Using Behavior Modification Principles to Teach Sight Vocabulary

Abstract

Learning Principles Utilized •Teachers of "trainable level" retarded students frequently limit their curricula to development of basic social and recreational skills due to the assumption that these children are unable to learn much more. In teaching reading, those teachers frequently concern themselves only with teaching words which are essential to these skills.The assumption that trainable level retarded students can learn only survival skills has been challenged. Studies have shown that by using basic behavior modification principles such as contingent reinforcement, modeling, and learning set, trainable retarded children can be taught a rudimentary basic sight vocabulary.Behavior modification principles are certainly not new in special education, but a consistent reliance on them in daily classroom instruction is seldom found. In the following demoI').strations several basic learning principles were applied to the instruction of trainable retarded children.o In this demonstration, it was assumed that a program using the systematic application of basic learning principles would be effective in teaching a trainable level retarded girl to verbally label printed words. It was further assumed that the student would become increasingly proficient at learning to label words as the program progressed.o Behavior can be developed by providing a model. Briefly, modeling is a teaching technique in which a teacher, or any person, behaves a certain way while being watched by the pupil so that, after observing her, the child will be able to imitate that behavior. In the present demonstration, a teacher aide (TA) functioned as a model for the student so that the student could match her behavior to the modeled behavior.Contingent positive reinforcement increases the occurrence of the behavior being reinforced. Contingent positive reinforcement consists of presenting, immediately after a person has completed a stipulated behavior, a consequence which encourages the reoccurrence of that behavior. In this demonstration, contingent positive reinforcement was provided initially when the student matched the behavior of the TA, and later, when the student emitted a correct response without the aid of the model.A learning set can facilitate the acquisition of new behavior. While modeling and reinforcement were principles applied to teaching procedures, the assumption that a learning set would develop was used to justify undertaking this demonstration. Kaufman and Prehm (1966) defined learning set as "the transfer of training among many problems of a single class." Studies dealing Spring • 1970

A Comparison of Static Picture Prompting and Video Prompting Simulation Strategies Using Group Instructional Procedures

“…These increases in interaction during instruction result yield greater effectiveness as measured by increased academic gains (Greenwood, Delquadri, & Hall, 1984;Sindelar, Bursuck, & Halle, 1986). Additionally, group instruction allows for efficient use of teacher time because several students can receive instruction in the same amount of time as one student (Brown, Hermanson, Klemme, Haubrich, & Ora, 1970;Favell, Favell, & McCimsey, 1978;Storm & Willis, 1978). A teacher can instruct students all on the same task and materials or can deliver instruction to students of diverse abilities and assorted skills using group instruction (Collins et al, 1991).…”

Implementing a Multimethod, Multilevel Literacy Program for Students with Mental Retardation

“…Generally, functional literacy practices involve decontextualized drill and practice (Ault, Gast, & Wolery, 1988;Brown, Hermanson, Klemme, Haubrich, & Ora, 1970;Brown, Huppler, Pierce, York, & Sontag, 1974;Conners, 1992;Oelwein, 1995). Recent theorists and practitioners have questioned this type of literacy instruction (Katims, 1991(Katims, , 1996Kliewer, 1998;Koppenhaver, Evans, & Yoder, 1991;Koppenhaver, Pierce, Steelman, & Yoder, 1995;Marr & Allington, 1994;Saint-Laurent, Giasson, & Couture, 1997;Saint-Laurent, Giasson, Couture, & Trepanier, 1996;Steelman et al, 1993).…”

Reading outcomes of students with intellectual disability on statewide assessments

“…Rather, we recommend that the results should be used to advocate for the implementations of more effective reading instruction for these students in schools. We know from past research that students with intellectual disability were able to acquire reading skills via developmental and functional curricula (Browder and Xin, 1998; Brown et al, 1970). Recently, more students with intellectual disability are educated in inclusive classrooms; thus, are expected to have access to academic content or general education curriculum.…”