What is Behavior?  Any observable and measurable act of an individual (also called a response)  Dead Man’s Test  Must be able to see (or hear, feel or smell)

Behavior can also be covert (private or internal) activities that cannot be readily observed   These occur “within one’s skin”   Needs special instruments to detect   If you take a test you might be nervous you might fail. Is this a behavior?   Terms like ‘honest’, ‘carefree’, ‘hardworking’, ‘unreliable’, and ‘unsociable’ Are summary labels for human actions but do not refer to specific behaviors.

Examples Aggression toward others Tantrums Property Destruction Other HittingCrying Turning over the furniture Leaving Area ScratchingWhining Writing on furniture Swearing KickingScreaming Throwing objects Biting Dropping to floor Throwing objects

Why is it important?   It is important so teachers can measure and verify that behavior is happening   Can see change in a behavior, either increased or decreased   Can document to others   Can be consistent when communicating

Educational Goals (long term objectives)   Are statements of ANNUAL program intent   The big picture for the year   Short-term or behavioral objectives is how are we going to get there

Example   Goal: more general statement   Jerry will master basic division skills at the 4 th grade level   Behavioral objective or STO   much more specific   When presented with an math worksheet, Jerry will complete 2-digit division problems with 90% accuracy.

How to set goals   Obtain information from others, teachers, caregivers (don’t forget the student)   Identify level of performance in former and current environments   Assessments   Observation   Probability of achievement

Behavioral Objectives   “short-term goals’ statements of actual instructional intent (usually 3-4 months)   It describes the intended outcomes of instruction not the procedures for accomplishing those outcomes

Why Use Behavioral Obj?   Agreement among school personnel and parents   Better communicate what the goal of learning is   A clearly stated target of instruction facilitates effective programming and the selections of instructional strategies   IDEiA   Help evaluate progress and provide precise evaluation of instruction

WHO will do WHAT, under what CIRCUMSTANCES, to what SUCCESS

Components   Learner   Target behavior   Conditions of intervention   Criteria   Generalization   Aim Date   As judged by… (classroom staff)   As measured by… (checklists, observations) WHO will do WHAT, under what CIRCUMSTANCES, to what SUCCESS

  Identify the learner:   Juan will…   Not Juan will be able to..   Identify the target behavior   Use active, production verbs   Stay away from know, understand, learn   Can you count it and someone else identify it   Directly observable, measurable, and repeatable

Operational Definitions   Need to pinpoint a behavior   For example “on task” behavior   Student is sitting in chair   Eyes on paper   Not engaging in inappropriate conversation with peers around him/her   Students is actively involved in task at hand (i.e. writing on paper, cutting and pasting)

Conditions/Circumstances   Under what conditions will the behavior occur? Where/when will the behavior occur?   Teacher behavior- what will the teacher provide to increase behavior? (e.g., prompts, materials)   Examples:   On a worksheet, when using flashcards   In physical education class   When given a verbal prompt

Criteria   Depends on level of mastery desired   Sets a standard for minimal acceptance   Will be used to evaluate if the goal is met or not   Some tasks require 100% accuracy   85% of 10 problems in not appropriate   Set ambitious but obtainable goals

How to determine criteria  Consider the minimum level necessary to move on to the next skill  Is this task a prerequisite for another?  Example: a student needs to hold a pencil before he/she can write letters

  Consider the minimum level necessary to perform the skill in the real world   Example:   If a dad is in a rush in the morning and is not willing to let their child dress her/himself it takes more than 15 minutes, then 15 mins. Becomes an important criterion to achieve

  Consider the minimum level necessary for enjoyment and maintenance of the skill   Example: If reading is a very slow process, the student will be less likely to choose reading as a leisure activity and less likely to read. Minimum level to ensure the skill is useful and enjoyable

  Consider peer performance levels   Example: why expect a child who is being mainstreamed to sit in her/his chair quietly for 30 minutes when all the other kindergartners stay for 15 minutes before getting ‘squirrelly’?

Acquisition  Exhibiting the basic requirement of a the new behavior  Initial learning  80% of opportunities  90%accuracy  9 out of 10 times

Fluency   Learning to perform a skill rapidly, at natural rates, or for more extensive periods of time   Appropriateness of the rate at which the student is accurate   Time is a component (RATE)   Important because the acquisition of a behavior or skill may not be sufficient to ensure that the student will use the skill

Maintenance   Perform a response over time without reteaching   Overlearning increases maintenance   Distributed trials increases maintenance   Not necessary to change the behavioral objective to reflect maintenance but need to consider.

Generalization Expansion of a student’s capability of performance beyond those conditions set at initial acquisition -various verbal or written instructions -various materials -various people -various environments

  When presented with single digit addition problems with sums to 18 (worksheet, flash cards, verbally), Joseph will provide the correct answer 100% of the opportunities.   Given a map or globe, Quint will name and locate the 7 continents for 8 out of 10 opportunities.   During 10 minute recess period, Sam will initiate a game with a peer at least 2 times for 3 out of 4 days.   When Karri attempts to go outside and is redirected to the work task, she will ask for a break instead of biting 100% of the opportunities.

What is wrong? Given 10 sentences, Kim will copy each, putting spaces between all words, within 3 weeks

 When Stan becomes frustrated, he will ask to speak with the school psychologist, instead of becoming verbally aggressive, 2 out of 3 times in one day

 Wayne will be able to write the letters of his name 4 out of 5 trials, 100% of the time