Token economies reinforce desired behavior through the delivery of tokens or chips that can be exchanged for back-up reinforcers in the way of desired objects or privileges. In a token economy, there are three major elements: There must be a specific list of clearly defined target behaviors; tokens or points must be identified; and there must be a list of backup reinforcers or items for which the saved tokens can be exchanged (Miltenberger, 2012). In preparing to implement the token economy, six basic steps, as follows, must be followed in order to ensure success: identify tokens, identify behaviors, select back-up reinforcers, establish the exchange ratio, establish procedures for dispensing and exchanging tokens, and field test the system
…show more content…
Martin teaches a combined 6th-8th grade middle school class for students with emotional and behavior disorders. The focus of the classroom is to encourage school appropriate behaviors in order to enable the students to return to the general education setting while utilizing the EBD classroom for study skills and emotional support as needed. Currently, the classroom utilizes a level system in which the students must maintain an 80% or better level of expected behavior for their current level, throughout the day, in order to increase towards the next level. A student’s failure to obtain an 80% results in the student remaining at the same day of the current level; however, losses of days and level drops may be issued after warnings due to excessive acts of aggression; overt acts of disrespect towards staff; or blatant disregard for rules. Each level includes an increasing number or freedoms and benefits associated with it which the students find valuable. Currently, Mr. Martin is experiencing an increase in the number of students being sent back from their general education classes due to disruptive behaviors and non-compliance with classroom rules. He is also seeing an increase in these behaviors in his classroom in the way of aggression, and off-task behaviors, such as, talking out, making disruptive noises, failure to comply with directions, and disrupting other students. Six of his eight students have dropped to a level 1 day 1 and have stayed there for 3 weeks. The token system will offer a more immediate incentive to increase desired behavior which can be tailored to the individual student’s goals (Mayer et al.,
Martin teaches a combined 6th-8th grade middle school class for students with emotional and behavior disorders. The focus of the classroom is to encourage school appropriate behaviors in order to enable the students to return to the general education setting while utilizing the EBD classroom for study skills and emotional support as needed. Currently, the classroom utilizes a level system in which the students must maintain an 80% or better level of expected behavior for their current level, throughout the day, in order to increase towards the next level. A student’s failure to obtain an 80% results in the student remaining at the same day of the current level; however, losses of days and level drops may be issued after warnings due to excessive acts of aggression; overt acts of disrespect towards staff; or blatant disregard for rules. Each level includes an increasing number or freedoms and benefits associated with it which the students find valuable. Currently, Mr. Martin is experiencing an increase in the number of students being sent back from their general education classes due to disruptive behaviors and non-compliance with classroom rules. He is also seeing an increase in these behaviors in his classroom in the way of aggression, and off-task behaviors, such as, talking out, making disruptive noises, failure to comply with directions, and disrupting other students. Six of his eight students have dropped to a level 1 day 1 and have stayed there for 3 weeks. The token system will offer a more immediate incentive to increase desired behavior which can be tailored to the individual student’s goals (Mayer et al.,