Advantage of Teaching Students Self-Management It provides a means for teachers to spend more teaching and less time trying to control students’ undesirable behavior. It increases the likelihood that the appropriate behavior will last over time and be performed in settings other than the one in which it was originally taught. It makes students active participants in developing, implementing, and monitoring a intervention.

Self-Control Self-Management

Theoretical Models of Self-Management Operant Model of Self-Management Cognitive Model of Self-Management

Self-Monitoring Self-monitoring requires students to first become aware of their behavior (self-observation) and then to make a tangible mark to keep track of what they have done (self-recording). Self-monitoring results in reactivity—the process whereby observing and recording one’s own behavior promotes changing that behavior in the desired direction.

Components of Self-Monitoring Self-Observation Self-Recording Self-Graphing

Self-Monitoring Attention Self-monitoring attention involves instructing students to observe their own behavior and determine whether they were paying attention and to record the results when cued through the use of randomly presented tones from a tape recorder.

Parts of Self-Monitoring Attention Tape recorded tones to cue the student to self-monitor A self-questioning strategy for the student to use when self-monitoring A recording for for the student to mark his answers to the self-monitoring questions A graph for the student to chart his progress

Self-Monitoring Performance The student self-monitors some aspect of academic performance and self-records the results. Self-monitoring performance may involve having students self-monitor productivity (e.g., number of math problems attempted), accuracy (e.g., number of math problems completed correctly, or strategy use (e.g., whether or not the steps in the division algorithm were performed). Self-monitoring performance typically does not involve the use of a cueing device.

Steps for Teaching Students Self-Monitoring Performance Define a Target Behavior Collect Baseline Data Meet with the Student Provide Instruction in the Procedure

Specific Areas of Concern How accurate should self-monitoring be? What should I do if reactivity does not occur? What is the best target variable to self-monitor? Should I have the child self-monitor the positive or negative aspect of a behavior? How long should the self-monitoring intervention last?

Self-Evaluation Self-evaluation requires having a student compare his performance against some criterion. Self-monitoring in a necessary prerequisite. It is important that students develop the evaluative criteria as they are then more likely to take responsibility for their behavior.

Develop a Rating Scale Include a rating scale at the bottom of a self-recording sheet Include a rating scale at the bottom of the weekly graph.

Compared to yesterday, rate how well you paid attention today Number of times paying attention 2 1 3 2 4 Compared to yesterday, rate how well you paid attention today 1 2 3 4 Poor Fair Good Excellent

Set a Daily Goal A goal describes a level of performance toward which an individual or group should work, although in everyday language goals are considered to be motivational.

Conditions for Effective Goal Setting Set specific goals Set realistic goals Make goals public Include deadlines Include feedback

Self-Reinforcement The term self-administered consequences is sometimes used since consequences can either be positive (self-reinforcement) or negative (self-punishment). Self-administered consequences occur when an individual arranges the environment to receive either reinforcement or punishment. Covert self-administered consequences occur when an individual tells himself something positive or negative about his performance

External Self-Reinforcement The student (rather than the teacher) must determine the evaluative criteria. The student (rather than the teacher) must control access to the reinforcer. The student (rather than the teacher) must administer the reinforcer.

Internal Self-Reinforcement A student engages in covert self-statements—the goal being to praise oneself for good performance. Covert self-statements are no different than a teacher providing a student with verbal praise—except the student takes on this responsibility.

Considerations for Teaching Self-Reinforcement Elaborate self-reinforcement contingencies should be avoided. The identified reinforcers should be readily accessible for immediate delivery. Bootleg or unintended reinforcers must be eliminated.