cording to chi square analyses. Teachers perceived experimental children to be more clearly improved than the control group in their ability to exercise self control under everyday and pressure situations. The pattern of results indicated meaningful social and emotional gains by children undergoing the videotape and discussion program.
television, (b) the social experience and verbal interaction of the discussion groups, and (c) the social problem solving curriculum's emphasis on thinking through various alternatives and their consequences. The practical utility of this type of program deserves to be researched further in various educational and therapeutic settings.
Generalized Effects
Analysis of covariance of unobtrusive ratings of behavior in residential cottages 2 months after the program ended showed reliable decreases in overall personality problems, emotional detachment, inability to delay gratification, and social isolation among experimental versus control children. Similar analyses of classroom behavior ratings indicated that experimental boys made relatively greater gains in self reliant learning behaviors, compared to controls.
REFERENCES Abrams, J. c., & Kaslow, F. Family systems and the learning disabled child: Intervention and treatment. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1977, 10, 86-90.
Inside/Out: A guide for teachers. Bloomington IN: Agency for Instructional Television, 1973. Liebert, R. M., & Schwartzberg, N. S. Effects of mass media. Annual Review of Psychology, 1977,28, 141-173.
Spivack, G., Platt, J., & Shure, M. B. The problem solving approach to adjustment. San Francisco: [ossey-Bass, 1976.
DISCUSSION
The results suggest that videotape and discussion programs combining the professional quality of "Inside/Out" with a social problem solving oriented curriculum can enhance existing services for socially and emotionally troubled youngsters. Data from this study imply that generalized change is encouraged by (a) the verbal and visual labels provided by
MAURICE J. ELIAS is Assistant Professor, Deportment of Psychology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey. This research was conducted while the author was an Intern in Clinical Psychology, The Children's Village, Dobbs Ferry, New York. Contributions were made by Charles Nadovich, Kent Davis, George Allen, and personnel at The Children '5 Village and Greenburgh Eleven, U.S.F.D., Dobbs Ferry.
Modifying Independent Work Habits: An Effective Teacher-Parent Communication Program STEVE C. IMBER RUTH B. IMBER CARY ROTHSTEIN
Recent federal legislation encourages the placement of children with learning and behavior problems in the least restrictive educaCopyright © 1979 The Council for Exceptional Children. 218
tional environment. One result of this focus is the increasingly important role that the regular classroom teacher plays in the prevention or remediation of serious learning and behavior problems (Cantrell & Cantrell, 1976). Furthermore, there has been a concomitant increase in parents' interest and involvement in helping their children succeed in school (Alexander & Clements, 1975; Feldman, Byalock, & Rosedale, 1975; Flint & Deloach, 1975; Kelly, 1974; Kroth,1975). November 1979
There are several studies supporting the efficacy of modifying academic achievement of children with behavior problems in the regular classroom (McGlaughlin & Malaby, 1972; Masden, Becker, & Thomas, 1968) as well as within home settings (Bailey, Wolf, & Phillips, 1970; Herbert & Baer, 1972; Johnson & Katz, 1973; Tharp & Wetzel, 1969). At least two recent references suggest the use of positive teacher notes in conjunction with parental communication as a strategy for increasing appropriate school behavior (Coloroso, 1976; Dickerson, Spellman, Larsen, & Tyler, 1973), but neither reference provides supporting data. This study was designed to examine the effects of teacher administered praise notes on the academic performance of three special needs students. A multiple baseline procedure was used to study the effects of the notes and their use in conjunction with parental reinforcement.
lotted approximately 50 minutes to finish their assigned worksheets. The students' work was computed as a percentage of correctly completed items, All work was corrected and returned the same day on which it was assigned. The study consisted of three treatment phases: [a) baseline procedure, which involved assigning and tallying the independent reading seatwork; [b) intervention 1, which required a private conference between teacher and child to praise the student for behavior that was already appropriate and to explain to the student that on days most seatwork was correctly completed [80% or more) the student could expect to receive a praise note; and [c) intervention 2, which involved teacher-parent contact by phone as well as in writing to explain the praise note program. The parents were asked to cooperate with the program by following this procedure: 1. When the child brings home a note, praise
METHOD
him as soon as possible. 2. Praise the child again in front of other fam-
Subjects
Three White second grade children from a rural northeastern school who were unable to complete their reading seatwork participated in this study. With the use of informal reading inventories, the school's reading teacher assessed the appropriateness of each child's assigned tasks and found them suitable. Parents became involved in the study only as a function of their child's poor work completion. Subject 1, a male evidencing attentional deficits, usually responded to his work with random answers. Subject 2, a female, worked very slowly, frequently demonstrating off-task, nondisruptive behavior. Subject 1 and Subject 2 were in the same reading group and were being taught by a remedial reading specialist. The third subject demonstrated highly aberrant social and academic behavior. While this subject tended toward withdrawn and isolated behavior, he would frequently exhibit acting out aggressive behavior toward his peers and teacher (e.g., temper tantrums, hitting others). Subject 3 worked with a learning disabilities resource teacher. Treatment Conditions
During the 75 minute daily reading classes, each child was expected to complete several independent seatwork tasks. Students were alExceptional Children
ily members. 3. Hang the note in a highly visible place. 4. The following morning, express the hope
that the child might repeat his success. Conditions were switched at predetermined intervals allowing for a progressive phasing in of treatment among the subjects. Staggering of treatment conditions allowed for a controlled comparison of the effects of teacher and teacherparent intervention phases. Total duration of the study was 45 school days.
RESULTS
Table 1 summarizes the percentage of correctly completed items for the three subjects during each of the treatment phases. Multiple baseline comparisons demonstrated a significant improvement for the subjects during each intervention phase. While Subject 1 responded to the first intervention, Subject 2 and Subject 3 maintained their low baseline performance during the second intervention. Subject 3, who was still in a baseline condition, maintained his rate of 43%. There was also a general decrease of the variability for each subject during each successive treatment. After the completion of the study, the teacher used praise notes on an intermittent 219
TABLE 1
Mean Percentage of Correctly Completed Items of Independent Reading Seatwork and Number of Praise Notes Earned During Conditions of Baseline, Intervention 1, and Intervention 2.
Intervention 1
Baseline
Intervention 2
Subject
Number Days
Percent Items
Number Days
Percent Items
Number Notes
Number Days
Percent Items
Number Notes
Subject 1 Subject 2 Subject 3
10 15 24
45% 50% 43%
11 10 11
70% 78% 77%
4 8 8
24 20 9
79% 90% 85%
12 18 8
basis. The students maintained their high levels of performance for the remainder of the year.
DISCUSSION
This study was designed to examine the effects of teacher administered praise notes and parental backup reinforcement on the percentage of completed independent reading seatwork of three regular classroom students with learning and behavioral problems. The results of the study support the idea that consistent written teacher praise can produce a marked and enduring improvement in academic performance. The data provide further support for the use of parents as participants in strategies designed to improve the academic performance of their children. Although the use of the multiple baseline techniques strengthens the internal validity of the above findings, the generalization of the results to other behaviors or situations needs to be examined. While the intervention procedures were designed to be highly efficient, teachers who intend to use them in their own classrooms would have to consider (a) the time needed to compute the daily number of correctly completed items; (b) the time required for writing brief praise notes; (c) the need for consistent and systematic praise when appropriate behavior occurs; and (d) the time required to maintain parent communication. Studies such as this one offer several important assets to the classroom teacher including uncomplicated replication and evaluation procedures. No additional personnel or material are required for implementation; thus the 220
procedure is highly cost effective. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that behavioral modification procedures may contribute to creating a more positive learning environment for special needs students in the regular classroom.
REFERENCES Alexander, R. N., & Clements, J. E. Frequency and rate a/teacher-parent interaction in public schools. Unpublished manuscript, Georgia State University, 1975. Bailey, J. S., Wolf, M. M., & Phillips, E. L. Homebased reinforcement and modification of predelinquents' classroom behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1970,3 (3), 223-234. Cantrell, R. P" & Cantrell, M. L. Preventive mainstreaming: Impact of a supportive services program on pupils. Exceptional Children, 1976, 42 (7), 381-386.
Coloroso, B. Strategies for working with troubled students. In B. R Gearheart & M. W. Weishahn (Eds.). The handicapped child in the regular classroom. St. Louis: C. V. Mosby Co., 1976. Dickerson. D., Spellman, C. R.. Larsen, S. C., & Tyler, L. Let the cards do the talking: A teacher-parent communication program. Teaching Exceptional Children. 1973,5, 17G---178. Feldman, M. A., Byalock, R, & Rosedale. M. P. Parent involvement programs-A growing trend in special education. Exceptional Children, 1975,41, 291-304.
Flint, W., & Deloach, C. A parent involvement program model for handicapped children and their parents. Exceptional Children, 1975,41, 638-642. Herbert, E, W., & Baer, D. R. Training parents as behavior modifiers: Self-recording of contingent attention. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1972,5, 139--149.
Johnson, C. A" & Katz, R. C. Using parents as change agents for their children: A review. Journal of
November 1979
Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1973. 14 , 181200.
Kelly. E. }. Parent -teacher interaction: A special educational perspective. Seattle: Special Child Publications, 1974. Kroth, R. Communicating with parents of exceptional children. Denver CO: Love Publishing, 1975.
Masden. C. H.. Becker. W. c.. & Thomas. D. R. Rules, praise and ignoring-Elements of elementary classroom control. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 1968. 1 (2), 139-150. McGlaughin. T. F.. & Malaby , J. Intrinsic reinforcers in a classroom token economy. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 1972.5 (3) .263-267 . Tharp. R. G., & Wetzel. R. }. Beha vior modification in the natural environment. New York: Academic Press , 1969. STEVE C. IMBERis Associate Professor. Special Education. Rhode Island College. Providence; RUTH B. IMBER was formerly a teacher. Coventry Public Schools. Coventry. Connecticut; and CARY ROTHSTEIN is Psychiatric Intern, Department of Psychiatry, Temple University. Philadelphia. Pennsylvania.
Pathway School's innovative habilitat ive en vironment enco urages realistic achievement for boys and girls with learning disabilities and associated emotional and behavioral problems. Our skilled interdisciplinary teams creat e personalized prescriptive day and residential programs which meet the individual needs o f each child. Admission policies are non-discriminatory in terms of race, color , creed, e thnic and national origin . Ac credited, ICAH. THE PATHWAY SCHOOL
Box 18, Audubon, Pa. 19407, 215 277-0660
Doctoral Study in Special Education
IIIII1III
111111111111111
Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona 85281 Applications for the Fall Semester 1980 are now being received for a new Doctor of Philosophy degree program in Special Education at Arizona State University. The emphasis of the program will be on training scholars in the areas of inservice and preservice teacher training, research and evaluation, and program development in Special Education. Enrollment will be limited to from 5 to 8 full-time students per year. Financial assistance will be available for students. Application Deadline: February 3. 1980 Notification of Acceptance: April 3, 1980 Contact: Graduate Committee Department of Special Education Farmer 305 Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona 85281 (602) 965-4756
IIIIII111111111
'IULTI-'IEDIA I-ROGRA..l IS FOIl BASIC LIVL.~G I·.... m
You have the students with special needs And Interpretive Educat ion has the multimedia programs to meet those needs . For years we ·ve been helping teachers teach exceptional students with timely . practical classroom materials that are on target and within budget. 1980 is no different. Our new catalog features over 30 new programs from First Aid to Home Maintenance . Write today for a free copy of the catalog and details about our 30-day free prev iew offer. 1:\'"IT.IU"KET1\'E Eln·c·.\110~ tell06 "'Int",.,. Uri,'" • Kalamaze",. , .. 4900& Name
_
School
_
Address
_
City
_
Slafe/ Zip
_
.clO
Exceptional Children
221
television, (b) the social experience and verbal interaction of the discussion groups, and (c) the social problem solving curriculum's emphasis on thinking through various alternatives and their consequences. The practical utility of this type of program deserves to be researched further in various educational and therapeutic settings.
Generalized Effects
Analysis of covariance of unobtrusive ratings of behavior in residential cottages 2 months after the program ended showed reliable decreases in overall personality problems, emotional detachment, inability to delay gratification, and social isolation among experimental versus control children. Similar analyses of classroom behavior ratings indicated that experimental boys made relatively greater gains in self reliant learning behaviors, compared to controls.
REFERENCES Abrams, J. c., & Kaslow, F. Family systems and the learning disabled child: Intervention and treatment. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1977, 10, 86-90.
Inside/Out: A guide for teachers. Bloomington IN: Agency for Instructional Television, 1973. Liebert, R. M., & Schwartzberg, N. S. Effects of mass media. Annual Review of Psychology, 1977,28, 141-173.
Spivack, G., Platt, J., & Shure, M. B. The problem solving approach to adjustment. San Francisco: [ossey-Bass, 1976.
DISCUSSION
The results suggest that videotape and discussion programs combining the professional quality of "Inside/Out" with a social problem solving oriented curriculum can enhance existing services for socially and emotionally troubled youngsters. Data from this study imply that generalized change is encouraged by (a) the verbal and visual labels provided by
MAURICE J. ELIAS is Assistant Professor, Deportment of Psychology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey. This research was conducted while the author was an Intern in Clinical Psychology, The Children's Village, Dobbs Ferry, New York. Contributions were made by Charles Nadovich, Kent Davis, George Allen, and personnel at The Children '5 Village and Greenburgh Eleven, U.S.F.D., Dobbs Ferry.
Modifying Independent Work Habits: An Effective Teacher-Parent Communication Program STEVE C. IMBER RUTH B. IMBER CARY ROTHSTEIN
Recent federal legislation encourages the placement of children with learning and behavior problems in the least restrictive educaCopyright © 1979 The Council for Exceptional Children. 218
tional environment. One result of this focus is the increasingly important role that the regular classroom teacher plays in the prevention or remediation of serious learning and behavior problems (Cantrell & Cantrell, 1976). Furthermore, there has been a concomitant increase in parents' interest and involvement in helping their children succeed in school (Alexander & Clements, 1975; Feldman, Byalock, & Rosedale, 1975; Flint & Deloach, 1975; Kelly, 1974; Kroth,1975). November 1979
There are several studies supporting the efficacy of modifying academic achievement of children with behavior problems in the regular classroom (McGlaughlin & Malaby, 1972; Masden, Becker, & Thomas, 1968) as well as within home settings (Bailey, Wolf, & Phillips, 1970; Herbert & Baer, 1972; Johnson & Katz, 1973; Tharp & Wetzel, 1969). At least two recent references suggest the use of positive teacher notes in conjunction with parental communication as a strategy for increasing appropriate school behavior (Coloroso, 1976; Dickerson, Spellman, Larsen, & Tyler, 1973), but neither reference provides supporting data. This study was designed to examine the effects of teacher administered praise notes on the academic performance of three special needs students. A multiple baseline procedure was used to study the effects of the notes and their use in conjunction with parental reinforcement.
lotted approximately 50 minutes to finish their assigned worksheets. The students' work was computed as a percentage of correctly completed items, All work was corrected and returned the same day on which it was assigned. The study consisted of three treatment phases: [a) baseline procedure, which involved assigning and tallying the independent reading seatwork; [b) intervention 1, which required a private conference between teacher and child to praise the student for behavior that was already appropriate and to explain to the student that on days most seatwork was correctly completed [80% or more) the student could expect to receive a praise note; and [c) intervention 2, which involved teacher-parent contact by phone as well as in writing to explain the praise note program. The parents were asked to cooperate with the program by following this procedure: 1. When the child brings home a note, praise
METHOD
him as soon as possible. 2. Praise the child again in front of other fam-
Subjects
Three White second grade children from a rural northeastern school who were unable to complete their reading seatwork participated in this study. With the use of informal reading inventories, the school's reading teacher assessed the appropriateness of each child's assigned tasks and found them suitable. Parents became involved in the study only as a function of their child's poor work completion. Subject 1, a male evidencing attentional deficits, usually responded to his work with random answers. Subject 2, a female, worked very slowly, frequently demonstrating off-task, nondisruptive behavior. Subject 1 and Subject 2 were in the same reading group and were being taught by a remedial reading specialist. The third subject demonstrated highly aberrant social and academic behavior. While this subject tended toward withdrawn and isolated behavior, he would frequently exhibit acting out aggressive behavior toward his peers and teacher (e.g., temper tantrums, hitting others). Subject 3 worked with a learning disabilities resource teacher. Treatment Conditions
During the 75 minute daily reading classes, each child was expected to complete several independent seatwork tasks. Students were alExceptional Children
ily members. 3. Hang the note in a highly visible place. 4. The following morning, express the hope
that the child might repeat his success. Conditions were switched at predetermined intervals allowing for a progressive phasing in of treatment among the subjects. Staggering of treatment conditions allowed for a controlled comparison of the effects of teacher and teacherparent intervention phases. Total duration of the study was 45 school days.
RESULTS
Table 1 summarizes the percentage of correctly completed items for the three subjects during each of the treatment phases. Multiple baseline comparisons demonstrated a significant improvement for the subjects during each intervention phase. While Subject 1 responded to the first intervention, Subject 2 and Subject 3 maintained their low baseline performance during the second intervention. Subject 3, who was still in a baseline condition, maintained his rate of 43%. There was also a general decrease of the variability for each subject during each successive treatment. After the completion of the study, the teacher used praise notes on an intermittent 219
TABLE 1
Mean Percentage of Correctly Completed Items of Independent Reading Seatwork and Number of Praise Notes Earned During Conditions of Baseline, Intervention 1, and Intervention 2.
Intervention 1
Baseline
Intervention 2
Subject
Number Days
Percent Items
Number Days
Percent Items
Number Notes
Number Days
Percent Items
Number Notes
Subject 1 Subject 2 Subject 3
10 15 24
45% 50% 43%
11 10 11
70% 78% 77%
4 8 8
24 20 9
79% 90% 85%
12 18 8
basis. The students maintained their high levels of performance for the remainder of the year.
DISCUSSION
This study was designed to examine the effects of teacher administered praise notes and parental backup reinforcement on the percentage of completed independent reading seatwork of three regular classroom students with learning and behavioral problems. The results of the study support the idea that consistent written teacher praise can produce a marked and enduring improvement in academic performance. The data provide further support for the use of parents as participants in strategies designed to improve the academic performance of their children. Although the use of the multiple baseline techniques strengthens the internal validity of the above findings, the generalization of the results to other behaviors or situations needs to be examined. While the intervention procedures were designed to be highly efficient, teachers who intend to use them in their own classrooms would have to consider (a) the time needed to compute the daily number of correctly completed items; (b) the time required for writing brief praise notes; (c) the need for consistent and systematic praise when appropriate behavior occurs; and (d) the time required to maintain parent communication. Studies such as this one offer several important assets to the classroom teacher including uncomplicated replication and evaluation procedures. No additional personnel or material are required for implementation; thus the 220
procedure is highly cost effective. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that behavioral modification procedures may contribute to creating a more positive learning environment for special needs students in the regular classroom.
REFERENCES Alexander, R. N., & Clements, J. E. Frequency and rate a/teacher-parent interaction in public schools. Unpublished manuscript, Georgia State University, 1975. Bailey, J. S., Wolf, M. M., & Phillips, E. L. Homebased reinforcement and modification of predelinquents' classroom behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1970,3 (3), 223-234. Cantrell, R. P" & Cantrell, M. L. Preventive mainstreaming: Impact of a supportive services program on pupils. Exceptional Children, 1976, 42 (7), 381-386.
Coloroso, B. Strategies for working with troubled students. In B. R Gearheart & M. W. Weishahn (Eds.). The handicapped child in the regular classroom. St. Louis: C. V. Mosby Co., 1976. Dickerson. D., Spellman, C. R.. Larsen, S. C., & Tyler, L. Let the cards do the talking: A teacher-parent communication program. Teaching Exceptional Children. 1973,5, 17G---178. Feldman, M. A., Byalock, R, & Rosedale. M. P. Parent involvement programs-A growing trend in special education. Exceptional Children, 1975,41, 291-304.
Flint, W., & Deloach, C. A parent involvement program model for handicapped children and their parents. Exceptional Children, 1975,41, 638-642. Herbert, E, W., & Baer, D. R. Training parents as behavior modifiers: Self-recording of contingent attention. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1972,5, 139--149.
Johnson, C. A" & Katz, R. C. Using parents as change agents for their children: A review. Journal of
November 1979
Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1973. 14 , 181200.
Kelly. E. }. Parent -teacher interaction: A special educational perspective. Seattle: Special Child Publications, 1974. Kroth, R. Communicating with parents of exceptional children. Denver CO: Love Publishing, 1975.
Masden. C. H.. Becker. W. c.. & Thomas. D. R. Rules, praise and ignoring-Elements of elementary classroom control. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 1968. 1 (2), 139-150. McGlaughin. T. F.. & Malaby , J. Intrinsic reinforcers in a classroom token economy. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 1972.5 (3) .263-267 . Tharp. R. G., & Wetzel. R. }. Beha vior modification in the natural environment. New York: Academic Press , 1969. STEVE C. IMBERis Associate Professor. Special Education. Rhode Island College. Providence; RUTH B. IMBER was formerly a teacher. Coventry Public Schools. Coventry. Connecticut; and CARY ROTHSTEIN is Psychiatric Intern, Department of Psychiatry, Temple University. Philadelphia. Pennsylvania.
Pathway School's innovative habilitat ive en vironment enco urages realistic achievement for boys and girls with learning disabilities and associated emotional and behavioral problems. Our skilled interdisciplinary teams creat e personalized prescriptive day and residential programs which meet the individual needs o f each child. Admission policies are non-discriminatory in terms of race, color , creed, e thnic and national origin . Ac credited, ICAH. THE PATHWAY SCHOOL
Box 18, Audubon, Pa. 19407, 215 277-0660
Doctoral Study in Special Education
IIIII1III
111111111111111
Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona 85281 Applications for the Fall Semester 1980 are now being received for a new Doctor of Philosophy degree program in Special Education at Arizona State University. The emphasis of the program will be on training scholars in the areas of inservice and preservice teacher training, research and evaluation, and program development in Special Education. Enrollment will be limited to from 5 to 8 full-time students per year. Financial assistance will be available for students. Application Deadline: February 3. 1980 Notification of Acceptance: April 3, 1980 Contact: Graduate Committee Department of Special Education Farmer 305 Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona 85281 (602) 965-4756
IIIIII111111111
'IULTI-'IEDIA I-ROGRA..l IS FOIl BASIC LIVL.~G I·.... m
You have the students with special needs And Interpretive Educat ion has the multimedia programs to meet those needs . For years we ·ve been helping teachers teach exceptional students with timely . practical classroom materials that are on target and within budget. 1980 is no different. Our new catalog features over 30 new programs from First Aid to Home Maintenance . Write today for a free copy of the catalog and details about our 30-day free prev iew offer. 1:\'"IT.IU"KET1\'E Eln·c·.\110~ tell06 "'Int",.,. Uri,'" • Kalamaze",. , .. 4900& Name
_
School
_
Address
_
City
_
Slafe/ Zip
_
.clO
Exceptional Children
221
