Response to Intervention and Positive Supports in
Head Start and Other Preschool SettingsPromising Directions and
Resources
Dave Barnett, Ph.D.Jacqueline Gajus, Ed.S.
Molly Halpin, M. Ed.
Times are changing…
Before Preschool
• Hart & Risley cumulative language experience
Hart & RisleyMeaningful Differences
• Oral Language and Problem solving influence cognitive & social growth
• “Mom, Robin”• “Yea that’s a
Robin”• “Bird Robin” “Yes,
he has a red tummy” “Sick Robin?” “No bird is fine”
• “Do you want to play with your toys or your chalk”
• “You’re going to hafta play by yourself I am trying to make lunch & hafta get the baby up”
• “Shut up” {OR}
RtI & Decisions
Prevention & Universal
Strategic/Targeted Intervention
Intensive Intervention
Decision rules
Decision rules
Inte
nsity
of I
nter
vent
ion
It’s About…• Evidence-based
Practice• Teaming• Collaboration• Problem Solving• Child Supports• Teacher Supports• Finding What Works
Positive Behavior Support• Tiers of prevention and
intervention
• Prevention–Remediate
deficient environments
–Instructional approaches to inappropriate behavior
Why Positive Behavior Supports?
• At least 50% of children who display problem behavior in preschool maintain such behavior patterns into elementary school.
• Children who have problem behavior in kindergarten and first grade face multiple challenges in school– Peer rejection– Negative interactions with teachers– Lack of support for developing appropriate behavior
patterns.
(Stormont, Smith, & Lewis, 2007)
Universal PBS class-wideFrom Benedict et al 2007• Positively stated rules poster• Posted classroom schedule• Expectations for each routine• Transition signal• Warning prior to transitions• Pre-correction• Acknowledgement (other
than praise)• Positive to negative ratio (4:1)
of communications• Specific verbal praise
PBS Demos– Pre-Correction– Positive Scanning
_Moving:– Slowly, steadily, unpredictable
pattern– Stopping to look at work, answer
questions_Scanning: sweeping & spot checks
– Looking– Glancing while stopped
– __Positive attention (TM+/TM-)– __Following up– __Language practice opportunities– “Watching Good Behavior Grow”
Summing Up: Language & literacy, social & emotional ‘interventions’ are about learning
opportunities and practice
RTI/PBS ModelPutting Procedures
TogetherTier 1Tier 1+2Tier 1+2+3
What to build on
Universal Screening
Instructional and Caring Contacts
(ICC)CLASS
Head Start OutcomesOutcomes Framework
Productive PracticeNew and Rotated
ActivitiesScaffolding
Questions, Cognitive Distancing, Problem
Solving
Tier 1 Assessment• Evidence-based Curriculum,
materials, activities, & routines
• Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) & Instructional and Caring Contacts (ICC)
• Peer, agency, national norms• Engagement, rates of
disruption, discipline incidents
ICC (Instructional & Caring Contacts)• Instructional: direct and
incidental learning• Caring: Managerial
practices & positive attention (TM+ & TM-)
• Child Engagement (stand-in for productive/positive practice)
• ICC & demoActivity
Teacher Sampling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Intentional Instruction
Teacher Directed Instruction
Prompt/Practice
Modeling
Error Correction/Feedback
Incidental Teaching
Interactive
Conversation
Other Positive Attention
Teacher Managerial – P& I
Teacher Managerial – NI
Student Scan Sampling
Engagement
Teacher 1's Managerial Variables Observed During Center Time.
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Date
Perc
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BaselineFluency
Condition Low intensity feedback/consultation
Teacher managerial positive
Teacher managerialnegative
Teacher 1's Intentional Instruction Observed During Center Time.
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Baseline Fluency Condition
Goal: 50% by 5/8
Talking with another teacher
Low intensity feedback/consultation
100% Interobserver Agreement
100% IOA
Tier 1 Intervention• Activity & curriculum
development & fidelity or verification
• PBS: Prevention & instruction• Instructional support for
teachers• Home: family literacy &
parenting• ‘Low intensity’ individualized
(differentiated, more productive practice)
Examples of Tier 1Classroom Supports
• Activity schedule• Circle time & direct
instructional support• Response cards• Milieu language
techniques/Incidental Teaching
• PBS-class wide supports
• ICC + specific code; Curriculum Based Measures
• Support binder with “how to” scripts
Intervention Scripts
• Planned Activity• Keystone Behavior• Script training to fluency
& use• Teacher and parents’
supports
Keystone behavior
Narrow target with
widespread positive
consequences
Intervention scripts
• Natural language & context
• Date & check-off• Planned activity
step-by-step guide• Intervention
adherence• Self-regulated
Date: _________Watching Good Behavior GROW
Circle Time: Game Review__ 1. Remind the children they can earn cotton balls by
displaying appropriate social skills (refer to specific skill lessons covered). For example, “remember that you can earn a cotton ball for using nice talk with your friends.”
__ 2. Remind the children what they will earn when the picture is filled with cotton balls. For example, “remember that when you fill the snow man up with cotton balls you will earn 5 minutes of extra recess!”
Throughout the day: Individual Recognition__ 3. At least 3 times during the day, give cotton balls to
children who display appropriate social skills with their peers
__ 4. As you give them the cotton ball to place on the picture, tell the child specifically how they earned it. For example, “I like how Bobby used nice words to ask his friend to share the toy. Bobby earns a cotton ball because he used his nice words.”
% Steps completed: ____
Demo Tier 1 interventions• Increasing learning and practice opportunities (“binder”)
– Circle time & CBM• Choral responding• Response cards
– Transitions• High interest activities (rotated)• Class-wide systems• Family Literacy Night
Summing up Tier 1• Systems: Parent Programs
& Staff Development• Supporting teachers’
instruction & PBS• Class-wide & all day
– RTI and PBS
Tier 2 Assessment• Keep peer & other norms • Sample small group
performance• Activities & routines for
embedded interventions?• Data-based program: skill?
practice? contingencies?• Measure intervention
adherence (small group or embedded)
Tier 2 Intervention
• Embedded interventions: increasing learning opportunities through discrete trial learning and incidental teaching
• Small group interventions: increasing learning opportunities through small group practice (e.g., choral responding for rule learning; added fluency practice)
• (+ 15-30 minutes or by practice opportunities)
Demo Tier 2 interventions
• Opportunities to practice– Fishing Activity
• Interactive reading– Story Dice
Tier 3 Assessment (Intensive & individualized)
• More Individualized Practice• Functional & Intervention-based
Assessment– Functional record review– Problem solving interviews– Teacher’s observations &
curriculum-based measures– Direct-observation by outside
consultant– Parent Observation & Daily
Reports – Brief intervention trials– Function-based interventions
Tier 3 Supports & Interventions (Intensified & individualized)
• ‘Can’t do? Won’t do?’• Adding instruction• Adding positives• PBS Crisis plan• Setting events
Tier 3 Intervention Examples• Adding instruction• Social stories/scripts• Activity Schedule• Choice making• Peer and buddy systems
• Functional communication training• Non-contingent reinforcement (fixed time schedules)• Contingent and differential reinforcement (i.e., DRO)• High probability (Hi-p) request sequences• Neutralizing routines
Demo Tier 3 Social Story/Script
I eat lunch with my friends.
Everybody has their own plate.
Sometimes I can use a fork or spoon to feed myself.
“Time to Eat”
Demo Tier 3 Activity Schedule• Pictures that
engage child in sequence of activities
• Independence• Social interaction• Choice• Specific practice• Rewards• (Tiers 1, 2,& 3)
Preschool Case Study
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Freq
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y pe
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Total Aggression
Baseline Activity Schedule & Environmental Supports
Example of a consequence hierarchy
• Across tiers• Entry routines • Activity building & Activity schedules • Adding positives
– Positive scanning– Choices– High p requests– Timed positives
• Incidental teaching (“ask for toy”)• Mild consequence• ‘Sit & watch’
Getting Started•RtI: find something that works•PBS comprehensive, instruction for all children & added supports as needed•Tiers 1, 2 & 3•See web sites, handout for books, journal articles
Resources (see articles & books on School Psychology Institute web)
• RtiNetwork.org• Challengingbehavior.org• Interventioncentral.org• ies.ed.gov(What Works Clearinghouse)• GGG.umn.edu• Incredibleyears.com• Familyeducation.com• Enchantedlearning.com
Any questions?