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Combining Behavior and Academic Instructional Support to Improve English Learners Reading Outcomes

Jorge Preciado University of Oregon

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Overview

Applied Behavior Analysis/Behavior Management Principles

Function-based Behavior SupportInstructional Design VariablesReading Acquisition

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Review of the Research

The two greatest risks for school failure are:

(a) the display of a very challenging behavior pattern (i.e., antisocial behavior, aggression, opposition-defiance, bullying, etc.) and

(b) early school failure, especially learning to read.

(Walker & Shinn in Shinn, Walker & Stoner, 2002)

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Students who cannot read are at risk for:

having difficulty completing homework assignments in content areas

referrals for special education teen pregnancy drug and alcohol abuse dropping out of high school delinquency unemployment homelessness (McGill and Franzen, 1987)

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Three key elements

Classroom Behavior Principles/Function-based Behavior Support Positive behavior support – establishing conditions where

behaviors are explicitly taught and reinforced to improve pro-social behavior

Behavior support is most effective when designed based on the function of a student’s behavior

Instructional Design Variables Correct academic placement Teaching explicitly Providing multiple opportunities to respond

Reading Acquisition Blending, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension

Strategies

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Ineffective Instructional Design and Delivery

Frustration-level task presented

Incorrect academic

responding

Punishment/ extinction of academic

responding

Decreased academic

engagement

Failure to acquire literacy

skills

Sanford, 2006

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Ineffective Instructional Design and Delivery

Frustration-level task presented

More severe problem behavior

Escape or avoid academic

task

Decreased academic

engagement

Inability to Read

Sanford, 2006

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Effective Instructional Design and Delivery:•Explicit Teaching

•Frequent Opportunities to Respond

•Appropriate Placement

Instruction-level task presented

Correct academic

responding

Reinforcement for academic responding

Increased academic

engagement

Successful acquisition of literacy skills

Sanford, 2006

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Statement of the Problem

Low income and Spanish speaking English Language Learners (ELLs) generally struggle academically (Goldenberg, 1996; Haager & Windmueller, 2001; Vaughn et al., 2005)

85% of Latino ELLs in fourth through eighth read below grade level (Goldenberg, 1996; National Center for Education Statistics, 2004)

Overrepresentation of Latino students in special education(Artiles et al., 2005; De Valenzuela et al., 2006)

Most research conducted on Latino ELLs has focused on language development and not on reading (Anderson & Roit, 1998; Gunn et al., (in press); Linan-Thompson & Hickman-Davis, 2002; Weber, 1991)

Literature regarding Latino ELLs and problem behaviors is sparse

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Continued

If problem behaviors are related to escape or avoidance of grade level academic tasks, a negative reinforcement condition could be established.

How?

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How these word are used in this context:

“Negative” means that something is taken away.

“Reinforcement” means the behavior is more likely to happen again.

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What is “negative reinforcement?”

A consequence that makes a particular behavior more likely to happen again because the person avoids something aversive or unpleasant.

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Scenario

Ms. Kerns thought an easy way to get students to quit arguing about assignments would be to let the students who argued skip some of the questions or have more time to do assignments.

However, over the next few weeks, that actually lead to more students coming up with arguments about assignments more often.

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Scenario

Juan is in the first grade. Juan dislikes reading because he is a poor reader. During reading class, Juan hits his peers whenever his teacher Mr. Suarez asks him to read a passage. Immediately, Mr. Suarez sends Juan to the principal office for fighting.

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Scenario

Esteban is in the second grade and he is reading below grade level. Esteban likes to sing songs in class and talk to his peers during reading class. Ms. Rivera scolds Esteban and then sends him to the back of the room to work. Esteban puts his head down and does not bother his peers for the rest of the period.

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Applied Behavior Analysis: What is it?

“A way to understand and predict human behavior” (Alberto & Troutman, 2003, p. 2)

“Systematic application of behavioral principles to change socially significant behavior to a meaningful degree . . .

users of these principles [are able] to verify a functional relationship between a behavior and an intervention” (Alberto & Troutman, 2003, p. 531)

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Can Applied Behavior Analysis Help?

“Applied behavior analysis . . . is probably the most widely used process for addressing a variety of learning and behavior problems.

There is no doubt that more data are available to support behaviorally based interventions for ameliorating behavior problems than for all other models combined” (Jackson & Panyan, 2002, p. 30).

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How Can We Help Mr. Suarez?

Conventional wisdom is to get tough on the student as this will make Juan comply.

If problem behavior is caused by escape of task, conventional wisdom will backfire, escalate the problem, and create animosity between Juan and Mr. Suarez (McIntosh, Chard, Boland, & Horner, 2006: Patterson, 1982: Preciado et al., 2009; Sanford, 2006).

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AntecedentGrade level reading

task

Desired BehaviorPerform Task

ConsequencePraise Student

Maintaining Consequence

Escape from grade level reading task

Alternative Behavior

Student will receive reading academic support (e.g., Decoding skills, review/preview, vocabulary instruction, and

task completion supportStudent will raise hand and ask for a break from task or seek

peer and/or adult help to complete task

BehaviorProblem Behavior

Competing Pathway Model

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Function-Based Behavior Support

Four ways to quantify behaviors:A) EscapeB) AttentionC) Access to a tangibleD) Self-reinforcement

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ABC’s of Problem Behavior

AntecedentBehavior Consequences

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Antecedent

“The circumstances that exist in the environment before a behavior is exhibited” (Maag, 2004, p. 402)

Here are some examples of antecedents for common behaviors that you can probably guess:Phone ringingTeacher asks a question in classBilly calls Tara a name that is an ethnic slur

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Behavior

“What individuals do – their observable actions . . . can be verbal or nonverbal. . . .

[In classrooms] includes actions students undertake to indicate they have [gained] knowledge” (Maag, 2004, p. 403).

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Consequences

“Circumstances that change the environment shortly after a behavior is displayed and that affect the future performance of the behavior by serving to increase, decrease, or maintain it” (Maag, 2004, p. 405)

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Alternative Behavior

In order for students to attain a more socially appropriate behavior, students need an alternative behavior that serves the same function as the problem behavior.

What do you mean by same function?

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Hypothesis Statement

Determine (hypothesis statement) which of the four behavioral functions does the student exhibit.

Conduct Competing Pathway Model.Remember to make the problem

behavior irrelevant, inefficient, and ineffective.

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Start with Antecedent

How can we manipulate the antecedent to make the problem behavior irrelevant?

Problem Behavior: Julio makes noises during independent reading time.

Hypothesis Statement: Attention Antecedent Manipulation: Speak to Julio

ahead of time and discuss possibility of Julio orally sharing an event with the class. This will allow Julio access to peer attention.

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Behavior

Make the problem behavior inefficient!Access to attention is easier to obtain

than engaging in problem behavior.Julio gets up in front of class and shares

that he will go to his cousins house over the weekend to celebrate his birthday.

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Consequence

Make the problem behavior ineffective!Provide Alternative Behavior to support

student with behavior problems during independent reading time.

Alternative behavior must be the same function as the problem behavior.

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Scenario

Juan is in the first grade. Juan dislikes reading because he is a poor reader. During reading class, Juan hits his peers whenever his teacher Mr. Suarez asks him to read a passage. Immediately, Mr. Suarez sends Juan to the principals office for fighting.

Antecedents, behavior, consequences?

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Competing Pathway Model

Antecedent Behavior Maintaining Consequence

Alternative Behavior(1. Same Function)

(2. Academic and Behavior Intervention)

Manipulate

Manipulate

Desirable Behavior Consequence

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Let’s Practice

Look at the scenario and provide a competing pathway model.

Let’s reviewThink of one of your students and

conduct a competing pathway model.

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Teach Social Skills Everyday

Teach expectations and routines explicitly, systematically, and directly

Teach maintenance and generalizationReinforce appropriate behaviorBe consistentProvide opportunities to practice

appropriate behaviors/Role PlayProvide constructive feedback

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Expectations and Routines

Expectations are rules (e.g., Be safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful)

Routines are procedures that occur in classrooms (e.g., passing out paper, lining up, sitting at the carpet, listening to peers)

We must teach expectations and routines daily (Alberto & Troutman, 2009).

Teaching social skills is the equivalent of teaching the five big ideas in reading!

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Continued

Expectations are rules:Positively state 3-5 classroom rulesPositively Stated: Be SafeNegatively Stated: Do not hit your peers.Avoid terms such as: Do not and/or

NeverRoutines are behaviors:Passing out paper, waiting in line

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Let’s practice

State 3-5 classroom expectations (rules) that can be positively stated.

Examples: Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful

Use expectations to teach 3-5 classroom routines

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Maintenance and Generalization

Students need to be firm on skills (maintenance).

Students need to incorporate learned skills into new settings (generalization).

Provide scaffolding support in new settings to assure student success!

(Alberto & Troutman, 2009)

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Instructional Design Variables

Correct academic placementTeaching explicitlyProviding multiple

opportunities to respond

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Correct Academic Placement

Place students at his or her instructional level. Placement testing and progress monitoring. Instructional level-responding with 85%

success rate on material. Homogeneous grouping Always think-Acceleration (Why)? How can my students catch up?

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Continued

Flexible grouping Small or large group Good rule of thumb: Less attentive students

who need more time in mastering skills, require small group instruction.

Selecting Instructional Materials Using templates to make instruction explicit

and systematic.

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Continued

Always teach more of the following:Phonemic awareness (blending and

segmenting)Letter sounds correspondencesWord readingIrregular words (introduce several

lessons before they appear in stories)Story reading-accuracy

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Teaching Explicitly

Use Model, Lead, Test. Teach skills so that students can rely on

strategies/framework (not memorization). Decrease teacher wording. Avoid vocabulary and sentence structures that

are confusing for students. Pre-teach critical vocabulary: Academic

language and Tier 2 words.

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Continued

Introduce one skill at a time.Provide guided practice.As students gain skills, teacher formats

will decrease in structure.Present appropriate introductory

examples.Provide discrimination practice.Sequencing skills.

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Continued

Teach pre-skills of a strategy. Introduce high-utility skills before less

useful ones.Introduce easy skills before more difficult

ones.Separate confusing strategies and

information.

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Continued

Introduce new information at a realistic rate.

Provide adequate practice and review.Think and teach to Mastery!Develop accuracy and fluency.Increase practice and feedback when

introducing a new skill.(Carnine et al., 2006)

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Let’s Practice

Take one skill (one that you would like feedback) from your core book.

Plan how you would make the skill more explicit.

Incorporate templates into the lesson.Practice teaching the skill to yourself.Practice teaching the skill to a peer.

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Providing Multiple Opportunities to Respond

Monitoring group responses.Incorporate unison responses.Watch students eyes and mouths.Sit low achieving students in the center.Individual Responses (After students

have mastered a skill).

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Continued

If students make errors during individual turns, teacher needs to provide more practice during unison responses.

Correcting errors (Five Steps).Model, Lead, Test, Firm up, and Delayed

Test.

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Continued

Teaching to Mastery.Level of practice determined by skill level

of students.Motivate students (Teacher point game).Practice skills daily.Do not introduce new information too

quickly.

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Continued

DiagnosingAs students progress within a reading

program, recurring errors may be the result of students not being firm on previously taught skills.

Structure lessons to provide more instruction on particular areas of need.

In other words, re-teach!

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Continued

Motivate Students Demonstrate to students that they can

succeed. High level of reinforcement for good behavior

(4 to 1 ratio). Effective management techniques. Praising of desired behavior/Ignoring? (Model and Discussion) (Carnine et al., 2006)

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Putting it All Together

Determine function of problem behavior. Place student in correct instructional level. Review Classroom Expectations and Routines. Teacher and Student Point Game. Have materials ready! Teach to Mastery (re-teach if necessary). Teach at a brisk pace (unison responses). Explicit and systematic instruction. Progress monitor/Review data/Make Changes.

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Continued

Flexible groupingOpportunities to practice learned skillsOpportunities to review and practice

previously taught skillsTeacher academic and behavior

feedbackBe Precise (Surgeons)!

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Pair Share

Speak to your partner and provide ideas regarding how to teach instructionally naïve students.

Speak to your partner and provide ideas regarding how to teach students who are ready to move on.

Write ideas on a piece of paper!

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Reading Acquisition

Blending Strategies (phonemic awareness and alphabetic principle)

Fluency StrategiesVocabularyComprehension

Nonsense Word Fluency Assessment General Performance Pattern and Instructional Recommendations

Strategy Sound Only(/f/ /e/ /k/)

Sound by Sound and then Recode(/f/ /e/ /k/ /fek/)

Partial Blend(/f/ /ek/)

Whole Word or Unit Reading(/fek/)

Not Accurate(< 90% accuracy)

Accurate(>90% accuracy)

Not Accurate(< 90% accuracy)

Accurate(>90% accuracy)

Not Accurate(< 90% accuracy)

Accurate(>90% accuracy)

Not Accurate(< 90% accuracy)

Accurate(>90% accuracy)

List Student Names

(list each student once based on

their predominant pattern)

Instructional Implications

- Focus on accuracy instruction at the letter-sound level- Identify known and unknown letter-sound combinations

- Focus on blending fluency practice at the word level

- Focus on accuracy instruction at the letter-sound level and then accuracy instruction at the blending level

- Focus on blending fluency practice at the word level- Instruction in reading words as whole units

- Focus on accuracy instruction at the letter-sound level and then accuracy instruction at the blending level

- Focus on blending fluency practice at the word level- Instruction in reading words as whole units

- Focus on accuracy instruction at the letter-sound level and then accuracy instruction at the blending level

- Focus instruction on accuracy and fluency in connected text

Example Activities

- Continued Phonics Instruction- Fluency with known sounds * 1 Minute Sound Dash * Rapid Read Sounds

- Instruction in continuous blending of CVC words (i.e., Card 9) followed by re-reading the blended words as whole words (i.e., Card 3)

- Continued Phonics Instruction- First, Fluency with known sounds * 1 Minute Sound Dash * Rapid Read Sounds- Instruction in continuous blending of CVC words (i.e., Card 9) followed by re-reading the blended words as whole words (i.e., Card 3)

- Blending practice in reading words accurately as whole units * No Peeps- Fluency with known words * 5 x 5 matrix * Rapid Read Words * Paired Peer Practice

- Continued Phonics Instruction- First, Fluency with known sounds * 1 Minute Dash * Rapid Read Sounds- Instruction in continuous blending of CVC words (i.e., Card 9) followed by re-reading the blended words as whole words (i.e., Card 3)

- Blending practice in reading words accurately as whole units * No Peeps- Fluency with known words * 5 x 5 matrix * Rapid Read Words * Paired Peer Practice

- Continued Phonics Instruction - First, Fluency with known sounds * 1 Minute Dash * Rapid Read Sounds- Then, fluency practice in reading words as whole units * No Peeps

- Fluency building activities in connected text * Repeated Reading Strategies * Partner Reading Strategies

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Phonemic and Alphabetic Principle Blending Strategies

Students need help blending sounds in order to decode words.

Having students state sounds does not guarantee decoding.

Students need many opportunities and practice in blending sounds, before the blending skill is firm.

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Phonemic Awareness: How can Teachers/IAs Help?

Introduce words using the blending skill:Example: /ffffff/ /ooooo/ /c/ /aaaaa/Teachers and IAs need to know about

continuous and stop soundsContinuous sounds: /eeee/ /llllll/ /mmmm/Stop sounds: /g/ as in gato/p/ /d/

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Placing Fingers Correctly (Alphabetic Principle)

Loop continuous soundsTap stop soundsLet students read words by themselvesLet’s practice:gato, casa, pelota, ginete, nidoPractice some difficult words from your

core reading programThink Blending skills!

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Why Fluency? Fluency Strategies

Why should students read quickly?Reading quickly is not comprehending!Compelling evidence that supports the

correlation of fluency and comprehension.

All good readers are fluent readers.

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Continued

Teachers should provide practice and support:

FluencyAccuracyProsodyHow do we do this?

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Continued

Support fluency and prosody activities.Provide opportunities for students to be

fluent and accurate, while demonstrating prosody.

Small group pair share readingPair share reading at desk/carpetAsk: Who, what , where, why, and next

questions.

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Continued

Graph resultsStudents need folders to keep graphing

sheetsHot and cold reads?Both serve a purpose.Encourage fiction and non-fiction texts.Two sets of graphs (fiction and non-

fiction).

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Vocabulary Strategies

Teachers and IAs need to know the presentation format: Five Step Presentation Model

1) State the word2) Child friendly definition3) Provide examples of the word/Check for

Understanding (Examples and non-examples)4) Students use the word in a sentence5) Feedback

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Continued

Review words before reading text. Teach academic language. Use fast mapping while reading or when students are

reading the text. Think Before, During, and After Before = Presentation of words During = Fast mapping/looking for words After = Have students provide new meanings for

words Synonyms or Antonyms activities (Carlo, 2004)

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Comprehension Strategies

Strong correlation between vocabulary and comprehension.

Think Before, During, and AfterBefore = Provide background knowledgeDuring = Ask questions to check for

comprehension (literal and inferential)After = Focus on higher level skills (Santoro et al., 2006)

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Continued

“Big Idea” Teachers and IAs are moderators.

A good moderator keeps the conversation going (Allows for conversation to flow).

How to keep the conversation going:1) Tell me more about that.2) Why do you think that?

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Continued

Do you think that the character was correct in their decision?

I liked what you said, please tell me more.

How do we know that the character was correct?

Did the character act appropriately?Teach students this format.

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Re-Cap

Combine behavior and academic support for hard to deal students.

Model, Lead, TestTeach ExplicitlyProvide FeedbackTeach social skills