Evidence-based Practices in Classroom Management: Considerations for Research to Practice

Classroom management is a critical skill area. Teachers should be trained and supported in implementing practices that are likely to be successful; that is, practices that are backed by evidence. The purpose of this paper is to describe the outcomes of a systematic literature search conducted to identify evidence-based classroom management practices. Although the need for additional research exists, 20 practices, in general, were identified as having sufficient evidence to be considered for classroom adoption. Considerations for incorporating these practices are suggested, and a self-assessment tool is proposed as means of evaluating and enhancing use of these practices. Suggestions for future research are also presented.

[1]  Charles R. Greenwood,et al.  The use of peer tutoring strategies in classroom management and educational instruction. , 1988 .

[2]  R. West,et al.  Teacher Presentation Rate and Point Delivery Rate , 1986, Behavior modification.

[3]  W. Friesen,et al.  Managing emotionally disturbed children in regular classrooms. , 1966 .

[4]  Timothy J. Lewis,et al.  Teaching communicative alternatives to socially withdrawn behavior: An investigation in maintaining treatment effects , 1993 .

[5]  S. Forman A comparison of cognitive training and response cost procedures in modifying aggressive behavior of elementary school children , 1980 .

[6]  D. Carnine Effects of two teacher-presentation rates on off-task behavior, answering correctly, and participation. , 1976, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[7]  Neal Glasgow,et al.  What Successful Teachers Do: 91 Research-Based Classroom Strategies for New and Veteran Teachers , 2002 .

[8]  R. Gersten THE CONTINUED IMPACT OF THE DIRECT INSTRUCTION MODEL: LONGITUDINAL STUDIES OF FOLLOW THROUGH STUDENTS , 1988 .

[9]  W. Jenson,et al.  A Multi‐Component intervention designed to reduce disruptive classroom behavior , 2000 .

[10]  C. Greenwood,et al.  Academic Engagement: Current Perspectives on Research and Practice , 2002 .

[11]  R. Hall,et al.  Effects of teacher attention on attending behavior of two boys at adjacent desks. , 1970, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[12]  G. Sugai,et al.  Using Active Supervision and Precorrection to Improve Transition Behaviors in an Elementary School , 1997 .

[13]  Patricia M. Barbetta,et al.  Effects of immediate and delayed error correction on the acquisition and maintenance of sight words by students with developmental disabilities. , 1994, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[14]  Charles R. Greenwood,et al.  Longitudinal Effects of Classwide Peer Tutoring. , 1989 .

[15]  Charles Greenwood,et al.  Classwide Peer Tutoring , 1986, Exceptional children.

[16]  Lisa A. Serbin,et al.  Shaping cooperative cross-sex play. , 1977 .

[17]  T. L. Morrison Classroom structure, work involvement, and social climate in elementary school classrooms , 1979 .

[18]  G. Sugai,et al.  The Effect of Active Supervision and Pre-correction on Minor Behavioral Incidents in a Sixth Grade General Education Classroom , 2002 .

[19]  F. Gresham,et al.  Behavioral Consultation in a Secondary Class: Using DRL to Decrease Negative Verbal Interactions. , 1982 .

[20]  Melvyn I. Semmel,et al.  Instructional variables that make a difference: attention to task and beyond , 1981 .

[21]  R. Phillips Increasing positive self-referent statements to improve self-esteem in low-income elementary school children☆ , 1984 .

[22]  J. R. Nelson,et al.  Effects of Direct Instruction, Cooperative Learning, and Independent Learning Practices on the Classroom Behavior of Students with Behavioral Disorders , 1996 .

[23]  A. Repp,et al.  Reducing inappropriate behaviors in classrooms and in individual sessions through DRO schedules of reinforcement. , 1976, Mental retardation.

[24]  C. Greenwood,et al.  Confirming a Performance-Based Instructional Model. , 1994 .

[25]  Robert H. Horner,et al.  The Evolution of Discipline Practices: School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports , 2002 .

[26]  D. W. Johnson,et al.  Effects of group and individual contingencies on academic performance and social relations of special needs students. , 1982, The Journal of social psychology.

[27]  M. Rosenberg Maximizing the Effectiveness of Structured Classroom Management Programs: Implementing Rule-Review Procedures with Disruptive and Distractible Students , 1986 .

[28]  J. Wehby,et al.  Effect of Varying Rates of Behavior-Specific Praise on the On-Task Behavior of Students with EBD , 2000 .

[29]  C. Madsen,et al.  The Contingent Use of Teacher Attention and Praise in Reducing Classroom Behavior Problems , 1967 .

[30]  Kevin S. Sutherland,et al.  The Effect of Self-Evaluation on Teaching Behavior in Classrooms for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders , 2001 .

[31]  M. Wolf,et al.  Good behavior game: effects of individual contingencies for group consequences on disruptive behavior in a classroom. , 1969, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[32]  Linda A. Meyer Long-Term Academic Effects of the Direct Instruction Project Follow Through , 1984, The Elementary School Journal.

[33]  Jacqueline A. Haynes,et al.  Computer Assisted Instruction with Learning Disabled Students: Achievement, Engagement, and other Factors That Influence Achievement , 1990 .

[34]  T. V. Joe Layng,et al.  Headsprout Early Reading™: Reliably Teaching Children to Read 1 , 2003 .

[35]  M. Kelley,et al.  Student-Teacher Contracting with Goal Setting for Maintenance , 1984 .

[36]  K. O’leary,et al.  Teaching self-control to disruptive children. , 1973, Journal of abnormal psychology.

[37]  P. Alberto,et al.  Applied behavior analysis for teachers , 1982 .

[38]  B. D. Lazarus Guided Notes: Effects with Secondary and Post Secondary Students with Mild Disabilities. , 1993 .

[39]  Jon S. Bailey,et al.  Effects of Guided Notes on University Students' Responding and Recall of Information , 2002 .

[40]  Lori A. Jones,et al.  Using Guided Notes with Academically At-Risk High School Students during a Remedial Summer Social Studies Class. , 1999 .

[41]  Sherry Ahrentzen,et al.  Distraction, Privacy, and Classroom Design , 1984 .

[42]  M. Hemmeter,et al.  The Effects of Three Techniques on Student Participation with Preschool Children with Attending Problems , 2003 .

[43]  T. Mclaughlin A PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK SYSTEM: GENERALIZATION OF EFFECTS ACROSS TASKS AND TIME WITH EIGHTH-GRADE ENGLISH STUDENTS1 L. Kasteien M. Nickel , 1984 .

[44]  S. Davies,et al.  Self-Management and Peer-Monitoring within a Group Contingency To Decrease Uncontrolled Verbalizations of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. , 2000 .

[45]  J. Pratt,et al.  A group contingency for individual misbehaviors in the classroom. , 1972, Mental retardation.

[46]  J. Kounin,et al.  Managing Emotionally Disturbed Children in Regular Classrooms: A Replication and Extension1 , 1968 .

[47]  Carol S. Weinstein,et al.  Modifying Student Behavior in an Open Classroom Through Changes in the Physical Design , 1977 .

[48]  J. Meyers,et al.  Acceptability and Student Outcomes of a Violence Prevention Curriculum , 2005, Journal of Primary Prevention.

[49]  Laura M. Stough,et al.  Classroom Management: A Critical Part of Educational Psychology, With Implications for Teacher Education , 2001 .

[50]  Robert J. Presbie,et al.  Group Time-Out from Rock and Roll Music and Out-of-Seat Behavior of Handicapped Children While Riding a School Bus , 1972, Psychological reports.

[51]  A. Repp,et al.  Effects of Differential Scheduling of Timeout to Reduce Maladaptive Responding , 1987, Exceptional children.

[52]  T. Rose,et al.  Effects of two Error-Correction Procedures on Oral Reading , 1982 .

[53]  S. O'leary,et al.  Effects of consistent and inconsistent feedback on inappropriate child behavior , 1988 .

[54]  S. Loe,et al.  The Effects of Social Skills Instruction on the Social Behaviors of Students at Risk for Emotional or Behavioral Disorders , 2002 .

[55]  K. Lane,et al.  Social Skills Instruction for Students at Risk for Antisocial Behavior: The Effects of Small-Group Instruction , 2003 .

[56]  P. Gunter,et al.  The Effect of Varying Rates of Opportunities to Respond to Academic Requests on the Classroom Behavior of Students with EBD , 2003 .

[57]  H. Mars,et al.  Active Supervision and Students’ Physical Activity in Middle School Physical Education , 2002 .

[58]  John W. Schuster,et al.  The Effects of Using Response Cards on Student Participation, Academic Achievement, and On-Task Behavior During Whole-Class, Math Instruction , 2003 .

[59]  William L. Heward,et al.  Effects of Response Cards on Disruptive Behavior and Academic Responding During Math Lessons by Fourth-Grade Urban Students , 2006 .

[60]  Russell Gersten,et al.  A Follow-up of Follow Through: The Later Effects of the Direct Instruction Model on Children in Fifth and Sixth Grades , 1982 .

[61]  R. Houten,et al.  An extension of the effects of the performance feedback system with secondary school students , 1977 .

[62]  R. Winett,et al.  Group feedback and group contingencies in modifying behavior of fifth graders. , 1974, Psychological Reports.

[63]  Edward J. Kameenui,et al.  Direct Instruction Reading , 1979 .

[64]  R. L. Williams,et al.  The Effect of Behavior Contracting on Grades , 1973 .

[65]  T. Sharpe The effects of a sportsmanship curriculum intervention on generalized positive social behavior of urban elementary school students. , 1995, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[66]  J. DiPerna Academic Enablers and Student Achievement: Implications for Assessment and Intervention Services in the Schools. , 2006 .

[67]  G. DuPaul,et al.  Peer tutoring for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: effects on classroom behavior and academic performance. , 1998, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[68]  Susan K. Green,et al.  Demonstrating the Experimenting Society Model with Classwide Behavior Management Interventions. , 1996 .

[69]  William L. Heward,et al.  Teaching Middle School Students with Learning Disabilities to Recruit Peer Assistance during Cooperative Learning Group Activities , 2001 .

[70]  P. Sindelar The Effects of Two Variations of Teacher Questioning on Student Performance. , 1986 .

[71]  W. L. Heward,et al.  Teaching elementary students with developmental disabilities to recruit teacher attention in a general education classroom: effects on teacher praise and academic productivity. , 1998, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[72]  R. Horner,et al.  A Promising Approach for Expanding and Sustaining School-Wide Positive Behavior Support , 2006 .

[73]  S. O'leary,et al.  The relative impact of long and short reprimands on children's off-task behavior in the classroom , 1988 .

[74]  R. Solomon,et al.  A comparison of individual and group contingency systems in a first‐grade class , 1979 .

[75]  J. Burgess,et al.  Effects of preschool environments on nonverbal social behavior: toddlers' interpersonal distances to teachers and classmates change with environmental density, classroom design, and parent-child interactions. , 1989, Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines.

[76]  Frederick S. Breed,et al.  Classroom organization and management , 1934 .

[77]  R. E. Webster,et al.  Use of an independent group contingency management system in a regular classroom setting , 1993 .

[78]  Lynn S. Fuchs,et al.  Effects of Explicit Teaching and Peer Tutoring on the Reading Achievement of Learning-Disabled and Low-Performing Students in Regular Classrooms , 1995, The Elementary School Journal.

[79]  H. Hops,et al.  Group contingencies for group consequences in classroom management: a further analysis. , 1974, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[80]  G. DuPaul,et al.  Task Engagement and Mathematics Performance in Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Effects of Supplemental Computer Instruction. , 2002 .

[81]  R. Hall,et al.  Effects of teacher attention on study behavior. , 1968, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[82]  C. Skinner,et al.  Decreasing Transition Times in a Second Grade Classroom , 2004 .

[83]  A. Repp,et al.  Reducing inappropriate classroom behaviour of retarded students through three procedures of differential reinforcement. , 2008, Journal of mental deficiency research.

[84]  T. Martin,et al.  Exceptional Children , 2020, Mental Health.

[85]  K. Maich,et al.  Applied Behavior Analysis , 2018, Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology.

[86]  J. Umbreit,et al.  Using Active Responding to Reduce Disruptive Behavior in a General Education Classroom , 1999 .

[87]  R. Foxx,et al.  The timeout ribbon: a nonexclusionary timeout procedure. , 1978, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[88]  D. Baer,et al.  The application of operant conditioning techniques in a secondary school classroom. , 1969, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[89]  Lorraine E. Maxwell,et al.  Multiple Effects of Home and Day Care Crowding , 1996 .

[90]  Nirbhay N. Singh Effects of Two Error-Correction Procedures on Oral Reading Errors , 1990, Behavior modification.

[91]  W. A. T. White,et al.  A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Direct Instruction in Special Education. , 1988 .

[92]  C. Darch,et al.  Instructional Classroom Management: A Proactive Approach to Behavior Management , 1994 .

[93]  Carolyn M. Evertson,et al.  Classroom Management for Elementary Teachers , 1989 .

[94]  G. C. Main,et al.  A token reinforcement program in a public junior-high school1. , 1977 .

[95]  D. R. Thomas,et al.  Rules, praise, and ignoring: elements of elementary classroom control. , 1968, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[96]  Linda B. Stebbins,et al.  Education as Experimentation: A Planned Variation Model. Volume IIIA: Findings: Cohort II; Interim Findings: Cohort III. Volume IIIB: Appendices. , 1976 .

[97]  Stephen Houghton,et al.  The Effects of Contingent Teacher Praise, as Specified by Canter's Assertive Discipline Programme, on Children's On‐task Behaviour , 1992 .

[98]  A. Huston-Stein,et al.  The relation of classroom structure to social behavior, imaginative play, and self-regulation of economically disadvantaged children. , 1977 .

[99]  Gary Stoner,et al.  The Effects of Computerized Reading Instruction on the Academic Performance of Students Identified with ADHD , 2005 .

[100]  B. Lignugaris/Kraft,et al.  Effects of a Dependent Group Contingency on the Verbal Interactions of Middle School Students with Emotional Disturbance , 2005 .

[101]  A. Kazdin,et al.  Programming response maintenance after withdrawing token reinforcement , 1975 .