Evaluating the effects of Behavioural Skills Training on teacher implementation of the Preschool Life Skills program in elementary settings

As children grow, mastering key social skills is essential for their success in school environments, and teachers play a central role in fostering these skills. The current study evaluated the effects of using Behavioural Skills Training (BST) to teach a first-grade teacher to implement the Preschool Life Skills (PLS) program in a mainstream elementary school classroom. The primary aim was to evaluate the effects of using BST to train a teacher to implement the PLS program in a classroom setting. A secondary aim was to compare teacher and student outcomes between a classroom where the teacher received BST and two control classrooms where no training took place. The experimental teacher received BST on how to teach three social skills: answering to name, following simple instructions, and raising a hand for teacher attention. Results indicated that BST effectively increased the teacher’s procedural integrity when initially teaching the skills, and while providing descriptive praise and corrective feedback during evocative situations. Children in the experimental classroom demonstrated improved performance across all skills, with instruction following improving immediately after the skill of responding to one’s name was taught. Comparison data showed greater improvements in teacher and student behaviours related to the targeted skills in the experimental classroom than in the control classrooms. These findings support the use of BST to train teachers in implementing the PLS program and extend previous research by demonstrating its effectiveness in mainstream elementary school settings. Keywords: teacher training, preschool life skills, behavioural skills training, elementary school settings

Author dc:creator

• Auður Pálsdóttir 1995-

Contributors dc:contributor

• Háskólinn í Reykjavík

• Hagnýt atferlisgreining
• Meistaraprófsritgerðir
• Grunnskólar
• Félagsfærni
• Applied behaviour analysis
• Elementary schools
• Social skills

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1946/51144

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:skemman.is:1946/51144