We developed this special issue, "Effective Low-Intensity Strategies to Enhance School Success: What Every Educator Needs to Know," for "Beyond Behavior" as a resource for educators and parents. Each article provides easy-to-access resources for readers to learn about effective, efficient, low-intensity strategies to support…

When parents get together, the subject of appropriately addressing the behavior of their children often comes to the forefront of conversations. Parents share various challenges they face with their children, including issues associated with listening, eating vegetables, doing chores, and a host of other discipline-related situations. The plethora…

The school year can be an especially troublesome time for the 4.4 million U.S. children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as their inattentive, hyperactive, and impulsive behavior hampers their ability to do well and succeed in the classroom. In order to ensure children perform at their best level during the school…

Shaping behavior by reinforcing a series of successive approximations is discussed, and procedures for promoting internal shaping in children are described. Instructions are given for the "shaping game," by which parents and children can learn the techniques. (CL)

Ten guidelines for effective use of positive reinforcement as a parenting technique are described. Practical examples are used to illustrate such principles as consistency, immediacy, and specificity in giving praise. A distinction is made between giving reinforcement and giving love. (JW)

Parents have the major responsibility for teaching their children values, communication skills, and social skills, and for providing an environment conducive to their children's emotional growth. This article presents techniques, abstracted from "You and Your Child" (Bill Wagonseller and Richard L. McDowell), which are designed to be used for…

With support and education from various sources, parents can be introduced to positive, nonhurtful, constructive approaches to child rearing that permit children to grow in an environment which nurtures the body, soul, and mind. The article presents guidelines for positive parenting that teach children to look to adults for support. (SM)

Parents can help their children feel secure and have a good self-image by communicating these feelings through words and actions. Suggestions for showing respect, building self-esteem, fostering security and success, and talking to children in a positive way are dicussed. (DF)

Praise is better than punishment as a motivator for children, but both are manipulative and often backfire. Real encouragement comes in the form of honest, caring concern without strings attached. The paper presents examples of how to encourage children successfully. (SM)

The "PEZ" candy dispenser has been used effectively to deliver reinforcers to moderately handicapped preschool students who display desirable behaviors. Contingency management procedures are described for using the candy dispenser to deliver reinforcers and subsequently to fade out the edible reinforcer and have the colorful dispenser itself…

An effective discipline technique that helps children develop a good self-concept is to reinforce positive behavior. Suggestions for structuring an emotionally healthy environment where there is open communication between adult and child are discussed. (DF)

Process reinforcement is proposed as a reinforcement method that is more comfortable, personal, comprehensive, and interactive than traditional behavior modification. Process reinforcement strengthens desired behaviors by engaging learners in a one-on-one examination of how they achieved correct responses and by practicing comfortable eye contact…

It is in small schools' interest to educate parents in behavioral management skills. Concepts taught should include positive reinforcement by shaping, charting, contingency contracting, reinforcing incompatible behavior, and time-out. Parents will need help in becoming more structured in parent/child interactions, aware of reinforcement habits,…