Association for Behavior Analysis International

Teachers who also function as behavior analysts are responsible for implementing local, state, or federally mandated curricula and curricular sequences. However, as behavior analysts they are also responsible for scientifically analyzing learning and teaching problems and subsequently implementing interventionsthat may not necessarily be part of the adopted curriculum. Teachers who teach from a behavior analytic perspective should have the skill set to select strategiesthat are individualized and specifically address academic and social deficit areas, thus providing the student with a more effective and efficient way to access the school-wide curriculum. The studies reported herein represent a corpus of evidence supporting the role of a teacher as a strategic scientist of pedagogy.

We analyzed the effects of multiple exemplar instruction (MEI) across response topographies on the acquisition of geometric concepts that were taught only within a single response topography. One of the topographies, intraverbal instruction, was manipulated in order to determine whether or not this component was necessary for transformation of stimulus function to occur. The effects of multiple exemplar instruction were tested on early middle school students who were part of a remedial program for students more than 2 grade levels behind their same age peers in math. Participants were taught 5 geometric concepts (Set 1) as under 1 response topography (RT). Subsequently, 3 untaught responses were probed. Upon reaching mastery criterion for Set 1 the participants were taught 5 different geometric concepts (Set 2) utilizing MEI. In this phase they were taught using a combination of 2 or 3 response topographies (selection, production, and tact or intraverbal) counterbalanced across participants. Following mastery of Set 2 concepts, untaught responses from Set 1 were re-probed. In order to ensure that the results were not simply a function of an extraneous variable five new geometric concepts (Set 3) were taught within the same response topography as Set 1 and the untaught responses topographies to Set 3 were probed. Results are reported in terms of the role the intraverbal response topography played in the emergence of the untaught topographies.

This study aimed to increase the accuracy of sentence structure and variation of vocabulary used by 2 pupils when manding vocally for preferred items. Pupils were taught using a checklist to vary the sentence structure of mands each time a written mand was emitted: generalization of the skill was probed post-treatment. The pupils both had diagnoses of autism spectrum disorders and attended a CABAS model school on a full-time basis. They were both speaker and listener with emergent reader/writer behaviour. Throughout the baseline phase of study both pupils emitted repetitive mands with consistent incorrect sentence structure in both written and vocal format. Post study it was observed

This study investigates the effects of teacher directed peer reinforcement on the number of appropriate peer interactions emitted during free play. Participants were 6 males with a diagnosis of an autistic disorder who attended a CABAS school in the United Kingdom. Results of this study demonstrated that the treatment was effective in increasing appropriate behaviours and decreasing maladaptive or inappropriate behaviours. Implications of this study are discussed.

The study used establishing operations within a motivational classroom system called "Activity Time" to increase pupils' self-management of time by decreasing the time pupils spent carrying out a number of steps to access a chosen reinforcer. The required steps were related to academic skills such as written communication and graphing. The study used a multiple baseline design across participants with 2 treatment phases. During baseline the participants had a fixed amount of time to access a reinforcer and the time taken to complete the necessary steps was recorded. During Treatment 1 the participants had 15 minutes to complete the necessary steps and all remaining time could be spent accessing a reinforcer. In both of these phases the participants' level of achievement during an instructional session was linked to the desirability of reinforcers available. During Treatment 2 participants' time available for activity time was related to the level of achievement during an instructional session. Results showed that the mean time taken to complete the required steps and the mean variability in these times decreased for all of the participants from baseline to treatment. The mean time taken also reduced for all participants who were exposed to Treatment 2. The procedures put in place were effective at providing a motivation to self-manage the time available and can be used to further build on various academic and self-management skills.