When coaching our district teams, we often emphasize the importance of structuring the different types of breaks throughout a student's day. Sometimes teams share that the hardest break to manage is reinforcement breaks when students are able to earn a favorite item or activity. In today's Organization Station, we will address some of the common management challenges during this time and provide some practical examples for addressing those challenges.
Challenge #1: The student does not understand when they will get to do their favorite activity.
Solution: Use a visual contract.
- A visual contract is a visual support that clearly communicates what the student will earn and how much work has to be done prior to earning the reinforcer.
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| visual contract folder with written expectations Kelli Hannaford Mound Elementary, Miamisburg |
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| token board Erika Lauterbach Dixie Elementary, New Lebanon |
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| visual contract to do list Kara Cripe Smith Elementary, Oakwood |
Solution: Use a visual countdown.
- A visual contract visually shows the passing of time to help the student understand how long they have to wait for the next activity. When students are engaged in an activity that is time-based (such as listening to a story or participating in class discussion) rather than task-based (such as a worksheet or taskbox), we recommend the visual contract.
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| visual countdown on paint stick |
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| visual countdown wheel |
Challenge #2: The students keep getting into the toys whenever they want.
Solution: "Sanitize" the environment.
- Sanitizing the environment is actually a term from Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) which means limiting free access to favorite items and activities. Use locked cabinets or containers that the student cannot open independently to store these items.
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| locked cabinets with visual STOP cues Jamie Minnish Prass Elementary, Kettering |
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| locking toy cabinet Robbie Whorton Demmitt Elementary, Vandalia |
Solution: Designate one area of the classroom for reward activities.
- If you are unable to sanitize the environment, make limiting access to toys or favorite activities easier by organizing them into one area of the classroom. The student's visual contract can help them better understand when they will be able to access this area.
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| reward time area Leslie Mann Demmitt Elementary, Vandalia |
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| individualized break area under teacher desk Heather Balkcom Springcreek Primary, Piqua |
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| toy area Mark Tracy Wright Brothers Elementary, Huber Heights |
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| reward time area Taylor Ruef Stevenson Elementary, Mad River |
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| reward time area Jamie Minnish Prass Elementary, Kettering |
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| reward time area Brittany Wendling Valley Elementary, Beavercreek |
Solution: Use boundaries.
- When items are in a designated location, this can make it easier to use physical or visual boundaries to communicate when these items are off limits.
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| computer waiting visual support Peggy Ristau Brookville Intermediate, Brookville |
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| visual and physical boundary for reward time area Jamie Minnish Prass Elementary, Kettering |
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| reward time area closed visual support Angela Crum Parkwood Elementary, Beavercreek |
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| stop & wait visual cue on toy shelf |
Challenge #3: The student isn't motivated by anything.
Solution: Use a reinforcement menu.
- Allow the student to have shared control of what they want to earn by providing a variety of options rather than using the same thing all of the time. Add new items to the reinforcement menu when you find new special interests.
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| reward break choice board Gina Mattie Beverly Garden Elementary, Mad River |
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| reward break choice board Emily Ottmar Stevenson Elementary, Mad River |
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| individualized reinforcement menu Pam Ellender Mad River Middle School, Mad River |
Solution: Complete a reinforcement inventory.
- Reinforcement inventories can be used to gather information about what the student enjoys. Forced choice inventories can be used to determine the type of reinforcement the student prefers, And parent surveys can be used for students who are nonverbal or limited in their functional communication skills. Click the images below for access to these free reinforcement inventories!
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| forced-choice reinforcement survey with pictures |
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| forced-choice reinforcement survey |
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| reinforcement inventory checklist for parents |
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| reinforcement inventory survey for parents |
Challenge #4: We can't find the reinforcer once it is earned.
Solution: Get organized!
- Kids are messy! Use organizational supports to help the classroom stay organized. This is especially important when you have multiple students and staff members in one classroom sharing materials.
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| reward time location visual Jennifer McGowan Smith Middle School, Vandalia |
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| toy bins organized with laminated labels Catherine Anderson Rushmore Elementary, Huber Heights |
Challenge #5: The student will not return the item/activity when the reinforcement break is over.
Solution: Proactively set time limits before the break is started.
- Use visual supports to help the student know exactly how long the break will be.
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| "5 minute break" visual cue on contract Emily Ottmar Stevenson Elementary, Mad River |
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| reward time ending time visual cue John Everson Tipp High School, Tipp City |
Solution: Use a visual timer or countdown to show the passing of time.
- Shifting gears from one activity to the next can be hard for our students. Visual timers or countdowns can help the student see the passing of time so they know when it will be time to transition off their reinforcement break. This feels less sudden than simply hearing a cue to clean up.
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| time timer |
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| visual countdown |
Solution: Provide a forced choice for the length of the break.
- Forced choices can be an effective way to provide shared control so the student gets to make decisions throughout the day. During reinforcement breaks, provide two lengths of time for the student to choose from to decide how long their break will be. For example, you can ask the student "Do you want 5 or 10 minutes for your Lego break?"
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| cube timer Korie Jacobs Mad River Middle School, Mad River |
Solution: Use a time-based reinforcement system.
- For older students, some teams will have each activity on their contract worth a designated number of minutes. For instance, each checkmark on the contract to do list below, is worth 2 minutes so the student can earn between 0-10 minutes of computer time for completing the tasks. This can be especially helpful for students who need to build positive behavior momentum and do not do well with an "all of nothing" reinforcement system.
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| visual contract to-do list with time-based check system |
Solution: Directly teach giving up the reinforcing item.
- Our students often need direct instruction and deliberate practice to obtain new skills. This is especially true when the new skill is something that may not be particularly excited about or when the skill is meeting a new expectation that has not been previously addressed at home or in other settings.
- Steps for direct instruction and practice:
- Have the timer and/or visual transition supports you will use readily available
- Give the student the reinforcing item (this is non-contingent when learning this skill!)
- Allow the student to play with the reinforcer for 2-3 minutes
- Use timer/visual to cue end of break. Say "my turn" and put hand out
- When the student returns the item, offer praise. Keep for several seconds. And immediately return to the student (If the student does not return the item, take it from them)
- Repeat until the student demonstrates increased understanding and begins returning the item on the initial transition cue.
Challenge #6: The student won't transition back to their desk after the reinforcement break.
Solution: Reduce transitions
- Rather than the student transitioning to a reward time area and then back to their desk for work, place toys and reinforcing activities in portable containers so they can be brought to the student at their desk.
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| portable toy bins Taylor Ruef Stevenson Elementary, Mad River |
For more information about reinforcement, sensory, and "in the moment breaks" check out our previous posts:
