Effective Classroom Practice Academic Success & Task Difficulty MO SW-PBS Center for PBS College of Education University of Missouri

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

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

Effective Classroom Practices Classroom: Expectations & Rules Procedures & Routines Continuum of strategies to acknowledge appropriate behaviors Continuum of strategies to respond to inappropriate behavior Active supervision Multiple opportunities to respond Activity sequence & Offering choice Academic success & Task difficulty

Newcomer, 2008

Academic Success & Task Difficulty

What is Modifying Task Difficulty? Modifying instruction or providing accommodations to ensure the student experiences higher levels of academic success. (Kern & Clemens, 2007)

Why Consider Task Difficulty? Task difficulty is one of the primary curricular variables that can set the occasion for problem behaviors in the classroom. Any mismatch between student ability and task difficulty is potentially problematic. (Gunter, Denny, Jack, Shores, & Nelson, 1993)

Why Consider Task Difficulty? Exposure to tasks that are too difficult result in lower rates of on-task behavior and increased rates of disruptive and other problem behaviors. (Gickling & Armstrong, 1978; Umbreit, Lane, & Dejud, 2004)

Proper Instructional Level Seatwork assignments that contain 70% - 85% known elements Reading assignments 93% - 97% known elements ( Gickling & Armstrong, 1978; Umbreit, Lane, & Dejud, 2004 )

Why Consider Modifying Task Difficulty? Increases & promotes… on-task behavior task completion task comprehension appropriate class-wide behavior (Gickling & Armstrong, 1978; Kern & Clemens, 2007)

Strategies for Modifying Task Difficulty 1.Change Amount of Work 2.Change Amount of Time 3.Change Student Output 4.Reduce Reading/Writing Demand 5.Peer Support 6.Scaffolding (Simmons & Kameenui, 1996; Vaughn, Duchnowski, Sheffield, & Kutash, 2005)

1. Change Amount of Work Put fewer problems on a worksheet Highlight, in a color, the problems for the student to complete Have the student cover all tasks except the one she is working on at the time Break up assignment into smaller parts.

2. Change Amount of Time Have shorter work periods with other assignments in between. Provide physical breaks between difficult tasks. Provide alternative times for students to complete their work.

3. Change Student Output Provide students with a choice between oral or written answers. Allow students to dictate answers to a peer, teacher, or paraprofessional or tape record answers to tests or assignments. Allow students to video or take pictures to produce journals or compose essays.

4. Reduce Reading/Writing Demand Include illustrations on worksheets describing how to complete tasks Highlight and underline important words in instructions and texts Create Guided Notes that highlight key points. Permit students to use outlining software to facilitate planning

5. Peer Support The academic tasks involved should be well- structured and the responses required should be simple rather than complex. Different students should be involved in the tutoring so that the student with problems is not always the one being tutored. Establish and teach the procedures for peer tutoring sessions. (Miller, 2005)

5. Peer Support Classwide Peer Tutoring – Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) –

6. Scaffolding What is scaffolding? – Personal guidance, assistance, and support that a teacher, peer, materials, or task provides a learner until he or she can apply new skills and strategies independently. (Simmons & Kameenui, 1996)

How Do We Scaffold Instruction? First, the teacher models how to perform a new or difficult task. Second, the teacher and students work together to perform the task. Third, students work with a partner or a small cooperative group to complete the task. Fourth, the student independently completes the task. (Ellis & Larkin, 1998)

Practice Addressing Task Difficulty 1. Read the classroom vignettes (Handout). 2. Determine which strategy would be most effective and efficient for each vignette. (Use Addressing Task Difficulty Strategies.) 3. Share your responses with a shoulder partner. Handouts: 2) Modifying Task Difficulty Vignettes, 3) Modifying Task Difficulty Strategies

Addressing Task Difficulty in Your Classroom List several of the activities students complete in your classroom…. Identify ways you could address task difficulty in your classroom: Change Amount of Work; Change Amount of Time Change Student Output; Reduce Reading/Writing Demand; Peer Support; Scaffolding HO4: Modifying Task Difficulty in Your Classroom

References Ellis, E. S., & Larkin, M. J. (1998). Strategic instruction for adolescents with learning disabilities. In B. Y. L. Wong (Ed.), Learning about learning disabilities (2 nd ed., pp ). San Diego, CA: Academic Press Gickling, E. E., & Armstrong, D. L. (1978). Levels of instructional difficulty as related to on-task behavior, task completion, and comprehension. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 11, Gunter, P. L., Denny, R. K., Jack, S. L., Shores, R. E., & Nelson, C. M. (1993). Aversive stimuli in academic interactions between students with serious emotional disturbance and their teachers. Behavioral Disorders, 19,

References Kern, L. and Clemens, N.H. (2007). Antecedent strategies to promote appropriate classroom behavior. Psychology in the Schools, 44(1), Miller, M. (2005). Using peer tutoring in the classroom: Applications for students with emotional/behavioral disorders. Beyond Behavior, 15(1), pp Simmons, D. & Kameenui, E. J. (1996). A focus on curriculum design: When children fail. Focus on Exceptional Children, 28(7), pp Umbreit, J. Lane, K. L., & Dejud, C. (2004). Improving classroom behavior by modifying task difficulty: Effects of increasing the difficulty of too-easy tasks. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 6(1):