Association for Behavior Analysis International

The Association for Behavior Analysis International® (ABAI) is a nonprofit membership organization with the mission to contribute to the well-being of society by developing, enhancing, and supporting the growth and vitality of the science of behavior analysis through research, education, and practice.

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39th Annual Convention; Minneapolis, MN; 2013

Event Details


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Symposium #286
CE Offered: BACB
Precision Teaching and Performance Analysis Improves Writing for Middle School Learners and Professional Behavior Analysts
Monday, May 27, 2013
9:00 AM–10:20 AM
M100 B-C (Convention Center)
Area: EDC/PRA; Domain: Applied Research
Chair: Joanne K. Robbins (Morningside Academy)
CE Instructor: Kent Johnson, Ph.D.
Abstract:

This symposium will include four presentations that blend various educational behavioral technologies, chiefly Precision Teaching and performance analysis, to improve written composition and other language arts skills for both middle schoolers and professional behavior analysts. Three teachers from Morningside Academy, a laboratory school for struggling general education learners, and a behavior analyst who teaches writing in an online program for graduate students at the University of North Texas and other current professional behavior analysts will participate. The first presentation by Mike Wolfson integrates eight research based instructional programs plus Precision Teaching technology to enhance content learning in middle schoolers. The second presentation by Shiloh Isbell describes an empirically based Precision Teaching approach to improving evaluation of the quality of student essays and compositions. The third presentation, by Adam Stretz and Marianne Delgado describes a performance analysis and Precision Teaching technology for teaching the component skills related to inquiry and Project Based Learning. The fourth presentation by Marilyn Gilbert describes her online course to teach graduate students and other professional behavior analysts how to write effective articles in our field.

 

Application of Teaching Technologies to a Variety of Curricula to Increase Content Acquisition

MICHAEL P. WOLFSON (Morningside Academy), Kent Johnson (Morningside Academy)
Abstract:

Students traditionally struggle to make sense of content-area textbooks, as well as to meet state and national grade level writing standards across multiple genres. Providing students with a large repertoire of component skills and starting with accessible content-level texts will better prepare students prepared for the transition from middle to high school. At Morningside Academy, we use a wide range of technologies and curricula in order to fulfill these goals. For the 2012-2013 school year, we have assembled a synthesis of the following curricula: REWARDS Plus: Social Studies, Word Workout, Mastering Reading Through Reasoning, Fluent Thinking Skills, Reading Success, precision teaching of vocabulary and transcription, Master Key, Reading Mastery Signature Edition: Language Arts, and Morningside Persuasive Writing. Data from tool skill charts and from composition rubrics will be shown, as the attached chart illustrates, in order to demonstrate assessment methods, interventions, and student progress. Our students deal with a large variety of learning disabilities and other learning barriers, including Attention Deficit/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, cognitive processing problems, motor skill limitations, confidence problems, or have otherwise not been successful in traditional academic settings.

 

Rubric Development and Analysis to Improve Essay Composition Skills Using Precision Teaching Methodology

SHILOH ISBELL (Morningside Academy), KENT JOHNSON (Morningside Academy)
Abstract:

Students written composition is extremely difficult to measure in a standardized way, taking behavior analytic principles into account. Sliding scale, subjective rubrics do not provide behaviors that can be easily quantified, counted, or meaningfully analyzed. Last year, the writing rubric for our composition program, Morningside Persuasive Writing was analyzed and reconfigured to measure student essay composition performance with the Standard Celeration Chart and Precision Teaching methodology. This year, we are extending this study by applying our findings to other genres, principally expository writing. As a basis, we will be using rubrics from SRAs High Performance Writing program, which are far less explicit and have far fewer component practice opportunities than Morningside Persuasive Writing provides. Chart data, as illustrated in the attached chart, plus rubric data, and work samples will be presented, and program implementation strategies will be discussed. By counting behaviors, we can better measure program progress than by applying rubrics alone to analyze student compositions. In this way, comparisons between students and across classes are more meaningful.

 

Analyzing and Implementing Component Skills Needed to Excel in a Project-Based Learning Program

ADAM G. STRETZ (Morningside Academy), Marianne Delgado (Morningside Academy), Kent Johnson (Morningside Academy)
Abstract:

We will discuss how project-based learning can bridge the gap between traditional precision teaching methods and a student-interest driven environment where the student engages with the world critically and creatively. The model uses precision teaching methods to intersect with project-based learning to instruct students in the component skills necessary to be successful in cooperative learning groups. These skills include: grade level decoding skills; solid grammar foundations; all genres of essay writing; home-working and note-taking skills. Supportive instruction includes how to form inquiry teams; create media presentations; and speech and debate, project management and consensus building skills. Meeting these objectives will ensure the generativity of students skills as they are presented with new tasks and goals in their future education. The projects are driven by intellectually stimulating questions that derive from teacher directed areas of living categories, such as transportation, art experience, and health and fitness. Students then choose projects within those areas of living. We will analyze Standard Celeration Charts for faded prompts, time on task during open-ended activities, and pre/post writing samples. This process emulates a precise approach to meeting John Deweys goals of inquiry and active learning to develop thoughtful citizens who can adduce meaning from their projects and apply those skills to new learning situations.

 

Four Writing Solutions

MARILYN B. GILBERT (Adjunct Instructor, University of North Texas)
Abstract:

Online at UNT, Writing Solutions for Behavior Analysts attempts to revolutionize writing instruction. Jokes aside, everything about English has utilityor it disappears. These 4 writing solutions are principles gained from a comprehensive functional analysis of the structural patterns and mechanics of the English language: 1. Compose using 3 structural patterns. 2. Control readers attention using rhetorical devices. 3. Control clarity, stress, meaning, and emotional effects with 6 punctuation marks, and use other mechanics to fulfill 6 conventions of print. 4. Read each composition aloud, as an actor reads his script, and revise by matching copy against voice elevations and dips. Data show that application of these 4 solutions produces pronounced improvement in writing skills and, as some students reported, in reading skills as well. Data also provides an empirical process for tryout and revision of instructional programs.

 

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