Randie, 5 year-old
Down's Syndrome
Mild mental retardation
Questions
(1) What could Mrs Funsom do to increase Randie's in-seat behavior?
(2) What was wrong with Mrs Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie's in-seat behavior?
(3) Mrs Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behavior modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class?Is Mrs Funsom's reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
60 comments:
5. Firstly, Mrs Funsom could choose one tactic to use on Randie and keep using it on Randie until Randie is able to understand that if she does not remain in her seat during the activity, there will be consequences for her. Mrs Funsom could also remain seated with Randie throughout the entire activity to ensure that she does not get distracted and complete her activity at the desk. Eventually, when Randie is able to remain on-task, Mrs Funsom can gradually spend less time sitting with Randie.
6. As Mrs Funsom kept changing the techniques daily to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour, there is no structure or consistency. When Mrs Funsom keeps changing the techniques daily, Randie is unable to see the routine and understand the consequences of her actions as Mrs Funsom will be praising her one day and then, reprimanding her the next day. Randie needs a form of predictability in order for her to know what behaviours are correct and what are wrong.
7. According to Skinner (1974), “a behavior followed by a reinforcing stimulus results in an increased probability of that behavior occurring in the future“. This simply means that when a certain behaviour is displayed, it can be reinforced by the use of rewards or encouragements. The role of behaviour modification can still be used for children who are not developmentally ready because the child needs to understand what behaviours are acceptable. For example, Randie may not be developmentally ready to probably sit in her seat for long periods of time but Mrs Funsom can work on Randie’s in-seat behaviour for shorter periods of time first. When Randie is able to accomplish that, Mrs Funsom can reinforce that behaviour by continously praising Randie.
Nur Fazelah Bakar (Ella)
Group B
5. What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
I think that Mrs. Funsom could use a mat designed specially for Randie to sit in during her lesson, so that Randie will know that she is suppose to sit within the mat during lesson time. In addition, over the time Mrs. Funsom may give Randie more freedom by expanding the surface of the mat to let him know that he will be able to move about more freely if he obeys the rules.
6. What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
Mrs. Funsom should not change techniques daily, as this will result in Randie not knowing of what is expected of his behavior due to the inconsistency. If Mrs. Funsom wants to try new techniques to see which work best for Randie, maybe she should implement the new technique over a period of time like a month or a term, so as to observe and make amendments accordingly, and also, Randie will be more aware of what is expected of his behavior.
7. Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behavior modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
In my opinion, I think that Mrs. Funsom is using that reason as an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem. I believe that she could use some form of behavior modification play for Randie, such as through role- playing, role modeling, or giving her shorter and simplified instructions during activities and lessons conducted. She may also give immediate praises to Randie when she has done a good job in completing a certain task. These may give Randie a better understanding of what is being expected of her behavior in class.
Zheng Huilin
Group B
Question 5:
Instead of providing Randie with worksheets to complete, Mrs. Funsom could perhaps provide her with:
• Concrete materials to manipulate with
• Materials that she is interested in. For e.g. Randie likes cars, thus provide picture book about cars, a toy car etc.
Question 6:
Because of the constant change of techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour, she is confused and is unable get used to the new routine everyday. However, I felt that if Mrs. Funsom could adapt to one technique and incorporate it everyday over a period of time with Randie, she might be able to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour; as Randie is aware what is expected of her everyday.
Question 7:
Behaviour modification should play a role in increasing in-seat behaviour for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class.
In my perspective, I felt that Mrs. Funsom’s reason with Randie not being developmentally ready to sit and do her work might be an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem.
Might be an excuse because:
• She commented that she is unable to pay 100% attention to Randie’s needs as she still has other students to attend to.
• She might have given up after trying so many times to help Randie, but nothing seems to work.
Jasmine Chong
Group B
5. What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
Mrs. Funsom could choose to use just one to two techniques consistently, especially those which feedback to Randie what she needs to do and what she has done well in.
6. What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
By changing techniques daily, Randie may get confused about what she should do or should not do. That is because, for example, on day one, praise and encouragement lets her know what she is doing right, whereas time-out and ignoring her behaviour on other days makes it unclear for Randie as to what kind of behaviour is expected of her. Thus, the inconsistency in the use of techniques over a week may have made Randie confused about the kind of behaviour she needs to display, and thus also makes it difficult for Mrs Funsom to determine exactly which technique was effective since each was only used for a day.
7. Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behaviour modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
Behaviour modification should play the role of a facilitator who works step-by-step with a child who may not be ready to sit and listen in class, by starting with a duration of time to sit and listen that is achievable by the child, and then moving on to longer periods. Thus, in my opinion, Mrs Funsom’s reason that Randie was not ready to sit in her seat was an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem as even though Randie could not remain in her seat for more than three to four minutes at a time, especially when she is tasked with pre-academic work. However, with behaviour modification, three minutes as duration for sitting could be a starting objective for improving Randie’s in-seat behavior, as it is possible, with a consistent method to improve on her in-seat behaviour. Therefore, I feel that Mrs Funsom’s reason that Randie was not developmentally ready was an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem.
- Abigail Tan, Group B
Question 5:
To increase Randie’s in seat behaviour, Mrs. Funsom could actually provide direct clear and simple step by step instruction, with the use of visual aids (eg: pictorial cards) to Randie on what is to be done in the given task or activity in class. Besides this, Mrs. Funsom could involve her actively in the activities and use differentiated instruction to meet her interest as well as her readiness level. She could use the appropriate classroom management strategies such as giving positive reinforcement like praises if Randie’s model a positive behaviour in class. Not only that, Mrs. Funsom could also provide constructive feedback to Randie as it can better encourage and motivate her to stay focus on a task a little longer. According to Lim and Quan (2004), it is stated that “Such constructive feedback can help students to focus on what they need to do to improve their own learning.”
Question 6:
Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in- seat behaviour can lead Randie to be confused and insecure as it does not give Randie any encouragement or motivation at all in order to stay focus on a task for a longer period of time due to its inconsistency use of techniques. The techniques used may not be appropriate and it may not give Randie an assurance and predictability of the schedule like what comes next after she is done with the particular activity. Besides this, I feel that it is not appropriate for Mrs. Funsom to use the time out strategy on Randie as it may worsen the situation where Randie may get frustrated as she cannot sit in for a long time.
Question 7:
Behaviour modification for children, who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class, should play a role in improving Randie’s in seat- behaviour and improving in the area of Randie’s social and emotional development by modifying the activities and teaching strategies to suit and meet her behaviour. For an example, Mrs. Funsom could adopt the peer-mediated strategies in class. By adopting the buddy system in class, I feel that it may help Randie to be more focused and motivated where support and individualized instruction will be provided. According to Lim and Quan (2004), it is stated that, “ Teachers can themselves or with the help of a peer buddy direct the student’s attention to various attributes of materials or tasks at hand…” Therefore, I feel that Mrs. Funsom’s excuse is definitely not an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem.
Alina Poh
Group B
Question 5:
•Mrs. Funsom could provide Randie with a buddy that could help her to stay on task and to guide her when she is unable to.
•Provide Randie activities that she enjoys doing, which can be done at her desk.
•Provide an array of stimulating visual materials for Randie to manipulate.
Question 6:
•She should have done her evaluations of the techniques after at least a week, she gave up using the techniques too quickly. She should have used it for a month before trying a different technique.
•Switching the techniques so easily also confuses Randie, she requires routine, the techniques need to be more repetitive before Randie can benefit from its use and increase her in-seat behaviour.
Question 7:
•I feel that behavioral modification should be used continuously in school and reinforced at home too.
•Mrs. Funsom should not give up using those techniques just because she feels that Randie is not developmentally ready, she should alter her techniques to suit Randie’s developmental abilities and use them continuously to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour.
Tania
Group A
5) What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
Mrs. Funsom could use a hand signal, a puppet or allow Randie to choose a picture card on her own and use it to remind Randie to sit in her place. According to how Randie responds to these techniques, Mrs. Funsom should be consistent in using the technique that increases Randie’s in-seat behaviour. She could also collaborate with Randie’s parents to reinforce the techniques at home.
6) What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
I felt that Mrs. Funsom was too quick to pass a judgement on whether the techniques she used were effective or not. A lot of time is required for Randie to improve, considering her condition. Mrs. Funsom's inconsistency in using different techniques and reactions to how Randie responds confuses her. Mrs. Funsom should reinforce the techniques that she is using and observe Randie for a period of time to see if there are any improvements.
7) Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behaviour modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
The role of behaviour modification is to increase or decrease children’s targeted behaviour by planning strategies and setting goals that are attainable for them over a period of time. Behaviour modification is essential for Randie as it acts as a guide for the teacher to manage her expectations of Randie and for Randie to understand what the teacher expects of her. Mrs. Funsom seems to be avoiding the problem as she finds it hard to deal with Randie. If she would be consistent in implementing strategies that work for Randie, her behaviours would definitely improve overtime.
Geraldine Liu
A Class
5) Mrs. Funsom could place Randie near or in front of Mrs. Funsom so that Mrs. Funsom could easily get Randie’s attention back if she was distracted and Randie would not be distracted that easily if she was near the teacher. Mrs. Funsom could also give clear and consistent rules and consequences or create rules with Randie so that she would know what would happen if she did not sit down and she could better remember the rules. Mrs. Funsom could provide stimulating activities for Randie to be engaged and slowly increase the time for in-seat behaviour. Mrs. Funsom could praise Randie when she was able to meet the target. Mrs. Funsom could allow Randie to have a chair of her own or sit at an area that was located to her and was marked with a bright-coloured mat or tape so that she would know where to sit and by sitting at an area or chair that she liked, it might increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour.
6)There were no consistent rules and consequences as Randie needed time to get use to each rule and know Mrs. Funsom’s seriousness in setting those rules. Mrs. Funsom should instead have clear and consistent rules in words and pictures and display it somewhere which Randie would be able to see it and remind her of her in-seat behaviour. Furthermore, the techniques that Mrs. Funsom used were not effective. She only reprimanded her or ignored her. The techniques would only encouraged Randie’s inappropriate behaviours.
7)Behaviour modification should not force children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen. They should step by step scaffold the child to guide her how to sit in her seat through appropriate strategies and explain to the child the needs for doing so. Since the child may not be able to sit and listen in class, teachers need to be a good observer to ensure that the child is safe while they are teaching the class. Mrs. Funsom’s reason is not an excuse because with appropriate strategies and patience, a teacher is able to deal the problem. But she may need help from other teachers because it seems that she did not have the knowledge to special abilities.
Rina Lin
Group A
5.Mrs. Funsom can plan some activities or in-class activity sheets that are age appropriate for Randie which is not tedious for her. These activities should be fun, interesting and interactive for her so as to capture her attention to focus on the task. It is also important not to limit Randie’s time on working on the activities as well. Lastly, it is vital for Mrs. Funsom to reward Randie progressively even though she did not meet the standard requirement. In this way, Randie will be motivated and hence will be able to increase her in-seat behavior.
6.I feel that a daily change in techniques to attempt to increase in-seat behavior will confuse the child more than helping her. Changing the techniques daily will not allow Mrs. Funsom to see any changes in the child and the evaluations she make after every day, will be inaccurate. If Mrs. Funsom wants to try out the different techniques, she should try one technique over a period of time, such as a few months to a term.
7.The most important thing is that Mrs. Funsom should make visual aids and create hands-on experiences for Randie. In addition to that, Mrs. Funsom can also uswe hand signals as a way to provide Randie with positive feedback for appropriate behavior such as sitting in her seat for a period of time. All these will help to capture her attention and hence allowing her to sit in her seat longer and motivated to listen in class. I personally feel that the reason that Mrs. Funsom gave was an excuse for avoiding dealing with Randie’s problem. This is because all the activities that are mentioned above to help Randie modify her behavior, does not take up much of her time in class or additional time off work. It is more of whether she wants to do it or not.
charlotte Teo (group B)
5. What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
Mrs. Funsom could look for the positive things that Randie did. For example, instead of making sure that Randie must be seated properly and do her work quietly, Mrs. Funsom could praise her whenever she sees Randie seated. In other words, catch the child doing good. Mrs. Funsom could also set up a reward system for Randie to collect one stamp on her personal notebook and reward her with something at the end of the day. This reward system works in general to reinforce positive behaviors from Randie, including her in-seat behavior.
6. What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
Inconsistency was the problem when Mrs. Funsom changed techniques daily. Teachers must be consistent and firm with rules that they set so that there are repetition of their rules. Children must be given time to adapt to rules and behavior modification techniques so that they will know what to expect when they did something correctly or incorrectly. By changing her techniques daily, Mrs. Funsom ended up confusing Randie as she do not know what she did was right or wrong. In addition, Mrs. Funsom could choose to focus on what Randie did right and be consistent with her responses to Randie’s behaviors. Perhaps, she could try out one technique for one month and if that technique does not work, she could then change to using another technique.
7. Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behavior modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
I think behavior modification play should be as a form of practice of appropriate behaviors which are acceptable in the classroom even for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class. Mrs. Funsom’s reason may not be an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem as teachers simply could not force children to accept instructions which they do not understand; it is akin to teaching concepts that are not age appropriate. Nevertheless, teachers should take one step at a time to set achievable short-term goals for children in order to attain the long-term goal and in this case, would perhaps be able to sit down and participate in an activity for twenty minutes. In addition, Mrs. Funsom should also take into consideration other factors that affect Randie’s behaviors. For example, she did not understand Mrs. Funsom’s instructions fully as she is not proficient in English. Therefore, Mrs. Funsom should provide differentiated instructions in the class, giving instructions in Spanish as well as English especially for students like Randie so that they would fully understand the instructions and act accordingly.
Ng Siew Chin
Group A
5. What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
In my opinion, Randie should not be force to remain seated in her seat to do table task as I feel that Randie is not ready for such restriction. However, if Mrs. Funsom really wants Randie to remain seated during the class activities to prepare her for first grade, she can plan activities that are suitable and appropriate for Randie’s readiness and interests so that these activities are engaging enough to help Randie focus longer. Mrs. Funsom should also set appropriate goals on how long Randie should remain in her desk while doing her work and reinforce on Randie’s ability to remain seated by recognizing her effort through positive reinforcements like rewarding a star on the star-chart, praising her and also allowing her to do the favorite task e.g playing in the dramatic corner.
6. What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
I feel that Mrs. Funsom changes her techniques too soon when she thought that the techniques do not work on Randie to increase her in-seat behavior. Randie could be unfamiliar with those techniques and do not know what to expect from the teacher as there is no consistency or clear instructions given to her. Constant changing of these techniques could also causes confusion for Randie. I feel that certain techniques are quite appropriate for Randie such as verbal reinforcement and verbal prompts. These techniques could help her to remain seated for a longer period of time with consistent reminders.
7. Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behavior modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
Behavior modification relies on strategies such as consistency and positive reinforcements to help the child achieve the desirable or acceptable behaviors. According to Watson (n.d.), a special education guide on Ask.com, suggested that these strategies should be implemented on a constant basis to enhance the effectiveness. When the instructions given are consistence, the child will grow to know what is expected of her to perform the task and minimize the chance of not following the instructions given by the teacher. Therefore, Mrs. Funsom should be consistence with her instructions and techniques that she adopts to help Randie remain seated in her seat for a longer period of time to work on her task. Positive reinforcements are effective extrinsic factors that recognize the child’s effort such as giving a pat of the child’s shoulder, giving verbal praise to commend her for her effort and rewarding her with a star or a sticker will also increase the child’s confident level and spur her to try harder next time. In my opinion, I feel that Mrs. Funsom’s reason of saying that Randie is not developmentally ready and leave the information as it was, is actually an excuse to avoid rendering further help and support to Randie. I feel the child requires special instructions and may have taken too much of the teacher’s time and effort in which she could spend with the other students, and thus, the teacher decided that she will just leave Randie alone. Mrs. Funsom could have better manage the class and rendered the appropriate help if she could invite the behavioral specialist to provide consultation and guidance on how she can manage Randie’s behaviors and plan appropriate goals that could help Randie. It will also be helpful if there is a paraprofessional in the class to help Mrs. Funsom manage the class.
5. Randie’s poor muscle tone might have been a factor that affects her ability to seat for more than 3 to 4 minutes. I feel that Mrs. Funsom can increase Randie’s in-seat behavior by providing her a cushion. This will allow her to feel more comfortable sitting down for a longer period of time. Being aware that Randie has the ability to recognize her own name, Mrs. Funsom can assign a Randie a particular area as her sitting space. It can be labeled with her name and photo so that she will be able to identify her own seat. I feel that by doing so, Randie will be able to gain a greater sense of ownership which will in turn motivate her to sit.
I feel that the main concern should not be how long she can stay in-seat but is whether she is able complete a task. Having understood that Randie is unable to sit for more than 3 to 4 minutes, Mrs Funson can increase Randie’s ability to complete all her tasks at her seat by breaking down the activity into several parts. For instance, if a Science activity sheet requires at least 20 minutes to be able to complete Mrs. Funsom can separate the activity into 4 sheets and can give Randie the next activity sheet after completing one. For instance, if Randie has finished the first sheet, she can leave her seat and approach Mrs. Funsom for the second sheet and respective for the rest. This will enable Randie to be at her desk and complete the same task as her friend. In addition, it provides Randie with the opportunity to move out of her seat at an appropriate time.
6. The daily changing of techniques will confuse Randie which will worsen her in-seat behavior. For instance, on Monday, when Randie was out of her seat she was being give time-out. On Tuesday, when she was out of her seat again, she did not receive any consequence for it as Mrs. Funsom ignored her behavior. Such incident portrayed inconsistency in reinforcements which will cause Randie to form the misconception that it is actually fine to move out of her seat.
I feel for techniques to be effective, it does not happen over a night. In order for Randie to understand the appropriate sitting behavior, it is necessary to practice consistent reinforcement of the techniques used for a period of time. With consistency in techniques used, Randie will be able to understand that inappropriate or in appropriate in-seat behavior will lead to certain consequences or rewards. Personally I feel that for Randie’s case, consistent reinforcement of a type of reward and consequence technique will be adequate. For instance, use verbal reinforcement and time-out for the particular period of time. As I feel that too many different techniques being enforced at the same time might confuse Randie.
7. This should not be an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem. Being an educator, if we identify that a child is not developmentally ready as compared to the peers then the more we should try to facilitate the child in her developments to lead her to the next competent level. According to Skinner (1975), behavior modification is “a formal technique for promoting the frequency of desirable behaviors and decreasing incidence of unwanted ones” (as cited in Feldman, 2004, p.26) .
Behavior modification can be classified as positive or negative reinforcement. I feel that for children who may not be developmentally ready in sitting and listening, positive reinforcements like verbal praises act as a tool to help them recognize own appropriate listening and sitting behaviors. It also enables the child to feel that his behaviors are valued by the teacher and in turn motivate him to continue the appropriate behavior. On the other hand, negative reinforcement such as removal of play will guide the child to understand what are the inappropriate behaviors and the consequences to it. Negative reinforcement can be used to discouraging inappropriate behaviors. However, for Randie’s case, he may face difficulties in understanding verbal praises, feedbacks or comments given by Mrs. Funsom as he has poor listening comprehension. Therefore, I feel that when giving verbal comments or praises to Randie, it necessary to include pictorial cards that correspond to the comments. This will enable him to gain a better understanding about his appropriate or inappropriate behaviors.
Tan Yi Jun
Group A
5. Mrs. Funsom could make changes to the classroom environment to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior. Randie can be seated near to Mrs. Funsom so that the teacher can help to monitor her progress and ensure that she is on task. Also, Mrs. Funsom can reduce the amount of distractions in the environment. For example, she can delineate the area where Randie is working in with a movable whiteboard from other learning centres to reduce distractions. Mrs. Funsom could also use self-monitoring strategy with Randie. Heward (2009), stated that self-monitoring can be achieved by selecting and creating materials to facilitate self-monitoring. For instance, recording on the check-lists the tasks completed or using count down timers to self-regulate. Mrs. Funsom can also establish some class rules with Randie such as “I must finish my work” and consequences like not allowing the Randie to go to her favorite learning centre. Mrs. Funsom could reinforce the rules and consequences daily with Randie. Another effective strategy which Mrs. Funsom can adopt is to use hand signals. Lim & Quah (2004), mentioned that hands signals is a way of cautioning the child that his behavior is unacceptable before he has to face full consequences. Hand signals can be used to show approval for appropriate behaviors too. As Randy has poor listening comprehension skills, she might not have understood her teacher’s instructions and lead to the constant movements around the class. Thus, the teacher can give step by step instructions pictorial cards or instruction sheets to follow after teacher has explained.
6. Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily showed that there was no consistency. Randie might have been confused due to the changes in different techniques. Heward (2009), pointed out that children can adhere to rules, provided that they receive clear instructions and consistent reinforcements. Thus, I can identify that inconsistencies in the techniques used on Randie is a major cause of the failure to encourage her in-seat behavior. Also, I feel that some of the techniques used by Mrs. Funsom such as verbal reinforcement are appropriate and may have been effective. However, due to lack of time in adapting to the techniques by Mrs. Funsom, the techniques seemed ineffective. On the other hand, some of the changing techniques are not feasible as are reinforced inappropriately. For example, Mrs. Funsom tried to use time-out on Randie when she was not out of her seat. However, the use of time out might have encouraged Randie’s behavior of moving about to escape from work. Thus, the technique used yield no results and further reinforced Randie’s inappropriate behaviors.
7. The role of behavior modification for children who are not developmentally ready to sit and listen in class is to reduce the occurrences of moving about and listening attentively. In addition, behavior modification plays the role of implementing strategies to work towards the desired behavior. This is as supported by LaRocque, Brown & Johnson (2001), the roles of behavior modification include reducing the frequency of the problem behavior and to teach alternative ways to cope with it.
I feel that Mrs. Funson’s reason is not an excuse to avoid dealing with Randie’s problem. This is because Randie has to be well prepared for the demands such as sitting in their desks and completing tasks in first grade. This is also going to take place next year. Hence, Mrs. Funson has to prepare Randie at this stage and work towards the goal of having Randie completing her tasks at her desk. In addition, it is the duty of a teacher to observe a child and help a child to progress to the next stage of development through planning activities or strategies to enable the child to reach the developmental goal.
Yvette Toh
Group A
Question 5
Randie’s distracted behavior may to due to her short attention span (Derayeh, 2001). There are several techniques Mrs. Funsom could adopt to help increase Randie’s in-seat behavior. Mrs. Funsom can allocate Randie to seat near her at the front of the class away from the windows or doorway. This way, distraction from the movements outside of class and of classmates can be minimized. As stated by Derayeh (2001), by selecting activities that are appropriate and purposeful would help in increasing the child’s ability to focus on the activity. Due to her disability, Randie may not be at age level for many aspects in her academics, Mrs. Funsom can design a separate set of “work” that are appropriate for Randie’s developmental level. Instead of expecting Randie to seat for a long period of time at her desk to work, Mrs. Funsom can start with realistic goals such as 5 minutes, and slowly increase the time as Randie’s attention span increases. Mrs. Funsom could also use a little timer whereby Randie has to be seated to complete her work till the bell on the timer rings – signifying the time is up. Setting realistic and achievable goals would ensure greater success and allow Randie to start feeling more competent.
Question 6
Mrs. Funsom’s attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior by changing techniques daily would not work. Derayeh (2001) pointed out that children with Down syndrome need the familiarity of a regular and expected routine and instructions. Randie needs a longer time than the usual students to get used to and “understand” a set of instructions or teaching methodology. Instead of changing her techniques daily, Mrs. Funsom should use a single technique that is modified to meet the characteristic and needs of Randie and working it through with Randie. Results may not be seen immediately, but it would help greatly in allowing Randie to know and understand what is expected of her.
Question 7
According to Derayeh (2001), children with Down syndrome would tend to have problems with attention span. This can be reflected in Randie’s inability to sit for long to either at her desk while working or to listen in class. Although this may be a common characteristic, it should not be used as a. excuse to avoid dealing with the problem. In this situation, since Mrs. Funsom deems that Randie is developmentally not ready to sit and listen in class, it would be useful to use techniques such as the timer technique as mentioned earlier, or meaningful positive reinforces to the child. If the positive reinforces are of what the child likes or enjoys most, it would greatly increase their sense of motivation to achieve the goals laid out for them.
Lynnette Fang Yixuan
(Group A)
5.Randie’s problem of not being able to remain seated for more than three to four minutes may be due to her inability to “focus on relevant stimuli and instead distracted by or focuses on extraneous features of tasks or irrelevant variables in the environment” (Lim & Quah, 2004). Mrs. Funsom could work on increasing Randie’s task commitment by breaking down a complex task into simpler steps. Mrs. Funsom could also place Randie near or in front of her. She should also ensure that the classroom environment should be kept simplified as an over simulative environment might be very distracting for Randie. Mrs. Funsom could also work with Randie to design simple and realistic goals in regard to successful completion of tasks.
6.In changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in seat behaviour, Mrs. Funsom’s purpose was to determine which technique would work best for Randie. However, this may prove to be overwhelming for Randie as she could be confused about what is expected of her. Instead, Mrs Funsom should “repeat teaching over a period of time with varied reinforcing instructional formats” (Lim & Quah, 2004). Mrs. Funsom should also work with Randie to set simple and realistic goals in regard to increasing Randie’s in seat behaviour so Randie is aware of what is expected of her and therefore, could work towards achieving her goals. Positive reinforcers e.g. rewards, praises, charts to monitor her progress should also used as motivation for Randie.
7.As Randie will be entering first grade next year, Mrs. Funsom should “aid in the transfer of learning from the school setting to other untrained settings in real life” (Lim & Quah, 2004). Randie’s disability will often “acquire and process information and knowledge at a slower rate” (Lim & Quah, 2004). Therefore, her inability to process classroom instructions may have cause Mrs. Funsom to think that Randie was not developmentally appropriate to sit in her seat. Lim and Quah (2004) stated that “it is important not to confuse children who manifest slowness or delays in developmental skills in terms of below-average functioning, with those having intellectual disabilities”. As suggested, Mrs. Funsom should set simple and realistic goals for Randie and work towards achieving the goals through repeated teaching and in the process allowing ample time for Randie to achieve these goals.
Reference:
Lim, L., & Quah, M. M. (2004). Educating learners with diverse abilities. Singapore: McGraw Hill.
Cai Xiena Sara
5)When handling problem behaviours, the teacher should first identify events related to the problem behaviour, determine the potential function of the behaviour and then modify the situation (Lim & Quah, 2004).Therefore in order for Mrs. Funsom to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour, she could shorten the time for her to work with task on the table. However, Randie needs to know how much time she needs to be on the table and when she is allowed to move around. By providing Randie with clear verbal instruction would not be enough to reinforce the expected behaviour. Mrs. Funsom can accompany a visual instruction n with her verbal instruction for Randie to be aware of what she needs to do. This visual timetable can be pasted on Randie’s table so that she can know what to expect next.
6)There isn’t any consistency in Mrs. Funsom response to Randie’s behaviour. She only gave verbal praise to him on the first day and subsequently, she showed negative response to his behaviour. Time-out is not a good idea as it will require Randie to sit even longer. By the fourth day, her behaviour was ignored. This will lead to confusion as she will not know which behaviour is appropriate. In fact, the target behaviour should be modelled and there should be opportunities for role playing to ensure that he is clear of what is expected of him (Heward, 2008). Therefore, verbal appraisal on the first day is not enough to encourage Randie to sit the next few days. There must be consistency and it must be reinforced with visual aids and modelling of the behaviour.
7)Basically behaviour modification is done to allow children to be comfortable to suit the activity. Behaviour modification will also allow children to feel that they are being accepted in their own ways, their decisions being respected. In this case, Randie wasn’t able to sit in Mrs. Funsom class for more than three to four minutes. According to Mrs. Funsom, Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her class and thus she decided not to force Randie to sit unless she is ready for it. Mrs. Funsom wasn’t trying to avoid the problem but instead she was trying to respect Randie’s needs. It is essential to ignore unacceptable behaviours and to reward appropriate behaviours with praise and extra privileges (eHow Education Editor, 2008). Therefore, she could encourage her as well by using intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for Randie even though it means that she will only sit for 5 minutes. Gradually, as Mrs. Funsom extends the time Randie needs to spend on the table, she will get used to the types of expected behaviour she must have in the class.
Hu Huazhen Dawn Group B
5) According to Lim & Quah (2004), children with mild intellectual disability have short attention and concentration span. Therefore, to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior, Mrs. Funson could place her nearer in font of her while providing clear instructions and directions on the classroom tasks and activities. For example, “Sit on your chair, take out your crayon to write your name on the paper”. In addition, Mrs. Funson can reinforce Randie’s learning through the usage of realistic goals, motivation and better time management. To ensure that Randie feels interested, she could receive self-rewards and a buddy system to direct her attention towards the task. Mrs. Funson could provide immediate feedback when Randie is on task, for example, “I can see that you are trying to write your name”. Response cards could be used on Randie to respond with Mrs. Funson.
6) Mrs. Funson should understand that it is important to have set routines in the classroom and use behavioral techniques with Randie. She needs to know what is going to happen next in order to feel safe. Mrs. Funson’s technique of switching her modifications does not allow collaboration between Randie and the teacher. Randie would be having difficulties in remembering and generalizing new knowledge and skills. According to Heward (2009), children with intellectual disabilities benefit from similar programs for children who are not disabled. Thus, Mrs. Funson is unable to make Randie feel motivated or self-determined in her task.
7) Yes, in my opinion, Mrs. Funson is trying to avoid dealing with the problem. In order to increase behaviors that are desired, a positive consequence or reward must follow immediately after the behavior. Most importantly, Mrs. Funson should always positively reinforce Randie’s behavior and increase the chance that she will repeat the exact behavior. Through increasing Randie’s positive behaviors, these behaviors will generalize to in school and in the community.
Hu Huazhen Dawn Group B
Lim, L., & Quah, M. M. (2004). Educating learners with diverse abilities. Singapore: McGraw
Hill.
Heward, W. L. (2009). Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education. (9th ed).
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.
(1) Desk-bound activity may require a lot of concentration for Randie to focus. Mrs. Funsom can modify the curriculum for Randie and the other children, by providing the class with interesting and interactive hands-on activities. Randie’s tasks should be modified to her own level of challenge. For example, typical children can learn simple addition using blocks while Randie use the blocks to learn counting up to 10.
Mrs Funsom can provide Randie a work space where there are visual prompts and directions for managing her tasks, manipulative materials, timer, and pictorial self-management chart which show the time table and specific steps to complete the tasks. These help Randie in her learning and she can focus better because she knows what is expected of her (Lim & Quah, 2004).
A peer buddy can be assigned to Randie to help her with the activities. Randie and her buddy can do a project of their interest and Mrs Funsom can facilitate their project, and make use of the project to support Randie’s language and math skills.
(2)Class rules and classroom management techniques should be consistent throughout the year for children to absorb and understand what they can or cannot do. Changing techniques daily makes Randie confused on what is expected of her. Mrs Funsom should use the techniques constantly over a long period of time before deciding whether which techniques worked and which do not. Perhaps, she can use positive verbal reinforcement and verbal prompting consistently everyday. After about a month, she can reflect on whether the techniques worked and what can be improved.
(3) Firstly, teacher should provide clear and direct instructions, and state her expectations. Behavioral expectations are simple and positively framed rules such as “Sit in a circle during story-telling” or “Listen carefully to the story”.
Secondly, behavioral expectations are described, rehearsed and modeled. For example, when a child is sitting quietly in the circle waiting for the story to start, the teacher can point out her right behaviour for other children to follow.
Thirdly, appropriate behaviours are acknowledged. Teacher should be alert when children, like Randie, are obeying the rules. By giving them positive reinforcement let them know that the particular behaviour was correct and that is what the teacher likes.
Fourthly, when children are not sitting or listening in class, clear procedures are shown that their behaviour was unacceptable and give positive directions to what they are supposed to do (Heward, 2009). For example, when Randie left her work and talk to other children, the teacher can explain and direct by saying “Other children are still doing their work. You can talk to them during playtime. Complete your activity first.”
I think those who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class can be helped when behavioral modification strategies are implemented. Ignoring these children will not benefit the teacher or the children.
Lim, L. & Quah, M. M. (2004). Educating Learners with Diverse Abilities. Singapore: McGraw Hill. p.327 & 331.
Heward, W. L. (2009). Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education (9th Ed.). Upper Saddle, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall. p.238.
____
Koh Feng Yan Yvette
Group B
Question 5
Randie probably needed a buddy to assist with her work. Her task could also be developmentally appropriate for her readiness. Task should be designed with picture instructions to help her with her reading difficulties. Mrs. Funsom could also have a lesser expectation for Randie to sit on her chair. Most of the activities should be done physically to stimulate Randie’s learning. Have the buddy to model or facilitate the task Randie should complete. Place a timer at Randie’s table to inform her that when the timer rings, she can move out of her chair. Teach self-management independence; increase the time Randie has to seat on her chair gradually. When she achieves sitting down until the time limit, give her a reward ( e.g: sticker)
Mrs Funsom should try using assistive technology like a keyboard for Randie to respond as she has poor communication skills. Tape recorders can also her to learn independently at her own pace as information can be replayed.
As noted in Peterson and Hittie, “students with mental retardation often function below grade level but benefit from the modeling of other students in our classroom, from opportunities to work with others on projects and learning activities at their own level, and from the development of long term relationship”(p.219)
Question 6
Mrs Funsom had too much change which resulted in Randie’s incompliance to seat on her chair. Randie was not able to follow a certain procedure as it kept changing and was not consistent. Mrs Funsom should allow time for Randie to fully understand a specific technique or instruction.
Randie should also be given choices when it comes to doing her tasks. It is not necessary for her to seat on the chair for long hours. Randie may learn better in another position. Mrs. Funsom should respect in taking into account her decision in learning as well.
Question 7
Yes. I feel that Mrs Funsom does not have the patience and commitment towards Randie. Behavior modification should be used to model appropriate behavior to assist in listening and understanding step by step instructions. According to Peterson and Hittie, “ holistic learning should be the main focus in teaching not behaviorism and children with mental retardation can learn like normal children but they learn slowly and need more support”(p211)
Surya (Grp B)
5. What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
One way is to find activities which engage Randie. Mrs. Funsom should observe the child’s strengths and interests, and then focus on it when thinking of activities or tasks for Randie to complete. Probably differentiated instruction would help Randie. Differentiated activities should be given to Randie, where, if she likes to dance, then dance should be the means whereby she shows her understanding of numbers 1 to 10. Another way is to probably give instructions in Spanish. Another way is to have constant positive reinforcement where Mrs. Funsom can create a star chart or a Marble Jar where she adds in a marble into a jar when Randie is able to sit down and complete her activity.
6. What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
I feel that Randie was not able to recognize Mrs. Funsom’s expectations of her. One day she would praise her and the next, she would reprimand her. I feel that changing techniques every day would simply make the act of implementing techniques quite ineffective. I feel that Mrs. Funsom should beforehand read developmental textbooks about children with Down’s syndrome, and then find out proper techniques that will help Randie to focus in class. After finding out the proper techniques, she should be constant in using the particular technique so that Randie will be able to see the exact consequence of her behaviour, and that she will not be confused over her teacher’s expectations.
6. Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behavior modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
Goldstein & Mather (2001) stated that "all children function more effectively under the right set of consequences". Children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class can be managed through proper behavior modification techniques. The role of behavior modification, for children like Randie, is to remove unwanted behavior through guiding them towards proper behavior with the usage of positive incentives. I feel that Mrs. Funsom’s reason is not an excuse, but, she should read up more and ask her fellow colleagues for their opinions before jumping to such a conclusion.
Nur Amira Safari Wijaya
Group A
Question 5: What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in- seat behavior?
She could use a combination of positive reinforcements [when she is able to remain seated for a substantial period of time], verbal prompts when she seems to be facing difficulties in trying to remain seated and, the use of timely but minimal disciplinary actions [showing of disapproval]. The above techniques can be useful if they are used effectively and ritualistically. For example: when Randie shows the ability to be seated for at least 10 minutes verbal praises or stickers could be given to encourage her. Sticker charts could also be put up for her to accumulate stickers for her good in-seat behavior. Next, if she exhibits signs of frustration the teacher could give her verbal prompts or encouragements to ensure that her efforts are being recognized. If possible, the teacher could give alternatives for Randie to work on the floor or on a mat. Finally, if she is unable to remain seated and becomes disruptive, the teacher could remove a sticker from her sticker chart. Additionally, she could label Randie’s seat with her photos and her name.
Question 6: What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in- seat behavior?
As mentioned in the case study, Randie has poor short- term memory skills. Hence, it is unquestionable that Mrs. Funsom’s ever-changing techniques would not be useful in increasing Randie’s in- seat behavior; as none of the techniques used would be impressionable to her. In other words, the techniques used by Mrs. Funsom are not in accordance with Randie’s needs and abilities. Therefore, the methods used should be concrete and repetitive in order for Randie to internalize them.
Question 7: Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behavior modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
It should be a form of model which allows the child/ children to get used to the expected behaviors exhibited by their peers. Moreover, positive reinforcements and verbal cues should also be present to encourage the peers and the child/ children who are yet ready to sit and listen in class.
No. I believe that through the good use of scaffolding and suitable behavior modification techniques which are specially tailored to meet Randie’s developmental needs, Randie would still be able to sit and listen for a substantial amount of time despite her not being developmentally ready.
Serena Teo
Group B
What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
To increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour, Mrs Funsom could:
Have Randie sit right next to her. Should Randie ‘drift’ away again, Mrs Funsom can gently tap her to bring her back.
Assign a buddy to Randie, one that is patient and willing to work closely with her.
Assuming that Randie doesn’t understand the instruction to remain seated in English, Mrs Funsom could use PECS to convey her message across (considering that Randie has slow speech)
Have a lower expectation for Randie’s in-seat time and let her know of the expected time. Reward her each time she stays in her seat within the specified time, 3 minutes. Gradually, Mrs Funsom could increase the in-seat time minute by minute depending on her response towards this strategy.
What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
Mrs Funsom wasn’t patient enough when implementing a new technique. She didn’t allow more time for Randie to adapt to a new technique before analysing her behaviour and finally deciding that she is not responding to that technique. Mrs Funsom probably also did not consider other variables in the classroom that might have contributed to Randie’s out-of-seat behaviour. For example, perhaps when Mrs Funsom was implementing a technique, Randie was too distracted by a friend in the background to respond to the technique. Maybe Mrs Funsom did not reflect on the way she implemented the new technique because that might affect the way Randie responds to it.
Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behaviour modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
Behaviour modification should address the root problem-that the child isn’t developmentally ready to sit and listen in class. It should also focus on desirable behaviours and promote it using positive reinforcement. (Stevenson,)
Mrs Funsom’s reason could be an excuse for her to deal with Randie’s problem. She is probably in denial of Randie’s problem after implementing fruitless strategies one after another. Ms Funsom’s reasons could also be a hypothesis where she will give Randie and herself sometime to see if there are any changes in her behaviour, as if like experimenting with a new strategy.
I feel that one of the most important things Mrs. Funsom failed to do is being consistent and patient. For one week, she tried different techniques to ensure that Randie remained seated during preacedemic activities, I feel that it would be better if she stick to one technique for one week so that she will able to see the effectiveness, because obviously certain techniques or plan have to be carried out for a few days at least, in order to see the outcome. Even for a normal child, it takes sometimes to get use to a certain rules or strategies adopted by the teacher, so what more for a child with mild mental retardation like Randie, definitely she will need greater support than the others and more time to assimilate the instruction.
Apart from that, it is also important for Mrs. Funsom to provide an encouraging, supportive learning environment that will capitalize on Randie’s success and self esteem. This means that if Randie refuses to be seated in her desks and do her work, let her do her work anywhere she likes, for instant by lying on the floor or by going to the learning corners in the class. As long as Randie does her work, remained seated in her desks shouldn’t be an issue.
I have to agree with Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was immature because in mild mental retardation, social relationships are often impacted. These children like Randie may exhibit behavioural problems, be immature, display some obsessive/compulsive behaviours and lack the understanding of verbal/non verbal clues and will often have difficulty following rules and routines. Despite that, it shouldn’t be an excuse for Mrs. Funsom to avoid dealing with the problem. One way is to allow Randie to develop at her own pace. Mrs. Funsom should lower her expectations of Randie and yet encourage her to develop as many skills as possible. She has to avoid denying her the opportunities to gain greater social functioning.
Nur'Hazwani
Group B
Qn 5. Mrs. Funsom could use positive reinforcement to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior. The verbal reinforcement that she had tried might not work as Randie might not understand what she was saying as Randie’s command of English is rather poor. Positive reinforcement, such as a thumb up, or a sticker awarded to Randie might turn out to be more successful to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior.
Mrs. Funsom could also try using cues to cue Randie to her seat whenever she was distracted. A gestural cue, such as pointing at her seat, would be effective to help Randie understand that the teacher needed her to sit down. Physical cues, by guiding and directing Randie to her seat might be useful too (Early Childhood Behavior Project, 2005)
Qn 6. Mrs Funsom’s changing techniques might cause confusion for Randie. The same behavior displayed received different treatments on different days. Randie might be confused as to what was expected of her. If Mrs. Funsom would constantly use the same technique for a couple of weeks, she might be able to see positive results. In my opinion, behavioral modifications take time and the results can never be produced overnight.
Qn 7. For a 5 year old, I do not think that it is developmentally appropriate to require Randie to sit at her desk for a long period of time. However, if that was what Mrs. Funsom required for her class, behavior modification might help Randie in this area. Using positive reinforcement such as a sticker or a star, Randie might be motivated to sit down in class. However, this might result in that Randie would sit down diligently, without paying any attention to the teacher or the work. The reinforcement is more extrinsic that intrinsic. Therefore, in my own opinion, Randie should not be asked to sit down for a long period of time.
I do not think that Mrs. Funsom was finding an excuse to escape from the problem. Perhaps she was really at her wits end as she needed to cope with Randie together with the other children. Maybe she could try other alternatives such as, when Randie needed to leave her seat, Mrs. Funsom could engage her in other independent activities in the learning corners (as a break) and guide her back to her seat after a few minutes.
Low Shilin Jacelyn
Group A
References
Early Childhood Behavior Project. (2005). Cuing…a proactive intervention in the classroom. Retrieved September 3, 2008, from http://cehd.umn.edu/CEED/projects/preschoolbehavior/tipsheets/cuing.htm
5) Mrs Funsom could get Randie to seat near her and directing Randie back to her seat when she starts moving around. However, I feel that Randie is still not ready to be seated in her chair for a long period of time. Although Mrs Funsom is trying to prepare the class for grade 1, she should not make it compulsory for all children to do their work on their desks. If there really is a necessity for it, only get the children to do their work on their desks for a short period of time and not the throughout the day. Five year olds need to move about for learning to take place. Therefore, by restricting them and Randie, Mrs Funsom would not achieve anything good out of it even though her objective is straight.
6) By changing techniques daily, Mrs Funsom is confusing Randie. When Mrs Funsom ignore her on the fourth day and then reprimand her on the fifth day for getting out of her chair, Randie would be puzzled. She might be thinking why Mrs Funsom was scolding her. As Randie is also not capable of understanding cause and effect, the techniques used therefore does not determine its success. Randie could possibly be in a good mood or she is interested in the work she is using, hence a better result.
7) To allow Randie to better understand the cause and effect of her behaviour, Mrs Funsom could introduce a positive behaviour chart to Randie. Mrs Funsom should communicate with Randie on her expectations of her, with minimal rules and routines to be followed. She could also involve Randie in establishing the rules so that Randie feels she obliged to follow it. She should then encourage Randie to participate and monitor her own behavior through the behavioral chart. If Randie does sit and listen in class or any appropriate behaviour, Mrs Funsom could then provide positive reinforcement in the form of a sticker etc.
If Mrs Funsom had already knew Randie was not developmentally ready, she should provide differentiated instructions for her and not use it as an excuse. By avoiding her needs during the early years, Randie would suffer as the years go by and the education level increases, and demanding more from her.
Nurfarah Mohamed
Group A
5) As attention span is a common problem with children with Down syndrome, Mrs Funsome can select some activities that Randie is interested in and allow her to work on those activities. For example, from the case study, there might be a possibility that Randie enjoys colouring. Hence, Mrs Funsome can tap on her interest and give Randie tasks related to the lesson through colouring. Another thing is that Down syndrome children are easily distracted, hence the structure of the classroom should not have excessive decorations, unexpected routines, noisy as well as an overflow of information for Randie to take in. It is best to sit her near the teacher, away from the windows or any other possible form of distractions. In this way, the teacher will also be able to keep a constant watch on her and use strategy like tapping Randie’s shoulder to get her attention back on track. Another activity Mrs Funsome can introduce to Randie is the use of a soft element such as sand to help her practise writing her name or some of the numbers in it. It might be something that Randie will enjoy as the softness of the sand will help the child to concentrate and also serve as a form of play for her.
6) Changing techniques daily is an act of inconsistency and will cause the child to feel confuse and possible irritation. Just like in a normal classroom, if a teacher praises your behaviour on day one but gave you a time out on day two, any child will feel affected and might increase his/her level of self-esteem. Moreover, this is a child with special needs. If Mrs Funsome had already started well with reinforcing Randie’s good behaviour positively in class, the following days should also exhibit a continuous act of positive encouragements/reinforcements. If Randie choose not to sit at her desk, there is no point ignoring or scolding the child because this will make the child to be more defiant. If Randie walks away from her desk, what Mrs Funsome can do is to give Randie a task she enjoys most and guides her back to her desk or if she chooses not to return to her desk but sits somewhere else, just allow her to do so.
7) I do not think that Mrs Funsome’s reason is an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem. This is because I do agree with her that Randie do have delays in her development as evident from the case study. I think adjustments should be made for Randie who is not developmentally ready to sit and listen in class. Hence, the role of behaviour modification serves as a positive reinforce in this case. Though the child may not be developmentally ready, but through the use of positive reinforcements, it could help to build the child up and enable her to want to learn. Instead of teaching Randie things she will never be able to understand at this point of time, Mrs Funsome can modify the standard of the work she has prepared for Randie and assess her based on that. Mrs Funsome can also set up a reward system such as awarding stickers or something Randie likes to motivate her to do better.
References:
Derayah, N. (2001). Down Syndrome: Teaching Strategies. Retrieved September 5, 2008, from http://www.altonweb.com/cs/downsyndrome/index.htm?page=derayeh.html
Watson, S. (2008). Teaching Down’s Syndrome Students. Retrieved September 5, 2008, from http://specialed.about.com/od/disabilities/a/downs.htm
SPNS 11 =)
Karryn, group B
5) What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
She could find out what Randie’s strengths and interests are and adjust her learning activities accordingly. That way, Randie would be doing activities in which she is interested in and knows she can be successful. Also, I believe that Randie would be more engaged in activities which allow her to have hands-on learning experiences. This can be done with the usage of concrete materials which are relevant to her subject content such as blocks, jigsaw puzzles, counters or even providing story books which have removable parts.
6) What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
By changing the techniques everyday, the child becomes confused with the teacher’s mixed reactions. As a result, she does not know what is expected out of her; whether what she is doing would make her teacher happy or even angrier. In my opinion, even if she wanted to test the effectiveness of a technique, she should have consistently done ONE technique over a period of time (e.g. every 1 semester). That way, the child gradually gets used to concept of which actions or behaviors she is encouraged to repeat. If the technique used is still not effective, the teacher should prepare the child of the new technique that she intends to use.
7) Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behavior modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
With behavior modification, it helps the teacher to gauge which specific behaviors the child may need to improve on through direct observation. From there, the teacher can begin devising goals and related activities to help the child achieve that goal. In my opinion, the purpose of child development textbooks is to serve parents and educators a guideline as to whether their child is doing what he or she should at his age. If Mrs. Funsom does not do anything to help Randie progress from that developmental stage, then her reason is an excuse.
What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie's in-seat behaviour?
Mrs. Funsom could teach Randie some reminder cues such as a hand signal or a ringing bell or use a contract or timer for her to self monitor. She could allow Randie to choose her own fixed place or way she wants to seat and do her work. Moreover, she could give her instructions to Randie in Spanish and assign a behavioural partner for her to follow and find support from. Furthermore, there can be collaboration with her parents to implement and reinforce strategies at home to ensure consistency for Randie.
What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie's in-seat behaviour?
Mrs. Funsom changes techniques daily when it does not work on Randie. As there is no consistency of reinforcement, Randie would not be able to understand what is right and what's not as she receive different reactions from Mrs. Funsom. Moreover, Mrs. Funsom should not just evaluate that the technique does not work due to just one try, as it takes time for Randie to get used to her techniques and what she expects.
Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to be in her seat. What role should behaviour modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom's reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
Behaviour modification are strategies planned to help the child increase or decrease in their targeted behaviours if the teachers used them effectively in the classroom. Not every strategy work for every child, but by consistently applying what works for the child, the inappropriate behaviour could be modified or improved.
In this case, for children like Randie, behaviour modification is important, as it helps her understand expectations of the teacher and in her self-regulation of sitting down whenever it is needed. I feel that Mrs. Funsom's reason is an excuse to avoid the problem so that she could just focus on children she could reach out to. She seemed to have gave up on making her sit down to complete tasks and believed that Randie needs more specialised help.
Adalene Hu
Group A
Q5. Firstly, I feel that Mrs. Funsom should find out which tasks that seemed to be sustaining Randie’s interest. From the case study, it seemed that coloring is an activity that sustained her interest. Mrs. Funsom could include coloring into the tasks that she wants Randie to do, so that it might sustain Randie’s attention, thus increasing Randie’s in-seat behavior. Also, Mrs. Funsom should set realistic expectations of Randie – to remain seated in a few 2 minute sessions within an activity. Then, with the appropriate reinforcement strategy, Mrs. Funsom could then slowly increase the time, instead of forcing Randie to sit throughout the activity.
Q6. According to Mather & Goldstein (2001), positive reinforcement will only be effective when consistent rules are applied. When Mrs. Funsom changed the techniques daily, it disrupts the consistent reinforcement that might have an impact on Randie’s in-seat behavior. With consistent rules, Randie might have a clearer picture on which behavior she should continue to display.
Q7. I believe that behavior modification plays an important role in reminding these children of the consequences – be it positive or negative, that they might face when they display a particular behavior. This leads to the adjustment of positive behavior that these children might eventually display. I felt that Mrs. Funsom was trying to avoid dealing with the problem. Perhaps she could be feeling helpless as she could not solve the problem within a certain period. However, what she failed to realize was that this problem definitely will not be solved overnight. Perhaps she could seek the help of other professionals and Randie’s parents, to collaborate and work together with them to achieve this goal of modifying Randie’s targeted behavior – to increase her in-seat behavior.
Reference:
Mather, N., & Goldstein, S. (2001). Behavior modification in the classroom. Retrieved
September 7, 2008 from http://www.ldonline.org/article/6030
Sarah Chiok
Group B
Q5: She could use positive reinforcement. For instance, if Randie was out of her seat 10 times during a work period, Mrs. Fundom could provide reinforcement when she was out of her seat for no more than eight times. As the child succeeds, the necessary criteria for reinforcement can be gradually increased, requiring fewer out-of-seat behaviors during a given time period. Looking out of the window and walking around the class could be examples of reinforcers. To monitor Randie’s progress, Mrs. Funsom could use the “Antecedent-Behaviour-Consequences” approach.
Q6: Changing techniques daily would confuse the child as the instructions were inconsistent. Furthermore, as mentioned by Heward (2008), “Students with intellectual disabilities learn best when instructional methods are explicit, systematic” (p.152). Mrs. Funsom could observe Randie in two different settings or two different types of activities, using similar techniques for a period of time (about 2 weeks) before making any conclusion about Randie.
Q7: I feel that in this situation, behavior modification could play the role, shaping as “it is useful in teaching new desired behavior and is a natural way of encouraging the student to increase the prevalence of desired behavior.” (Center for Early Education and Development, 2008) Hence, when Randie showed that she was able to sit down (regardless of the duration); adults should provide positive reinforcement for this behavior. Similarly, when Randie was able to listen to short phrases, adults could reinforce her behavior. I feel that there is a high possibility that Mrs. Funsom is shrinking away from her responsibility and that could be due to the lack of necessary skills and knowledge in this area.
References
Center for Early Education and Development. (2008). Tip sheets: positive ways of intervening with challengingbehavior. Retrieved September 1, 2008, from http://cehd.umn.edu/ceed/projects/preschoolbehavior/tipsheets/shaping.htm
Heward, W. L. (2008). Exceptional children: an introductory to special education (9th ed). Upper Saddle, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
Cai Wanqin
Group B
Question 5
Mrs. Funsom could start from giving Randie a specific area where she would have to work within when playing at the learning corners while giving verbal confirmation of her efforts, praises and hugs of appreciation and the techniques used previously. When she is able to stay within the work space allocated, Mrs. Funsom can move on to giving Randie a personalized mat to work within. This is to give Randie the idea and get her used to working within a given space. After she accomplishes it, Mrs. Funsom can then work on increasing her in-seat behavior by beginning with providing her with activities that she is interested in and allowing her to work with her ‘next-door’ partner on activities.
Question 6
By changing her techniques daily, Mrs. Funsom is not giving Randie adequate time to accustom herself to the routine. Instead, I feel that Mrs. Funsom is confusing Randie with the assortment of techniques. Mrs. Funsom seems to be hop-scotching all over the place with her techniques, leaving Randie with even more to cope than compared to when she first started. Therefore I feel that Mrs. Funsom should allow a period of time for a particular technique to sink in before analyzing its effectiveness.
Question 7
Behaviour Modification play highlights the importance of strategies that include consistency and positive reinforcement. Therefore I feel that what Mrs. Funsom was doing should be able to help Randie, provided if she were more consistent in her techniques. I feel that it was partially a mean of getting herself out of having to solve Randie’s behavioural problems as I am sure the failures that she experienced were demoralising and that she was already at her ends wits. As mentioned many times earlier, if Mrs. Funsom had not changed her techniques so often, her wealth of strategies would not run dry so quickly. Therefore I feel that Mrs. Funsom should give both Randie and herself another chance at making things work.
Audrey Chen
Group B
Done By Koh Han Ni:
5) From the case study, Randie could recall the information of the story with the use of pictures. Therefore, in order to increase Randie’s in seat behavior, Mrs Funsom could plan and implement activities that involve visual aids and hands-on experiences. For instance, to improve on her writing skills, Mrs Funsom could spend one-to-one time with Randie using her finger to write on a sandbox (however, if Mrs Funsom could not have the opportunity to assist Randie individually, she could put the children into smaller group). In this way, Randie would be more focused and stay in task as the activity is appropriate to her level of capabilities. In this way, Mrs Funsom could also have the opportunity to fully participate and provide the appropriate facilitation in her learning. On top of that, Mrs Funsom could also integrate advance technologies into the lesson. For instance, Mrs Funsom could use a computer program to teach Randie about Mathematics on topics such as number concepts, shape and sizes. In this way, Randie could be more involved and engaged in her learning which in turn could increase her in seat behavior.
6) Firstly, Mrs Funsom should not change her techniques daily. I think that some of the techniques such as verbal reinforcement and prompts are effective and appropriate. However, these techniques could only be effective if Mrs Funsom was to use it regularly in the classroom. For instance, when Mrs Funsom praises and reinforces Randie’s good behavior constantly, it would help to build her self-esteem. Therefore, Mrs Funsom should employ these techniques consistently and daily in the classroom in order to be effective. On top of that, some techniques that she used were inappropriate. For instance, she should not ignore and reprimand Randie when she was out of seat. Instead, she should employ the strategies that I have mentioned in the previous question to support Randie’s learning.
7) Behavior modification plays the role of identifying the behavior, setting expectations, monitoring progress, and reinforcing correct behaviors. For instance, in order to successfully change and shape Randie’s behaviour, Mrs Funsom has observed that Randie had difficulties focusing and listening in class. The next step that Mrs Funsom could do is to set expectation for Randie while employing the appropriate techniques such as setting clear rules and procedures, systematic reinforcement and social praise. This could help to maintain Randie’s positive behaviour as her behaviors are managed and shaped by the consequences of the behavior that she performed in the class.
Mrs Funsom’s reason was an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem. Instead of avoiding the problem, she should define the problem, design a way to change the behavior and employ the strategies consistently to shape and maintain the behavior.
Koh Han Ni
Group B
5. What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
- Give her simpler tasks e.g. reduce her number of questions
- Allow her to use letter chops / drawing / pictures to answer the tasks given
- Give her a specialized colored chair
- Use reinforcement such as rewarding sticker chart
- Always remind Randie the behavior to be expected before the starts of the class
6. What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
I felt that Mrs. Funsom was not consistent with her rules so it might confuse Randie on what is the correct behavior Mrs. Funsom wants her to portray. It also did not give Randie the opportunity and time to be familiarized with the rule thus the result of the effectiveness of the techniques could not be seen.
7. Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behavior modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
I think behavior modification is still needed for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class. Although they may not be developmentally ready, as educators we still need to help them to meet their developmentally appropriate behavior. We can still identify the behavior to change and use techniques that solve the root problem and not just temporarily behavior. I felt that Mrs. Funsom’s reason was not an excuse to avoid the problem. She had put in the effort to use different techniques on Randie though not really done well but it shows that she is still thinking for Randine and went to research on books, which seems to a reliable source.
yvonne lee grp A
Q5. What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
According to Lim, L., & Quah, M. M., (2004), some of the strategies that Mrs. Funsom could undertake to help increase Randie’s attention and concentration span to school tasks would be to: position Randie near to or in front of the her; provide Randie with clear instructions and directions on what is to be done for classroom tasks and activities; and provide a peer buddy to help direct Randie’s attention to various attributes of materials or tasks at hand.
Other strategies that Mrs. Funsom could carry out would be to provide her with tasks that Randie enjoys most and therefore engage in, e.g. hands-on activities; provide effective and consistent reinforcers, e.g. encouragements; and provide non-verbal cues/secret gestures as well as picture cards that will signal to Randie that she is supposed to be staying in her seat.
Q6. What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
When Mrs. Funsom changed the techniques used to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior daily, it demonstrated inconsistency which may lead to Randie being very confused. Therefore, Mrs. Funsom should instead continue with one technique for a period of time, i.e. two weeks, before determining if the technique used was effective. This way, a clear and consistent consequence will be brought across if and when she refuses to behave.
Q7. Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behavior modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
According to (Derayeh, 2001), the “obvious use of meaningful reinforcers (finding out what the child enjoys most) and the opting of positive reinforcement above punishment (using the least intrusive model of behavior modification) are supported by research as being especially beneficial for students with characteristics associated to Down syndrome.” I feel that a child that is not developmentally ready to sit and listen in class does not misbehaves intentionally, thus, effective reinforcers instead of punishments should be applied consistently to help shape the behaviour.
No, I do not think that Mrs. Funsom’s reason is an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem. Instead, I feel that all the more she should come up with strategies that might work with Randie at her developmental stage.
Q5.
I feel that Mrs. Funsom can first, determine a carpet square specially catered for Randie, then explain to her how the carpet square will act as a non-verbal instruction for her to sit at the designated place in class. Mrs. Funsom can then, establish a set of rules for Randie to follow. When establishing this set of rules, the consequences that will follow should also be explained to Randie and, act on consistently when Randie breaks the rule. On the other hand, when Randie has met the expectations in class, Mrs. Funsom can effectively praise Randie, acknowledging her good behavior. Miller & Hall (2005) also suggested that teachers can observe and note the occurrence of the inappropriate and appropriate behaviors. From there, the teachers can gather the interest of the child and use the child’s interest to incorporate with the desired appropriate behaviors.
Q6.
As learnt in class, behaviors that teachers want to reinforce must be consistent and clearly explained. Mrs. Funsom however, in the goodwill of attempting to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior, used the wrong technique by being inconsistent, using a variety of consequences for Randie’s similar inappropriate behavior. As stated by Mather & Goldstein (2001), “all behavior follows a set of consistent rules”.
Q7.
According to Mather & Goldstein (2001),behavior modification can manage inappropriate behaviors through a multi-step process: 1) Defining the problem, 2) Think of a way to change the behavior,3) Identify an effective reinforce, 4) Apply the reinforce consistently and, 5) Acknowledge the desired behaviors, and reinforcing positive discipline strategies to the inappropriate behaviors. Through the use of behavior modification, Mrs. Funsom will be able to manage the behavior of Randie’s readiness to sit and listen in class better. Mrs. Funsom’s avoidance to deal with the problem may not be an excuse but is a result of the lack of knowledge to recognize and handle the problem.
references
Mather, N., & Goldstein, S. (2001). Behavior Modification in the Classroom. LD Online. Retrieved 2008, September 4 from http://www.ldonline.org/article/6030
Miller, G., & Hall, T. (2005). Classroom management. Wakefield, MA: National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum. Retrieved 2008, September 4 from http://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_classroom.html
- SPNS7! (:
isabellaONG [groupB]
5) Mrs. Funsom tried many techniques to increase her in-seat behaviour. Setting aside the fact that she changed the techniques every day, the techniques were rather appropriate. However, she did not consider if the task that she set for the child was engaging. As her focus was on keeping Randie seated, she appeared to have overlooked the fact that Randie’s inability to remain seated could have been the task itself.
Asking Randie to write her name on the piece of paper holds little meaning for the child. Hence, Mrs. Funsom could have thought of ways that would have gradually allowed the child to have learnt to write her name. For example , she could begin by asking Randie try moulding the alphabets of her name using dough. This would help Randie reinforce and remember the alphabets in her name. Also, Randie has problems writing. That could have been a reason for her to not want to write as well. Thus, keeping in mind Randie’s abilities can help Mrs. Funsom to plan more meaningful activities that can help Randie remain seated. Mrs. Funsom could also plan for more group activities, since Randie seems to enjoy talking to the other students. Providing a task analysis will also allow Randie to better understand what she is supposed to do.
6) When Mrs. Funsom changed her techniques daily, it did not allow Randie enough time to get accustomed to the technique or react to it. Children usually take time to get used to such techniques. Mrs. Funsom should thus have tried out the technique for a period of time that was long enough to show a difference. An example would be using mediated scaffolding, where the teacher will provide and then fade prompts or instruction so that students can begin by responding almost naturally.
7) In terms of developmental readiness, behavioural modification plays the role of a guide, by slowly directing the child into learning appropriate behaviours in the classroom. It should be done on a daily basis, so that it gives the child enough time to get used to the behavioural modification techniques, and react to it when she is ready. However, I feel that the issue with Randie is not developmental readiness. Rather, it is an inconsistency in behavioural techniques employed by Mrs. Funsom.
Care was not taken into providing the child with activities that would help her learn better, or assessing her needs professionally. Mrs. Funsom was not trying to avoid dealing with the problem. I feel that it is her ignorance in behavioural techniques that led her to this conclusion. As she changed techniques by the day, she was not able to note any difference. So, when she read the book and it said that children have to be ready to seat work, she assumed that Randie was not developmentally ready. As she seemed desperate for an answer, it seemed to be a logical answer. I have seen teachers like her who read books and magazines on child development and immediately trust it without questioning its relevance to the context. As such, I strongly believe that instead of plainly relying on books and employing a thousand and one ineffective techniques, the teacher should also consider seeking support and assistance from other teachers and professionals in making a good decision.
Shron (Group A)
What could Mrs Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
I feel that Mrs Funsom could tell Randie that she has to finish a certain amount of work before she can get out of her seat. In this way, there is a gauge for Randie as to how much work she has to complete before she can get out of her seat. Another way might be to prepare Randie beforehand by letting her know that they are going to finish their class activities seated in their chairs. In this way, Randie knows what to expect from the class.
What was wrong with Mrs Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
Changing the techniques daily could act as confusion to Randie instead of helping her increase her in-seat behaviour. I feel that Mrs Funsom should come up with one plan and stick to it rather than trying out different techniques each day to see which one works best. By coming up with just one technique that she thinks is best for Randie and reinforcing it daily, I believe it would work better than changing techniques everyday as that would only confuse Randie further.
Mrs Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behaviour modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
Behaviour modification should serve as something beneficial to the child as it should help increase or decrease certain behaviour using different strategies. Hence, I feel that Mrs Funsom should pinpoint Randie’s behaviour that she wants to change. Next, she should work towards gathering information about that behaviour that she wants Randie to change/improve upon. For example, she can observe and see if this behaviour happens only when Randie is alone. After interpreting her observations, she can come up with goals she wants Randie to achieve.
pamela
group A
5. I thought that behavioral modification therapy includes providing “direct instruction; reinforcement techniques, including and tokens; punishment-oriented techniques, verbal reprimand, and time-out; behavioral contracting.” (Mather & Golstein, 2001) are the ideal techniques. Mrs Funsom had adopted several techniques, which was not effective because she was not consistent in her teaching approach. Probably she could be more observant to Randie’s particular interest. With that, provide more individualize materials, visual cues within her seat areas. This might reduce her movement in class. Also, request to the school the need of a providing professional help for Randie would help in improving her behavior.
6. I was able to identify that Mrs. Funsom was trying to use some behavioral modification approach, however she was too eager to witness the result of the approach. With constant change, Randie would not be comfortable as she will not be familiar to the techniques that changed daily. Randie might have lost respect and interest for Mrs. Funsom lesson, as her techniques varied too much-she can be nice yet mean the next day. The techniques were not consistent enough to adapt and this made her confuse, as she would not know what is expected of her in class.
7. Mrs. Funsom’s reason was an excuse because an educator should not refer to one developmental textbook and deem that her student is developmentally immature. She should also be aware that Randie is not a typical 5-year-old .She should have anticipated that Randie is definitely weaker and would have foreseen these behavioral problems arising. Knowing that Randie is not ready, the role of behavioral therapy should be an appropriate way in conditioning and providing intervention in altering her undesirable behavior or skill. However she was not consistent therefore the modification was not as effective. It is believed to allow Randie to acquire self-management skills, follow a consistent set of rules and maintain as much attention she has in class as possible.
Tiffany
Group B
Reference
Mather,N & Golstein,S. (2001). Behavioral Modification in Classroom. Retrieved on 6 September 2008 from http://www.ldonline.org/article/6030
5) One way to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior would be to provide her with her favourite object to sit on, such as a coloured cushion which she likes very much. Another way is to create a boundary for the child so that she can remain in her seat. Mrs. Funsom could also get Randie to sit next to her during lessons, so the teacher could give Randie some attention while conducting the lesson.
6) I felt that in order to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior, Mrs. Funsom had changed the techniques too frequently and abruptly. Randie would never get used to the techniques which the teacher is trying to use on her. In the case of changing techniques, Randie would think that Mrs. Funsom is playing a game and seeking attention from her in trying to see which method worked well on her. There was no routine schedule where Randie could follow, such as step-by-step daily routines in activities where she would feel safe and knows what will happen next from the activities which she is working on.
7) Some of the role of modification plays for children who are not ready to sit and listen in class will be firstly, the teacher can provide sensorial items for the child to play with such as blocks. Secondly will be to allow the child to draw and express her feelings on a paper. Thirdly, the teacher can let the child perform simple and short task at her own pace slowly. Also, she can reward the child with a pat on the shoulder or a hug if she performs well on the task. Lastly, step-by-step instructions can be given by the teacher to assist the child in completing a simple task. No, I don’t think it is an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem. Mrs. Funsom knew that Randie has such problems. She should look at Randie’s strengths and areas for improvements instead of avoiding the problem and let it be. Mrs. Funsom could suggest a language therapist to help Randie in her speech, articulation and communication. She could design activities that are easy and only requires a short period to complete to help children who cannot sit in class. Provide training of behavioral problems is another method which could be used to teach the child what she can and cannot do. Finally, Mrs. Funsom could also suggest that the parents of Randie should speak more English to her to improve Randie’s knowledge of English. If the parents need assistance in English language, perhaps they could go to the Spanish community where a language interpreter could help them.
Done by: Madeline Tan
Group B
5. What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
If Mrs. Funsom wants to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour, I feel that the basic that Mrs. Funsom should do is to cater to Randie’s learning needs and his disability. It is rather demanding for Randie to sit behind her desk to complete the tasks that is required of her. Adding on, the work that is provided to her is not developmentally appropriate. Mrs. Funsom should look for Randie’s interest and plan activities that can cater to what she is able to do, and more importantly what she is interested in.
Since she is certified as having mild mental retardation, developing an Individualised Education Plan (IEP) with professionals would definitely be beneficial to both Randie and Mrs. Funsom.
6. What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom’s changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in seat behaviour
Precisely this is why Randie is not responding well to Mrs. Funsom’s daily attempt to increase his in-seat behaviour. Besides, Mrs. Funsom’s attempts were not of the same ‘genre’. In five days, she gave her verbal reinforcement, gave her time out, provide verbal prompts, ignoring and lastly reprimanding her. Although all was with one goal of getting Randie back behind her desk, Randie might enjoy getting ignored, as from the case study we realized that she is unable to complete the same tasks as what the other children are doing, maybe hurting her self esteem that she looking for a way out. Randie might also feel frustrated with the time outs because of her inability to sit still for a period of time, and the reprimands that she is getting just because the teacher does not have an idea of what Randie is going through.
Mrs. Funsom although as much as wanting to look for the appropriate measure to solve Randie’s in-seat behaviour, her daily inconsistent attempts made Randie has no cue as to what the consequence would be if she did similar actions.
7. Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behaviour modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit on and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
I think before imposing any concrete actions on what should be done to correct children who may not be developmentally ready to sit on and listen in class, in measure with the rest of the typically developing children; an assessment should be done with the child. To find out what interests her, what exactly she is able to do, what triggers her inappropriate behaviour (the ABC method) and more importantly, how confident is she feeling in her present situation.
With this, it will be easier for the teachers to come up with solutions that can aid the child in her learning, behaviour and needs, whether or not academically or mentally. Proper positive reinforcements will be essential for the child to feel recognized and able in the classroom. More importantly, there must be a set of consistent rules that both the teachers and the child to follow.
I feel that Mrs. Funsom is not taking the extra mile for Randie to learn at her optimum. She focuses on what Randie is unable to do and tries very hard to incorporate the skills into Randie. She has not considered what Randie is interested in, and what she is able to do. Rather than blaming on the fact that Randie is not developmentally ready to sit behind a desk to complete a task that is too difficult for her, I think Mrs. Funsom should take part of the blame for not catering to Randie’s ability.
Lydia
Group A
5. I believe that one important factor that will increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour is to provide her with activities that she would enjoy and be interested in. By doing so, Randie will stay in her seat longer as she will have the motivation to complete most or all of the activity. Mrs. Funsom could also use one consistent technique to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour so that Randie is aware of what is expect of her. This would help her in behaving more appropriately. Some techniques that can be used is verbal reinforcement when Randie behaves appropriately, reward system where Randie can collect stars when she behaves appropriately. Mrs. Funsom could assign a buddy to work on the activity with Randie. This indirectly pressures Randie to remain in the seat. Mrs. Funsom could also have a teacher aide who focuses more time on Randie so that he or she can support Randie in the activity that she is to complete. This also helps to redirect Randie’s attention when it starts to drift. When Randie has finally learned to be more attentive in the activity and can remain in her seat longer, the teacher aide can slowly allow Randie to be on her own.
6. Mrs. Funsom’s techniques could work only if she stuck with one for a longer period of time. When Randie realizes that she has to behave appropriately upon getting certain responses from Mrs. Funsom, Mrs. Funsom changes the responses to her behaviours. With the changing techniques, Randie is not sure about what is expected of her in class as she is confused by the different techniques that Mrs. Funsom used. This changing of techniques might cause Randie to get even more frustrated and lead to more possibilities of inappropriate behaviour.
7. I believe that the reason why Randie is not doing her work is due to her short attention span, which is partly due to her special need, and the activity that she has no interest in. Therefore, I believe that the behaviour modification that Mrs. Funsom has employed is inappropriate for Randie and was an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem. The role of behaviour modification is to employ certain strategies to improve the behaviour of the child. Mrs. Funsom can try to simplify the instructions she gives so that Randie can better understand and follow them. She should also not expect the same from Randie of that from other children. In addition, she needs to use the same technique and strategies in teaching and guiding Randie and also reinforce and reward appropriate behaviour.
Yi En
Group A :)
5.In my opinion, firstly, Mrs. Funsom should rearrange Randie’s desk. She should either place him right in front and centre of the classroom or somewhere directly next to her. Those surrounding Randie’s desk should be well-behaved students whom can be role-model for Randie. Secondly, Mrs. Funsom should avoid providing Randie with lengthy desk-activities; instead she could modify the activity according to Randie’s level and interest. Lastly, she should also provide break and frequent opportunities for the class to get up and stretch themselves.
6.By being inconsistent in her strategies, Mrs. Funsom is just making things worst. Randie may lose his respect for his teacher as he may think that Mrs. Funsom is not serious because her reactions, instructions and rules are always changing. He may also be confused with what is expected from him in class.
7.According to KidsBehaviour (2008), “behaviour modification works by conditioning children to expect positive reactions or reinforcement to appropriate behaviour and to expect to be disciplined for inappropriate behaviour…however, behaviours should only be addressed if they are inappropriate for a child’s age or stage of development,”
Therefore, in my opinion, most importantly, Mrs. Funsom should be consistent in her strategies. After a few weeks, if Randie is still unable to sit still, her reason may be acceptable.
Nurul Izzah
Group B
5. Mrs Funsom could provide opportunities at her level so that she will be able to accomplish simple task at her level. Mrs Funsom should use respect and not benevolence by expecting her to learn, treating her with respect and challenging her at her current ability while providing support throughout her learning. Mrs Funsom can also use trials to criterion where the number of practice or instructional trials needed before Randie can respond correctly without prompts or assistance (Howard, 2006, p. 147). These may help to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour.
6. When Mrs Funsom changed techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior, she was being inconsistent in her instructions thus resulting in the ineffectiveness of the techniques implemented. Like all other children, Randie too needs consistency in instructions given so that she knows what is expected of her.
Given that she is a child with mental retardation, it will take an even longer time before she knows what is expected. According to Belmont and Ellis study (as cited in Howard, 2006, p. 146) early researchers suggested that once persons with mental retardation learned a specific item of information sufficiently to commit it to long term memory-information recalled after a period of days or weeks- they retained that info as well as persons without retardation.
In her attempt to find the best techniques that suits Randie best, she did not take into account that the inconsistency may lead to confusion for Randie.
7. Mrs. Funsom is just making excuses to avoid dealing with the problem as in the case of a child who is not developmentally ready to sit in her sit and listen in class, behaviour modification can be used to suit child’s needs. When using a reinforcer, it increases the probability of a response by presenting an observable event dependent on the response.
I believed that Randie will be able to sit and listen in class if Mrs Funsom used the behaviour modification appropriately as behavior that is positively reinforced will reoccur; intermittent reinforcement is particularly effective (Tip:Theories, n.d ).
Syafiqah
Grp A
What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
Mrs. Funsom could consider putting Randie to sit at a place where she could easily see her in all directions that she goes. Randie is different from other children, and she definitely needs more attention and reminders. Randie could have forgotten what Mrs. Funson had asked her to do at her seat. Mrs. Funsom could also try to find out the reason why Randie is moving about. This helps Mrs. Funsom to prevent Randie from getting into the same situation. For example, Randie could be avoiding her work because she finds it hard to complete, or she could be trying to get attentions. Mrs. Funsom could also try giving Randie different color cards to be used when she wants to request for something. For example, instead of moving out of her seat, Randie can put a red card on her table to represent that she needs help in her work, or a blue card when she wants to make a request to go to the toilet, and other colors for other common requests that Randie might make.
What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
Mrs. Funsom’s changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior is confusing her. Randie would not know what kind of reactions would be given to her when she leaves her seat. Sometimes she gets reprimanded. While sometimes, she gets away easily. Not just Randie, towards every child, we should be consistent in our strategies, especially disciplinary. Children need to know what are the consequences for the things they do. In spite of this, it has to be done continuously and consistently. If we want to use “time out” as a disciplinary method for a child who snatches toys, every time this child snatches toy, he or she must be sent to a corner for “time out”. There should not be exceptions. Also, we have to be careful not to make these disciplinary methods something that the child would enjoy.
Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behavior modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
Perhaps Mrs. Funsom could prepare another arrangement to prevent Randie from moving away from her seat. For example, letting Randie choose her favorite corner. This corner can be designed in a way that it is of Randie’s liking, and that she would feel comfortable in. Mrs. Funsom could also encourage Randie to be at her seat, and provide her some rewards if she could do it during the lesson. Maybe, Mrs. Funsom could even make it flexible for Randie, as long as she stays at her seat, weather sitting or standing, and she completes her work, she will be rewarded.
I feel that Mrs. Funsom’s reason is not an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem. She did put in the effort of trying out different techniques and strategies every day. However, she needs to understand that she has to be consistent with those techniques and strategies. Moreover, she took the effort to do her readings, hoping to find the best solution for Randie’s behavior. As a result, I feel that Mrs. Funsom is not trying to avoid the problem, but instead, left with no choice, but to believe in the book that she had read, to wait for Randie to be developmentally ready to sit in her chair.
Woo HuiJing, Evon
Group A
Qns 5. What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
I found a interesting article online which talk about using therapy balls to increase in-seat behaviour for children with ADHD (Schilling, Washington, Billingsly & Deitz, 2003). Base on their research, they found that the use of these therapy balls – which has molded feet so that the balls will not roll away – facilitate in-seat behaviour. I feel that this strategy can be adopted in into Mrs. Funsom’s classroom as Randie is often on the move – distracted by other things or talking to other children.
Another way is to provide praises for the child verbally and through the reward system. As Randie appear to have difficulty remembering what happened previously, teacher can also offer stars and make comments so that Randie can refer back to the reward chart subsequently and recall what positive behaviour was displayed.
Qns 6. What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in seat behaviour?
Mrs. Funsom is right to reflect on her practices and make changes to ensure that Randie is receiving what is suitable for her. However, this can be done on a weekly basis or even longer. By changing her practices everyday, it leads to an inconsistent learning environment for Randie. As a result, Randie may not be able to see the connection between her actions and the teacher’s.
Qns. 7. Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behaviour modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
Behaviour modification is actually the use of basic learning techniques such as conditioning, giving feedback and reinforcing to modify a human’s behaviour. In this case, this can be done through short storytelling or role playing using things that are related to the classroom. I feel that Mrs. Funsom’s reason is an excuse to avoid further dealing with the problem which she may be feeling helpless about.
Schilling, O. L., Washington, K., Billingsley,F.F., & Deitz, J. (2003). Classroom seating for children
with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Therapy balls versus chairs. American Journal of
Occupational Therapy, 57, 534-541. (http://www.ateachabout.com/pdf/ClassroomSeatingUsingBalls.pdf)
Question 5
Mrs Funsom could make use of positive reinforcements to encourage Randie in achieving the in-seat behaviour. As Randie seems to be immature for her age, small tokens like stickers, erasers or pencils may be ideal as reinforcements. Besides that, Mrs Funsom could also work out a sticker reward chart for Randie, each time gaining a sticker when she is able to sit in her seat for at least 5 minutes. At the end of each week, the total number of stickers can be tallied and Randie can be rewarded with a small token like a colouring book to encourage her good behaviour in the future.
Question 6
The key here is consistency. Mrs Funsom was not consistent with her techniques in attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour. According to The UPS of Downs.com (2008), it is stated that everyone “should be aware of need for consistency” when working with children with Down syndrome. By changing her techniques everyday, Randie is not able to identify a consistent pattern or trend that Mrs Funsom is using, which may therefore explain Randie’s inability to sit in her seat for a longer period of time. Mrs Funsom could start off with sticking to a technique for one entire week, and slowly allow Randie to get the hang of it, before switching to another technique some time later, when Randie shows signs of improvement.
Question 7
Mrs Funsom could modify her requirements for Randie in a way that it should try and suit Randie’s situation, and not to be too rigid in her requirements. Behaviour modification for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class can take its form by starting off and allowing them to sit wherever they like and subsequently encouraging them to sit at a designated place. Once there is any improvement, a reward should be given to encourage the good improvement (sticker reward chart). This strategy may work for Randie and act as an encouragement for her, which can also allow for operant conditioning to take place. I feel that Mrs Funsom’s reason could possibly an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem, it could just be a case of over frustration, not seeing any results despite multiple attempts to help Randie. If Mrs Funsom were to change her strategies in trying to encourage the in-seat behaviour, things may work well for Randie.
Reference:
The UPS of Downs.com (2008) Down Syndrome Support For Families, Teaching Pupils With Down Syndrome, retrieved on 5th September 2008, from, http://www.littleangels.gbr.cc/10103/info.php?p=12&pno=0
Josephine Wong
Group B
5. What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
Mrs. Funsom could choose to use just one to two techniques consistently, especially those which feedback to Randie what she needs to do and what she has done well in.
6. What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
By changing techniques daily, Randie may get confused about what she should do or should not do. That is because, for example, on day one, praise and encouragement lets her know what she is doing right, whereas time-out and ignoring her behaviour on other days makes it unclear for Randie as to what kind of behaviour is expected of her. Thus, the inconsistency in the use of techniques over a week may have made Randie confused about the kind of behaviour she needs to display, and thus also makes it difficult for Mrs Funsom to determine exactly which technique was effective since each was only used for a day.
7. Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behaviour modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
Behaviour modification should play the role of a facilitator who works step-by-step with a child who may not be ready to sit and listen in class, by starting with a duration of time to sit and listen that is achievable by the child, and then moving on to longer periods. Thus, in my opinion, Mrs Funsom’s reason that Randie was not ready to sit in her seat was an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem as even though Randie could not remain in her seat for more than three to four minutes at a time, especially when she is tasked with pre-academic work. However, with behaviour modification, three minutes as duration for sitting could be a starting objective for improving Randie’s in-seat behavior, as it is possible, with a consistent method to improve on her in-seat behaviour. Therefore, I feel that Mrs Funsom’s reason that Randie was not developmentally ready was an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem.
Abigail, Group B
Questions to Case Study 20
Question 5
Mrs. Funsom could have made use interesting activities that interest Randie in order for her to seat longer at the desk to complete a task. Rather then providing other materials that all the other children are working on but does not hold Randie’s interest. She can also make use of items that Randie is interested in for example; Randie’s own personal mat can have a picture that she likes or an interesting item at Randie’s desk that can hold her attention to stay at the seat longer.
Question 6
The use of different techniques by Mrs. Funsom on a daily basis was wrong as it confused Randie on what behavior to display when requested to be seated. Randie did not have constant positive reinforcement instead she received mixed signals and responses from Mrs. Funsom which caused Randie to continue to move away from her seat. She could have tried one or two techniques over one or two month and see the changes instead of trying 5 different techniques in a week. She had to understand that changes in a child do not take place so quickly over a span of one week.
Question 7
Behavior modification should still be done to support the needs of a child who is not developmentally ready. The child physical being will still be growing at a regular rate though the mental and emotional stages will not but that does not mean the child should not be given the change to develop normally to be developmentally ready. I feel that Mrs. Funsom has tried her best she knows hold although they may not be the best methods to use to work with Randie. She is feeling discouraged that she has not seen any changes in Randie, hence providing a reason to avoid working with Randie’s problem.
Charlane Lee
Group A
5) What could Mrs Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
•Provide Randie with more interesting and hands-on task instead of just worksheets
•Collaborate with parents- find out about Randie’s interest and increasing in-seat behaviour when attempting homework at home
•Place Randie in-front of teacher- increase receptiveness of instructions and easier supervision of work
•Therapy ball- Randie has to constantly adjust herself to stay balanced and it helps in focusing of attention and eliminating big uncontrolled movements. (Mauro, 2008)
•Positive Reinforcements- When Randie is able to stay on task for 5 mins, she gets a star stamp on her reward chart. Teacher may provide a timer for Randie so that she can easily predict the duration. Duration may increase progressively.
•After Randie stayed on task for 5 mins, she gets 5 mins of free choice time which she can choose between the learning corners and activities.
6) What was wrong with Mrs Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
•Not consistent- the techniques changed before Randie could even adapt to the technique that Mrs Funsom has used for the day.
•Randie may be confused with the expectations from Mrs Funsom
•Children need consistent and reliable routines and rules to feel secure and safe (Ehrlich, 2004)
•Changing techniques may result in negative behaviour as children do not feel comfortable in class
•Mrs Funsom should allow some time (i.e. 2 weeks) to experiment each technique, she should always start positively, believing that Randie will show improvements gradually
7) Mrs Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behaviour modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
•Behaviour modification plays a major role for children who seem not to be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class.
•The techniques that Mrs Funsom has employed tie in with behaviour modification whereby direct instructions, positive reinforcement and verbal reprimands are used.
•For children who are deem not ready to sit and listen in class, more positive encouragements instead of reprimands should be given.
•When Randie is able to sit and listen in class for a reasonable period of time, she receives positive reinforcement as mentioned above, she will most likely want to sit and listen the next time round.
•Mrs Funsom’s reason should not be an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem.
•If Mrs Funsom does not believe in Randie’s ability to behave better in-seat, Randie will never get to learn how to do it.
•Instead of settling with the reason of Randie not developmentally ready, she should focus on her own reflection of the strategies that she can use to help Randie.
•This could in the long run benefit Randie as well as the whole class.
Ng Shi Yun Gladys
Group A
Reference List
Ehrlich, Mark. (2004). Raising Successful Children: Strategies for Behavior and Discipline. Retrieved September 3, 2008 from http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/aod/Parenting.htm
Mauro, Terri. (2008). Special Needs Children: Five Ways to Help your Child Sit Still. Retrieved September 3, 2008 from http://specialchildren.about.com/od/behavioranddiscipline/tp/seatingplans.htm
Q5: What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
She could start off by getting Randie to stay seated for a short period of time, then slowly getting her to stay seated for a longer period of time. The activities which Mrs. Funsom provides for Randie can be those which are targeted at her interests and readiness level. Thus, she will be more motivated and encouraged to complete the task within the stipulated time while remained in her seat. A “special” seat could also be given to Randie so that she is away from distractions. The seat should not be a punishment, but rather a modification made in the class for her. Randie could also be seated close to Mrs. Funsom during storytelling or when she has to do work at her desk.
Q6: What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
Changing techniques daily gives Randie mixed signals. She does not know if what she’s doing is right or wrong, and the feedback which Mrs. Funsom gives does not assert the fact as every day, her responses and actions differ. In this way, Randie gets confused, and will not be able to sustain her in-seat behavior in any way. If Mrs. Funsom had a constant way of responding to Randie’s in-seat behavior; for example providing verbal reinforcements, Randie would more likely to react to that as she knows that she will be praised without fail if she was able to stay in her seat and complete a task.
Q7: Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behavior modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
Behavior modification should be targeted at the child’s level of readiness and behavior problems, and from there, derive a solution or strategy to help the child learn and improve and decrease the occurrences of the behavioral problem which he or she exhibits. Thus, I would think that Mrs. Funsom’s reason could be an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem as she was unable to cope and deal with it. She was not able to seek a solution which would work with Randie and had therefore used it as an excuse to cover her problems with Randie.
Amanda Liew
Group A
Qn.5)
She could try using a “First & Then” system to get Randie to understand that there is a sequence in which he would have to follow when doing tasks, and that when he completes one, he would then be able to move on to the next activity, promoting predictability. Besides that, she could also use positive reinforcements such as rewarding his good behaviours or commending Randie when he is able to keep good in-seat behaviour for a certain amount of time. This may gradually increase as Randie’s attention span may increase as well.
(Qn.6)
All children need a sense of predictability in order to feel comfortable as they would be empowered and know what was the next task to be done. With Mrs. Funsom changing strategies so often, Randie does not get the opportunity to get used to the methods applied, and hence gives rejection to the ideas. This is relation to the fact that Randie may feel threatened because he is “not in control” of the situation.
(Qn.7)
Modification would somewhat help to alter the behaviour of one and help gain reactions from that person, through the use of positive and negative reinforcement. It may help to reduce negative behaviours and could be a stepping stone whereby those children can pick up appropriate skills from. The replacement of certain expectations would calm the children down and also work with the child’s current level of attention span and interests.
Also, I feel that the reason that Mrs. Funsom gave could also be an excuse to deal with the problem. However, we should also realize that Randie has slight mental retardation and the average teacher would also have much difficulty in managing him. Besides that, Mrs. Funsom may have become desperate and felt she was out of strategies to help Randie because she had already tried a whole lot of methods to try help him.
Done by Jasmine Chua
Q5. What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
To increase Randie’s in – seat behavior, Mrs Funsom could perhaps implement a technique over a period of time, evaluate the results that the technique yields and change it if it is not increasing Randie’s in –seat behavior. And Mrs Funsom could also probably implement a reward system with the use of charts whereby Randie will get to paste stickers of maybe her favorite cartoon characters on it when she exhibits good seating behavior. Another way is to also plan activities that are of Randie’s interests so that Randie will be intrigued and engaged during activity time.
Q6. What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
Children with special needs require consistency and predictability in their daily learning schedules. The lack of consistency will also caused Randie to be confused and thus results in her uncooperativeness. And the changing of techniques daily will no doubt yield negative results of Randie’s in – seat behavior.
Q7. Mrs Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behavior modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
The role of behavior modification is to implementing strategies to work towards the desired behavior of a child. And it includes reinforcements. Instead of avoiding the problem, I feel that Mrs Funsom could set simple and realistic goals for Randie so that it will be achievable for Randie, which will in turn encourage Mrs Funsom in helping Randie in greater measures.
Chan Liming Elaine
(Group B)
Pearlyn Tan
Group B
Case #20- Randie
Qn5. What could Mrs. Funson do to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
In order to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour, I would recommend the following:
To continue using positive reinforcement such as praises or hugs whenever a positive behaviour is displayed by Randie including being able to stay in-seat for even a few minutes.
To always prepare Randie for the next activity by giving her short and simple instructions about 5 minutes before the start of the next activity. Alternatively, pictorial instructions can also be used as she is not that familiar with verbal language as yet.
Allow Randie to bring a favourite item such a soft toy with her when required to seat at the desk. It can act as an accompany for her at the seat. Alternatively, the favourite item can also be seated on a seat beside her so that she feels that she can do the same as her favourite item.
Place a timer at the seat and tell that she can only leave her seat only after the bell has rang. Start with 3 minutes then 5 minutes and so on. Allow her to get used to staying in-seat before getting her to sit for a longer period of time.
Label the seat with her name or picture so that she feels a sense of belonging and want to seat on the chair. Alternatively, children can be asked to decorate their own chairs with stickers to encourage them to stay in-seat.
Seat her as near to the teacher as possible.
Provide more engaging concrete activities that Randie can work on as compared to the provision of worksheet.
Qn6. What was wrong with Mrs. Funson changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
It will result in a lack of consistency in Mrs. Funson’s reaction towards Randie’s behaviour. Prior to that, Randie will be unsure of what the teacher expects from her. For instance, the teacher ignores her today but scolds her on another for the same behaviour. On top of that, Randie will be wondering, does it mean that she’s right/wrong when the behaviour is ignored?; does it mean that she will get attention when she does that behaviour?; or does it mean that I am wrong when I am scolded?.
Qn.7 Mrs Funson remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behaviour modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funson’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
Behaviour modification will help in preparing the children to seat through a gradual progress from say 3mintues to 5 minutes then slowly to maybe half an hour. I felt that that is not an excuse to run away from the problem as every teacher should have a responsibility of helping every child that is going to be left under their care. Moreover, if every teacher that Randie runs into has similar mindsets, she will then be unable to learn how to stay in-seat even when she’s older. Perhaps, Mrs. Funson could work with Randie’s parents and find out if there were situations whereby Randie would stay in-seat outside of school. This might help her in developing strategies that can help Randie in class.
5) Instead of just focusing on how Mrs Funsom should respond when Randie gets off her seat, Mrs Funsom can make changes to the activities or class work that are given to her. Activities that are interesting and fun would help capture her attention and interest, and prevent her from being distracted easily. Activities and class work provided to Randie should be within her abilities and limits. Simple roles and responsibilities can be assigned to Randie so as to cultivate a sense of responsibility and belonging to the classroom. Positive reinforcements like verbal praises can be used consistently to recognize her effort.
6) I think that Mrs Funsom’s attempt to change techniques daily is ineffective, as inconsistency will cause Randie to be confused. Instead of placing Randie at time out on the second day, Mrs Funsom should respond like how she did on the first day, recognizing Randie’s effort through verbal praises. I feel that her technique used on day four which was to ignore Randie on her out of seat behavior could be inappropriate. As Randie see that no attention was given to her when she gets out of her seat, she might perceive that the teacher is neglecting her. Lastly, by reprimanding her on the fifth day, Randie might not understand why is she being reprimanded for, since on day four Mrs Funsom did not seem to respond to her off seat behvaiour. Thus, this shows that inconsistency is ineffective.
7) Behavior modification helps children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class by making use of behaviour change techniques to demonstrate and improve behavior. It is to reinforce one’s behaviour or reaction through the use of positive/negative reinforcement or to reduce behaviour through the use of postive/negative punishment. I think that Mrs Funsom’s reason is just an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem. Mrs Funsom can make use of strategies to help Rendie to improve her on-seat behavior. Although Rendie is not developmentally ready to do so, Mrs Funsom can still guide Rendie in working towards it. Thus, Mrs Funsom should not just ignore Rendie if she gets off her seat, but to continue using the appropriate strategies to help her through.
Wikipedia (2008). Behavior Modification. Retrived 4 Sep, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavior_modification
Hung Yirong (Jasmine)
Group A
5. What could Mrs. Funsom do to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
By providing activities of Randie’s interest and developmental level, I believe Randie’s in-seat behavior could be increased. Another possible suggestion would be to have a short span of time-frame for Randie as compared to her peers. For example, for every 5 minutes of continuous work done, Randie can take 2 minutes break to work off her energy.
6. What was wrong with Mrs. Funsom changing techniques daily in an attempt to increase Randie’s in-seat behavior?
By constantly changing techniques, there is no reinforcement of previous techniques which will, in turn, lead to an unpredicted and inconsistent environment. All children need a predictable and consistent environment where they can feel secured, especially in the case of children like Randie. Also, changing techniques daily doesn’t allow enough time for Randie to learn how to react to the technique employed. It might lead her to feel frustration and low confidence/self-esteem.
7. Mrs. Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behavior modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs. Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problems?
Behavior modification should outline expectations and attainable goals (rewards) for Randie when she meets the expectations – not rules and regulations.
Laura Tan
Group A
Q5 What could Mrs Funsom do to increase Randie’s in seat behavior?
Mrs Funsom could perhaps give Randie some positive reinforcement and praises when she seats at her desk and does her work. Alternatively, Mrs Funsom could ensure that the materials that she provides are engaging and they are to Randie’s level so that Randie would not get frustrated or loses interest easily.
Q6. What was wrong with Mrs Funsom changing techniques daily to increase Randie’s in-seat behaviour?
I think Mrs Funsom was too inconsistent with her techniques. As a result, Randie was confused as Mrs Funsom would sometimes give her encouragement and prompts on one day and then reprimand and ignore her on some day. Hence, Randies does not know what the teacher expects of her and is confused by her teacher;s inconsistency.
Q7. Mrs Funsom remarked that Randie was not developmentally ready to sit in her seat. What role should behavior modification play for children who may not be developmentally ready to sit and listen in class? Is Mrs Funsom’s reason an excuse to avoid dealing with the problem?
I feel that Mrs Funsom’s reason of Randie not being able to sit in her seat is merely an excuse. I think if Mrs Funsom were to conduct activities to suit her needs; eg. shorter lessons, interesting and engaging hands on activity that is to Randie’s development level, Randie would be able to sit at her seat.
michelle tan yi ni
group a
Post a Comment