Behavior Management A Practical Approach for Educators

This eighth edition ofBehavior Management: A Practical Approach for Educatorshas been revised to improve its usability and readability. Revisions are based on developments in the field of behavior management reported in the literature since the original manuscript was written 27 years ago and on feedback from many professionals, students, and reviewers. During the past three decades, the proliferation of behavior management philosophies, techniques, and instructional methodologies has increased the complexity of the educator's responsibilities and functions. New information is being published almost daily on the various perspectives of human behavior, including the behavioral, psychodynamic, biophysical, and environmental points of view that are discussed in this text. Revisions in the text are, in large part, a result of direct and indirect feedback from many undergraduate and graduate students of education, from general and special education teachers participating in in-service programs, from professional colleagues, and from reviewers who have studied previous editions. The text is written to provide a practical guide to experienced teachers, teachers-in-preparation, parents, and paraprofessionals for applying behavior management techniques both in general and special educational settings and in the home. It is designed to help teachers working in self-contained classes and resource programs, teachers engaging in itinerant and consultative services, and preschool, elementary, and secondary school teachers having responsibility for a diverse population of students. The text may be used for preservice and in-service courses and as a self-study guide. It has also been found to be of significant help to parents and parent educators. Chapter 1 includes a definition of behavior management and a discussion of the ethical application of behavior management interventions, including the principles of normalization, fairness, and respect; the federal laws governing services for persons, especially children, with disabilities; and techniques for the individualization of instruction and related services. The chapter contains information on the most current revisions of federal laws governing the education of learners with disabilities. Chapter 2 is devoted to models for understanding human behavior--including the psychodynamic, biophysical, environmental, and behavioral--and teacher effectiveness guidelines. The chapter uses an integrative ecological framework to coordinate the extant perspectives into a manageable assessment-intervention model of human behavior. Chapter 3 focuses on the principles of behavior modification, the consequences of behavior, and schedules of reinforcement. Each of the five principles is discussed and exemplified. The consequences of behavior include positive reinforcement, extinction, negative reinforcement, and punishment. The chapter concludes with a discussion of fixed and variable ratio and interval schedules of reinforcement. Chapter 4 reviews the steps in the behavior change process. It discusses selecting behaviors to be changed, collecting and recording preintervention or baseline data, identifying reinforcers, implementing interventions, collecting and recording intervention data, and evaluating the effects of the behavior change process. The chapter includes several methods for selecting potentially effective reinforcers, including preference scales and lists, child parent and teacher interviews, and direct observation. A chapter supplement includes an extensive list of potential reinforcers for use in school. Chapter 5 presents, in detail, methods for increasing behavior. These include positive reinforcement, shaping, contingency contracting, token economy, and modeling. A supplement containing sample contract forms follows the chapter. Chapter 6 is an extensive discussion of methods for decreasing behavior, includingWalker, James Edwin is the author of 'Behavior Management A Practical Approach for Educators', published 2003 under ISBN 9780131105492 and ISBN 0131105493.