Increasing Task Engagement Using Preference or Choice-Making

Abstract

Frequent reprimands, low expectations, and infrequent praise characterize the daily school experiences of many students who display problem behaviors. This review evaluates preference and choice-making as possible interventions for improving these school experiences. Findings from 15 studies suggest that preference and choice-making may improve both academic performance and behavior. However, an underlying behavioral mechanism may more parsimoniously account for the effects attributed to each intervention. Moreover, the effects attributed to choice-making appear to vary with the type of methodological procedure used to control for preference. Teachers employing preference assessments when using choice-making are more likely to improve a student's task engagement than those relying on choice-making alone.

The impact of group composition and task design on foreign language learners’ interactions in mobile-based intercultural exchanges

“…Although our participants paid more attention, generated creative ideas, and put more emotional investment in student-selected tasks, they simultaneously seemed to encounter difficulties with conditions in which they were given freedom and had to make choices, which is consistent with Appel and Gilabert (2002). It is undeniable that offering choice-making opportunities may be the key to enabling students to feel interested in tasks, maximizing their task engagement, and developing creativity (Flowerday & Schraw, 2000;Morgan, 2006). However, it should be noted that more freedom or increased choices may be unappealing or, sometimes, daunting, because it forces individuals to gather more information than they currently possess to make good decisions (Schwartz, 2000).…”

Child Sustained Attention in Preschool-Age Children

“…This finding is similar to that found by Reinhartsen, Garfinkle, and Wolery (2002), who in their study of 2-year-olds with autism, found that when the child initiated his or her own play, the play lasted for a longer duration of time, in comparison to scenarios when the child was given two choices or presented with one activity. In a meta-analysis of 15 studies, Morgan (2006) concluded that when students are able to make their own choices, problem behaviors decrease, increasing their productivity and appropriate behaviors. In a study of reinforcement preferences, Fenerty and Tiger (2010) also found choice to be preferred in comparison to a no-choice condition.…”

Differentiating Tier 2 Social Behavioral Interventions According to Function of Behavior

“…Choice making and preference are simple interventions that have shown positive effects in reducing problem behavior and increasing task engagement (Morgan, 2006). Choice making allows students to indicate choice in the activities, sequence of activities, or rewards.…”

“…Cosden, Gannon, and Haring (1995) found greater effects for a combination of the choice of the task and the reward compared to the choice of the task or reward alone. Preference, on the other hand, promotes engagement in activities that are more reinforcing or liked by the child (Morgan, 2006). Research has found no differences in the effects of teacher or student selected tasks (Cole, Davenport, Bambara, & Ager, 1997).…”

“…Meanwhile, preference reduced problem behaviors across all functions (Romaniuk et al, 2002). These effects may be evidenced because students may be immediately reinforced by the preferred activity, which affects the effort required to obtain a desired outcome (Morgan, 2006). Likewise, choice making may be effective because it reduces exposure to aversive activities.…”