Programming Generalization of In‐class Transition Skills: Teaching Preschoolers With Developmental Delays to Self‐assess and Recruit Contingent Teacher Praise

Abstract

We investigated a self-management intervention package that taught preschoolers with developmental delays to self-assess performance oftargeted skills and to recruit teacher praise. Self-assessment alone resulted in increases in active engagement across all participants during the training sessions, but generalization to classrooms was sporadic and short-lived. When recruitment of contingent praise was added to the training package, treatment effects generalized to the participants' classrooms and teachers' rates of contingent praise increased. The implications of combining self-assessment and recruitment of contingent teacher praise are discussed.

Teaching Elementary Students With Developmental Disabilities to Recruit Teacher Attention in a General Education Classroom: Effects on Teacher Praise and Academic Productivity

“…The results of this study support and extend the findings of previous research show- ing that children with developmental disabilities can be taught to recruit attention from teachers or other adults (Connell, Carta, & Baer, 1993;Harchik et al, 1990;Hrydowy et al, 1984;Mank & Horner, 1987;Morgan et al, 1983;Seymour & Stokes, 1976;Stokes et al, 1978). The results are especially significant for 3 of the 4 students: Latasha, who recruited only twice in six baseline sessions, recruited at least once during 23 of 24 posttraining sessions; Olivia, who never recruited during 14 sessions prior to training, recruited teacher attention on 17 of 18 sessions after training; and Octavian recruited at least once during all 16 posttraining sessions, compared to his baseline frequency of just twice in 16 sessions.…”

“…However, students' recruiting responses that did not result in praise from the teacher usually evoked instructional feedback (e.g., ''Number 3 isn't correct, check it again and see what you did wrong.'') The finding that not every incidence of recruiting results in teacher praise is consistent with data reported by Connell, Carta, and Baer (1993) and Harchik et al (1990). It is possible that the recruiting responses of the students were maintained and strengthened by an intermittent schedule of teacher praise.…”

“…Similar to Connell, Carta, and Baer's (1993) findings, the teacher in this study reported that she thought more highly of the students when they recruited her attention. The students also indicated that they liked recruiting, enjoyed the positive teacher comments, and felt as if they were getting more work done.…”

“…Other studies have reported increased recruiting responses and teacher praise statements with preschoolers with developmental delays learning to stay on task during transitions (Connell, Carta, & Baer, 1993); elementary students performing academic tasks (Hrydowy, Stokes, & Martin, 1984;Morgan, Young, & Goldstein, 1983); elementary-age boys with autism completing leisure, self-care, or language activities (Harchik, Harchik, Luce, & Sherman, 1990); adolescent girls in a maximum security institution learning to work more productively in a vocational training program (Seymour & Stokes, 1976); and secondary students with mental retardation learning to work more productively in a vocational training setting (Mank & Horner, 1987).…”

Augmenting Computer-Interactive Self-Assessment with and Without Feedback

“…To cite only a few of the many examples, self-assessment strategies have demonstrated diversified positive outcomes such as enhancing attentive behaviors and reducing disruptive behaviors of children identified as hyperactive (Christie, Hiss, & Lozanoff, 1984); establishing generalization of students' on-task behavior across academic environments (Rhode, Morgan, & Young, 1983); enhancing students' skills at acquiring teacher praise for appropriate behavior (Connell, Carta, & Baer, 1993); increasing the rate and accuracy of assignments (McLaughlin, Burgess, & Sackville-West, 1982); and improving the test performance of elementary students (Wall & Bryant, 1979). Selfassessment of tape recordings of new words has increased student opportunities to produce accurate pronunciation (Lalli & Shapiro, 1990).…”