Is this reinforcement?
Student completes work. Teacher says takes the paper and walks away.
No- there was no praise or recognition of the work completion
A student talks out of turn and the teacher takes away computer time later in the day.
Yes this is a punishment procedure (not recommended)
Student runs in hallway → required to practice walking again
Punishment
A student raises their hand during group lesson
Access to attention / being heard
A student is denied access to a preferred item, begins crying, and another adult says, “Don’t cry, here you go,” and gives the item.
Crying/tantrum is reinforced by access to the item
Student raises hand for help. Teacher immediately helps.
Yes , the student's request for help was reinforced
A student is finishes all their work and gets to go to recess 2 minutes early.
No- this is reinforcement
Student completes math work → earns extra computer time
Reinforcement
A student completes their independent work and is allowed asks nicely to join peers outside
Access to the peers
A student engages in loud verbal behavior during instruction and is sent out of the room to calm down. The next day, the behavior happens again during the same lesson.
Escape from instruction can reinforce the behavior
Bob is sitting appropriately during circle time, and his classmate Betty is provided verbal praise by the teacher. Was Bob provided reinforcement?
No, Betty was provided with praise (a type of positive reinforcement)
A student makes farting noises in the back of the room and the teacher asks them to leave the room.
Yes- this is a punishment procedure
Student uses a break card → gets a short break.
Reinforcement
A student asks appropriately for help with a math problem
The teacher or aide provides assistance
A student repeatedly calls out instead of raising their hand, and the teacher responds by correcting or redirecting them each time.
Attention can be maintaining the calling out
Student transitions quietly and earns a token toward free choice.
Yes- appropriate behavior was reinforced.
A student elopes from the classroom, and is later given trash pickup duty.
Student disrupts class → removed from group activity
Punishment
A student with a 1:1 support staff has been following directions the first time and having appropriate behaviors
Removal of prompts/less adult intervention
A student refuses work, and staff begin helping by completing part of the task for them. Refusal increases over time.
Work avoidance is reinforced by reduced task demands
A student rips up his paper and is asked to sit out in the hallway.
No- this is an example of punishment
A student screams "math is stupid" and the teacher says "don't use language liek that in my classroom"
Yes- this is a punishment procedure (aka reprimand)
Student stays in seat → adult stops frequent reminders
Reinforcement- this is an example of negative reinforcement
As student appropriately tells their teacher that the assembly is too loud
Gets access to headphones or gets to go outside
A student drops to the floor during transitions, and multiple adults stop to talk and negotiate with the student. The behavior occurs more frequently during transitions.
Adult attention reinforces the behavior