Methods

1. Can the use of goal setting help an unmotivated student achieve small successes and therefore encourage more self-regulation? Abstract Discussion Results An eight-year-old female Caucasian student has a problem staying on task. As she is now in third grade, her behavior has begun to affect her academic standing and her grades. Keeping her focused long enough to listen and follow directions by using goal setting intervention and self-monitoring of her behavior was examined. Reinforcing this desired behavior, the improvement in her ability to listen, will permit her to follow directions and complete her work instead of asking and talking with others or aimlessly walking around the classroom. The use of Cognitive behavior management is a valuable tool for helping students reach their academic and social potentials (Crum, 2004). • appreciated by student, but again the length of time makes it difficult to determine if during a longer period, student would react in the same manner. After observing student in media center and classroom, it became obvious that she often was distracted and off-task and didn’t seem to have any self-regulation. Her ability to listen to teacher instructions was diminished by this behavior, and therefore her grades were being affected. After observations of the student in both her normal classroom setting and media center setting took place, it was determined that the student spent approximately 38 percent of her time distracted and not listening. This amounted to too much of her daily time, and it was determined to intervene using behavior modifications. The use of behavior modifications is taught to individuals who then use them to change their own behavior (Driscoll, 2005). Using a 5 minute timer and a recording sheet, at certain intervals throughout the day, student would determine her behavior and mark accordingly. At the end of the day, student discussed her overall progress with her teacher, who set goals and rewards for improvement. Student seems to become interested in the rewards that were offered for improvement, and showed encouraging signs that she would work towards receiving more. • Limitations • The length of observations to two weeks is not enough time to determine if student’s behavior was chronic. • The introduction of rewards for on-task behavior was greatly • Off-task behavior baseline data indicates student spends an average of 36% of her time distracted. • After introducing self-monitoring modifications to assist and offering small rewards for its use, student’s off-task average was reduced to 28%. • Student was very enthusiastic towards the use of rewards. She constantly wanted to know what she was going to “get” for participating. Methods Off-Task Behavior after intervention Off-Task Behavior prior to intervention • The student comes to the media center for one 45-minute lesson per week. In class with her regular teacher and during her media lesson time, she was frequently off task and distracted. The teachers attempted to keep her on task by using both negative/positive reinforcements. She did not receive any specific support or instruction on how to accomplish receiving either. • Determined, by observations, how often student was off task. On-task behavior was measured during her media-lesson time and during morning work in her classroom. She was judged to be on task if she engaged independently on the following behaviors (a) sustained eye contact with the teacher during instructions, (b) proper seated position. Off task behavior consisted of (a) out of seat without teacher permission, (b) inactive (sitting and waiting passively), (c) playing with objects, and (d) talking out/noise. • With the intended goal of increasing the length of time student stayed engaged, a recording was used to measure the percentage of on-task behavior to use as baseline data. A behavior-recording sheet was used to determine how often during teacher delivered instruction time student stayed on-task. • Introduced to student self-monitoring activities. Encouraged student to monitor behavior every 5 minutes throughout certain times of the day to determine if she was on/off task. Small rewards were offered to encourage positive modifications Conclusions • With self-monitoring intervention, student was able to successfully decrease her amount of off-task behavior. • Student seemed interested and willing in setting goals to encourage more self-regulation.. Thanks Thanks to Mrs. Perkerson for allowing me to observe her classroom, and out eight-year-old student who participated in this study.