Token Economy Reinforcement Program

As defined by Zirpoli (2008) a token economy is described as a “symbolic reinforcement system” (p.321).  It works on the premise of reinforcing certain appropriate behaviors which students can exchange for objects or activities that have been designated as reinforcing. After the students have been introduced and use to how it operates, students then learn to associate the exchanges as producers of reinforces and the tokens then become valuable and desirable.  In the establishment of token program it should possess certain characteristics such as tokens should be tangible, students should be able to physically handle tokens, students must be able to exchange tokens for tangible reinforces, students should not be able to obtain tokens from another source other than teacher, and students should know how system works. 

Over several weeks I have noticed several inappropriate behaviors exhibited by some of my students.  I have decided to use a token reinforcement program for elementary 3^rd grade students. My first step is to identify the target behaviors I want to increase. I will also be thinking of appropriate behaviors that are compatible with the inappropriate behaviors the students are exhibiting. I have developed a list of three target behaviors that will be reinforced within my token economy program:

§  wandering around the room

§  keeping hands to self

§  raising hand to be recognized by teacher, before speaking out

After identifying my three target behaviors, I will now need to choose the medium of exchange, or what I will use as reinforcers. Reinforcers can vary from food and drinks, time to participate in specific activities, social and verbal praise (Zirpoli, 2008).  I have chosen to use play money (coins) because my students are learning to count money and this would also be a good opportunity to teach math skills while reinforcing appropriate classroom behaviors. Money rather it is play or real is a good token system for kids, especially elementary age students. Students’ working with money gain valuable math concepts such as making change, counting, etc. and reinforcing money skills (Wallin, 2010). In addition reinforcements that use money are easy to reinforce and inexpensive to use with students.

My next step is to identify reinforcers the students will be able to purchase with the tokens they earn.  To help facilitate this step, I will be talking with my students about the plan and asking them for reinforcement suggestions. My students are very excited and gave me many suggestions to think about using. Some of their suggestions would not work and some will, so I let them know what will work and what won’t work and why.

In the development of this program, and from my student’s suggestions I have developed 10 reinforcers and many back up activities for reinforcement menu: students can receive 5 minutes of extra computer time, 5 minutes of extra free time at the reading center, being first in line for 1 day, being the class leader for 1 day, extra notepad paper, extra time at the recreation center, picking an extra book to read, bringing a positive note from home, picking your own seat assignment for 1 day, taking an extra trip to water fountain, picking and reading a story to the class, taking an extra trip to library, pick an extra toy from toy bin, pick any colored pencil from pencil bin, class helper for 1 day. 

After choosing three target behaviors and 15 reinforcers, I next will display on two sheets of card-stock paper on a wall in the classroom for all students to see. I decided that a student will earn one token each time I observe a student exhibiting appropriate behavior for any of the target behaviors.  The students will be able to exchange their tokens for reinforcers every Friday after lunch.  In case some students are not ready to exchange their tokens on the given day, I will allow them the opportunity to save them if they desire to do so.  To further help reinforce student behaviors, I have also developed a contingency contract. A contingency contract is a written behavioral contract between a student and teacher in relation to specific target behavior and the exchange of specific consequences (Zirpoli, 2008). Below is an example of a contingency contract for one of my students:

Contingency Contract (Student’s name) ______________________________________will demonstrate the following appropriate behaviors in the classroom: 1.        Come to class sit down and not wander in classroom. 2.        Respect others by keeping hands to self. 3.        Ask for help when needed by raising hand and getting teacher’s attention.        (Teacher’s name) _______________________________will provide the following reinforcement: 1.        Five tokens for the completion of each of the three objectives. Tokens for the first two objectives will be provided at the beginning of class after class has begun. Tokens for objective 3 will be given to student at the end of the school day.  2.        Tokens may be exchanged for activities on the Classroom Reinforcement Menu after lunch on Fridays.      Student’s signature                                                                           Teacher’s signature _________________                                                                      __________________________                                                                                                                                                                                             ___________                                                                           Date

 Figure 1: Contingency Contract between student and teacher in my class.  This figure illustrates specific target behaviors and the exchange of specific consequences.

According to Barkley (1990) “behaviors targeted for change should be defined in terms of what the child should do, rather than what child should stop doing (p.1). Generalization according to Zirpoli (2008) refers to the degree to which a behavior change adapts to other settings, situations, or behavior relative to those behavior changes. In addition, there are two types of generalization to use and they are response and stimuli generalization.  In an attempt to promote and reinforce generalization of the program, I will do it in several ways, such as teaching appropriate behaviors in a natural classroom setting and within multiple settings, implement behavior changes among several teachers, pinpoint common elements between designated teaching settings and other environments in which I want the behavior to be generalized in, connect artificial reinforcers such as tokens (play money) with natural reinforcers and consequences and using verbal praise in the natural environment setting, the classroom. I will also consider making modifications in the program when teaching students how to use the tokens and verbally reinforcing generalization of skills when desired behaviors are met after I begin the program.  

Token economies are efficient programs that teachers can use in helping to shape and mold a student’s inappropriate classroom behaviors. As previously stated by Zirpoli (2008) token economy programs are described as a form of a “symbolic reinforcement system” (p.321) and through a series of token exchanges can help promote and maintain certain behaviors students are exhibiting in a natural setting such as a classroom.  As Barkley (1990) adds token economy programs are very effective and “powerful behavioral interventions for improving school behavior” (p.1). In addition, he adds that token programs give students real and tangible incentives not typically seen in the classroom setting, and have the advantage of giving students immediate rewards as they develop appropriate classroom behaviors.   

                                                    References

Barkley, R.A. (1990, April, n.d.). Classroom token economies. Retrieved April 14, 2011, from

        http://www.popsmin.tripod.com/classtokenecon.html

 Zirpoli, T. J. (2008). Behavior management: Applications for teachers (5th ed.). Upper

        Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education

Wallin, J. (2010, April, n.d.). Teaching children with autism: visual supports-token economies.

       Retrieved April 14, 2011, form

       http://www.polyxo.com/visualsupport/tokeneconomies.html

Incorporating Cooperative Group Learning as a Teaching Strategy

Experiences that help students increase their thinking and develop social relationships are important. These learning experiences help to foster a student’s self esteem and increase the chances that learning will have a positive outcome.  Because much of a student’s learning involves social interactions between each other, cooperative group learning is a great way to create a climate of positive learning.  Through cooperative learning, teachers provide students with opportunities of building thinking skills and positive social interactions.

According to Gregory and Chapman (2007) “when students work in cooperative groups students learn valuable social skills, use higher-order thinking, and rehearse and practice new concepts, processes, and information” (p.109).   When teachers use cooperative group learning to facilitate learning, students benefit through the varied experiences of working together. 

Cooperative group learning is more than just students talking with each other in groups.  Cooperative group learning uses the principles of the acronym TASK: thinking is built into the process, accountability is necessary in individual and group work, social skills, keep everyone on tasks, roles, resources, novelty, simulations and clear expectations.

Implementation of group learning can be done through a number of ways. This can be achieved through other instructional methods such as graphic organizers, thinking skills, and metaphors which aid in skill and practice.

One of the graphic organizers that I think would be beneficial is kidinspiration useful in helping students to organize ideas, brainstorm, as well as to help students visualize their work. Another graphic organizer is character sketch, can be used in groups of three of four, to aid in reading a story or novel. In addition, group learning can be enhanced by grouping students using the different levels of the thinking taxonomy, and varied assessments in the form of individual grades, checklists and journals.  Cooperative group learning is a learning activity involving students, and can also be used across many content areas such as math, science, language arts.

Cooperative group learning should also be a way for students to have fun while learning. Students need to be able to process what they are learning in a climate that is encouraging and positive.  Although teachers are building a climate of trust for learning in the classroom, social skills will need to be reinforced.

Based on Goldman’s emotional intelligences in the five domains, self awareness, self motivation, managing emotions, empathy for listening and social skills opportunities are needed in the implementation of cooperative learning by helping students learn content and competencies as well helping to develop their emotional intelligences (Gregory, 2008).

Because students are working with each other and have various perspectives, it is important to understand the role of their emotions while actively learning. One of Daniel Goldman’s five domains for emotional intelligences is managing emotions and he states that “emotions play a large part not only in garnering attention but also in memory and learning” (Gregory and Chapman, 2008, p.97). 

Students need many opportunities to express the way they understand what they are learning.  Students also benefit from cooperative group learning by the processes involved in interdependence.  According to Gregory and Chapman (2008), interdependence builds and encourages “responsibility and ownership for the task when given a particular role” (p.113).  Interdependence can also be enhanced by using the jigsaw method. This method is in particular good to use in differentiating materials and content for students at different levels of readiness.

Cooperative learning is well researched. Based on one aspect of the research of Johnson and Johnson (2009) found that cooperative learning experiences such as interdependence promote higher self esteem than do competitive or individualistic experiences.  As well, these experiences tend to be valued by the student as intrinsicially worthwhile and they are viewed as successful and competent among their peers. 

However, teachers must be aware that there are some students that prefer to work alone or in smaller groups.  For those students, as related by Gregory and Chapman (2008), teachers can pair these students with a partner rather than in larger groups.  Pointed out by Wilson (2009), a teacher that is aware of differentiating the instruction by using multiple goals for students in the same lesson will be able to differentiate the lesson.

A teacher’s goal is to facilitate learners in learning and provide to students the best scenarios by which they can learn.  They should guide their students by providing instructional strategies such as cooperative learning which aid in student discussions, processes, and inquiry of the information.  When teachers use different strategies to help their students learn, “results in substantial learning improvement, and working together in small groups helps students to master and understand the material” (Chemwei, Kiboss and Ilieva, 2005, p.25-33). 

Effective teachers are always thinking about ways to increase student learning and understanding.  Cooperative group learning is one of those instructional strategies by which learning can be increased.  In order for cooperative group learning to be effective requires good organization and thoughtful panning. 

The implementation of this strategy was successful in that it utilized the processes of thinking skills, student accountability, and social skills, keeping everyone on tasks, roles, resources, novelty, simulations and clear expectations. As well provide students with many opportunities to form social connections and share their thoughts with their fellow peers. As was stated earlier cooperative learning also provides to students invaluable learning that can be constructed to other learning. Research has shown that using cooperative learning strategies is effective in helping to facilitate understanding and higher order thinking. The collaboration among peers is crucial to positive self worth and confidence.  Many of students after participating in cooperative group learning made improvements in the confidence to voice their thoughts were able to freely share their ideas.

In the process of learning, students need effective ways to understand the material presented to them and learn from each other.  Teachers understand the importance of providing meaningful connections that students can participate in.   

In the future, I would provide students with more opportunities to share with each other the impact of learning from their fellow peers.  I would also consider incorporating more of their ideas to discuss in the group discussions as a way to provide students with more confidence in learning. Many times in the process of learning students are learning but the connections to other relationships may be missed. These relationships are important because they form the foundation by which students can build on for future learning. 

Major considerations would also be to collaborate with other teachers on joint projects using cooperative group learning.  It is important that teachers are always sharing and collaborating among each other as a way to help each other in support of learning. In order for students to succeed in their future occupations and relate to their future colleagues, discipline in managing their emotional intelligences is an invaluable tool in the pursuit of future occupations.

Taking time to purposely construct effective cooperative learning will require that we think about what our students need.  The individual learning preferences and thinking styles of our students is of consideration in the process of active learning.  Collaboration is important as we plan out what instructional strategies we will use with our students to affect learning.

References

Chemwei, B. Kiboss, J., &  Ilieva E. (2005). Effects of cooperative learning on teaching

poetry. Thinking Classroom, 6(4), 25-33.  Retrieved October 28, 2010, from Research 

Library.

 Gregory, G. (2008).  Differentiated Instructional Strategies in Practice: Training,

            Implementation, and Supervision. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

 Gregory, G., Chapman, C. (2007).  Differentiated Instructional Strategies:

            One Size Doesn’t Fit All.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

 Johnson, D., & Johnson, R. (2009). An Educational psychology success story: social

interdependence theory and cooperative learning. Educational Researcher, 38(5), 365-379.  

Retrieved October 28, 2010, from ProQuest Psychology Journals.

 Wilson, S.  (2009).  Differentiated instruction: how are design, essential questions in learning,

assessment, and instruction part of it?  New England Reading Association Journal, 44(2), 

68-75.   Retrieved October 28, 2010, from ProQuest Educational Journals.