are discussed.

Supported by decades of research on praise and its effect on student behaviors, we developed the Behavior-Specific Praise--Observation Tool (BSP-OT) to measure characteristics of effective praise. We evaluated interrater reliability of the BSP-OT to measure praise specificity, contingency, and variety using intraclass correlation (ICC) and Cohen's kappa statistics. In addition, we assessed usefulness and practicality of the tool with social validity measures. Four raters with experience in praise research completed a survey and coded videos (n = 14) of teachers in authentic situations delivering praise. Overall assessment indicated strong reliability between raters with ICC(2, k) of 0.80: 95% confidence interval (CI) = [0.77, 0.83], F(269, 19906) = 5.1, p < 0.001, and mean kappa score of 0.91. Furthermore, high social validity ratings suggest the BSP-OT is a valuable contribution to the field concerning praise research and teacher development. The process of developing the BSP-OT and study findings are presented, with a discussion of implications and suggestions for future research.

We examined the effects of a computer-based strategy to develop self-advocacy skills for 15 middle school students with mild and moderate disabilities. A pre- and posttest experimental design with random assignment to treatment and wait-list control groups was employed to investigate changes in student participation and level of self-determination. The strategy addressed essential self-advocacy skills including knowledge of self and communication. Results showed significant differences in favor of the treatment group concerning student participation, as measured by student responses to the Self-Advocacy Self-Report. Generalization data indicated positive results for student participation, as measured by student use of SHARE behaviors, a set of social skills necessary for effective communication, in informal meetings with special education teachers. Implications for practice, limitations, and future research are discussed.

Teachers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders often struggle with increasing student participation while maintaining a positive classroom environment. Active student responding (ASR) occurs when a student says, writes, or engages in some observable response following a question. This article identifies and describes three electronic approaches to ASR and provides teachers with tips for effective implementation with students with emotional and behavioral disorders.

Daily behavior report cards (DBRCs) have shown promise in reducing problematic classroom behaviors. The effectiveness of DBRCs has been used widely examined with respect to students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, specific learning disabilities, and other high incidence disabilities. Past research has primarily focused on students in primary grades, with a limited number of studies examining students in secondary grades, in particular students in high school. Even fewer studies have examined the effectiveness of DBRCs implemented by novice special educators. The purpose of the current study was twofold: (1) to examine the effectiveness of a DBRC in reducing off-task classroom behavior for a high school student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and (2) to evaluate the delivery of an intensive intervention by a novice special education teacher. A preservice special education teacher implemented the intervention. A changing criterion design was used to examine the effectiveness of the intervention. We analyzed the data using visual analysis and calculated effect sizes using Tau-U. The results suggested that DBRCs are an acceptable and effective treatment for reducing off-task behavior with a student with ASD when implemented by a novice special education teacher. Data were collected to measure the novice teacher's implementation fidelity. Additionally, the results showed that a novice special education teacher can be trained to implement a behavior management program for a student presenting inappropriate classroom behaviors with high fidelity., Author(s): Benjamin S. Riden [sup.1], Jonté C. Taylor [sup.2], Sal Ruiz [sup.3], David L. Lee [sup.2], Mary Catherine Scheeler [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.258041.a, 000000012179395X, Educational Foundation and Exceptionalities Department, [...]

The role of a special educator is one of many different hats, including teacher, interventionist, comforter, parent, counselor, therapist, and administrator. These varying roles, particularly when working with students with emotional behavioral disorders, create one of the most emotionally taxing and challenging jobs in public education, which in turn leads to increased educator burnout and attrition. However, this does not need to be the fate of special educators. The purpose of this article is to (a) review one current support system widely implemented in the field for teachers of children with emotional behavioral disorders, (b) discuss the benefits of mentorship in the teaching workforce, (c) identify some of the barriers to mentorship, and (d) identify areas of reform for more effective mentorship practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has demonstrated that behavior specificity is a salient characteristic of teacher praise efficacy. Praise variety may also be an important characteristic to reinforce desired student behavior based on research about the quality of reinforcers. In this study, we used an alternating treatments design to examine the effects of varied and non-varied behavior-specific praise (BSP) on two first-grade students' on-task behaviors in U.S. general education classrooms. Visual and statistical analyses suggest both varied and non-varied BSP increased on-task behavior, with varied BSP resulting in marginally higher levels of on-task behavior. There was no functional relationship between varied and non-varied BSP conditions. Findings from this study contribute to teacher praise literature as the first to empirically investigate the effects of praise variety on student behavior. We discuss the implications of this preliminary research and encourage future inquiry into additional characteristics of praise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based practices (EBPs) are strategies shown through rigorous experimentation to be effective when implemented as designed by educators in the field. The purpose of this review is to (a) describe the state and quality of evidence-based reviews and meta-analyses of studies on classroom and behavior management interventions for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs) and (b) summarize practices that can be deemed evidence-based. We identified 50 meta-analytic or systematic reviews encompassing 20 interventions implemented solely or in part with students with EBD. In total, our review identified eight interventions classified as EBPs for supporting students labeled with EBD in the meta-analytic literature. Implications for future research are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-advocacy skills enable active student involvement in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) planning process. However, some students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) lack appropriate self-advocacy skills and may require specific instruction in how to prepare for and participate in their own IEP. Special educators may have limited knowledge and skills to foster the self-advocacy skills of students with EBD. Therefore, this article focuses on a research-based strategy, the Self-Advocacy Strategy (SAS), that can be used by educators to effectively promote students' self-advocacy skills. Research support and a detailed overview and guidelines on how educators can implement the SAS in their classrooms are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavior-specific praise is a research-based classroom management strategy that promotes appropriate student behaviors. Praise specificity, however, may not be the only characteristic of praise that enhances efficacy. The current study examined teacher's natural use of specific, contingent, and varied praise to understand additional qualities of praise. Praise statements of inservice special education (n = 12), inservice general education (n = 13), and dual special education/general education preservice (n = 17) teachers were observed in natural elementary school settings. Statistical results did not indicate differences between teacher groups and praise characteristics; however, descriptive results demonstrate all teacher groups delivered low rates of general and specific praise. Percentages of praise contingency (average range = 59%–91.2%) suggest teachers did not deliver sufficient praise statements contingent on student behavior. Furthermore, percentages of praise variety (average range = 44.5%–57.7%) show use of repetitive praise statements that may reduce efficacy on student behaviors. These findings and other implications are discussed in the context of future praise research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]