CT PBS
Coaches’ Meeting
Coaching SWPBS Basics
April 21, 2009
Brandi Simonsen, Kari Sassu,
& George Sugai
Advance Organizer
• Coaching SWPBS (Updates)
• Review of Role of Coach
• Basics of Classroom Management
• Advanced Skill Building: Function of Behavior
• Wrap-up
Objectives for Coaches
By the end of today’s meeting, you will be
able to…
– …Describe your role as a coach.
– …Articulate the basics of class-wide PBS
– …Identify functions of behavior.
– …Facilitate your team’s activities.
Coaching SWPBS
Supporting Social Competence &
Academic Achievement
4 PBS
Elements
OUTCOMES
Supporting
Decision
Making
Supporting
Staff Behavior
PRACTICES
Supporting
Student Behavior
Continuum of School-Wide
Instructional & Positive Behavior Support
~5%
Primary Prevention:
School-/ClassroomWide Systems for
All Students,
Staff, & Settings
~15%
Tertiary Prevention:
Specialized
Individualized
Systems for Students
with High-Risk Behavior
Secondary Prevention:
Specialized Group
Systems for Students
with At-Risk Behavior
~80% of Students
Team
GENERAL
IMPLEMENTATION
PROCESS
Agreements
Data-based
Action Plan
Who actually
participated?
•Administrator?
•Parent?
•Certified staff?
•Non-certified staff?
•Student (if HS or maybe MS)?
Evaluation
Implementation
SWPBS
Practices
Classroom
Non-classroom
Student
• Smallest #
• Evidence-based
• Biggest, durable effect
Family
Primary Prevention
What are the critical features?
1. Common purpose & approach to discipline
Team
Agreements
Data-based
Action Plan
Evaluation
Implementation
And when that fails….
80% Rule
~5%
Primary Prevention:
Systems to support
all staff:
•Professional development
•Reinforcement
Tertiary Prevention:
Specialized
Individualized
Systems for Staff with
High-Risk Behavior
~15%
Apply the
triangle
Secondary Prevention:
Specialized Group
to adult behavior!
Systems for Staff who
are “At-Risk”
•Additional instruction
•Increased support
~80% of Staff
Primary Prevention
What are the critical features?
1. Common purpose & approach to discipline
2. Clear set of positive expectations & behaviors
3. Procedures for teaching expected behavior
4. Continuum of procedures for encouraging
expected behavior
5. Continuum of procedures for discouraging
inappropriate behavior
6. Procedures for on-going monitoring &
evaluation
Use data to (a) identify
outcomes and (b) select
evidence-based practices.
Invest in systems to ensure
sustained implementation
with fidelity.
Role of a Coach
Roles of a Coach
Facilitate
•Team meetings
•Activities at training
events
•Implementation
Coaching
Roles
Communicate
Content
Knowledge
•Share advanced content
with team
•Share information at
faculty meetings
•Local PBS expert
•Positive “nag”
•Link to resources (e.g.,
www.pbis.org)
What does this look like?
• At least monthly
– Ensure data are summarized in useful format
– Facilitate team meeting using agenda and action plan
– Give data-based updates to faculty
• At least bi-weekly (or weekly)
– Review action plan and prompt team members to complete tasks
– Ensure your tasks are completed in a timely fashion (you’re a role model)
• And…daily
– Be an ambassador for PBS (look for opportunities to share info with
others, etc.)
– Model positive interactions and reinforcement with staff and students
Evidence-based
Practices in
Classroom
Management*
* Use this content in conjunction with
the Classroom Management SelfAssessment in your notebook.
Evidence Based Practices in
Classroom Management
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Minimize crowding & distraction
Maximize structure & predictability
State, review, & reinforce positively stated expectations.
Provide more acknowledgement for appropriate than
inappropriate behaviors.
Maximize varied opportunities to respond.
Maximize active engagement.
Actively & continuously supervise.
Respond to inappropriate behaviors quickly, positively, &
directly.
Establish multiple strategies for acknowledging appropriate
behavior.
Generally provide specific feedback for errors & corrects.
1. Minimize crowding & distraction.
• Design environment to (a) elicit
appropriate behavior and (b)
minimize crowding and distraction:
– Arrange furniture to allow easy traffic flow.
– Ensure adequate supervision of all areas.
– Designate staff & student areas.
– Seating arrangements (groups, carpet,
etc.)
2. Maximize structure & predictability.
• Develop Predictable Routines
– Teacher routines: volunteers,
communications, movement, planning,
grading, etc.
– Student routines: personal needs,
transitions, working in groups,
independent work, instruction, getting
materials, homework, etc.
3. State, review, & reinforce positively
stated expectations.
• Establish behavioral expectations/rules.
• Teach rules in context of routines.
• Prompt or remind students of rule prior to
entering natural context.
• Monitor students’ behavior in natural context
& provide specific feedback.
• Evaluate effect of instruction - review data,
make decisions, & follow up.
Establish Behavioral
expectations/Rules
• A small number (i.e., 3-5) of
positively stated rules. Tell
students what we want them to do,
rather than telling them what we
do not want them to do.
• Publicly post the rules.
• Should match SW Expectations
Establish Behavioral
expectations/Rules
• Operationally define what the
rules look like across all the
routines and settings in your
school.
• As we discussed in Chapter 2,
one way to do this is in a
matrix format.
Rules within Routines Matrix
Routines
Rules
Be Safe
Be Respectful
Be
Responsible
Entering
Classroom
Seat Work
Small Group
Activity
Leaving
Classroom
Teach Rules in the Context of Routines
• Teach expectations directly.
– Define rule in operational terms—tell students what the
rule looks like within routine.
– Provide students with examples and non-examples of
rule-following within routine.
• Actively involve students in lesson—game, roleplay, etc. to check for their understanding.
• Provide opportunities to practice rule following
behavior in the natural setting.
Prompt or Remind Students of the Rule
• Provide students with visual prompts (e.g.,
posters, illustrations, etc).
• Use pre-corrections, which include “verbal
reminders, behavioral rehearsals, or
demonstrations of rule-following or socially
appropriate behaviors that are presented in
or before settings were problem behavior is
likely” (Colvin, Sugai, Good, Lee, 1997).
Monitor Students’ Behavior in Natural Context
• Active Supervision (Colvin, Sugai, Good, Lee, 1997):
– Move around
– Look around (Scan)
– Interact with students
• Provide reinforcement and specific praise to students who
are following rules.
• Catch errors early and provide specific, corrective feedback
to students who are not following rules. (Think about how
you would correct an academic error.)
Evaluate the effect of instruction
• Collect data
– Are rules being followed?
– If there are errors,
• who is making them?
• where are the errors occurring?
• what kind of errors are being made?
• Summarize data (look for patterns)
• Use data to make decisions
4. Provide more acknowledgement for
appropriate than inappropriate behaviors.
• Maintain at least 4 to 1 ratio
• Interact positively once every 5 min
• Follow correction for violation of behavior
expectations with positive reinforcement for
rule following (once demonstrated)
5. Maximize varied opportunities to respond.
• Provide high rates of opportunities to respond
• Vary individual vs. group responding
• Vary Response type
• Oral
• Written
• Gestural
• Increase participatory instruction
• Questioning
• Materials
6. Maximize active engagement.
• Consider various observable ways to engage
students
– Written responses
– Choral responding
– Writing on individual white boards
– Gestures
– Other: ____________
• Specify observable engagements
• Link engagement with outcome objectives
Range of evidence based practices that
promote active engagement
• Direct Instruction
• Computer Assisted Instruction
• Class-wide Peer Tutoring
• Guided notes
• Response Cards
7. Actively & continuously supervise.
• Move
• Scan
• Interact
• Remind/pre-correct
• Positively acknowledge
8. Respond to inappropriate behaviors
quickly, positively, & directly.
• Respond efficiently
• Attend to students who are displaying
appropriate behavior
• Follow school procedures for major
problem behaviors objectively
• Anticipate next occurrence
Multiple strategies for responding to
inappropriate behavior may include....
• Error Corrections
• Differential
Reinforcement
• Planned ignoring
• Response Cost
• Time out from
reinforcement
Quick Error Corrections
• Your error corrections should be…
– …contingent: occur immediately after
the undesired behavior
– …specific: tell learner exactly what they
are doing incorrectly and what they
should do differently in the future
– …brief: after redirecting back to
appropriate behavior, move on
Types of Differential
Reinforcement
• DR…of lower rates of behavior (DRL)
• DR…of other behaviors (DRO)
• DR…of alternative behavior (DRA)
• DR…of incompatible behavior (DRI)
Planned Ignoring
Definition:
• If a behavior is maintained by adult attention
…consider planned ignoring (e.g., ignore
behavior of interest)
Example:
• Taylor talks out in class and his teacher
currently responds to him approximately 60%
in the time (either + or -).
• The teacher decides to ignore all talk outs
and instead only call on him when his hand is
raised.
Response Cost
Definition:
• The withdrawal of specific amounts of a
reinforcer contingent upon inappropriate
behavior.
Examples:
• A wrong answer results in a loss of points.
• Come to class without a pencil, buy one for
5 points.
Time-out
Definition:
• A child (or class) is removed from a previously
reinforcing environment or setting, to one that is not
reinforcing
Example:
• Child throws a rock at another child on the playground.
The child is removed to the office….
• REMEMBER the environment the child is removed to
cannot be reinforcing!!! So, if the child receives adult
attention in the office, which they find reinforcing, YOU
have NOT put the child on time out
9. Establish multiple strategies for
acknowledging appropriate behavior.
• Social vs. tangible vs. activity vs. …
• Frequent vs. infrequent
• Predictable vs. unpredictable
• Immediate vs. delayed
Multiple strategies for acknowledging
appropriate behavior may include...
• Specific and Contingent Praise
• Group Contingencies
• Behavior Contracts
• Token Economies
Specific and Contingent Praise
• Praise should be…
– …contingent: occur immediately following
desired behavior
– …specific: tell learner exactly what they are
doing correctly and continue to do in the
future
• “Good job” (not very specific)
• “I like how you are showing me active listening by
having quiet hands and feet and eyes on me”
(specific)
Group Contingencies
• Three types:
– “All for one”
(Interdependent Group-Oriented
Contingency)
– “One
for all”
(Dependent Group Contingency)
– “To each his/her own”
(Independent Group Contingency)
Behavioral Contracts
• A written document that specifies a contingency
for an individual student or in this case…whole
class
• Contains the following elements:
– Operational definition of BEHAVIOR
– Clear descriptions of REINFORCERS
– OUTCOMES if student fails to meet expectations.
– Special BONUSES that may be used to increase
motivation or participation.
(Wolery, Bailey, & Sugai, 1988)
Establishing a
Token Economy
•
Determine and teach the target skills
•
Select tokens
•
Identify what will be back-up reinforcers
•
Identify the number of tokens required to receive
back-up reinforcers
•
Define and teach the exchange and token delivery
system
•
Define decision rules to change/fade the plan
•
Determine how the plan will be monitored
Guidelines from Sulzer-Azaroff & Mayer, 1991
10. Generally provide specific feedback for
errors & corrects.
• Provide contingently
• Always indicate correct behaviors
• Link to context
Advanced Skill
Building
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Three major dimensions ABA:
• Applied: socially important problems
• Behavior: observable and measurable
• Analytic: believable demonstration of effect
Based on Baer, Wolf, & Risley (1968)
The Three Term Contingency
• Antecedent:
Any “ stimulus that precedes a behavior”
• Behavior:
“Any observable and measurable act of an
individual (also called a response).”
• Consequence:
“Any stimulus presented contingent on a
particular response”
Alberto & Troutman (2006)
Reinforcement vs. Punishment
• Reinforcement: when a consequence of
a behavior functions to increase the
likelihood of future occurrences of that
behavior
• Punishment: when a consequence of a
behavior functions to decrease the
likelihood of future occurrences of that
behavior
Reinforcement and Punishment
Inc. (
Dec. (
Give (+)
Take (-)
)*
Positive
Reinforcement
Negative
Reinforcement
)*
Positive
Punishment
Negative
Punishment
* Future probability of behavior
Setting Events
• A setting event is an antecedent condition
or event that temporarily alters the value of
the consequence of a behavior.
• Timing
• Setting
SE
A
B
C
Different
SAME
Examples of Setting Events
– Lack of sleep decreases value of getting to
school on time, increases value of going to
Starbucks
– Lack of breakfast increases value of getting
sent to office (by vending machines) for failing
to follow directions.
– Having a fight with boyfriend decreases value
of listening to lecture.
– Getting >50% of problem wrong decreases
value of starting new worksheets.
More about Setting Events
• Setting events may be
environmental, physiological, or
social
• Setting events help explain
variations in behavior
You only know if a
consequence is
reinforcing or
punishing by looking
at the effect on future
behavior.
What is function based support?
• Foundations in Behavioral Theory,
Applied Behavior Analysis, & PBS
• Attention to environmental context
• Emphasis on “purpose” or function of
behavior
• Focus on teaching behaviors
• Attention to implementers (adult
behaviors) & redesign of teaching &
learning environments.
Non-examples
of Function-Based Approach
– “Lantana, you skipped 2 school days, so
we’re going to suspend you for 2 more.”
– “Phloem, I’m taking your book away
because you obviously aren’t ready to
learn.”
– “You want my attention?! I’ll show you
attention,…let’s take a walk down to the
office & have a little chat with the Principal.”
“Function” = outcome, result,
purpose, consequence
Function of Behavior
• All behavior serves a function:
– Learners trying to get or obtain
desired activities, tangible items,
attention, or sensory stimulation.
– Learners trying to avoid or escape
aversive activities, items, or
attention, or sensory stimulation.
Problem
Behavior
Pos Reinf
Escape/
Avoid
Something
Obtain/Get
Something
Stimulation/
Sensory
Tangible/
Activity
Social
Adult
Neg Reinf
Peer
Look at the Function of Behavior
• When a student is exhibiting
problematic behaviors, look at the
context:
– What typically precedes the problematic
behaviors?
– What typically follows the problematic
behaviors?
– What function are the behaviors serving for
the student?
Let’s practice…
Hypothesizing Function
A high school teacher is delivering a lesson
on music theory. In the middle of the lecture,
a student calls out repeatedly. Each time, the
teacher calls on the student and allows them
ask their question or share their opinion.
Hypothesized function of the student’s
behavior: ____________
A parent asks a child to clean up their room.
The child begins to whine and scream. The
parent gives up, and the child does not clean.
Hypothesized function of the student’s
behavior: ____________
Why is function important?
• Function based behavior support
plans are not only effective, they
are more effective than similarly
intensive and individualized plans
that are not based on function (e.g.,
Ingram, Palmer, & Sugai, 2005).
We should consider
the function of
behavior when we
design programs for
students and staff.
Big Ideas
You should now be able to…
– …Describe your role as a coach.
– …Articulate the basics of class-wide PBS
– …Identify functions of behavior.
– …Facilitate your team’s activities
You’re a coach!
Prepare for training
events, and use your
resources to guide
your team’s activities
(both at training and
at school).
Opportunities for further training
• UConn offers a series of 4 courses in PBS
– Tier 1 (Classroom Management)
– Tiers 2 & 3
– ABA
– Practicum
• In the future, this may be defined as a
graduate certificate. For now, it’s a
concentration or specialization that
students take as a part of their program.