Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network Special Education Paraeducator After-School Videoconference Series Session 2: Increasing Independence November 17, 2009 Jennifer Goldbloom, PaTTAN

PaTTAN’s Mission The Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network is an initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Education working in partnership with families and local education agencies to support programs and services to improve student learning and achievement.

PDE’s Commitment to Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Our goal for each child is to ensure Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams begin with the general education setting with the use of Supplementary Aids and Services before considering a more restrictive environment

District, IU, Preschool, Agency Policy Your local district’s policies regarding paraeducator job descriptions, duties, and responsibilities provide the final word!

Increasing Independence Agenda Components of Effective Instruction Strategies to Promote Independence Helping Students Develop Self-Management Skills

Learner Outcomes Participants will: Describe essential components of effective instruction Identify effective strategies to move students from dependent to independent learning Examine the role of self-management in independent learning

Consider… “Ultimately, the goal of academic and social skill instruction is to enable students to function independent of external or teacher-mediated interventions and control”. (p.508) Wolery, Bailey, and Sugai (1988)

Components of Effective Instruction Stages of Learning Setting Students Up for Success The Instructional Process Feedback Generalization

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Behavior transferred to other settings, persons, or materials Entry Behavior performed at slow rate or not at all. Acquisition Behavior performed with high accuracy (about 80%-90%) Proficiency Behavior performed with high accuracy and fluency Maintenance Fluency and accuracy of behavior retained Application Behavior extended and used in new ways Increasing degree of independence Stages of Learning adapted from D.P. Rivera and D.D. Smith, Teaching Students with Learning and Behavior Problems, (3rd ed.)

Setting Students Up for Success Effective Instructional Practices Students who experience high success rates in school have better learning outcomes than students who experience low success rates Students can reach a higher level of independence through instruction that is explicit

Minimize: Errors Frustration and inappropriate behaviors Future errors Maximize: Instructional time Opportunities for reinforcement Future success Setting Students Up for Success By providing instruction that is: Direct and Explicit Errorless Matched to student’s achievement level You will:

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How? Appropriate instructional tasks and task level Analysis of skills and routines Appropriate prompts, cues, and fading Appropriate feedback Plan for Generalization Setting Students Up for Success

The Instructional Process What comes before instruction –Environment –Time – Physical factors

The skill or routine itself –Task Analysis –I do, we do, you do –Best method of presentation The Instructional Process

The skill or routine itself –Task Analysis –I do, we do, you do –Best method of presentation The Instructional Process 2

What comes after instruction –Feedback –Generalization The Instructional Process

Feedback Be Explicit Be Enthusiastic Language Level Reinforcement –natural vs. contrived Shape Responses

Feedback 2 Be Explicit Be Enthusiastic Language Level Reinforcement –natural vs. contrived Shape Responses

Generalization Three forms of knowledge –What factual information about a topic –How procedures for using the information in specific ways steps to follow to complete a task –When when and where to apply the information

Generalization Teach the range of examples ‘How to’ vs. ‘when to’ Authentic practice

Generalization Strategy checklist for student to use Identify the cues to trigger the use of the skill Encourage other instructors to coach the skill Standardize routines across classrooms Pair rewards with naturally occurring reinforcement Expand student responses Extending Learning Across Time & Space : The Power of Generalization

Your Turn – What, How, When Requesting Help from Teacher or Peer Writing a Friendly Letter Plant Life Cycle Telling Time

What, How, When Topic___________________ What (factual information)________________________________________________ How (procedures or steps) ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ When (when to use, multiple examples) ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________

Paraeducator’s Role My Student (s)I do this by…I’ll try… Set Students up for Success Instructional Process – Before, During, After Feedback Generalization

Reflection Do you find your students only display correct responses (behaviorally/academically) for you, but not in the presence of other educational team members or parents? Yes or No Do you find yourself frequently needing to prompt your students to start, continue, or complete tasks? Yes or No Do your students have frequent opportunities to demonstrate responsibility for their own learning? Yes or No Do your students know how to evaluate their own behavior and learning ? Yes or No

Strategies to Promote Independence Can’t Do vs. Won’t Do Methods of Prompting Choice Making Schedules

Generalization Behavior transferred to other settings, persons, or materials Entry Behavior performed at slow rate or not at all. Acquisition Behavior performed with high accuracy (about 80%-90%) Proficiency Behavior performed with high accuracy and fluency Maintenance Fluency and accuracy of behavior retained Application Behavior extended and used in new ways Increasing degree of independence Stages of Learning adapted from D.P. Rivera and D.D. Smith, Teaching Students with Learning and Behavior Problems, (3rd ed.)

A word about independence … Strategies to Promote Independence

Can’t Do Vs. Won’t Do Strategies to Promote Independence

If a student can’t perform a task… Teach the task Adapt the steps –Student, content, presentation Change the motor demands of a task Change the sequence of steps Modify the materials or use different materials Assist to complete the task Work with a peer or in a small group Adult assistance to complete a step

If a student won’t perform a task Rearrange the Set-Up to the Task Change the Reinforcement Options Use Behavioral Momentum –3or 4 easy tasks before a difficult task

Strategies to Promote Independence Methods of Prompting Provide enough prompts to prevent student from making a mistake and then fade prompts (errorless learning) Wait until student attempts, then prompt if they make an error. Give the least amount of assistance needed.

Cues and Prompts Cue - A signal to say or do something Prompt - Assistance to say or do something

Cues Natural cues Imposed cues –Questions –Options –Auditory –Visual –Tactile

Types of Prompts Verbal –Direct - a clear statement of what student should do –Indirect - ask a question, such as “what should you do next?” Physical –Full - Hand over/under hand –Partial - Supportive guidance Modeling - show student/student imitates Gestures - pointing, facial expression

Examples of Prompts Direct Verbal –Tell student to come here and get pencil –Tell student to keep working until timer rings Indirect Verbal –Ask “What do we do next?” –Ask “now what?” –Say “ remember, you need how many forks?”

Examples of Prompts Full Physical Assistance –Hold pencil with student to write name –Hold student’s hand to assist with holding a cup Partial Physical Assistance –Support student at wrist to stabilize handwriting –Tap elbow of student to initiate spoon to mouth

Examples of Prompts Modeling –Write student’s name and then he writes it –Show student how you take a drink, then he takes a drink Gesture –Put your finger on your mouth to remind student to be quiet –Point at the correct item to pick up next

Reducing Prompt Dependency Use systematic routines Use natural cues Use Wait Time Plan to Fade Prompts

Reducing Prompt Dependency 2 Use systematic routines Use natural cues Use Wait Time Plan to Fade Prompts

Strategies to Promote Independence Choice-making Reduces behavior problems Increases motivation Promotes generalization Prepares student for independence

Strategies to Promote Independence 2 Choice-making Reduces behavior problems Increases motivation Promotes generalization Prepares student for independence

Choice-making opportunities –Between Activities –Within Activities –Refusal –Who –Where –When –Terminate Strategies to Promote Independence

Schedules –To Do Lists –Calendars –Planners/agendas –Visual activity/task schedules

Strategies to Promote Independence

Paraeducator’s Role My Student (s)I do this by…I’ll try… Behavioral Momentum Prompts and Cues Making Choices Schedules

Self Management Any purposeful and systematic set of responses by an individual that change or maintain some aspect of the individual’s behavioral repertoire. ( Daly & Ranalli, 2003)

Monitor Your Participation Listening to speaker Participating in assigned activity Using “inside” voice” =+=+ Texting Unrelated sidebar conversation Engaged in other activity =-=- + -

Self Management vs. Teacher Control Provides a middle step when moving from external to control by natural consequences. Prepares the student for later life when teachers will not be available to provide control or structure. Frees the teacher to spend more time to other important skills and designing effectively learning environments. Students lack opportunities to learn how to manage their own behavior Student’s limited involvement prevents them from developing self reliant skills Teachers may fail to notice many of a student’s good behaviors Teacher becomes a cue for student’s appropriate actions

Self Management Self Monitoring Self Instruction Self Reinforcement

Self Monitoring On a personal note… List behaviors in your own life you’ve planned to increase, change, or decrease. How did you do it? How did you keep track? ______________________

Steps to Teaching Self Monitoring 1.Select and define a target behavior or class of behaviors 2.Select or develop a recording method 3.Teach the student to monitor/record the target behavior 4.Evaluate progress 5.Fade self monitoring

Self Monitoring Student decides if the behavior occurred or did not occur Student objectively records the frequency of a given behavior or a class of behaviors Student and teacher rate the behavior –Teacher and student may initially rate the behavior simultaneously –Teacher and student discuss agreement or disagreement in their ratings

Self Reinforcement Administering a reinforcement to yourself after you have reached your goal! Bloomquist, 1996

Self Reinforcement Requires –Self imposed criteria of performance established before monitoring –Self determination that the performance criterion has been met prior to reinforcement –Free access to reinforcers Shapiro & Cole

Self Reinforcement Guidelines Students –Direct involvement in setting criteria for receiving reinforcement –Fluency at self evaluation/monitoring Teachers –Opportunities to evaluate and match student /teacher data –Systematic fading

Types of Reinforcers Material - food, drink, toys Social – praise, facial expression, nearness, contact Activity – T.V. time, free time, listening to music Tokens – tickets, points, etc. that can be “cashed in” for other types of reinforcers Covert – thoughts and self evaluation Remember: It’s not reinforcing unless the behavior is maintained or increases! “One man’s pleasure is another man’s poison!”

Self Reinforcement On a personal note… Based on your previous conversation, did you set a criteria? _________________________ Did you reward yourself? __________________________ ___________________________

Self Instruction Self Instruction is language directed toward oneself Kasdin, 1975 Student is taught to make specific self statements which prompt specific behaviors Examples: –Look before you leap –Take a deep breath –Count to 10

Self Instruction Define a task to be learned Verbalize a way to complete it Evaluate own performance Praise self when done accurately Wolery, Bailey, & Sugai

Self Instruction On a personal note… What did you do to self instruct? __________________________ ____________________________

Teaching Behavioral Regulation HIGH JUST RIGHT LOW Williams, M.S. & Shellenberger, S. “How Does Your Engine Run?” TherapyWorks, Inc., Self regulation skills can be explicitly taught through a step by step sequence “My engine’s on high right now.”

Paraeducator’s Role My Student (s)I do this by…I’ll try… Self Monitoring Self Reinforcement Self Instruction Behavioral Regulation

Learner Outcomes Participants will: Describe essential components of effective instruction Identify effective strategies to move students from dependent to independent learning Examine the role of self-regulation in independent learning

Contact Information Jennifer Goldbloom Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Edward G. Rendell, Governor Pennsylvania Department of Education Gerald L. Zahorchak, D.Ed., Secretary Diane Castelbuono, Deputy Secretary Office of Elementary and Secondary Education John J. Tommasini, Director Bureau of Special Education Patricia Hozella, Assistant Director Bureau of Special Education