Diane Myers

Evidence-based Practices in Classroom Management: Considerations for Research to Practice

Classroom management is a critical skill area. Teachers should be trained and supported in implementing practices that are likely to be successful; that is, practices that are backed by evidence. The purpose of this paper is to describe the outcomes of a systematic literature search conducted to identify evidence-based classroom management practices. Although the need for additional research exists, 20 practices, in general, were identified as having sufficient evidence to be considered for classroom adoption. Considerations for incorporating these practices are suggested, and a self-assessment tool is proposed as means of evaluating and enhancing use of these practices. Suggestions for future research are also presented.

Increasing Teachers' Use of Praise with a Response-to-Intervention Approach

A multiple baseline design across teachers was used to evaluate the effects of a systematic, response-to-intervention (RTI) approach on rates of desired teacher behavior. Specifically, teachers whose rates of specific, contingent praise were nonresponsive to typical schoolwide positive behavior support training (primary intervention tier) were provided with targeted training support (secondary tier), and, when necessary, more individualized assistance (tertiary tier). In addition, composite student behavior was examined to determine if concurrent changes in student problem behaviors occurred as teachers responded to differentiated training supports. Results indicate a relationship between an RTI approach to differential levels of performance feedback and teachers’ rates of praise.

Teaching Teachers to Use Prompts, Opportunities to Respond, and Specific Praise

Classroom management skills are critical for teachers. Yet teachers receive little training in classroom management, and empirical research on teacher training in classroom management is lacking. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of explicit training and performance feedback on teachers’ implementation of three classroom management skills: prompts for social behavior, academic opportunities to respond, and specific praise. Researchers used a multiple baseline design, introducing training and then performance feedback in a staggered fashion across the three teacher behaviors. Results indicate that there was not a functional relationship between explicit training and teacher behavior; however, introducing performance feedback following training was functionally related to an increase in the level, trend, or stability of teachers’ use of each skill.

Comparing a Behavioral Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) Intervention to Standard Practice in an Urban Middle School Setting Using an Experimental Group Design.

Students who continue to demonstrate at-risk behaviors after a school implements schoolwide primary (Tier 1) interventions require targeted-group secondary (Tier 2) interventions. This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of a targeted-group behavioral check-in/check-out (CICO) intervention with the school’s standard practice (SP) with respect to decreasing students’ off-task and other problem behavior. Researchers used a pretest—posttest control group design with random assignment to compare the two interventions (CICO and SP). Statistically significant differences were detected for systematic direct observation data of classroom behavior; however, statistically significant differences were not demonstrated for rating scale data. Limitations and implications are discussed.

Illinois Statewide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Evolution and Impact on Student Outcomes Across Years

More than 1,000 Illinois schools are implementing schoolwide positive behavior support (SWPBS) to enhance outcomes for students and staff. Consequently, Illinois established layered support structures to facilitate scaling up SWPBS. This paper describes the development of this infrastructure and presents the results of HLM analyses exploring the effects of implementing SWPBS, with and without fidelity across time, on student behavior and academic outcomes (office discipline referrals, suspensions, and state-wide test scores in reading and math) for a sample of 428 Illinois schools implementing SWPBS. Results indicate that (a) most schools implemented with fidelity and maintained or improved student performance across time and (b) implementation fidelity was associated with improved social outcomes and academic outcomes in math. Study limitations and implications are discussed.

Multitiered Support Framework for Teachers' Classroom-Management Practices: Overview and Case Study of Building the Triangle for Teachers.

Many teachers enter the field without sufficient training in classroom management and continue to experience challenges throughout their careers. Therefore, school-based leaders need a multi-tiered support (MTS) framework to (a) provide training to all teachers in classroom management (Tier 1), (b) identify teachers who require additional assistance (universal screening), (c) support the identified teachers (Tiers 2 and 3), and (d) continue to monitor teachers’ classroom management to adjust (i.e., intensify or fade) supports. In this article, we describe key features of the MTS continuum of intervention and assessment and present a case study to illustrate implementation of some components of the framework with four middle school teachers.

Increasing New Teachers' Specific Praise Using a within-School Consultation Intervention.

Specific praise is an empirically supported classroom management strategy associated with desired academic and behavioral student outcomes when implemented appropriately in classrooms. Unfortunately, new teachers often begin their careers without the background knowledge or support to implement this strategy effectively and consistently. We investigated the effects of a within-school consultation intervention provided by mentors (i.e., veteran teachers), which involved self-management, regular structured meetings, and focused performance feedback, on new teachers’ specific praise rates across three new teachers using a concurrent multiple-baseline across participants design. Specific praise rates increased for each new teacher when within-school consultation was implemented, indicating a functional relation. Study limitations and implications for practitioners and researchers are discussed.

Effects of Targeted Professional Development on Teachers' Specific Praise Rates.

Classroom management continues to be a concern for educators, administrators, and policymakers. Although evidence-based classroom management practices exist, teachers often receive insufficient training and support to implement these practices successfully. Schools need reliable and efficient ways to support teachers’ classroom management. This study employed a multiple baseline design across elementary teachers to investigate the effect of targeted professional development (TPD), an efficient approach that incorporated self-management and email prompts, on teachers’ rates of specific praise. We replicated this study at a second elementary school to provide additional evidence of the efficacy of TPD. Across teachers in both schools, data support a functional relation between TPD and an increase in teachers’ use of specific praise.

Explicitly Teaching Social Skills Schoolwide: Using a Matrix to Guide Instruction.

Socially skilled students are more successful in school. Just like academic skills, social skills need to be explicitly taught. Students, including students who display at-risk behavior, benefit when social skills instruction is delivered schoolwide as part of a comprehensive intervention approach. This article presents a seven-step action planning sequence to facilitate schoolwide social skills instruction—highlighting how an expectations-within-settings matrix facilitates effective, efficient, and contextually relevant schoolwide social skills instruction. Useful tools, including an example matrix, lesson plan template, and implementation fidelity self-assessment, are included.

Assessing Teachers’ Behavior Support Skills:

In this article, the authors provide an overview of empirically supported practices and techniques for monitoring and assessing teachers’ use of effective behavior support practices. They focus on how teacher preparation programs, administrators, and supervising teachers provide pre-service teachers with helpful feedback on their teaching performance. In addition, they describe a behaviorally based conceptual model for assessing teachers’ fluent and sustained use of empirically supported classroom behavior support practices and provide recommendations for enhancing the preparation of pre-service educators.