Behavioral Principles: The Basics of Understanding Student Behavior

Assessment

Take some time now to answer the following questions. Please note that the IRIS Center does not collect your Assessment responses. If this is a course assignment, you should turn them in to your professor using whatever method he or she requires. If you have trouble answering any of the questions, go back and review the Perspectives & Resources pages in this module.

1. Identify and briefly discuss two things educators should understand about student behavior.
2. Briefly describe the ABC model.
3. Identify and briefly discuss the two ways in which antecedents influence student behavior.
4. You learned about three types of consequences.
   1. List the three types of consequences and briefly explain how each type can be used to change student behavior.
   2. Explain why using reinforcement should be an educator’s primary strategy for changing behavior in the classroom.
5. Read the scenario below and analyze the student’s behavior in relation to the reinforcement.

   Cooper is a very social fifth grader who enjoys interacting with his peers and teachers. For the most part, Cooper positively engages in various class activities. However, when the teacher poses questions to the class, he frequently calls out, interrupts, and speaks over his classmates—even after receiving multiple reminders to raise his hand and wait patiently. When Cooper acts out, the teacher quickly acknowledges his response before asking the student who was called on to repeat the answer.

   1. Using the table below, identify Cooper’s behavior as well as the antecedent and consequence that may be influencing his behavior.

      Antecedent	Behavior	Consequence

   2. Discuss the features of reinforcement that you think are increasing the likelihood of Cooper’s disruptive behavior.
   3. Describe how the teacher can adjust the reinforcement to assist Cooper in unlearning the disruptive behavior and learning the desired behavior (i.e., raising his hand and waiting patiently).
   4. Describe at least two ways in which the teacher could determine that Cooper’s desired behavior has been generalized.