Monitoring Academic and Social Skills in Elementary School

Abstract

The term "academic enablers" has been used to describe these behaviors, namely, interpersonal skills, study skills, motivation, and engagement (DiPerna & Elliott, 2000). These enablers are hypothesized to mediate the effects of academic instruction on student growth and achievement (DiPerna, 2006; Jenkins & Demaray, 2015). Farrington et al. (2012) similarly described several noncognitive factors that play a vital role in students' school success, including both academic and social skills (see also Caldarella & Merrell, 1997). Academic skills are outward behaviors generally indicative of being proficient in school such as completing work and studying. Social skills are behaviors that result in positive interpersonal interactions. These skills are crucial to overall school success and academic achievement, particularly for students with cognitive, academic, or behavioral problems (

Implementation of Promising Practices that Support Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

“…Educators face a substantial challenge in addressing the needs of students with or at-risk for EBD in schools, which, if left unaddressed, lead to myriad academic, social, and health problems (Caldarella et al, 2016). Without adequate supports, educators often turn to ineffective punitive and exclusionary practices such as suspensions and detentions.…”

Effects of CW-FIT on Teachers’ Ratings of Elementary School Students at Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

“…The CPS-E was adapted from the Classroom Performance Survey (CPS; Robin, 1998), as explained by Caldarella and colleagues (2017). The original CPS was developed due to a need within secondary schools for a brief, reliable, behavior rating scale that was effective in identifying school functioning levels for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Robin, 1998).…”

“…We used a modified CPS elementary version, CPS-E (see Caldarella et al, 2017), consisting of 17 items across two scales: Academic Competence and Interpersonal Competence. All items are rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale from 1 ( always ) to 5 ( never ).…”

“…All items are rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale from 1 ( always ) to 5 ( never ). Sample items include “Completes class assignments” and “Relates positively to peers.” Internal consistencies (alphas) on the CPS-E range from .79 to .92 (Caldarella et al, 2017). Lower scores on both the Academic Competence and Interpersonal Competence scales indicate improved behavior.…”

“…Items directly related to the three main social skills taught during CW-FIT ("Follow Directions the First Time," "How to Get the Teacher's Attention," and "Ignore Inappropriate Behavior") are included on both the SSIS and SSBS-2 rating scales. Three CPS-E, one per week, were administered during baseline, as this measure is designed to be used as a behavioral progress monitoring tool (Caldarella et al, 2017). During intervention, teachers completed one CPS-E per month.…”