A study of the effects of teacher praise notes to parents on the academic performance of three second-grade students unable to complete their reading assignment seatwork is reported. Results showed a marked and enduring improvement in academic performance as a result of the treatment. (PHR)

This study compared the relative efficacy of four short-term intervention techniques for modifying negative racial attitudes in White second- and fifth-grade school children. (CM)

Modeling, self-verbalization, and self-reinforcement techniques were used to train 18 hyperactive children (6-10 years old) in more effective and less impulsive strategies for approaching cognitive tasks, academic problems, and social situations. (Author/SBH)

Conducted an 18-month intervention for African American inner city elementary school students in a gifted classroom. The intervention, supported by university-based coaches, involved positively phrased classroom behavioral expectations, social skills training, structural/systematic instruction, and preplanned positive and negative consequences for…

Provides results of an evaluation of a private education management company, Advantage Schools, which opened and operated public charter schools. Outlines Advantage's four-part approach, in which students learn at an accelerated rate. Suggests that this approach may offer an effective and replicable approach to urban schooling. (PM)

This study compared the performance of 12 children (ages 4 to 10) with developmental delay, each trained in 2 tasks, one through interactive modeling (with or without verbal reinforcement) and the other through passive modeling. Results showed that passive modeling produced better rated performance than interactive modeling and that verbal…

Teachers of 2 children (ages 7 and 13) with autism were trained to conduct a descriptive analysis and a classroom experimental analysis of aberrant behavior. Each procedure identified negative reinforcement as a maintaining variable for aberrant behavior. Intervention based on the assessment was successfully implemented with one child and had…

This study used a data-based assessment to identify reinforcers and punishers for successful treatment of two children with severe destructive behaviors. Results suggested that empirically derived consequences may be useful in decreasing destructive behavior when a functional assessment is inconclusive or suggests that internal stimuli are…

A study examined the effects of reinforcement contingencies designed to increase the performance of existing reading skills in three boys (age 9) with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Results showed that a combination of contingencies, modeling, and practice was effective in producing substantial increases in oral reading fluency for all…

A 3-year study investigated interactions of teachers and 99 students (grades 1-8) with high rates and/or severe disruptive behaviors and 278 controls. There were no differences in the relative occurrences of disruptive behaviors of the students, however, teachers were more likely to respond negatively to disruptive behaviors of target students.…

The effects of combining positive behavior supports and person-centered planning on the problem behavior and general education participation of three students (ages 6-8) were examined. Two of the students increased or maintained high levels of general education participation and showed decreases in problem behavior. (Contains references.)…

To determine the relationships among perceived contingency of teacher administered reinforcements, locus of control, and academic achievement, 49 sixth-grade boys were studied. In general, subjects who perceived their teachers as contingently punitive to boys were internal in locus of control and performed well on measures of academic achievement.…

Many forces work to undermine the self-esteem and attitude toward school of an elementary school student. A program to reverse this trend, the V.I.P. (Very Important Person) Program, was undertaken in a Florida elementary school. For the counselor this program provides contact with every student, positive communications with parents, and a way to…

The study investigated the efficacy of training three behaviorally disordered elementary grade students to recruit reinforcement and assistance from teachers. The study also investigated the effect of systematically fading external experimenter reinforcement of students for prompting and praising teachers in the regular classroom. The three…

Describes how various teacher behaviors can affect pupil behaviors and encourages wider constructive use of the often misused and misunderstood resource of behavior modification. (Author/SDH)