Shepherd/Linn, Behavior and Classroom Management in the Multicultural Classroom
Chapter 6
Basic Classroom Management Strategies
Teacher Expectations
• As part of a universal design for classroom management, the establishment of classroom
rules, discussion and practice of appropriate behaviors with students, and implementation
of instruction that is relevant and engaging are paramount to providing students a clear
understanding of expected behaviors.
Nonverbal and Verbal Interventions
Planned Ignoring
o Planned ignoring is a procedure designed to weaken, decrease, or eliminate an
inappropriate behavior by abruptly withdrawing the reinforcer that is maintaining the
behavior.
o Planned ignoring should be paired with a contingency strategy, in which the teacher
Proximity Control
o Proximity control is a nonverbal strategy that alters behavioral responses through the
physical presence of an authority figure.
o Signal interference is the use of nonverbal cues to remind students to redirect
inappropriate behavior.
Shepherd/Linn, Behavior and Classroom Management in the Multicultural Classroom
Verbal Redirection
o Verbal redirection is a type of corrective discipline that redirects misbehavior into
positive directions and keeps students on task.
Contingent Praise
o Contingent praise is an affirmative statement that immediately follows the completion
of appropriate academic or social behaviors.
o Contingent praise should be used immediately and consistently to be effective.
Tension Reduction
Reinforcement
• Reinforcement increases the probability that a behavior will occur in the future through
attainment or avoidance of a consequence.
Positive Reinforcement
o Positive reinforcement increases the probability that a behavior will be repeated when
the behavior is followed by a preferred stimulus.
o The three basic tenets of positive reinforcement are:
o There are two major types of reinforcers: primary and secondary. Primary reinforcers
are of biological importance to a person, and include food, water, sleep, and sex.
Secondary reinforcers is learned or conditioned. Secondary reinforcers or tangible
Shepherd/Linn, Behavior and Classroom Management in the Multicultural Classroom
Negative Reinforcement
Schedule of Reinforcement
o Teacher needs to develop a schedule for delivering the reinforcer to the student.
o In continuous reinforcement, each instance of the desired behavior is reinforced. In
intermittent reinforcement, only some incidents of the behavior are reinforced.
o Ratio schedules are based on numbers of correct responses. With a fixed-ratio
schedule, reinforcements are delivered after certain fixed numbers of responses. On a
Extinction and Punishment
• Extinction reduces a target behavior by withholding the reinforcer that maintains the
behavior.
• Punishment decreases the probability that a behavior will be repeated. Positive
punishment decreases the probability that a behavior will be repeated when followed by
an aversive consequence. Negative punishment decreases the probability that an
inappropriate behavior will be repeated by withdrawing a desired reinforcement after the
behavior is displayed.
Time-Out
• Time-out is a behavior modification procedure in which the student displaying
inappropriate behaviors is removed from a reinforcing environment to an austere
environment for a specified period of time.
Shepherd/Linn, Behavior and Classroom Management in the Multicultural Classroom
Inclusion Time-Out
Exclusion Time-Out
o Exclusion time-out involves removing the student from a reinforcing activity or
setting for a specified time.
Seclusion Time-Out
o During seclusion time-out, the student is removed from the classroom to a specified
place, a secluded area or a time-out room, for a specified period of time.
o Seclusion time-out is often used with students who are verbally or physically
aggressive or who are destroying property.
Duration of Time-Out
o A common misapplication of time-out is exceeding the amount of time needed to
reduce the inappropriate behavior by the student.
o A fixed-duration time-out should equal 1 minute for each year of the student’s age.
o The duration of release-contingency time-out may be reset or is based on a specific
interval of time.
Contingency Contracts
• A contingency contract is a formal, written agreement between the student and teacher
that addresses the behavioral, academic, and social goals of the student and the
reinforcers the student is to receive after achieving these goals.
• The steps of a contingency contract include:
Token Economy
• A token economy is a contingency management system that allows students to earn
tokens that can be exchanged for predetermined reinforcers.
• Token economy systems have been successful in reducing inappropriate behavior and
improving academic performance.
Cultural Impact on Behavior Strategies
• Culture can influence the effectiveness of basic behavior management strategies, and
teachers need to be culturally responsive in their choices of strategies.