John O. Cooper

Ogden R. Lindsley and the historical development of precision teaching

This paper presents the historical developments of precision teaching, a technological offshoot of radical behaviorism and free-operant conditioning. The sequence progresses from the scientific precursors of precision teaching and the beginnings of precision teaching to principal developments since 1965. Information about the persons, events, and accomplishments presented in this chronology was compiled in several ways. Journals, books, and conference presentations provided the essential information. The most important source for this account was Ogden Lindsley himself, because Lindsley and his students established the basic practices that define precision teaching.

CAN SQ3R FACILITATE SECONDARY LEARNING DISABLED STUDENTS’ LITERAL COMPREHENSION OF EXPOSITORY TEST? THREE EXPERIMENTS

ABSTRACT Use of a widely endorsed study technique, SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review), was investigated using secondary level students with specific learning disabilities. Results of three experiments indicated that even with direct teacher instruction throughout lessons, SQ3R did not produce a robust effect on literal comprehension, as measured by retelling after reading from expository texts. However, a functional relationship was demonstrated between length of material read and percentages of retelling. When retelling was assessed on an immediate recall task after short passages were read, percentages of retelling were higher than those obtained by students after reading longer passages.

Some proposed relations among the domains of behavior analysis.

The present article examines the nature of and relations among the domains of behavior analysis. It first proposes a set of annotated, descriptive criteria to aid in distinguishing the experimental analysis of behavior, applied behavior analysis, and service delivery. It then argues that the experimental analysis of behavior lies at one end of a continuum of behavior-analytic activity, with applied behavior analysis in the middle, service delivery at the other end, and the theoretical-philosophical-conceptual position known as “radical behaviorism” informing the three domains on the continuum. Finally, it argues that clarifying the distinctions among the domains of behavior analysis will help the behavior-analytic community to focus its efforts in training programs and overall support of behavior analysis.

Space Size and Accuracy of Second and Third Grade Students' Cursive Handwriting

AbstractA comparison was made of the accuracy of transitional cursive letter strokes on large-spaced paper and normal-spaced paper of second and third grade students. Results indicate that both second and third grade students produce more accurate letter strokes with large-spaced paper (space size 1.11 cm). Third graders produced significantly more correct cursive letter strokes than second graders. These data revealed no significant differences between letter formation of girls and boys. The results support the continued use of large-spaced paper with students writing transitional cursive letters.

D'Nealian and Zaner-Bloser Manuscript Alphabets and Initial Transition to cursive Handwriting

AbstractRecently, a new manuscript alphabet has been developed. The new alphabet was designed to facilitate transition from manuscript to cursive handwriting. This study compared cursive handwriting samples from 112 first graders who had received instruction using the new alphabet and 134 first-grade students who were instructed using traditional manuscript forms. The two groups did not differ in production of cursive letters.

Variables Affecting Transition from Wide-Spaced to Normal-Spaced Paper for Manuscript Handwriting

AbstractThe study investigated the manuscript letter strokes made by second and third grade boys and girls using wide- and normal-spaced writing paper. Scoring overlay sizes of 1 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm were used. The results of the study indicated no differences in the performance of boys and girls. Different scoring overlay sizes resulted in significantly different scores for both normal- and wide-spaced writing paper. Second graders made significantly more correct letter strokes using wide-spaced paper, whereas third graders showed no differences in their performance on normal- and wide-spaced paper. The results suggest that transition from wide- to normal-spaced writing paper may be appropriate during the second grade.

Space Size and Accuracy of Kindergarten and First Grade Students’ Manuscript Handwriting

AbstractA comparison was made between the accuracy of handwriting on large-spaced paper (2.25 cm) and normal-spaced paper (1.1 cm) of urban and suburban kindergarten and first grade students. Results indicated that suburban students produce more accurate letter strokes with large-spaced paper than with normal-spaced paper. Space size of writing paper generated no differences in correct manuscript strokes for urban students. With large-spaced paper suburban students produced more accurate manuscript strokes than urban students, but when normal-spaced writing paper was employed, there were no differences between urban and suburban students. Results suggest that space size of writing paper results in more correct manuscript letter strokes after a degree of competence in letter formation has been achieved. 379-386.

Radical behaviorism: A productive and needed philosophy for education

Radical behaviorism is the philosophy of the science of behavior originating in the work of B. F. Skinner and elaborated over the years by a community of researchers, scholars, and practitioners. Radical behaviorism is a complete, or thoroughgoing behaviorism in that all human behavior, public and private, is explained in terms of its functional relations with environmental events. Radical behaviorism is often misrepresented in the literatures of education and psychology. Two fundamental misconceptions of radical behaviorism are that its followers (1) are logical positivists who require that a phenomenon be observed by two or more people before it qualifies for scientific analysis, and (2) either will not or cannot incorporate private events (e.g., thoughts, feelings) into their analyses of human behavior. This paper offers an advocacy perspective on contemporary radical behaviorism. In particular, we define radical behaviorism and briefly outline the history of the terms use in psychological literature, discuss the scientific practice of behavior analysts, explain the “intolerance” exhibited by radical behaviorists, and comment on the use of popularity as a criterion for good science. The paper concludes with a discussion of the recent shift in educational research and practice from empiricism and outcome-oriented intervention toward a holistic/constructivist philosophy described by its advocates as incompatible with behaviorally-based instruction.

Space Size and Accuracy of First Grade Students' Manuscript Writing.

AbstractA comparison was made of the accuracy of handwriting on large-spaced paper and normal-spaced paper of suburban and inner-city first grade students. Results indicate that first grade students produced more accurate letter strokes with large-spaced paper (space size 3.4 cm) than with normal-spaced paper (space size 1.6 cm). Suburban students produced significantly more accurate manuscript letter strokes than urban students. Finally, these data produced no significant differences in letter formation of boys and girls. This study provides justification for continued use of large-spaced writing paper with first grade students.

Cursive Handwriting: Measurement of Function Rather Than Topography

ABSTRACT The unit of analysis and the unit of measurement in handwriting research are usually topographically defined. We explored the use of a functional response-class definition for the units of analysis and measurement of cursive handwriting. The sensitivity of this functional definition to differentiate easy-to-read from difficult-to-read cursive handwriting was assessed by calculating a percentage of legible letters. The ranges, means, and individual percentages showed (a) no overlap between the categories of easy-to-read or difficult-to-read handwriting and (b) small sample-to-sample variability with the easy-to-read handwriting and larger sample-to-sample variability with the difficult-to-read handwriting. The data are consistent with social validity rankings of the easy-to-read and the difficult-to-read handwriting.