1. SCHOOL-WIDE POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS AND SUPPORT: ADDRESSING THE BEHAVIOR OF ALL STUDENTS Classroom PBIS: Task Difficulty KENTUCKY CENTER FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DISCIPLINE

2. Expectation Participation at In-service Activities and Assignment Completion Peer Collaboration Action Planning and Follow Through Activities Be Respectful Listen, process and ask reflective questions Reflect on each staff member’s experience and expertise Support your colleagues by offering your best ideas Consider the benefits of completing activities and seeking peer coaching Be ResponsibleContribute to learning of all Follow through with assignments Be a peer coachUtilize the activities and seek to apply your learning Training Matrix

3. Training Objectives Review the research on modifying task difficulty, understand the benefits, and think about ways to modify task difficulty to support student behavior and learning

4. Agenda (55 minutes) Opening/Objectives (5 minutes)  Activity #1: Self-Assessment Modifying Task Difficulty (35 minutes)  Activity #2: Review Strategies  Activity #3: Practice Summary/Next Steps (15 minutes)  Activity #4: Application

5. Activity #1: Self-Assessment Complete Modifying Task Difficulty Self- Assessment Once the Self-Assessment is completed, do the following  Select one item in each category that you feel is important to classroom management success  Turn to the person beside you and discuss

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

7. Why Consider Modifying 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

8. Why Consider Modifying 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

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

10. Modifying Task Difficulty Increases & promotes… On-task behavior Task completion Task comprehension Appropriate class-wide behavior Gickling & Armstrong, 1978; Kern & Clemens, 2007

11. 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 & Kame’enui, 1996; Vaughn, Duchnowski, Sheffield, & Kutash, 2005

12. Activity #2: Review Strategies 1. Read about the strategy you have been given as a group. 2. Be prepared to explain your strategy and demonstrate or tell how to use it with students in the classroom.

13. Activity #3: Practice 1. Read the classroom vignettes in the provided handout. 2. Determine which strategy for modifying task difficulty would be most effective and efficient for each vignette. 3. Share your responses with a partner at your table.

14. Activity #4: Application 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 1. 2. 3. 4. HO4: Modifying Task Difficulty in Your Classroom

15. Post-Assessment When prompted via email, complete Modifying Task Difficulty Self-Assessment Compare pre- and post-scores; discussion will occur during faculty meeting Post-assessment will occur in approximately 4 weeks

16. 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. 585-656). 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, 559-566. 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, 265-274.

17. References Kern, L. and Clemens, N.H. (2007). Antecedent strategies to promote appropriate classroom behavior. Psychology in the Schools, 44(1), 65-75. Miller, M. (2005). Using peer tutoring in the classroom: Applications for students with emotional/behavioral disorders. Beyond Behavior, 15(1), pp. 25- 30. Simmons, D. & Kameenui, E. J. (1996). A focus on curriculum design: When children fail. Focus on Exceptional Children, 28(7), pp. 1-16. 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): 13 - 20.