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Skinner Application Project

Adriana Hill
Step 1: Analyze the current classroom environment.
1.1 What are the positive student behaviors that are currently receiving reinforcement in the
classroom?

Sing the welcome song; this prepares the students to get in the mood for class
(6th graders).
Having their handouts ready when I started asking random questions. I have a
small ball that I throw to random students and I ask any question from previous
material learned in class. This is review time, I do not do it every day, but I am
very pleased that the students get their handouts and they are ready when the
ball gets in their hands. Sometimes I give them participation points.
I praise their good pronunciation by saying things like, you guys sing so
beautifully, and good job so and so for being a volunteer.
When students ask for expressions in Spanish that are above their level, I
praise their interest and answer their questions.
When students have questions about class work procedures and I know
they are paying attention, I try to answer right away.
I usually express how glad I am when I say something in Spanish and they
understand and they do the action (stand up- levntense). I say things like,
muy bien (very good).

What are the undesirable behaviors that are receiving reinforcement?

Giving too much attention to students that are too loud, saying things like be
quiet, I have noticed this especially in one student that he likes to get my
attention and if I do not listen to him he repeats my name so many times until I
just give up and ask him what he needs. It usually is a request to go to the
bathroom, go to the nurse because he is sick or get his uniform for PE. I believe I
reinforce that behavior by letting him go without any problem the first couple of
times he asked.
I complain in front of them when they do not want to listen to the point that I felt
sick and discouraged to be in class.
Not paying enough attention to the students that are on task because I am so
worried about keeping the students that disturb class on task. I had a girl that
always asked me how she could help me, and because of my mind being so
busy trying to keep certain students quiet and on task, I did not provide this
student with enough opportunities to develop skills other than learning Spanish.
Late work. I had given the students multiple opportunities to turn projects in late
and some of them waited until the last week of the quarter to give me their final
work. I know I created the behavior or helped them to not be responsible
because they knew that I would give them chances.

1.2 For which behaviors is punishment currently dispense d in the classroom?

Talking with other classmates while I am explaining.

Using their phones for purposes other than Spanish (playing the current popular
game, snapchatting, facebooking, instagraming, etc).
Using inappropriate language
Cheating on quiz.
Not doing class work.

1.3 What is the frequency of punishment? Have the punished behaviors been suppressed but
other, related behaviors appeared?

Every Wednesday the students know if they do not maintain a nice classroom
environment for everybody, on Thursday they will not play kahoot. This works
most of the time with my sixth graders, they had several Thursdays without
kahoot and they did not like it. With my 7th and 8th graders this only worked for
probably half a quarter. They got bored and other teachers were using kahoot
more frequently, they did not care much about kahoot and instead of playing
kahoot they were using their devices for other things. As a consequence I quit
kahoot for 8th and 7th graders.
At least every two weeks we had a quiz. I usually posted the words/expressions
in Quizlet. I uploaded pictures and sometimes I recorded my voice, the students
liked to study using this application on their phones. When the students did not
want to participate in class activities, instead of me posting the words on line,
they had to write them three times each and I would not post them on quizlet.

Step 2: Develop a list of potential positive reinforcers.


2.1 What are the students preferred activities?

Studying using the quizlet app


Working on the smartboard ( writing, games)
Playing kahoot
Playing bingo or other games
Playing with the ball.
Listening to Spanish Songs
Watching Spanish cartoons, or documentaries
Making crafts
Making posters
Filming a video
Doing Worksheets
Taking Pop quizzes

2.2 Which of the punished behaviors identified in step 1.2 may be used as reinforcers?
Instead of using their electronics to find meanings of words in Spanish they have
to use paper editions of a dictionary from my personal library.

2.3 Which activities that you have observed in the natural setting may serve as positive
reinforcers for other behaviors?

Taking pictures of others when they are distracted and selfies (7th
graders).

My 7th graders like to go to the courtyard, so maybe instead of taking pictures of


others or selfies they can take pictures of different things and create a shared
Google slide where they could show parts of the objects first and then the rest of
the students would have to describe the object in Spanish and then guess what
the object is. We could do this as a group project, in which groups have to
compete against each other to see who guesses the most objects and uses the
most Spanish vocabulary and expressions while describing the objects.
Step 3: Select the behavioral sequences to be initially implemented in the classroom. Include
discriminative stimuli and reinforcers.
3.1 Which of the punished behaviors identified in step 1.2 may be restructured in the
form of positive behaviors?

Students that finish class work in an allotted amount of time can listen to
the list of Spanish songs given in class or any appropriate song using
their earplugs.

3.2 Which of the positive student behaviors from the list in step 1.1 are occurring
infrequently?

As with the example in the book the students know when it is time to get
their handouts and get ready to learn, because they recognize the
stimulus.

What are the initial discriminative stimuli to be used?

3.3

I sing the welcome song with them.

To which stimuli is the transfer of behavioral control to be made?


After a couple of weeks I just played the song and I did not have to sing
with them , eventually not all students sang but when they heard the
song they knew it was time to get ready for class, they got in the mood
and they at least put their folders and pencils on top of their desks.

Step 4: Implement the behavioral sequences, maintaining anecdotal records and making
changes when necessary.

4.1 Are the rules for classroom behavior clear and consistent? I do not have them on
the wall. I do have them on a prezi and we went over it several times.
Rules:
1. Raise your hand to speak or stand.
2. Pay attention when the teacher is speaking, and when classmates are speaking.
3. Follow directions.
4. You are responsible for your own education, please get on task.
5. Do not disturb your classmates (compaeros).
6. Use of digital devices follow the school policy (BYOT). Yellow sign, you can use the
devices for classroom related tasks. NO texting!
4.2 Is the method for earning reinforcement clear, and is reinforcement provided for
improved behavior? I need to practice this method more when I start the new school year, I do
not think I was clear with my students this past school year. Maybe I sent mixed signals. I want
my students to get good grades but I need to reinforce qualities (behaviors) like personal
responsibility. I need to be more consistent and provide a clear deadline without feeling bad if
they fail to finish a project. I hope that by the time the next project is due; they will be ready to
turn it in. I can provide in the rubric the information about missing points and late work and make
their parents sign it.
4.3 Does every child have the opportunity to earn reinforcement for behavioral change?
No, this is a challenge. My most disruptive student, an 8th grade student, had gotten worse by
the end of the school year. He was very loud and he told me that he did not care about his
grades, even though he is very smart, he had come to the conclusion that he did had not need
to learn Spanish to become an athlete. I gave him multiple opportunities to turn late work in,
which did not motivate him. I need to create better reinforcements for students like him,
analyzing their undesirable behaviors and turning them into positive reinforcers.
I believe my sixth graders got more reinforcement for behavioral changes, they sang, later they
did not have to, but the majority got ready for class instead of chatting with the student next to
them.
4.4 Following initial behavioral change, are reinforcements provided after longer intervals
(stretching the ratio), and are other reinforcers also implemented?
I did not use long term reinforcements with my 8th graders, I did not use music with them
like I did with my 6th graders to get them in the mood to learn Spanish. I am still trying to find
engaging material that would appeal to their senses.
I did not implement new ones with my sixth graders. Are there any suggestions?

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