Reports on a study which attempted to determine whether an academic contingency system that successfully modified academic performance and on-task behavior of selected target children would also lead to vicarious academic or behavioral effects in non-target children. Results show that it did not. (CMG)

While a coach's practical goals necessitate having a winning team, this need is not inconsistent with other goals motivating players intrinsically, helping athletes deal with competition-related stress, and building an appreciation of individual worth and of team cooperation. (JD)

Analyzes the key components of the Precision Teaching technique: pinpointing (identifying learning channels and defining correct and incorrect responses), counting behavior in real time, and charting the pace of learning. Includes a case study describing the Precision Teaching of receptive object identification with a 3-year-old with autistic…

Teachers of students exhibiting behavioral deficits and excesses should focus on direct teaching of acceptable behavior, but this often does not occur because of teachers' feeling more comfortable teaching academic skills, paucity of curriculum materials, and such trends as minimum competency testing. Behavioral and cognitive approaches to…

This article highlights how instructional management differs from behavior management in terms of common practice, and demonstrates how an instructional strategy used to address persistent academic errors, called "precorrection," can be applied to change chronic problem behaviors. Seven basic correction and precorrection steps are…

Red Light-Green Light is a levels system providing immediate behavior modification feedback and varying privilege levels throughout the school day for primary students with behavior disorders. This article presents guidelines for implementation, covering development of classroom rules, classroom expectations, and system maintenance. Tips for…

Opportunities for teaching a young child with autism to request more play were created at multiple points on the playground by momentarily interrupting the child's ongoing play using the behavior chain interruption strategy. The intervention resulted in high rates of correct requesting which were maintained with a new teacher and generalized to a…

Begins with a review of research on learning style differences associated with autism, then examines instructional strategies of both behavioral and incidental teaching methods. Using an illustrative case study, it describes how visually cued instruction can be applied with autistic children who are visual learners. (DB)

A three-phase functional assessment was conducted to develop and test hypotheses about the relation between instructional accommodations in academic areas and behavior problems for three adolescents with severe behavioral disorders. Implementation of one or more of the instructional accommodations resulted in improved academic productivity and…

A mediating approach is implemented into a section of Block I courses elementary pre-service teachers took in a cohort setting in Spring 2002. The paper discusses the components of the approach as well as the logistics of the initial implementation. Furthermore, the paper provides qualitative and quantitative analysis of a set of data gathered…

Twelve papers focus on issues involving severe behavior disorders in the schools and autism. The following papers are included: "Behavioral Ecology--A Unifying Strategy for the '80s" (F. Hewett); "Academic Skill Development--The Promise of Modeling Strategies" (R. Gable, J. Hendrickson); "Future Directions in Self-Control Research" (R. Rueda);…

Noting that teachers wishing to increase students' listening skills must focus on modification of specific causes of ineffective communication behavior rather than theorizing about generic symptoms, this paper describes a competency oriented approach for improving listening skills. The paper first provides a rationale for improving listening…

Since a fundamental problem of acting--fear--is a fundamental human problem, the basic job of acting teachers is to help their students become the kind of people who can act. Acting teachers need to help their students cast off their fears, free their bodies and their imaginations, and learn all the skills of self-knowledge, self-control, and…

Process reinforcement is proposed as a reinforcement method that is more comfortable, personal, comprehensive, and interactive than traditional behavior modification. Process reinforcement strengthens desired behaviors by engaging learners in a one-on-one examination of how they achieved correct responses and by practicing comfortable eye contact…

A systematic program for the training of broad-based social skills is necessary for some visually impaired children. Research on social skills programs has focused on the use of behavioral therapy, verbal and nonverbal social skills intervention, early intervention, and a team approach. (Author/JDD)