To reduce non-compliant or distracting
behaviors, the teacher can use 'response cost': first awarding points or tokens
and then deducting those points or tokens whenever a student behavior disrupts
instruction or distracts other students.
Type: Core Instruction, Student Strategy
Procedure:
Here is a simple classroom version of this
strategy:
(1) At the start of each class period, the teacher awards the student
a certain number of 'behavior points' (e.g., 5) and writes a series of tally
marks on the blackboard to equal this number;
(2) The teacher privately informs
the student that each time the student engages in misbehavior that obviously
distracts other students, the teacher will silently go to the board and erase
one point from the student's total;
(3) At the end of each class period, the
student is allowed to keep any 'behavior points' that still remain;
(4) The
student is informed that he or she can collect points across multiple days and
eventually redeem a certain number of collected 'behavior points' for prizes or
privileges (e.g., extra free time).
Source: http://www.interventioncentral.org/tools/behavior-intervention-planner
Research Citation: DuPaul, G.J., & Stoner, G. (2002).
Interventions for attention problems. In M. Shinn, H.M. Walker, & G. Stoner
(Eds.) Interventions for academic and behavioral problems II: Preventive and
remedial approaches (pp. 913-938). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School
Psychologists.