Keywords

High school · Summer school · At-risk students · Positive behavior supports · Classroom techniques · Alternative school

Abstract

Effective interventions are needed to help alternative high school teachers manage challenging student behaviors. One such intervention, class-wide function-related intervention teams (CWFIT), is a classroom management program based on positive behavior interventions and supports principles. CW-FIT involves teaching appropriate classroom behavioral expectations (social skills), using high behavior-specific praise-to-reprimand ratios, and an interdependent group contingency to provide differential reinforcement of appropriate classroom behavior and eliminate potential reinforcement of problem behavior. In this pilot study, four alternative high school teachers implemented CW-FIT during a summer school program. A series of single subject A-B designs were used over a 3-week period. Results supported effectiveness of the program as teachers appeared able to implement the program with fidelity, increase their behavior-specific praise rates and decrease their reprimand rates, and students appeared to respond with increased on-task behavior. Teacher and student responses also suggested the program was socially valid. Study implications and limitations are addressed.

Original Publication Citation

Caldarella, P., Richards, E. J., Williams, L. & Warburton, E. J. (2023). Improving behavior in an alternative high school summer program using class-wide function-related intervention teams: A pilot study. Education and Treatment of Children, 46(4), 351-365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43494-023-00108-7

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2023-09-20

Publisher

Association for Behavior Analysis International

Language

English

College

David O. McKay School of Education

Department

Center for the Improvement of Teacher Education and Schooling

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

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