Behavior Specific Praise and a Student on the Autism Spectrum

Abstract

For this research project, the researcher will observe the focus student in two of his classes. The behavior being monitored is how many times he interjects personal stories into the lesson in both classes. This research will be presented in an anecdotal response. A baseline will be taken in both classes, but the intervention will only occur in the second class. This will make the first class the control group. The focus student goes to a Co-Teach Social Studies which has twenty-three students. Then the focus student goes to a Resource Language Arts class, which has five students total. The interventions will be used as behavior specific praise, which include praising the focus student by telling him “Good job on raising your hand before speaking”. The expectation will be re-taught before the intervention occurs. The researcher will then take data on how many times the behavior occurs in both classes after the intervention has been implemented. Some revisions to the behavior specific praise may be incorporated if no decline in the interruptions occurs. To restate the purpose of this research project, the researcher will take data on a focus student who interjects personal stories into the lesson without raising his hand. Interventions will be implemented in his second class only. Data will be taken in both classes before, during, and after the implementation of the intervention of praising the student for raising his hand before speaking.