Students can learn self-management strategies (with little or no adult intervention) to stay on-task during class, calm down in difficult situations, or even engage in social conversations. Teaching students to manage and control their own behavior is an essential life skill – the student is the best person to manage his or her behavior.
Research
Teaching students to manage and control their own behavior is an essential life skill. According to Alberto and Troutman (2009), the student is the best person to manage his or her behavior. Each student knows what type of reinforcement/reward he or she wants to earn (for completing school work or performing other appropriate behavior) and the student is the only individual who will be part of his or her entire educational and life experience.
Application
Students can learn self-management strategies (with little or no adult intervention) to stay on-task during class, calm down in difficult situations, or even engage in social conversations. The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders notes specific skills that were the focus of interventions in evidence-based studies that include: giving compliments to others; responding to others; sharing; increasing on-task behavior; initiating interactions; reducing the occurrence of interfering behaviors; promoting daily living skills; increasing play skills; and conversing with others.
Components of Effective Self-Management
Click on each component below to read more great information from a blog titled Positively Autism, 2012.
1. Goal Setting – creating clear goals and clear criteria with the student.
2. Self- Recording of Data– developing an effective data collection system with the student.
3. Self-Evaluation– teaching the student ways to self-evaluate and monitor his/her own progress.
4. Self-Reinforcement– teaching a student to be involved in the process by allowing students to choose their reinforcement, the timing, and frequency of when the rewards are delivered. These are important factors to consider.
Resources
For more information go to:
Autism Internet Modules
National Professional Development Center: Self Management for Autism Spectrum Disorders brief on Self- Management
Click on the following link to check out the new Virginia Autism Council Website for information about upcoming educational opportunities for personnel and caregivers supporting individuals with autism.
References
Alberto, P. A., & Troutman, A. C. (2009). Applied behavior analysis for teachers (8th ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Caldwell, N. (Ed.). (2012). Positively autism. Retrieved September 4, 2012, from http://positivelyautism.blogspot.com/
