An Experimental Analysis of Some Procedures to Teach Priming and Reinforcement Skills to Preschool Teachers

Abstract

This Monograph reports the results of teaching preschool teachers to be successful at increasing desired behaviors of their children, thus becoming successful teachers. Five teacher-training techniques were examined experimentally under single-subject designs: written assignments, feedback from viewing graphs, on-the-spot feedback from a wireless radio (Bug-in-the-Ear), feedback from an observer, and self-counting. Those teaching procedures that included prompt and frequent information to the teacher about the behavior under study were the most effective techniques. Self-counting, in which the teacher tallied the number of times she emitted the behavior of either priming or reinforcing social or verbal behavior of a child (or children), and observer feedback, in which the observer reported to the teacher periodically during the hour the frequency of her behavior, were the most reliable teaching techniques. The other procedures, while less reliable than self-counting and observer feedback, were effective with some teachers. Maintenance of teacher behavior across settings was examined with a group of Head Start teachers, and maintenance of teacher behaviors across different child behaviors and different children was examined with three student teachers. The results indicated that teaching was more likely to maintain if it occurred in the teacher's home setting rather than at another site. In all cases, when generalization occurred across settings, time, or children, the frequency of the teacher's behavior was not as high as when the relevant behavior had been trained directly. Results supported the proposal that it is possible to define effective teacher behavior, not just characterize it, as it occurs in the classroom, and that effectiveness can be measured by defining and observing the child behaviors to which teacher behaviors are directed.

How Are They Now? Longer Term Effects of eCoaching Through Online Bug-In-Ear Technology

“…Our qualitative findings regarding ongoing participation differed from those reported by Thomson et al (1978), which indicated participants disliked the BIE after prolonged use. Scheeler et al (2009), too, found that at least one teacher participant grew tired of the BIE as time went on.…”

Direct Behavioral Consultation in Head Start to Increase Teacher Use of Praise and Effective Instruction Delivery

“…Numerous research studies have demonstrated the superiority of direct training procedures over didactic training procedures for enhancing skill development Mueller et al, 2003;Rickert et al, 1988;Sterling-Turner, Watson, Wildmon, Watkins, & Little, 2001;Watson & Kramer, 1995). Additionally, training studies evaluating direct and didactic training procedures for increasing teacher implementation of classroom-based intervention procedures have found similar results (Fantuzzo et al, 1996;Sterling-Turner et al, 2001;Sloat, Tharp, & Gallimore, 1977;Stormont, Covington-Smith, & Lewis, 2007;Thomson, Cooper-Holmberg, & Baer, 1978). It is important to note that direct training studies involving teachers and classroom-based interventions have often included training procedures that occurred outside of routine classroom activities.…”

“…Training type has been shown to be an important variable when considering impact on subsequent teacher intervention implementation. Direct training procedures have been shown to be superior to didactic training when impact on teacher implementation of classroom interventions has been monitored (Fantuzzo et al, 1996;Sloat et al, 1977;Sterling-Turner et al, 2002;Stormont et al, 2007;Thomson et al, 1978). Most direct training procedures in teacher training studies have occurred outside the context of normal classroom activities and have included performance feedback or additional components (e.g., implementation scripts) in addition to training.…”

Growth Patterns of Neuropsychological Functions in Indian Children

“…The school experience encourages children to analyze, conceptualize, and generalize. Schooling with respect to opportunities and methods of acquiring specific cognitive skills affects cognitive development more than the difference in culture or social class (Stevenson et al, 1978). …”

“…As a product of the interaction of environment with nervous system the child acquires basic skills and knowledge of the culture and internalizes behavioral patterns from the particular social context. Children’s opportunities to acquire specific memory and cognitive skills from schooling and from their general experience in a particular environment affect cognitive development (Stevenson et al, 1978). Differences in performance have been observed with 2–3 years of schooling (Nisbett and Norenzayan, 2002).…”