Choosing to Work: Why we do what we do

Autism Specially Designed
Nov 14, 2018
8 min read

"It is our choices, Harry, that make us who we truly are, far more than our abilities."- Albus Dumbledore

"He is just choosing to do that"

"She just does what she wants when she wants to do it"

"He just doesn't care"

"Reinforcement doesn't work"

..... get where I am going? I could go on.... and on.... and on....

You are right, the students do choose. But how do we make sure they are CHOOSING to do what we want them to do when we ask them to do it? The answer is: earning instructional control.

Instructional control is one of those topics I just LOVE! There are steps and pieces to instructional control we do naturally. Maybe you didn't know what you were doing had a process and a fancy name. Or maybe you are wondering just how do you get kids to do what you need them to do?

So what is instructional control?

Fancy definition (scientific): The likelihood that an instruction will lead to the desired response.

Which just means a positive working relationship. The student willingly CHOOSES to do what is presented.

And why would would the student choose to do the boring work? Or the hard task? Or that worksheet they feel like they've completed a million times? Because you have set up their environment so they are motivated and choosing to do the things that need to get done. But why?

The student has learned that when you ask them to do something it is in their best interest to. They EARN something they enjoy so then they CHOOSE to comply.

Guess what...... pay day is why YOU choose to do all the hard things that come with teaching ;)

The student CHOOSES to do what you ask them to do because you are in control of all the good things in their day. You have control over their access to iPads, snacks, games, all the fun (whatever is reinforcing to them). Too many times I walk into classrooms and hear "he won't do what I ask" -- and when I ask well then why does he have the iPad? I don't get the best answer... If the student is highly reinforced by the iPad then he only gets access to the iPad after he completes the task. If you have a student who is ALWAYS hungry... use that to your advantage. The student can earn small snacks for completing tasks. (and no edibles don't have to be candy- think cereal, crackers, pretzels, fruit, etc.)

I kept my reinforcers in bins with lids (always lids) across the room away from the work table... always limiting distractions. I had "token time" designated areas in my classroom so the students knew where they accessed certain reinforcers and that is also where I housed reinforcers (or at least ones that could be stored that way). Some reinforcers, like snacks, were in tupperware bins behind child-locked cabinets. Computers had pillowcases over them until they were earned. Some reinforcers were stored in tupperware bins high on shelves out of reach until the reinforcer was earned. See the pattern.... reinforcers were restricted until I (or my fantastic IA) gave the students access. And no it wasn't a power trip or my super controlling nature (which trust me runs deep), it was all to show my students that they couldn't access the good stuff without first choosing to do what was asked and expected.

Nothing fancy... but they can only get access to the box-o-fun once they do what needs to be done :)

Class stores are one of my most favorite ways to provide access to reinforcers. Think of all the amazing functional skills they are learning while gaining access to the fun things!

And then on the note of having good things- you need to know what they like. What they really, really like.... then use it! I was recently in a meeting and a teacher said "I'm not going to bribe them". And I said "great me either, but I will reinforce their behavior" and reinforce their behavior by using highly preferred activities/items/edibles... You come to work for a pay check- that is highly reinforcing to you. I also work for coffee and days off hiking. Find out what your kids like. There are a lot of options available for completing preference assessments but one easy way to learn is to watch them. Watch what they are playing with and how they are playing with it. And if that doesn't work talk to their parents. Ask open ended questions about what they do at home- you will be pleasantly surprised about what you can learn.

A few years ago, I had a kiddo we were REALLY struggling with what he finds reinforcing and what he prefers. We tried EVERYTHING... or at least we thought we had. After an awesome conversation about home we found out he likes to sit in the bathroom and look in the mirror. Hadn't tried that yet? And our bathroom didn't have a mirror so we would have never figured it out. So guess what we got him... a mirror. And then lots of fun toys he could play with in the mirror. No matter what, your kid works for something. And that something could be nothing. Another student of mine worked for "wandering". He would just walk circles around the room and he loved it! Get creative and keep trying! Motivation is key! Motivation to earn the good things is what makes the world turn.

And not only do they choose to follow directions because you are in control of all the good things. But they choose to follow directions because you, yourself, are a reinforcer. You are paired with the good stuff. And you are paired as a reinforcer. You have become a reinforcer because you have created a positive working relationship with that student. You are fun and engaging! You have fun stuff and you are fun! They work for you because THEY LIKE YOU! (I have a post about this.... Rita Pierson said it best "Kids don't learn from people they don't like".) So whether it is playing their favorite game, breaking through to their Minecraft world, tickling, dancing, chasing them around the playground, sliding on the slide with them... whatever it takes have fun with them. Let them see that it is in their best interest to do what you ask because you are the source of good things and you ARE good things!

Oh Rita, we miss you! You were one of a kind!

And then there must be a contingency. Contingency meaning they have to do something to get something. Don't go giving away the good stuff for free. The student only accesses their reinforcers for doing what is asked of them. First/Then boards (some are available in my TPT store) are easy to implement. First: Work, Then: Swing. The then should always be the reinforcer for completing work or for displaying the behaviors you want to see. Other tools you could use to show contingencies are contingency maps. IF you make these good choices then you earn access to iPad, IF you don't make these good choices or if you make these bad choices then you don't earn access to iPad. If you are using visual schedules (and you should be) then access to reinforcement or choice time should be depicted on the schedule. The student needs to SEE when they get the good stuff... math, reading, token time (with the contingency that they earned their tokens). On that note, token economy systems are golden! Have a system of contingency and use it consistently.

A little more on contingencies.... All students have goals and expectations. All students in your class may have different goals and expectations... as they should. Those goals and expectations need to be shared with the student in order to EARN their tokens and reinforcers. I am working for boards are great... BUT where is the contingency if the student doesn't know what they did to earn the token. 99.9% of my students utilize some sort of "I am working for" token system the difference is I include expectations. Expectations are explicitly provided to the student so they know what they need to do to earn tokens. This could be with rules right on the token board. Or social narratives or sorts that depicts good choices and bad choices. Or contingency maps that explicitly teach what the child needs to do to access reinforcement. And always included in token systems should be behavior specific praise. The student should always know what they did to earn the token. So when giving a token, staff should say "great sitting" or fill in the blank. And more on that (because I have seen it before) students should always KNOW that they have earned a token or point. What good does it do to give a point without the student knowing? How do they know they were doing well or what they were doing well? The tokens/points are always given in front of the student and with behavior specific praise (or pointing to the picture of whichever expectation they were doing well-- which is helpful in inclusion classrooms).

And then there was the token systems. And never, ever were all my students on the same token system. Was it confusing at times, yes. Was it also necessary, yes. We preach that all students learn differently day in and day out... so why would we give each student the same system? It just doesn't make sense. Some were on first/then systems with schedule pieces that moved throughout the room. Some were on token boards that looked like puzzles (a picture of a students favorite chair was cut up in to 4 pieces) so the student could earn each piece of the puzzle. And when the puzzle was completed they earned the chair. Or 5 velcro stars were earned access to token time. Or some students earned money. Some earned all pennies or all nickels while some earned a mix of coins. Students who earned coins (plastic coins with velcro attached) functionally "bought" their reinforcer. Then there are the students who earn points or happy faces toward larger goals at the end of the day. Whatever the case may be. The students earned reinforcers for doing good. They got good stuff for doing good stuff. See the pattern? We don't work for free... and neither should they.

And then there is punishment. No I don't mean suspension. No I don't mean whatever else you may be thinking of. I mean presenting or removing a stimuli to decrease the occurrence of whatever behavior. So in terms of earning instructional control. The punishment is simply not earning their chosen reinforcer. Key to this is having a reinforcer they are willing to work for. If they don't earn it and the problem behavior still occurs in the future then it isn't punishing. Meaning we need something even more motivating. Their behavior should decrease by not getting access to the good stuff. And then punishment--- they don't get the good stuff if they don't meet the expectations and/or they engage in problem behaviors. That's it. If they don't earn their tokens then they get to sit in the "waiting area" and read a book. Or sit in the tent (unless this is preferred) and wait. If you are in a self-contained class this is effective especially if they get to watch their friends having fun because their friends made great choices and earned their token time. But punishment does not mean taking something away when it comes to earning instructional control... it just means they didn't earn it YET. They need access to reinforcement often and consistently. Set up the environment so that they can earn reinforcement so they can build their skill repertoire!

And then, as always, take data! Determine whether you have successfully gained instructional control by analyzing data. Is the student's target behaviors increasing? Is the student's problem behaviors decreasing? If you are not seeing trends, keep trying! Go back and re-pair yourself, re-establish that relationship, and determine what is actually motivating to that particular student.

Now get out there and keep being your awesome selves!!!