1. Task Interspersal behavioural Momentum
Activity Sequence
Task Interspersal
behavioural Momentum
The focus of this mini-module is use of two effective classroom strategies:
activity sequencing and offering choice.
First we will look at the activity sequencing strategy. Then we will talk about offering choice.

2. CONTINUUM OF SCHOOL-WIDE INSTRUCTIONAL & POSITIVE behaviour SUPPORT
Tier 3 =
Tertiary Prevention:
Specialized Individualized
Systems for Students with High-Risk behaviour
~80% of Students
~15%
~5%
Tier 2 =
Secondary Prevention:
Specialized Group
Systems for Students with At-Risk behaviour
Goal: Reduce intensity and severity of chronic problem behaviour and/or academic failure
Goal: Reduce current cases of problem behaviour and/or academic failure
Tier 1 =
Primary Prevention:
School-/Classroom-Wide Systems for All Students,
Staff, & Settings
Goal: Reduce new cases of problem behaviour and/or academic failure

3. SW Positive behaviour Support Social Competence & Academic Achievement
OUTCOMES
Supporting
Decision
Making
Supporting
Staff behaviour
DATA
SYSTEMS
PRACTICES
Supporting
Student behaviour

4. Effective Classroom Practices
Expectations & Rules
Procedures & Routines
Continuum of strategies to acknowledge appropriate behaviours
Continuum of strategies to respond to inappropriate behaviour
Active supervision
Multiple opportunities to respond
Activity sequence & Offering choice
Academic success & Task difficulty
When we talk about building an effective classroom system these are the features we want in place in all classrooms.
Each of these are research based practices.
This particular list came from a synthesis of work from many researchers including Brandi Simonson at the University of Connecticut and Lee Kern and Nathan Clemens from Lehigh University.
More detailed information regarding studies conducted for each of these practices can be found in a 2008 article titled “Evidence Based Practices in Classroom Management” from the journal Education and Treatment of Children. And in a 2007 article titled “Antecedent Strategies to Promote Appropriate Classroom behaviour” from the journal, Psychology in the Schools.
To underscore the value of classroom systems, let me show you data from an elementary school here in Missouri.

5. What is Activity Sequencing?
Thinking about and altering the manner in which instructional tasks, activities or requests are ordered in such a way that promotes learning and encourages appropriate behaviour.
(Kern & Clemens, 2007)
Have you ever encountered a student who may get started with an academic task or activity, but then quits or becomes noncompliant when they run into difficulty?
When teachers consider the sequence of activities they provide, students are more likely to be successful and keep on task. (Colvin, 2009, pp )
Activity sequencing means thinking about and altering the manner in which learning tasks, activities or requests are ordered (Kern & Clemens, 2007).

6. Why Consider Activity Sequence?
Increases task performance
Decreases disruptive behaviour
Improves student perception of and preference for assignments they consider difficult
(Kern & Clemens, 2007)
Considering how learning tasks and activities are ordered may lead to
increases in performance,
decreases in problem behaviour and
improves student perceptions of and feelings about an assignment.

7. Why Consider Activity Sequence?
For some students presenting difficult tasks back-to-back often sets the occasion for frustration, failure and problem behaviour. Varying the sequence of tasks may not be necessary for average students, but can be very important for students who are at-risk for learning or behaviour concerns
(Darch & Kame’enui, 2004).
Consider this… (read slide)

8. Strategies for Effective Activity Sequencing
Intermingle easy/brief problems among longer or more difficult tasks (task interspersal)
(Kern & Clemens, 2007)
Research has shown two ways to order activities that encourage learning and appropriate behaviour (Kern & Clemens, 2007).
First, interspersing easier tasks with more difficult ones is likely to increase a student’s success and help keep them on task and engaged.

9. Research for Activity Sequencing Task Interspersal
Interspersing difficult tasks with easier problems
Cates and Skinner (2000) examined assignment perception among remedial math students in
grades 9-12.
Students perceived the interspersed assignments as
taking less time to complete,
being less difficult and
requiring less effort
Consider the following research examples for use of task interspersal…
Results from a study conducted with remedial math students in grades 9-12 showed assignments that included easier problems interspersed with more difficult calculations were rated more favorably.
Students perceived the interspersed assignments as
taking less time to complete,
being less difficult and
requiring less effort
even though the assignment actually included more problems.
(Cates and Skinner, 2000; Kern and Clemens, 2007)

10. Strategies for Effective Activity Sequencing
Deliver 3 to 4 simple requests prior to a difficult assignment (behavioural momentum)
(Kern & Clemens, 2007)
Second, a similar technique of delivering 3 or 4 simple requests before a more difficult one has been shown to increase compliance and decrease problem behaviour.
This technique is sometimes referred to as behavioural momentum.
The theory behind the strategy is once a student is cooperating and engaged in one task (the simple requests), there is more chance of the student cooperating and engaging in the task that immediately follows (the more difficult activity)
(Colvin, p.46, 2009)

11. Research for Activity Sequencing behavioural Momentum
Deliver simple requests before a more
difficult task…
Improved behaviour among 2nd graders during transition times when teacher provided a series of simple requests prior to the transition directions (Ardoin, Martens & Wolfe, 1999).
Increased writing performance among year olds when teacher asked them to write 3 simple words each time they stopped writing (Lee & Laspe, 2003).
Related to behavioural momentum, a study from 1999 showed improved behaviour among second grade students during a difficult transition time when the teacher provided a series of 5 simple requests before giving directions for the transition (Ardoin, Martens & Wolf, 1999).
And a study conducted in 2003 showed the journal writing and task persistence of year old students who had history of non-compliance and limited work completion was improved by having the students write a series of 3 easy words each time they stopped writing. This simple strategy increased student writing over time (Kern & Clemens, 2007).
Each of the activity sequencing techniques- task interspersal or behavioural momentum- can be applied to individual students as needed or incorporated into lessons as a classwide strategy.

12. Activity Sequencing Examples
With a partner read two student examples
(Use Activity Sequencing Examples Handout)
Next, identify the activity sequencing strategy used in each example…
task interspersal or
behavioural momentum
Thinking about the way in which learning activities are sequenced is a fairly simple strategy to implement.
Participant Activity 1:
Find the Handout titled: Effective Classroom Practice: Activity Sequencing Examples
With a partner read the two student examples. Then try to determine which type of sequencing was used, task interspersal or behavioural momentum.
Note: Give participants 3- 5 minutes to read and talk about the examples with a partner. After participants look at the examples lead the following discussion….
Ask: What type of activity sequencning did you find in the first example?
(behavioural momentum)
Ask: What types of easier tasks did the teacher give before asking the student to demonstrate the more difficult task of reading independently?
(follow along with the reading, read with teacher, read every other sentence)
Ask: What type of activity sequencing did you find in the second example?
(task interspersal)
Ask: Why do you think this strategy was successful for Emily?
(allows student to experience success and access high rates of teacher feedback, which increases her confidence and persistence for the more difficult task)
HO1: Activity Sequencing Examples

13. Using Sequence in Your Classroom
List several of the activities students complete in your classroom….
Identify ways you could use sequencing in each activity…
Intermingle easy/brief among more difficult tasks
Provide simple requests prior to more difficult tasks 1. 2. 3. 4.
Participant Activity 2 (Optional; min)…
Now, consider how you might incorporate task interspersal or behavioural momentum in your environment.
First, list some of the activities or instructional tasks you ask students to complete. Then with a partner, discuss and identify ways you could reorganize the sequence of those tasks to better support learning and appropriate behaviour.
Possible Answers:
White out some of the numbers on a multi-digit math worksheet.
Add a few fun, easy words or most frequently misspelled words to a spelling list.
Add fun, easy words to a vocabulary list or assignment.
HO2: Using Sequence in Your Classroom

14. Type, Order, Materials, Whom, Place &Time
Offering Choice
Type, Order, Materials,
Whom, Place &Time
In addition to thinking about the sequencing of tasks, a similar and also effective strategy is allowing students to make choices about their learning activities.

15. Why Provide Choice?
“Providing opportunities for students to make choices has been demonstrated to be an effective intervention in preventing problem behaviour and increasing engagement”
(Kern and Clemens, 2007, p. 70)
Providing students with the opportunity to make choices may not sound like an instructional practice. However, research indicates offering choices, especially during academic tasks, not only increases student engagement and reduces disruptive behaviour, but can also improve response accuracy
(Scheuermann & Hall, 2008, p. 294).

16. Why Provide Choice? Feasible and easy intervention to implement
Effective for students in general or special education
Does not require significant modification to existing instruction
(Kern and State, 2009)
In addition, teachers consider offering choice a feasible and easy intervention to implement (Morgan, 2006)
Offering choice can be effective for students in general or special education and does not require significant modification to existing structure or instruction
(Powell & Nelson, 1997)
An important understanding though… the content you teach is NOT negotiable, but the type of assignment or ways of completing it can be negotiated and is likely to enhance student participation!

17. (Jolivette, Wehby, Canale & Massey, 2001; Kern and State, 2009, p. 10)
Why Provide Choice?
Teach students to become self-determined individuals
Enables them to better control their environment
Can lead to more predictable student-teacher interactions
Allows opportunity for more frequent positive attention and feedback from teachers
May foster improvements in student – teacher relationships
(Jolivette, Wehby, Canale & Massey, 2001; Kern and State, 2009, p. 10)
(Kern and State, 2009, p. 3)
In addition to preventing problem behaviour, providing opportunities for choice helps
Teach students to become self-determined individuals
Enables them to better control their environment
Can lead to more predictable student-teacher interactions
Allows opportunity for more frequent positive attention and feedback from teachers
and
May foster improvements in student – teacher relationships
Many have argued that such opportunities are essential for providing the experiences necessary to guide an individual’s later performance when they encounter important life choices.
Furthermore, the opportunity for choice making is one dimension of a good quality of life”
(Kern and State, 2009, p. 3)

18. Strategies for Offering Choice
Examples of classwide choice:
Type of task or activity
Order or sequence of tasks
Kinds of materials that will be used
Whom to work with
Place to work
Choice of how to use time
This is a list of the kinds of choices teachers can easily give to students.
Teachers can allow choice for…
The type of activity or task to be completed
The order in which tasks will be completed
The kinds of materials students will use to complete an assignment
Who students will work with
Place students will work and
Choices for how to use time before, during or after an activity or assignment
Once some initial thought has been given for the range of opportunities a teacher will allow and provide, a standard set of choices can be offered to students during many different instructional periods.
For example, some teachers may regularly allow students the choice to work with a partner, with a teacher or to complete an assignment independently.
Another example could be allowing students to work at their desk, on the floor, in the hall or at a table.

19. Offering Choice Example
With a partner read the example (Use Offering Choice Example Handout)
Next, identify the types of choices offered to students in the example.
Be prepared to share your answers with the large group.
Let’s look at an example…
Participant Activity 3:
Find the Handout titled: Effective Classroom Practice: Offering Choice Example
This is an example of how one teacher included choice making opportunities for students within a science lesson. (Mr. Franklin’s recycling lesson example)
With a partner read the example and identify ways this teacher provided choices for his students. After a few minutes, be prepared to share your responses.
Give participants 5-7 minutes to read and discuss the example.
HO3: Offering Choice Example

20. Steps for Using Choice in the Classroom
Create a menu of choices you would be willing to provide to students.
Look through your choice menu before planning each lesson.
Decide what types of choice are appropriate for the lesson and where they fit best in the lesson.
Provide choices as planned while teaching the lesson.
Solicit student feedback and input.
(Kern and State, 2009, p. 5)
There are many ways a teacher can provide choice. “Nearly every opportunity in which teachers make decisions about how, when or where an activity will take place can be translated into a student choice” (Kern and State, 2009, p. 4).
The steps for incorporating opportunities for choice making are simple.
First, we think about, identify and list each type of choice we are wiling to offer.
Then as we plan each lesson, we can refer to our list of possible choices.
Next, we determine which choices are appropriate and convenient for the type of lesson being taught.
Then, we provide a range of choice for students to select from during each lesson.
Finally, offering students an opportunity to give feedback about their choices and allowing them to provide input about future choices is also helpful.

21. Create a Menu of Choice Options
Type of tasks:
Order of tasks:
Kinds of materials:
Whom to work with:
Place to work:
Choice of how to use time:
Participant Activity 4:
Now you will have an opportunity to think about the kinds of choices you might be willing to offer students in your classroom.
As you think about ways in which you might be able to offer choice it is important to remember…Allowing students to make choices does not change the amount of work students are expected to complete and does not change the essential components of the task. (Scheuermann & Hall, 2008, p.295)
Instead, offering choices simply gives students some input and decision making about how they would like to accomplish the assignment you’ve given.
Find the Handout titled: Effective Classroom Practice: A Menu of Choice Options
With a partner use 10 minutes to brainstorm a list of choice options. Consider each of the categories we’ve discussed (type of task, order of tasks, materials, whom to work with, place to work, and choice of how to use time). On your paper write down choices you personally are willing to give. Don’t worry if you and your partner each end up with a different list.
When I give the signal, find a different partner and share the ideas you have listed on your paper. If your partner has a new choice that you’d be willing to offer to your students, add it to your list.
When I give the signal again – you will share lists with one more partner.
Give participants time to work on their list and share responses with at least 2 different partners.
(8-10 minutes)
HO4: A Menu of Choice Options

22. What Options Did You Think Of…?
Type of tasks:
Order of tasks:
Kinds of materials:
Whom to work with:
Place to work:
Choice of how to use time:
After participants have time to work and discuss with partners, lead the following discussion with the whole group.
Call on participants to share ideas they thought of for each category. If ideas were not identified for all categories some possible answers are listed below.
Possible Answers:
Type of task = written document, oral presentation, video display
Order of task = complete odd numbered problems first, then even numbered questions
Materials = type or handwritten; pencil, marker or ink;
Whom to work with = peer, teacher, partner, group, independent
Place to work = desk, floor, table, hall, library
Choice of how to use time = (several possibilities)
When to complete task = current period, next period, free period, homework
What to do after task = read quietly, use a computer, work on other assignments
How long to work before a break = 10 min, 20 problems, 2 chapters
HO4: Creating a Menu of Choice Options

23. Offering Choice Remember . . .
Every lesson does not have to include all of the choices on your list, but if each lesson you teach provides at least one opportunity for choice, students are likely to benefit.
REMEMBER: When you incorporate choice, start small. Offer 1 or 2 choices. As you become more comfortable with this skill, you can expand the number and type of choice options you will incorporate into your lessons.

24. Effective Classroom Practice
Activity Sequence
task interspersal
behavioural momentum
Offering Choice
type, order, materials
who, place and choice of time
Today we have talked about two simple strategies that you can use in your classroom – Activity Sequencing and Offering Choice.
Each of these is a research based practice that can improve student behaviour and academic performance.
These strategies require limited effort to implement, may help students be more engaged with learning and have a more positive outlook about assignments and tasks and will particularly address the needs of at-risk learners.
Please think about how you can share this information with other faculty in your building.

25. References
Colvin, G. (2009). Managing noncompliance and defiance in the classroom: A road map for teachers, specialists, and behaviour support teams. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Darch, C. B. & Kame’enui, E. J. (2004). Instructional classroom management: A proactive approach to behaviour management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Jolivette, K., Wehby, J. H., Canale, J., & Massey, N. G. (2001). Effects of choice-making opportunities on the behaviour of students with emotional and behavioural disorders. behavioural Disorders, 26,
Kern, L. and Clemens, N.H. (2007). Antecedent strategies to promote appropriate classroom behaviour. Psychology in the Schools, 44(1),
Kern, L. and State, T. M. (2009). Incorporating choice and preferred activities into classwide instruction. Beyond behaviour, 18(2), 3-11.

26. References
Morgan, P. L. (2006). Increasing task engagement using preference or choice-making: Some behavioural and methodological factors affecting their efficacy as classroom interventions. Remedial and Special Education, 27,
Powell, S. & Nelson, B. (1997). Effects of choosing academic assignments on a student with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Applied behaviour Analysis, 30,
Scheuermann, B. K. and Hall, J. A. (2008). Positive behavioural supports for the classroom. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

27. Acknowledgements MO SW-PBS Center for PBS College of Education
University of Missouri