Date of Award
6-1-1985
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Center for the Advancement of Education
Advisor
Dr. Joan Horn
Keywords
attention span, behavior change, elementary education, exceptional child research, hyperactivity, learning disabilities, math, motivation, precision teaching, reinforcement, teach method
Abstract
A program to self-monitor attention spans for learning disabled students in grades three through six was implemented to aid them in remaining on task while in math class. A recorded “beeper” was set up to remind students to stay on task. Students marked a checksheet to indicate whether or not they were on task when the “beep” went off. The program’s aims were to help the students increase his mathematics performance as demonstrated by an increase of achievement on the math section of the Wide Range Achievement Test.
The Program consisted of a pretest, implementation of self-monitoring for 10 weeks and a posttest of the math section of the WRAT, as well as precisions timings on mathematics skills. All students showed an increase of at least 4 months in mathematics achievement as well as a decrease in off-task behavior. (Appendices include a needs assessment questionnaire, performance monitoring chart and student attention checksheet).