Managing Off Task Behavior - Weebly



Managing Off Task Behavior10 SPED Fall 2013Landri Vogelsang7/16/2014One of the most common behaviors in which educators refer students to school support personnel is “off-task” behaviors. Off-task behavior can have several different meanings, functions, and consequences depending on the situation. What may be off-task to one student may not be considered off-task for another student. Off-task behavior can look different from classroom to classroom as well. According to Maura Roberts from the National Association of School Psychologists, off-task behavior can be defined as students who are “inattentive, distractible, and/or fail to complete assignments”. In order for students to be successful in the classroom, teachers must identify the off-task behavior efficiently and effectively. There are procedures and classroom management strategies that will help increase on-task behavior and reduce off-task behavior. Off-task behavior will always have a function. Students functions of the behaviors will vary and they can include attention (from peers or adults; positive or negative), escape/avoid, multiple functions, or intrinsic/internal. Some examples of off-task behavior can include talking, walking around, looking out a window, doodling, fidgeting, refusing, etc. Educators will need to be aware of students who are exhibiting these behaviors and respond appropriately. Before any off-task behavior even occurs, educators should be proactive in preventing these behaviors by implementing certain classroom strategies. Educators who focus on making their instruction orderly, predictable, and highly motivating find they can generally hold the attention of most of their students most of the time (Gettinger, M., 1998). It is important for educators to keep in mind that the learning environment may help decrease off-task behavior if structured in a way where an educator is proactive in structuring his/her classroom for on-task behaviors. The table below suggests some strategies for educators to implement to be proactive in seeking on-task behaviors:StrategyExampleGet student attention before giving directionsEstablish eye contact, use their name, give cues to whole class instruction, wait for all eyes and ears to be on youParticipation in classKeep students guessing, randomly call on students, expect participation from all students at any given timeProximity ControlCirculate around the room during whole group, stand/sit near an individual student while giving directions/engaging in conversationClear DirectionsGood pace, variety of ways (written, verbal, visual), in language that is understood, break down multi-step directions when needed, ask questions for understandingGiving choicesHave students choose certain activities (increase participation/engagement therefore eliminating off-task behavior)Instruct at appropriate paceEducator fully prepared for lesson, fill up unstructured time, teach at a pace that students can handle Make activity stimulating Students who are highly interested in activity tend to have less off-task behaviors, provide “real-world” examples, relate to the students, individualize instruction to help certain studentsPay attention to on-task studentPraise those who are on-task, find opportunities when typically off-task students are on-taskProvide a quiet work areaHave a quiet “workspace” where students can go to complete assignments, have headphones, very little to no distractions in work area (e.g. windows, objects not necessary for work completion, etc.)Attention breaksAllow breaks to increase attention, involve movement, provide frequently when possibleAppropriate length of assignmentsEnsure the assignment isn’t too long, covers what is needed to assess understanding, make assignments easy to read, modify as neededUse peak attention timesBe aware of attention times throughout the day (e.g. some students have better focus in the morning and lose focus in afternoon)Transition quicklyMake transitions efficient, practice transition routines at beginning of the year to make them habits, foreshadow transitions, provide verbal/non- verbal promptsProvide schedule of dayHave a visual schedule of each day on the board and/or students desk, refer to schedule throughout the dayPreferential seating Have students with difficulties with off-task behaviors sit near the front or where the educator spends the majority time when giving large group instructionWhen an educator starts off the school year by implementing these strategies, there is a good possibility that they will see more on-task behaviors than off-task behaviors. After an educator has implemented the above listed strategies, there may be some students who are still displaying off-task behaviors. When this occurs an educator must use procedures to identify the cause of the off-task behavior and these can include a functional behavior assessment (FBA) and/or curriculum based assessment (CBA). When educators begin using a FBA, they are identifying the function (purpose) of the problem behavior by examining the events related to its occurrence (Roberts, M. 2001). This information can help educators identify some triggers or antecedents that happen before a student displays the off-task behavior. Often times data is taken over a certain period of time to help see a pattern in the behavior. For example a student may leave his seat several times during class. When data is taken, an educator can gain a more specific understanding of why this is occurring. For this particular student, he was getting out of his seat right before recess occurred. He was becoming restless and was sitting too long. The educator implemented a sensory break or movement break 30 minutes before recess. This helped eliminate the need for the student to get out of his seat right before recess. When educators conduct a FBA, it helps address the identified function of the behavior therefore reducing the amount of on-task behaviors.In addition to a FBA, educators may also want to consider incorporating a curriculum based assessment (CBA). A CBA is a direct measurement process that uses the student’s curriculum to determine current and ongoing performance (Roberts, M., 2001). This procedure is reliable, valid, requires short administration times, is sensitive to student growth over brief periods, uses same academic materials that influence the problem behavior in the classroom, and can be used to determine student performance levels within the curriculum (Roberts, M., 2001). The performance levels then represents the functional relationship between a student’s academic skills and curriculum material. When the curriculum is too difficult in relation to the student’s academic skills, educators may see an increase in off-task behaviors. It is important for educators to keep in mind that students learn best when taught at their instructional level and to keep in mind that the curriculum may have an effect on a student’s off-task behavior. According to Dr. Roberts from the University of Oregon, the following is an example of how a teacher would use the FBA and CBA to identify the function of an off-task behavior:Phase 1: Descriptive AnalysisA problem identification interview to find out:Operational definition (what is the “off-task” behavior)Context of the problem (when does it occur)Antecedents and consequences (what happens before and after)Curriculum and instruction sequenceStudent’s current level of performanceDirect Observations to conduct an “ABC” analysisRecord antecedents to behavior in academic and non- academic activitiesRecord amount of behavior Record consequence of behavior Administer CBA measures to determine instructional and frustrational performance levels (brief academic tests derived from the curriculum used)Formulate a hypotheses about the function of the off-task behavior: attention, escape/avoidance, multiple functions, or intrinsic/internal Phase 2: Functional Analysis: experiment with different instructional conditions and collect dataRecord antecedents to behavior under different conditionsRecord amount of off-task behavior observedRecord consequences of behavior (escape, teacher avoidance, peer attention, etc.)Compare behavioral outcomes under different academic demands to identify most effective intervention strategies When educators incorporate both the FBA and CBA a more thorough investigation of the off-task behavior is done and therefore it will produce a more accurate result in identifying the function of the behavior. This may take a little longer than simply imposing a reward/consequence for the behavior, however it address the underlying reason as to why the student is displaying the off-task behavior and the end result will be eliminating that behavior rather than covering up the behavior. Every off-task behavior will look different for each student and will have a different function. Educators must be aware that these behaviors can occur in every student and therefore must have a plan in place to be proactive to help decrease these behaviors. This can be done at the beginning of the year and then changed depending on the classroom. When educators are prepared, have efficient and effective teaching strategies, incorporate activities that engage students, have movement within the class, and be aware of what is going on in the classroom, there is a better chance of on-task behaviors. In addition, educators may need to provide more individualized instruction to those students who still display off-task behaviors after the initial strategies are in place. An educator my incorporate a FBA and CBA to help identify what the function of the behavior is and therefore determine what other techniques or strategies must be incorporated to help that particular student. Off-task behavior can be a high frequency behavior in several students but when an educator is proactive those behaviors can be reduced even before they begin. ReflectionFrom being in the classrooms I would have to agree that off-task behavior is one of the most common behaviors seen. I have seen so many forms of off-task behavior and some students are really good at looking like they are doing what they are supposed to be doing. The one thing that I have learned is to be consciously aware of the classroom and what is going on. It is very easy to get wrapped up in your content in which you are teaching that you forget to look at your surroundings. I have noticed that looking at the class, walking around, and asking questions greatly increase your awareness as a teacher. I really like the idea of incorporating the FBA and CBA into your assessment when trying to figure out the function of the behavior. It may take more time but I think it’s thorough and will save time in the long run. We sometimes are to focused on strictly the FBA part and forget about the CBA part. I will definitely incorporate the CBA part into my assessments.Sources Cited Gettinger, M. (1998). Methods of proactive classroom management. School Psychology Review, 17, 227-242. Web.Roberts, Maura. (2001). Off-Task Behavior in the Classroom: Applying FBA and CBM. National Association of School Psychologists and the Guidance Channel. Web.U.S. Department of Education (2004). Teaching children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Instructional strategies and practices. Web. ................
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