1. CT PBS Coaches’ Meeting Coaching SWPBS Basics
April 21, 2009
Brandi Simonsen, Kari Sassu,
& George Sugai

2. Advance Organizer Coaching SWPBS (Updates) Review of Role of Coach
Basics of Classroom Management
Advanced Skill Building: Function of Behavior
Wrap-up

3. Objectives for Coaches
By the end of today’s meeting, you will be able to…
…Describe your role as a coach.
…Articulate the basics of class-wide PBS
…Identify functions of behavior.
…Facilitate your team’s activities.

4. Coaching SWPBS

5. Supporting Social Competence &
Academic Achievement
4 PBS Elements
OUTCOMES
Supporting
Decision
Making
Supporting
Staff Behavior
DATA
SYSTEMS
PRACTICES
Supporting
Student Behavior

6. Continuum of School-Wide Instructional & Positive Behavior Support
Tertiary Prevention:
Specialized
Individualized
Systems for Students with High-Risk Behavior
~5%
Primary Prevention:
School-/Classroom-
Wide Systems for
All Students,
Staff, & Settings
~15%
Secondary Prevention:
Specialized Group
Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior
~80% of Students

7. GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS
Team
GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS
Agreements
Data-based
Action Plan
SAY: In general, the implementation of a school-wide PBS approach at the school level is built around five main implementation steps.
Who actually participated?
Administrator?
Parent?
Certified staff?
Non-certified staff?
Student (if HS or maybe MS)?
Evaluation
Implementation

8. Biggest, durable effect
SWPBS
Practices
School-wide
Smallest #
Evidence-based
Biggest, durable effect
Classroom
Non-classroom
Family
Student

9. What are the critical features?
Primary Prevention
What are the critical features?
1. Common purpose & approach to discipline
Common language, vision, and experience
Evaluation
Implementation
Data-based
Action Plan
Agreements
Team
80% Buy-in
SAY: Although most schools have a written conduct of conduct or discipline policy which is important, it tends to focus on procedures for processing rule violations (5.).
Effective school-wide discipline systems have a matching and strong proactive component that teaches and encourages prosocial behavior, and provides an on-going progress monitoring system.
The remaining five items are important but difficult to sustain without clear school-wide investments and structures in place.
And when that fails….

10. Apply the triangle to adult behavior!
80% Rule
Tertiary Prevention:
Specialized
Individualized
Systems for Staff with High-Risk Behavior
~5%
Apply the triangle to adult behavior!
Primary Prevention:
Systems to support
all staff:
Professional development
Reinforcement
~15%
Secondary Prevention:
Specialized Group
Systems for Staff who are “At-Risk”
Additional instruction
Increased support
Good sequence on staff acknowledgements…..important one for teams to get
~80% of Staff

11. What are the critical features?
Primary Prevention
What are the critical features?
1. Common purpose & approach to discipline
2. Clear set of positive expectations & behaviors
3. Procedures for teaching expected behavior
4. Continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behavior
5. Continuum of procedures for discouraging inappropriate behavior
6. Procedures for on-going monitoring & evaluation
SAY: Although most schools have a written conduct of conduct or discipline policy which is important, it tends to focus on procedures for processing rule violations (5.).
Effective school-wide discipline systems have a matching and strong proactive component that teaches and encourages prosocial behavior, and provides an on-going progress monitoring system.
The remaining five items are important but difficult to sustain without clear school-wide investments and structures in place.

12. Invest in systems to ensure sustained implementation with fidelity.
Coach
TAKE AWAY MESSAGE
Use data to (a) identify outcomes and (b) select evidence-based practices.
Invest in systems to ensure sustained implementation with fidelity.

13. Role of a Coach

14. Roles of a Coach Coaching Roles Communicate Content Knowledge
Facilitate
Coaching Roles
Team meetings
Activities at training events
Implementation
Share advanced content with team
Share information at faculty meetings
Local PBS expert
Positive “nag”
Link to resources (e.g.,

15. What does this look like?
At least monthly
Ensure data are summarized in useful format
Facilitate team meeting using agenda and action plan
Give data-based updates to faculty
At least bi-weekly (or weekly)
Review action plan and prompt team members to complete tasks
Ensure your tasks are completed in a timely fashion (you’re a role model)
And…daily
Be an ambassador for PBS (look for opportunities to share info with others, etc.)
Model positive interactions and reinforcement with staff and students

16. Evidence-based Practices in Classroom Management*
* Use this content in conjunction with the Classroom Management Self-Assessment in your notebook.

17. Evidence Based Practices in Classroom Management
Minimize crowding & distraction
Maximize structure & predictability
State, review, & reinforce positively stated expectations.
Provide more acknowledgement for appropriate than inappropriate behaviors.
Maximize varied opportunities to respond.
Maximize active engagement.
Actively & continuously supervise.
Respond to inappropriate behaviors quickly, positively, & directly.
Establish multiple strategies for acknowledging appropriate behavior.
Generally provide specific feedback for errors & corrects.

18. 1. Minimize crowding & distraction.
Design environment to (a) elicit appropriate behavior and (b) minimize crowding and distraction:
Arrange furniture to allow easy traffic flow.
Ensure adequate supervision of all areas.
Designate staff & student areas.
Seating arrangements (groups, carpet, etc.)

19. 2. Maximize structure & predictability.
Develop Predictable Routines
Teacher routines: volunteers, communications, movement, planning, grading, etc.
Student routines: personal needs, transitions, working in groups, independent work, instruction, getting materials, homework, etc.

20. 3. State, review, & reinforce positively stated expectations.
Establish behavioral expectations/rules.
Teach rules in context of routines.
Prompt or remind students of rule prior to entering natural context.
Monitor students’ behavior in natural context & provide specific feedback.
Evaluate effect of instruction - review data, make decisions, & follow up.
Sarah

21. Establish Behavioral expectations/Rules
A small number (i.e., 3-5) of positively stated rules. Tell students what we want them to do, rather than telling them what we do not want them to do.
Publicly post the rules.
Should match SW Expectations

22. Establish Behavioral expectations/Rules
Operationally define what the rules look like across all the routines and settings in your school.
As we discussed in Chapter 2, one way to do this is in a matrix format.

23. Rules within Routines Matrix
Entering Classroom
Seat Work
Small Group Activity
Leaving Classroom
Be Safe
Be Respectful
Be Responsible

24. Teach Rules in the Context of Routines
Teach expectations directly.
Define rule in operational terms—tell students what the rule looks like within routine.
Provide students with examples and non-examples of rule-following within routine.
Actively involve students in lesson—game, role-play, etc. to check for their understanding.
Provide opportunities to practice rule following behavior in the natural setting.

25. Prompt or Remind Students of the Rule
Provide students with visual prompts (e.g., posters, illustrations, etc).
Use pre-corrections, which include “verbal reminders, behavioral rehearsals, or demonstrations of rule-following or socially appropriate behaviors that are presented in or before settings were problem behavior is likely” (Colvin, Sugai, Good, Lee, 1997).

26. Monitor Students’ Behavior in Natural Context
Active Supervision (Colvin, Sugai, Good, Lee, 1997):
Move around
Look around (Scan)
Interact with students
Provide reinforcement and specific praise to students who are following rules.
Catch errors early and provide specific, corrective feedback to students who are not following rules. (Think about how you would correct an academic error.)

27. Evaluate the effect of instruction
Collect data
Are rules being followed?
If there are errors,
who is making them?
where are the errors occurring?
what kind of errors are being made?
Summarize data (look for patterns)
Use data to make decisions

28. 4. Provide more acknowledgement for appropriate than inappropriate behaviors.
Maintain at least 4 to 1 ratio
Interact positively once every 5 min
Follow correction for violation of behavior expectations with positive reinforcement for rule following (once demonstrated)

29. 5. Maximize varied opportunities to respond.
Provide high rates of opportunities to respond
Vary individual vs. group responding
Vary Response type
Oral
Written
Gestural
Increase participatory instruction
Questioning
Materials

30. 6. Maximize active engagement.
Consider various observable ways to engage students
Written responses
Choral responding
Writing on individual white boards
Gestures
Other: ____________
Specify observable engagements
Link engagement with outcome objectives

31. Range of evidence based practices that promote active engagement
Direct Instruction
Computer Assisted Instruction
Class-wide Peer Tutoring
Guided notes
Response Cards

32. 7. Actively & continuously supervise.
Move
Scan
Interact
Remind/pre-correct
Positively acknowledge

33. 8. Respond to inappropriate behaviors quickly, positively, & directly.
Respond efficiently
Attend to students who are displaying appropriate behavior
Follow school procedures for major problem behaviors objectively
Anticipate next occurrence

34. Multiple strategies for responding to inappropriate behavior may include....
Error Corrections
Differential Reinforcement
Planned ignoring
Response Cost
Time out from reinforcement

35. Quick Error Corrections
Your error corrections should be…
…contingent: occur immediately after the undesired behavior
…specific: tell learner exactly what they are doing incorrectly and what they should do differently in the future
…brief: after redirecting back to appropriate behavior, move on

36. Types of Differential Reinforcement
DR…of lower rates of behavior (DRL)
DR…of other behaviors (DRO)
DR…of alternative behavior (DRA)
DR…of incompatible behavior (DRI)

37. Planned Ignoring Definition:
If a behavior is maintained by adult attention …consider planned ignoring (e.g., ignore behavior of interest)
Example:
Taylor talks out in class and his teacher currently responds to him approximately 60% in the time (either + or -).
The teacher decides to ignore all talk outs and instead only call on him when his hand is raised.

38. Response Cost Definition:
The withdrawal of specific amounts of a reinforcer contingent upon inappropriate behavior.
Examples:
A wrong answer results in a loss of points.
Come to class without a pencil, buy one for 5 points.

39. Time-out
Definition:
A child (or class) is removed from a previously reinforcing environment or setting, to one that is not reinforcing
Example:
Child throws a rock at another child on the playground. The child is removed to the office….
REMEMBER the environment the child is removed to cannot be reinforcing!!! So, if the child receives adult attention in the office, which they find reinforcing, YOU have NOT put the child on time out

40. 9. Establish multiple strategies for acknowledging appropriate behavior.
Social vs. tangible vs. activity vs. …
Frequent vs. infrequent
Predictable vs. unpredictable
Immediate vs. delayed
Amy

41. Multiple strategies for acknowledging appropriate behavior may include...
Specific and Contingent Praise
Group Contingencies
Behavior Contracts
Token Economies
Amy

42. Specific and Contingent Praise
Praise should be…
…contingent: occur immediately following desired behavior
…specific: tell learner exactly what they are doing correctly and continue to do in the future
“Good job” (not very specific)
“I like how you are showing me active listening by having quiet hands and feet and eyes on me” (specific)

43. Group Contingencies Three types: “All for one”
(Interdependent Group-Oriented Contingency)
“One for all”
(Dependent Group Contingency)
“To each his/her own” (Independent Group Contingency)

44. (Wolery, Bailey, & Sugai, 1988)
Behavioral Contracts
A written document that specifies a contingency for an individual student or in this case…whole class
Contains the following elements:
Operational definition of BEHAVIOR
Clear descriptions of REINFORCERS
OUTCOMES if student fails to meet expectations.
Special BONUSES that may be used to increase motivation or participation.
(Wolery, Bailey, & Sugai, 1988)

45. Establishing a Token Economy
Determine and teach the target skills
Select tokens
Identify what will be back-up reinforcers
Identify the number of tokens required to receive back-up reinforcers
Define and teach the exchange and token delivery system
Define decision rules to change/fade the plan
Determine how the plan will be monitored
Guidelines from Sulzer-Azaroff & Mayer, 1991

46. 10. Generally provide specific feedback for errors & corrects.
Provide contingently
Always indicate correct behaviors
Link to context

47. Advanced Skill Building

48. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Three major dimensions ABA:
Applied: socially important problems
Behavior: observable and measurable
Analytic: believable demonstration of effect
Based on Baer, Wolf, & Risley (1968)

49. The Three Term Contingency
Antecedent:
Behavior:
Consequence:
Any “ stimulus that precedes a behavior”
“Any observable and measurable act of an individual (also called a response).”
Antecedents: Events that precede the behavior.
SDs: A preceding event that triggers (or sets the occasion for the behavior) by letting learner know that reinforcement is available.
Behavior: An action or event performed by the person
Consequence: Event that follows the behavior.
“Any stimulus presented contingent on a particular response”
Alberto & Troutman (2006)

50. Reinforcement vs. Punishment
Reinforcement: when a consequence of a behavior functions to increase the likelihood of future occurrences of that behavior
Punishment: when a consequence of a behavior functions to decrease the likelihood of future occurrences of that behavior

51. Reinforcement and Punishment
Give (+)
Take (-)
Action
Effect
Positive
Negative
Inc. ( )*
Reinforcement
Reinforcement
Positive
Negative
Dec. ( )*
Punishment
Punishment
* Future probability of behavior

52. Setting Events
A setting event is an antecedent condition or event that temporarily alters the value of the consequence of a behavior.
Timing
Setting A B C SE
Different
SAME

53. Examples of Setting Events
Lack of sleep decreases value of getting to school on time, increases value of going to Starbucks
Lack of breakfast increases value of getting sent to office (by vending machines) for failing to follow directions.
Having a fight with boyfriend decreases value of listening to lecture.
Getting >50% of problem wrong decreases value of starting new worksheets.

54. More about Setting Events
Setting events may be environmental, physiological, or social
Setting events help explain variations in behavior

55. Coach
TAKE AWAY MESSAGE
You only know if a consequence is reinforcing or punishing by looking at the effect on future behavior.

56. What is function based support?
Foundations in Behavioral Theory, Applied Behavior Analysis, & PBS
Attention to environmental context
Emphasis on “purpose” or function of behavior
Focus on teaching behaviors
Attention to implementers (adult behaviors) & redesign of teaching & learning environments.

57. Non-examples of Function-Based Approach
“Lantana, you skipped 2 school days, so we’re going to suspend you for 2 more.”
“Phloem, I’m taking your book away because you obviously aren’t ready to learn.”
“You want my attention?! I’ll show you attention,…let’s take a walk down to the office & have a little chat with the Principal.”
“Function” = outcome, result, purpose, consequence

58. Function of Behavior All behavior serves a function:
Learners trying to get or obtain desired activities, tangible items, attention, or sensory stimulation.
Learners trying to avoid or escape aversive activities, items, or attention, or sensory stimulation.

59. Functions
Pos Reinf
Neg Reinf

60. Look at the Function of Behavior
When a student is exhibiting problematic behaviors, look at the context:
What typically precedes the problematic behaviors?
What typically follows the problematic behaviors?
What function are the behaviors serving for the student?

61. Let’s practice… Hypothesizing Function
A high school teacher is delivering a lesson on music theory. In the middle of the lecture, a student calls out repeatedly. Each time, the teacher calls on the student and allows them ask their question or share their opinion.
Hypothesized function of the student’s behavior: ____________
A parent asks a child to clean up their room. The child begins to whine and scream. The parent gives up, and the child does not clean.

62. Why is function important?
Function based behavior support plans are not only effective, they are more effective than similarly intensive and individualized plans that are not based on function (e.g., Ingram, Palmer, & Sugai, 2005).

63. Coach
TAKE AWAY MESSAGE
We should consider the function of behavior when we design programs for students and staff.

64. Big Ideas You should now be able to… …Describe your role as a coach.
…Articulate the basics of class-wide PBS
…Identify functions of behavior.
…Facilitate your team’s activities

65. TAKE AWAY MESSAGE
You’re a coach!
Prepare for training events, and use your resources to guide your team’s activities (both at training and at school).

66. Opportunities for further training
UConn offers a series of 4 courses in PBS
Tier 1 (Classroom Management)
Tiers 2 & 3
ABA
Practicum
In the future, this may be defined as a graduate certificate. For now, it’s a concentration or specialization that students take as a part of their program.