Supporting Educators to Implement Mand Training for a Student with Multiple Disabilities

ABSTRACT

The purposes of the study were to assess the effects of an online learning module on the implementation of mand training by a classroom team and determine whether training improved manding for a student with multiple disabilities. The classroom team utilized the Support Needs Assessment and Planning (SNAP) process to identify supports and guide implementation of the mand training procedures. The results indicate that both the special education teacher and paraprofessional were able to implement the mand training strategy with fidelity after completing the online module and student manding increased. The classroom team reported that both the online learning module and SNAP process were valuable for planning and implementing research-based supports. Limitations, implications for practice, and future research considerations are addressed.     

Paraprofessionals in early childhood classrooms: an examination of duties and expectations

Millions of dollars are expended, in the USA and elsewhere, to provide paraprofessionals or ‘teaching assistants’ for regular early childhood classrooms. However, little consistent information exists related to best practice in the use of paraprofessionals in these early childhood settings. This article describes a study employing the use of 159 teacher and 161 paraprofessional surveys and classroom observations in 23 randomly selected kindergarten and four-year-old classrooms. Paraprofessionals delivered large amounts of group instruction and frequently managed student behavior. Furthermore, it was found that a lack of understanding of specific duties and expectations related to the roles of paraprofessionals was characteristic of both teachers and the paraprofessionals themselves.     

Teacher's aides in kindergarten: Effects on achievement for students with disabilities

Over the past 20 years, the number of teacher's aides in the United States has more than doubled, potentially in response to the growth of special education programs now taking place in general education schools. Surprisingly, little research at all has focused on the role that teacher's aides may play in improving student achievement, and no known study had examined this for students with disabilities. The author addressed this void by examining how teacher's aides link to achievement outcomes for students with disabilities in kindergarten. Using nationally representative data, the findings suggest that students with disabilities in full-day kindergarten have higher reading and mathematics outcomes at the end of kindergarten when the classroom has a teacher's aide. In contrast, there was no observed benefit for students with disabilities in part-day kindergarten. The size and strength of this relationship differs by individual characteristics and teacher and classroom characteristics. Implications are discussed.     

Different approaches to classroom environments based on teacher experience and effectiveness

The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to continue looking at the differences in classroom environments for different levels of teachers. Specifically, we wanted to focus on teacher perspectives of classroom management, relationships with students, motivating students, student risk-taking within the classroom, and student self-regulation. The three levels we looked at for this study included highly effective teachers, proficient teachers who have taught for more than 3 years, and new/developing teachers. The results found three major themes with differences in how teachers at each level approached classroom management, relationships with students, and student behaviors within the classroom. The student behaviors within the classroom included self-regulation and risk-taking. The results of this study provide researchers more information regarding the different stages of teaching, information to schools on ways to mentor teachers at each level of teaching, and information to teacher preparation programs on ways to help preservice teachers prepare for the classroom.     

Professional development to increase teacher behavior‐specific praise: A single‐case design replication

Effective classroom instruction is contingent upon successful classroom management. Unfortunately, not all teachers successfully manage classroom behavior and need in‐service professional development. In this study, we replicated a targeted professional development approach that included a brief one‐on‐one training session and emailed visual performance feedback to increase novice teachers’ use of behavior‐specific praise, an evidence‐based classroom management skill. Dependent variables collected through direct observation included teachers’ behavior‐specific praise along with average student engagement and disruptions. Four elementary teachers participated and, based on a multiple‐baseline single‐case design, we found a functional relationship between the targeted professional development and teachers’ increased use of behavior‐specific praise. However, because of variability and one teacher's limited response, effect sizes were small for behavior‐specific praise and little change was observed in student behaviors. These findings warrant further research to determine which classroom management skills affect student behaviors overall, as well as continued evaluation of this professional development model and using school‐based coaches.     

Dimensions of Elementary School Student Teacher Concerns

The present study used a factor analytic procedure for identifying basic dimensions of elementary school student teacher concerns. A hierarchical factor analysis was applied to the intercorrelations among 122 situationspecific items rated by students completing their teaching practicum in Columbus, Ohio elementary schools. Results indicated the presence of a major factor, which accounted for over one-quarter of the variance. This factor, termed “Concern with Being an Effective Teacher,” reflects the teacher’s concern with generating a classroom environment conducive to effective learning and social growth. Seven other factors, together accounting for an additional 20 percent of the variance, were also identified and characterized. It is suggested that further studies investigate the utility of employing scores on such factors to identify successful teachers.     

We Talk About It,But Do They Get It?

This article reports on the last of a series of iterative research studies involving students with learning disabilities in reform mathematics classrooms at the intermediate grade levels. This study reports the findings from a larger, year‐long case study that focused on ways to include students with learning disabilities and other students who are at risk for special education services in classwide discussions of problem solving. The data reported in this article detail the changes in teacher and student discourse over a nine‐week period in one classroom. Sources of data for this study included videotapes, audiotapes, and informal interviews with the teacher, a paraprofessional, and students. A quantitative analysis of the results indicates clear patterns of change in teacher and student discourse. Nonetheless, intentional efforts to include target students in the whole‐class discussions yielded instructional dilemmas that are underdescribed in the mathematics reform literature. Findings from this study have implications for special educators interested in mathematical problem solving, as well as math reformers who value the role of classroom discourse in daily instruction.     

教师角色定位与课堂教学重构:教师互动行为研究的启示

教师互动行为是研究师生关系的有力抓手,相关研究结果对我们重构教师角色及课堂教学均有重要参考价值。通过分析我国课程教学情境中的教师互动行为,发现“教师领导型互动”和“学生自主型互动”两种行为是共存的,由此衍生出我国课堂教学中值得期待的四种教师角色:德高望重的领导者、手艺精湛的工匠、医术高明的医生和安排有序的调度员。这些认识为我们进一步实施课程改革和改善师生关系提供了启示。     

课堂教学行为分析引论

课堂教学行为本身是一个包含多种互动要素的系统,而且具有层级性结构。课堂教学行为分析就是运用行为理论和教学原理对其构成要素及各个要素之间的关系进行分析,即要素论分析,同时对其实现单位及各个实现单位之间的内部转化关系进行分析,即过程论分析,从而进一步探明课堂教学行为在学生发展中的独特规律。进行课堂教学行为分析有三个方面的原因:教学论学科建设的需要、教学设计的需要和转化教学观念的需要。课堂教学行为分析的主要方法有课堂观察法、课堂语言行为互动分析法和人种志方法。     

A comparison of workshop training versus intensive,experiential training for improving behavior support skills in early educators

Effective behavior support is an important component of high-quality and nurturing early childhood classroom settings. At present, there are few studies that investigate the best way to train and support teachers in these strategies. The present study compared two different training approaches: (1) a workshop that included a one-day classroom-based training that introduced effective preventative and behavior support strategies followed by school year behavioral consultation support; or (2) an intensive condition that included the one-day workshop plus four days of experiential learning and practice in a preschool classroom followed by school year behavioral consultation support. Eighty-eight teachers/aides were randomly assigned to one of the two training conditions, and training occurred in August before the commencement of the school year. Results indicated that on observations of effective behavioral management and instructional learning formats, teachers in the intensive condition were improved proximally, with effects waning over time. For measures of teacher use of praise, the intensive group maintained the improved rate throughout the school year relative to the workshop group. Rates of commands and observations of classroom productivity were not different between groups. Teachers were satisfied with both approaches to training.     

The Effect of Clickers in University Science Courses

In four studies on the use of student response systems, clickers, we sought to understand whether the use of clickers would impact students’ attitudes toward the use of technology for instruction and achievement on examinations. While the results varied some by study, overall, the results revealed no significant changes in the already positive student attitude toward the use of instructional technology. In all four studies, the majority of the students reported that they learned more when clickers were used in class. The use of clickers did not serve as useful predictor of student achievement in science classes. The findings of this study are similar to others which suggest that some classroom technologies (like clickers) may not necessarily have a direct connection with student achievement, despite positive student feedback regarding their experience using these technologies. Further studies are needed to better understand the true nature of the relationship between these technologies and classroom outcomes.     

“I Think You Mean …” Potential Perils of Teacher Paraphrasing and Alternative Responses for Student Engagement

The present article highlights teacher paraphrasing, a response habit that can hinder student problem solving, authentic classroom dialogue, and promotion of a democratic classroom. Specifically, it discusses reasons teachers may have for paraphrasing student comments, along with potential impediments for student learning. Alternative response behaviors are proposed for encouraging student discussion, creativity, and self-evaluation: listening, wait-time, nonverbal behaviors, acknowledgment, asking for elaboration, and using student ideas.     

Preschool teachers and classroom aides: Same context,similar perceptions of children's behaviors?

This study explored the correspondence and differences between school staff perceptions of preschool children's social skills and behavior problems. One hundred preschoolers were assessed by 14 pairs of teachers and classroom aides with the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales – 2^nd Edition (PKBS‐2 Portuguese version). Indexes of agreement and disagreement were calculated. Risk levels and item analyses of PKBS‐2 scores according to both informants' ratings were compared. A higher level of agreement was obtained for social skills scores than for behavior problems (mean correlation of .62). No statistically significant differences between informants were obtained for the risk levels, and item analyses revealed a similar pattern of behaviors that were most and least rated by both informants. Results indicate that the classroom aides' perspective on preschool assessment represents a reliable input, which justifies that they network with teachers in addressing preschoolers' social‐emotional and behavioral challenges.     

A naturalistic observation of verbal discipline modeling in a first grade classroom

Within the context of illustrating three observational techniques: Ad Lib., Focal Child, and All Occurrences of Some Behaviors, verbal disciplinary techniques as used by a regular classroom teacher and a student teacher are compared. Managing, Threatening, and Describing behaviors were observed as these were used as desist attempts by the teachers to stop inappropriate behaviors, and, presumably, to return the children to on-task behaviors.Since discipline is frequently a student teacher's most difficult task, some modeling of the classroom teacher's behaviors were expected to occur. This was found for discipline directed at individual children, but not total group disciplinary attempts. While the regular teacher produced more desists and was more effective in returning the children to on-task behavior, when disruptive children's sequential patterns of behavior were examined the most frequent response was something other than on-task behaviors. Questions are raised about what should be modeled, and when in a sequence of behaviors a teacher should intervene.University of Illinois     

Students’ perceptions of teacher impact on their self-directed language learning with technology beyond the classroom: cases of Hong Kong and U.S.

Teachers are important social agents who affect students’ cognitive and social behaviors, including students’ self-directed use of technology for language learning outside the classroom. However, how teachers influence student behaviors may vary across cultures, and understanding how teacher influences vary across different cultures is critical to developing culturally adaptive approaches to enhance students’ self-directed use of technology for learning outside the classroom. This study surveyed 418 undergraduate foreign language learners (190 from Hong Kong and 228 from the U.S.) on their intention to use technology for language learning outside the classroom, teacher influence and other psychosocial factors that may affect their technology use intentions. Structural equation modeling analyses of the survey responses indicated that teacher capacity support was consistently the most influential teacher practice affecting students’ self-directed technology use across the two cultures, whereas teacher affective support and teacher behavior support were significant predictors for Hong Kong students but not for U.S. students.     

Teacher knowledge and discourse control: Quantitative evidence from novice biology teachers' classrooms

This article describes the effects of science teacher subject-matter knowledge on classroom discourse at the level of individual utterances. It details one of three parallel analyses conducted in a year-long study of language in the classrooms of four new biology teachers. The conceptual framework of the study predicts that when teaching unfamiliar subject matter, teachers use a variety of discourse strategies to constrain student talk to a narrowly circumscribed topic domain. This article includes the results of an utterance-by-utterance analysis of teacher and student talk in a 30-lesson sample of science instruction. Data are broken down by classroom activity (e.g., lecture, laboratory, group work) for several measures, including mean duration of utterances, domination of the speaking floor by the teacher, frequency of teacher questioning, cognitive level of teacher questions, and student verbal participation. When teaching unfamiliar topics, the four teachers in this study tended to talk more often and for longer periods of time, ask questions frequently, and rely heavily on low cognitive level questions. The rate of student questions to the teacher varied with classroom activity. In common classroom communicative settings, student questions were less common when the teacher was teaching unfamiliar subject matter. The implications of these findings include a suggestion that teacher knowledge may be an important unconsidered variable in research on the cognitive level of questions and teacher wait-time.     

Students’ experiences of teaching at secondary school and university: sharing responsibility for classroom engagement

Recently much research has focused on student engagement, both at school and at university. This attention is motivated by the role that engagement plays in student learning and in the student experience. Acknowledging that student engagement is a multifaceted construct we focus on the contribution that teaching and teacher traits make to the quality of student engagement, from the student’s perspective. In this small scale study, we adopt a qualitative methodology to investigate students’ perceptions of what factors impact on their engagement and what role the students themselves have in fostering such engagement. Focus group and one-to-one interviews with students in the last year of school and at university were analysed to reveal four overarching themes related to engagement in classroom life including the importance of active listening on the part of both students and teachers. The resulting Refined Quality Teaching Initiatives Framework outlines how dual engagement and active listening can be viable pedagogical strategies both at school and university. The framework also brings to the fore the active role and responsibilities that students have, in their own perceptions, for engagement in the classroom. We conclude with a reflection on the implications of our findings for teaching and teacher training.     

How does leadership affect student achievement? Results from a national US survey

Using survey responses from a national sample of US teachers, this paper provides insight into 2 questions: (1) Do 3 specific attributes of leadership behavior – the sharing of leadership with teachers, the development of trust relationships among professionals, and the provision of support for instructional improvement – affect teachers' work with each other and their classroom practices? and (2) Do the behaviors of school leaders contribute to student achievement? We tie this investigation of school leader behaviors to 2 additional factors that have also received increasing attention in research because they have been shown to be related to student achievement: professional community and the quality of classroom instruction. Our analysis provides an empirical test of the notion that leadership variables are positively related to student learning. It also suggests that both shared and instructionally focused leadership are complementary approaches for improving schools.