Group contingencies are evidence-based behavioral interventions frequently employed in educational settings. Group contingencies are composed of four distinct parameters: (1) a criterion, (2) a reward, (3) target students, and (4) target behaviors. Although it is common practice for teachers to reveal these parameters to students before the…

Classroom teachers are responsible for providing high-quality instruction to multiple students simultaneously. When students engage in problem behaviors, instructional quality and instructional time may be negatively impacted. A multiple schedule of reinforcement is a behavioral intervention strategy that allows teachers to signal to students…

Classroom management systems (CMS) are class-wide strategies that teachers use to keep students on task, attentive, and academically engaged. This review provides teachers an overview of eight effective and socially valid CMSs that are aligned with school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS). The goal is to provide teachers…

This article extends Dr. Bob Remington's call for collaborations between those supporting behavioral approaches and those supporting more natural developmental approaches to beginning communication intervention. This article expands areas previously discussed by Dr. Remington. Topics that are addressed include pivotal behaviors that may facilitate…

Research has suggested that students from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds (e.g., students of color and those with disabilities) have received higher rates of exclusionary discipline (e.g., suspensions and expulsions) than their peers who are White and without disability. Various interventions have been implemented to address this…

This article provides an overview of how reinforcement serves as the foundation for a function-based approach to support students with challenging behavior. Understanding reinforcement is essential when providing function-based support for students with challenging behavior. Reinforcement "strengthens" behavior, increasing the…

The school-age population of students is becoming increasingly more culturally and linguistically diverse. There is mounting recognition that English Learners (EL) represent a unique group of students who have special educational and linguistic needs. This article considered the needs of learners with diverse special needs such as (a) learning and…

Many teachers struggle with effectively managing challenging behavior, which occurs in the majority of classrooms serving young children. Teachers of young children (ages 3-8) commonly cite noncompliance, aggression, disruptive behavior, and poor social skills as being among the most challenging behaviors (Snell et al., 2012). For many of these…

The use of extinction procedures or the discontinuation of reinforcement following a behavior targeted for reduction is often used to enhance the efficacy of behavioral interventions. Unfortunately, the application of extinction procedures is associated with several side effects that can produce potentially harmful and counterproductive outcomes.…

Many teachers struggle with implementing self-help eating goals for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). No group programs exist to target this important problem. We used findings from applied behavior analysis research and adapted single-subject interventions into a group-based eating program. In describing the program using two…

Research suggests that many children with ASD are visual learners (Quill, 1997) and may struggle to comprehend expectations presented in a verbal mode only. Visually structured interventions present choices, expectations, tasks, and communication exchanges in a way that is appealing and approachable for visual learners. There are many types of…

Group contingencies are effective classroom-based interventions that can be used to increase the academic engagement of students with disabilities. This article defines and outlines examples of dependent, independent, and interdependent group contingencies. In addition, tips for success, including making reinforcement accessible to students,…

Behavior management issues may impede learning in physical education (PE), yet there is a paucity of evidence-based behavior-management programs studied in the PE environment to assist PE teachers to be better prepared to handle these issues. Classwide-function intervention teams (CW-FIT) is a group contingency procedure for managing student…

Children with ADHD comprise one of the most common groups requiring supports from school mental health providers, yet current school structures and special education policies are not optimally situated to support and adapt to the inconsistent behaviors that are the hallmark of children with ADHD. The present paper reviews the evidence base for…

Social Stories[TM] are an intervention widely used with individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This paper discusses a possible theoretical rationale that might account for the purported efficacy of Social Stories[TM]. Attributes of individuals with ASD in relation to Social Story intervention including difficulties with theory of mind…