ERIC EJ967100: Preference-Based Teaching: Helping Students with Severe Disabilities Enjoy Learning without Problem Behavior

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by  ERIC

Preference-Based Teaching:
Helping Students With Severe Disabilities
Enjoy Learning Without Problem Behavior
Dennis H. Reid
Carolyn W. Green
An Article Published in
TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus
Volume 2, Issue 3, January 2006
Copyright © 2006 by the author. This work is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attri-
bution License.
Preference-Based Teaching:
Helping Students With Severe Disabilities Enjoy Learning
Without Problem Behavior

Dennis H. Reid
Carolyn W. Green
Abstract
An impediment to teaching that occurs with many students who have severe disabilities is
problem behavior during teaching sessions. This paper describes preference-based teach-
ing, a recently developed means of reducing problem behavior by making teaching pro-
grams enjoyable for students. Preference-based teaching begins with actions taken prior
to beginning teaching sessions to set the occasion for an enjoyable student experience. A
step-wise process subsequently is used to incorporate student preferences within the
teaching process. Brief, preferred activities are conducted immediately before initiating a
teaching session to enhance student responsiveness to the teacher. Preferred activities are
then built into the instructional process (e.g., interspersing easy instructional tasks or
brief breaks), and each teaching session is followed by a highly preferred student activity.
Results of applied research have supported the efficacy and practicality of enhancing stu-
dent enjoyment through preference-based teaching, resulting in benefits for both student
and teacher.
Keywords
preference-based teaching, student interests, student responses, student behavior
SUGGESTED CITATION:

Reid, D.H., & Green, C.W. (2006). Preference-based teaching: Helping students with severe dis-
abilities enjoy learning without problem behavior. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 2(3)
Article 2. Retrieved [date] from http://escholarship.bc.edu/education/tecplus/vol2/iss3/art2
An obstacle to successful teaching teaching programs enjoyable for students with
with many students who have severe disabili- severe disabilities is preference-based teach-
ties is problem behavior that occurs during ing.
teaching sessions. Problem behavior among
When students enjoy participating in
students with highly significant cognitive
teaching programs, there is no reason
challenges can be displayed in a variety of
for them to use problem behavior as a
forms including aggression toward the means to avoid or escape teaching
teacher, physical resistance to teaching trials, sessions.

and disruption of teaching materials. Such
behavior seriously impedes teaching effec-
What is Preference-Based Teaching?
tiveness and makes teaching sessions un-
Preference-based teaching represents a
pleasant for both student and teacher.
recent synthesis of results of applied research
Problem behavior may occur during
organized into a step-wise approach for mak-
teaching sessions for a number of reasons.
ing teaching programs enjoyable for students
However, underlying many reasons is student
who have severe disabilities. Component
dislike of certain aspects of the teaching proc-
steps of preference-based teaching are based
ess (Foster-Johnson, Ferro, & Dunlap, 1994).
on investigations that demonstrated the effec-
Dislike of teaching procedures can be due to
tiveness of respective procedures for reducing
the effort required to respond to instructions,
problem behavior and/or enhancing enjoy-
physical prompting strategies employed by
ment among people with disabilities (see Reid
the teacher, or unpleasant experiences associ-
& Green, 2005, for a summary). The effec-
ated with poor success on previous teaching
tiveness of the overall preference-based
programs. When students are discontented
teaching approach for enhancing enjoyment
with teaching programs for these and related
and reducing problem behavior has likewise
reasons, they are likely to use problem behav-
been demonstrated (Green & Reid, 1999;
ior to avoid participating in a teaching session
Green, Reid, Rollyson, & Passante, 2005).
or to cause an ongoing session to be discon-
The essence of preference-based
tinued.
teaching involves identifying student prefer-
A frequent course of action when stu-
ences and then designing teaching programs
dents with disabilities display problem behav-
in consideration of those preferences. Items
ior during teaching is to develop individual-
and activities students prefer are incorporated
ized behavior support plans to reduce the
within the teaching process. In addition, ac-
problem behavior. Although such plans can be
tivities or events that students dislike are re-
effective, at times they do not address the
moved from the process where possible.
source of the problem: student dislike of the
Preference-based teaching can be
teaching process. A more direct and often
used with any typical teaching program for
more pleasant way to reduce problem behav-
students with severe disabilities. However,
ior during teaching is to make the teaching
research with the process has focused on
process more enjoyable. If students enjoy par-
teaching programs involving four basic com-
ticipating in teaching sessions, there is no rea-
ponents: (1) a task analysis of the skill being
son for them to engage in problem behavior
taught, (2) a least-to-most assistive prompt
to avoid or escape the sessions. A recently
process to help the student perform steps that
developed, evidence-based means of making
the student does not know how to perform, student is clearly enjoying what the teacher is
(3) quickly correcting errors a student might doing with the student (see Reid & Green, in
make, and (4) reinforcing correct step com- press, for a description of identifying enjoy-
pletions. A description of this teaching ap- ment among people with severe disabilities).
proach along with a relatively quick means of Our experience suggests that if such activities
training in how to use the approach has been are conducted for at least 15 minutes or so
presented previously in Teaching Exceptional daily, it often takes only about a week for the
Children (Parsons & Reid, 1999). student to show signs of enjoying interactions
with the teacher.
Basic Components of Preference-Based
A second step a teacher can take to
Teaching
establish rapport with a student prior to be-
ginning teaching sessions is to become famil-
Setting the Occasion for An Enjoyable
iar with a student’s dislikes and then help the
Teaching Session
student avoid or change things that are dis-
Preference-based teaching begins with
liked. For example, a student may appear to
actions taken prior to initiating teaching ses-
become upset when a certain peer is in close
sions to enhance a student’s enjoyment with
proximity. A teacher may intercede and re-
the teaching process. The most critical action
direct the peer away from the student or help
is for a teacher to spend time with the student
the student move elsewhere in the classroom
to establish a good relationship or rapport
when the peer approaches the student. By tak-
with the student. Although a good relation-
ing specific actions to help a student avoid
ship involves many things, from the perspec-
disliked situations, the student begins to asso-
tive of enhancing a student’s enjoyment in
ciate the teacher with making the overall
participating in teaching sessions, the most
classroom environment less unpleasant and
important is that the student enjoys interact-
therefore, more enjoyable.
ing with the teacher.
There are several key steps a teacher
Arguably the most important thing a
can take to help a student enjoy interacting teacher can do to set the occasion for
with the teacher. The first step is for the student enjoyment with teaching ses-
sions is for the teacher to establish a
teacher to spend time doing things with the
good relationship with the student
student for the sole purpose of helping the
prior to initiating the sessions.
student have fun. Often, and especially with
new students and those students who previ- In addition to establishing rapport with a stu-
ously have displayed problem behavior, sev- dent, it is helpful if the teacher arranges the
eral different activities will have to be tried environment in which a session will occur to
before the teacher observes apparent signs of suit the student’s preference. Often there are
enjoyment on the student’s part. Such activi- aspects of a classroom environment that a
ties may involve different games, individual- student likes and dislikes. A teaching session
ized social interactions, or simply doing will be more enjoyable for the student if
something with the student that the student is teaching occurs in association with those as-
known to like (e.g., going for walks). What- pects that the student likes. To illustrate, some
ever a teacher does in this respect, it is essen- students may like working with the teacher at
tial that different activities be tried until the the teacher’s desk, whereas other students
may prefer a special, quiet place in the class- sonnel typically are more accurate in identify-
room that is reserved just for the student’s ing what individuals like the most and least
teaching sessions. relative to identifying more moderate prefer-
ences (e.g., Green, Reid, Canipe, & Gardner,
Identifying Student Preferences
1991). Hence, when determining what events
In order to apply preference-based
to use within a teaching program, a teacher’s
teaching, a teacher must accurately identify a
opinion is more likely to truly reflect a stu-
student’s individual preferences. Particular
dent’s preference if that opinion focuses on
preferences for some students are readily ap-
what the student likes the most.
parent in that the students clearly express
Another guideline for increasing the
their likes and dislikes. For many other stu-
likelihood that a teacher’s judgment about a
dents with severe disabilities, and especially
student’s preferences is accurate is to make
those who have significant communication
sure the teacher is familiar with the student in
challenges, expressing specific likes and dis-
the situation in which teaching sessions will
likes is more difficult. For the latter students,
occur (Newton, Ard, & Horner, 1993). Such
special procedures are often necessary to
familiarity usually occurs naturally if the
identify their preferences.
teacher has worked with the student for at
The easiest and most common way to
least several weeks in the environment in
identify student preferences is to solicit the
which teaching sessions typically occur. Ac-
opinions of people who know the student very
curacy is also likely to be enhanced if two
well. However, research has shown that care
people familiar with a student agree on a stu-
must be taken when relying on the opinions
dent’s most preferred items and activities
of support personnel to identify preferences
(guideline number three) relative to only one
of students with severe disabilities
person identifying a student’s preference
(Lohrmann-O’Rourke & Browder, 1998).
(Parsons et al., 2005).
There are several guidelines that can enhance
Although employing these guidelines
the likelihood that a teacher’s judgment re-
can enhance a teacher’s ability to accurately
garding what a student appears to like accu-
identify a student’s preferences to incorporate
rately reflects the student’s preferences.
within teaching programs, the guidelines are
not foolproof. If a teacher experiences uncer-
Guidelines for Enhancing Accuracy
of Teacher Judgment Regarding tainty about a student’s preferences or does
Student Preferences: not observe obvious signs of student enjoy-
ment when provided access to presumed pref-
1. Focus on most and least favorite
items and activities. erences, then more detailed procedures are
necessary to determine student preferences.
2. Ensure familiarity with the student
Such procedures typically involve systematic
within exact situations in which
preference assessments.
teaching will occur.
Systematic preference assessments
3. Obtain agreement with others regard-
generally entail providing a student with re-
ing preferences.
peated choices regarding activities or items
The first guideline is a direct outcome with which to engage and then observing
of research on identifying preferences among which activities or items the student chooses
people with severe disabilities: support per- most frequently. Although it is beyond the
scope of this paper to describe systematic The Preferred ABC Model pertains to
preference assessments, other sources are what is done to enhance student enjoyment
available. Two sources that we have found with a teaching session immediately before
particularly helpful are presented below. the teaching session (the A or antecedent
component), as part of teacher instructional
behavior (the B or behavior component), and
Resource Information for Conducting
Systematic Preference Assessments immediately after the session (the C or conse-
quence component). Each component in-
Hughes, C., Pitken, S. E., & Lorden, S. W.
volves providing activities or items that the
(1998). Assessing preferences and choices
of persons with severe and profound mental student prefers.
retardation. Education and Training in
Mental Retardation and Developmental The Preferred ABC Model: enhanc-
Disabilities, 33, 299-316. ing student enjoyment by providing
preferred events as antecedents to a
Lohrmann-O’Rourke, S., Browder, D. M., & teaching session, as part of instruc-
Brown, F. (2000). Guidelines for conduct- tional behavior, and as a conse-
ing socially valid systematic preference quence to a teaching session.
assessments. Journal of The Association for
Persons With Severe Handicaps, 25, 42-53.
Before discussing application of the
Preferred ABC Model, it should be noted that
Preferred ABC Model the timing of when a teaching session is con-
A conceptual model underlying many ducted can also have a significant impact on
teaching programs for students with severe student enjoyment. Two features of the timing
disabilities is the Antecedent, Behavior, Con- of a teaching session are particularly impor-
sequence or ABC Model. The A or antecedent tant (Reid & Green, 2005, chap. 9). First,
part pertains to what is done to promote stu- whenever possible, attempts should be made
dent performance of a skill being taught, typi- to avoid interrupting an ongoing preferred
cally through prompting. The B part refers to activity in which a student is engaged in order
the target behavior that the teacher desires the to conduct a teaching session. Students can be
student to demonstrate, and the C part con- displeased to have to discontinue an ongoing
sists of the consequence of the student’s target preferred activity when the teacher initiates a
behavior applied by the teacher to reinforce or teaching session, and such displeasure can
correct performance. carry over to the teaching session. Teachers
The ABC Model also represents a con- should consider the daily schedule and try to
ceptual basis for preference-based teaching. arrange a teaching session following a typical
However, in contrast to the more traditional daily event that is not highly preferred by a
application of the model intended to promote student (e.g., following a classroom transi-
correct student performance of the skill being tion).
taught, in preference-based teaching the A second consideration regarding the
model is applied to enhance student enjoy- timing of a teaching session is to attempt to
ment with the teaching process. When used in conduct a session following a period of time
this manner, the model is more aptly referred during which the student has had limited ac-
to as the Preferred ABC Model. cess to preferred activities that will be used as
part of the session. For example, if special
time with the teacher is used as a preferred In addition to keeping the preferred
event to capitalize on a student’s desire for antecedent events brief, the events should
the teacher’s attention, then the teaching ses- lead directly into the first instructional trial of
sion should follow a time period in which the the teaching task without any break in time. If
student has received little individualized at- the initial activities are not brief or are fol-
tention from the teacher (e.g., following a lowed by a lapse of time before the instruc-
group activity in which the teacher’s attention tional process begins, the activities can be
is divided among all students present). Pro- viewed as a discreet set of events in and of
viding preferred activities following periods itself. When the latter situation occurs, the
of limited student access to the activities can student can be reluctant to begin the teaching
enhance their preferred nature when applied session, preferring at that time to resume the
during a teaching session relative to if the previous activity.
student has had recent exposure to the events.
Providing preferred events during instruction
Providing preferred events immediately The second part of the Preferred ABC
before a teaching session Model involves providing preferred events
The intent in providing preferred while instruction is ongoing. There are three
events immediately prior to a teaching session primary ways to incorporate preferences
is several-fold (Green & Reid, 1999). First, within the instructional process. The first way
involving a student in a preferred activity is to occasionally provide the student with
helps the student enjoy the beginning of a brief access to preferred items or activities
teaching session. In essence, such a process between instructional trials (Green et al.,
can help put the student in a “good mood” 2005). For example, for those teaching pro-
before instructional trials begin. A second ef- grams that involve relatively large numbers of
fect is that the process promotes active re- task-analyzed steps, a brief break can be
sponding by the student in conjunction with a taken between designated steps early in the
teacher-led action. Such responding fre- sequence and then again later in the sequence.
quently carries over to subsequent teaching Examples of student-preferred items and ac-
trials. tivities we have used during the teaching
What a teacher does immediately be- process have included giving the student a
fore a teaching session should be based on the brief stretch break, briefly talking to the stu-
student’s individual preferences and should be dent in a pleasant manner, and providing a
brief in nature, lasting no more than a few favorite item to hold for a few seconds.
minutes. Some of the events we have used to The second way in which preferred
initiate student enjoyment in this regard in- events can be incorporated within the teach-
clude briefly massaging a student’s shoulders, ing process involves periodically providing
joking with a student, and engaging a student brief instructional trials on skills that may not
in a brief conversation about something of be a part of the target skill per se but repre-
interest to the student. It can also be most sent skills with which the student is already
helpful if a distinct choice is provided to a proficient. This interspersal process (Horner,
student, such as a choice of two materials Day, Sprague, O’Brien, & Heathfield, 1991)
with which to complete a teaching task or a is particularly advantageous for students who
choice of where to work on a task. have difficulty performing steps with the tar-
get skill and appear frustrated or displeased The intent is for the student to associate par-
with their lack of success. By periodically ticipating in, and completing, a teaching ses-
asking a student to do something the student sion as leading to something that is clearly
can easily perform, the student has increased enjoyable and fun.
opportunities to experience success, which in An opportune means of ensuring that
turn, reduces frustration. Occasionally inter- a highly preferred event follows a teaching
spersing easy tasks among difficult tasks also session is to provide the student with a choice
provides the teacher with increased opportu- of what to do once the session is completed
nities to praise the student’s correct perform- (Cooper & Browder, 1998). To maximize the
ance, which can help make the teaching proc- preferred nature of what is chosen by the stu-
ess more pleasant for the student. dent, it is helpful if the choice involves two
The third way preferred events can be highly preferred options in contrast to some-
incorporated within the instructional process thing that is not strongly preferred. Choices
involves providing a brief break and preferred we have provided to allow students opportu-
activity following signs of student discontent nities to engage in a highly preferred event
(Green et al., 2005). Following the break and following a teaching session include a choice
activity, it is critical to return to where in- of listening to music or sitting outside, a
struction was discontinued and then prompt choice between two favorite snack items, and
the student through that part of the instruc- a choice of going to the book or computer
tional trial. In this manner, the student’s dis- center in a classroom.
content does not result in the student avoiding When providing a highly preferred
completion of the trial but rather, allows the event immediately after a teaching session, it
student a break and distraction from whatever is important to note the purpose of the event
was unpleasant. It should be noted though relative to reinforcement procedures used dur-
that because this procedure can run the risk of ing the actual teaching process. As summa-
reinforcing behavior reflecting student dis- rized earlier, reinforcing correct student com-
content by temporarily discontinuing instruc- pletion of steps in the task analysis of the skill
tional procedures when such behavior occurs, being taught is a key part of effective teach-
it should be used with some caution. If signs ing. Typically, teacher praise is used in at-
of discontent occur across instructional trials tempts to reinforce correct student perform-
when the procedure is applied, it probably ance. Such praise should immediately follow
should be omitted from the overall each student response that the teacher wants
preference-based approach. to reinforce. In contrast, the consequence
provided after the entire teaching session is
Providing a preferred consequence after a
not designed to reinforce student performance
teaching session
per se, but to help make the overall teaching
One of the most powerful ways to en-
process enjoyable. In the typical preference-
hance student enjoyment with a teaching pro-
based teaching process, a teacher praises the
gram is to follow each teaching session with a
student’s correct completion of the last step in
highly preferred activity (Green & Reid,
the task analysis and then presents a highly
1999). Immediately after each teaching ses-
preferred consequence upon completion of
sion, a teacher should support the student in
the teaching session.
doing something the student seriously enjoys.
Putting It All Together With Preference- every application of a teaching program. In
Based Teaching this regard, questions arise concerning
whether preference-based teaching requires
As the preceding discussion illus-
additional time to conduct teaching programs
trates, preference-based teaching includes a
relative to more traditional teaching proc-
variety of procedures a teacher can use to
esses. Preference-based teaching usually does
make teaching programs enjoyable for a stu-
require extra time to carry out a teaching pro-
dent with severe disabilities and reduce the
gram, ranging from only a few extra minutes
likelihood of problem behavior. We have dis-
per teaching session to as much as an addi-
cussed the key components of this approach
tional 20 minutes or so (Green et al., 2005).
(see Reid & Green, 2005, for additional
The amount of extra time involved in
preference-based procedures). The checklist
carrying out preference-based teaching de-
on this page provides a brief summary of
pends on the types of preferred items and ac-
these procedures.
tivities incorporated within the teaching proc-
In considering preference-based teach-
ess, and how many of the procedures are built
ing procedures as summarized in the check-
into the Preferred ABC Model. In many
list, it should be noted that it is not always
feasible to incorporate each procedure within
A CHECKLIST OF KEY COMPONENTS OF
PREFERENCE-BASED TEACHING
I. When initially considering developing a teaching program for a student:
_____ Spend time developing rapport with the student
_____ Participate with the student in activities the student enjoys
_____ Change the environment to remove features a student dislikes
II. Set a preferred time and location for the teaching session:
_____ Do not interrupt an ongoing, highly preferred activity
_____ Arrange the session after a period in which the student had limited
access to preferred events to be used during the session
_____ Identify a preferred student location for the session
III. Immediately before the teaching session:
_____ Engage the student in a brief preferred activity
_____ Provide a choice to the student about some aspect of how the teaching
session will proceed
IV. During the teaching session:
_____ Provide brief, preferred activities between some instructional trials
_____ Provide a brief break and preferred activity following signs of student
discontent, followed immediately with a return to the part of the in-
structional trial where the break occurred
V. Immediately after the teaching session:
_____ Provide a choice of a preferred activity for the student
_____ Make sure a highly preferred activity is available for the student
cases, teachers will only need to use some of Foster-Johnson, L., Ferro, J., & Dunlap, G.
the procedures discussed to this point to wit- (1994). Preferred curricular activities
ness increased student enjoyment. Our expe- and reduced problem behaviors in stu-
rience suggests that the most important com- dents with intellectual disabilities. Jour-
ponents are establishing a good relationship nal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27,
with the student and providing a highly pre- 493-504.
ferred consequence following each teaching
session. For students who typically display Green, C.W., & Reid, D.H. (1999). Reducing
problem behavior during teaching sessions or indices of unhappiness among individu-
are otherwise known to dislike teaching ses- als with profound multiple disabilities
sions, other components of the overall process during therapeutic exercise routines.
are likely to be needed. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
It should also be noted that even 32, 137-148.
though applications of preference-based
teaching can extend the amount of time to Green, C.W., Reid, D.H., Canipe, V.S., &
conduct a teaching session, the extra time of- Gardner, S.M. (1991). A comprehensive
ten diminishes across successive teaching ses- evaluation of reinforcer identification
sions as a student becomes more responsive processes for persons with profound
to the teaching process – due in large part to multiple handicaps. Journal of Applied
increased student enjoyment. Most impor- Behavior Analysis, 24, 537-552.
tantly, the extra minutes involved in applying
preference-based teaching can be well worth Green, C.W., Reid, D.H., Rollyson, J.H., &
the increased time investment. Again, when Passante, S.C. (2005). An enriched
students enjoy teaching programs, problem teaching program for reducing resis-
behavior is not likely to occur during teaching tance and indices of unhappiness among
sessions. The end result benefits both the stu- individuals with profound multiple dis-
dent and teacher. For the student, acquiring abilities. Journal of Applied Behavior
new skills through participation in teaching Analysis, 38, 221-233.
programs can become a favorably anticipated
part of the day. For the teacher, it can be a Horner, R.H., Day, H.M., Sprague, J.R.,
rewarding and enjoyable experience to ob- O’Brien, M., & Heathfield, L.T. (1991).
serve a student having a good time while Interspersed requests: A nonaversive
learning new skills. procedure for reducing aggression and
self-injury during instruction. Journal of
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