SELF MONITORINGBy Ann Vitug

SELF MONITORING

It is a cognitive behavioral strategy or cognitive training technique that requires individuals to keep track of their own behavior.

It is a self-management technique in which students monitor their own behavior such as attention to task, then record it on a sheet.

Self-monitoring of behavior, standards, values, and other internal states is critical for appropriate social behavior.

SELF MONITORINGConsists of 2 components:

1. Self-evaluation – Student evaluates his behavior

Self-analysis and goal setting for either academic or behavioral tasks

2. Self-recording – Student records whether the behavior occurred

Written documentation of incremental progress made in meeting goals

SELF MONITORINGMany studies have indicated that during the

process of a student collecting his self-monitoring data the desired behaviors increases.

Generally, the student is instructed on how to record his frequency of behaviors.

It may be as simple as recording tally marks for the individual behavior occurring over a specific period of time. The accuracy of self-monitoring is not as important as the process and awareness it builds in the student.

SELF MONITORINGSteps to follow

1. Select a target behavior that is resulting in problems in school. (Observable and measurable)

2. Define that behavior with the student.

3. Monitor the frequency of only that behavior in various settings and times of school day.

4. Using these guidelines, self-monitoring can be coupled with a contingency contract. This contract can have built-in reinforces and act as part of an incentive program that would help reward the desired behaviors. The use of a contract also helps to clarify the goals and expectations of the self-monitoring.

SELF MONITORINGNoticing Cues For Encouraging Appropriate Behavior

Tape a small square of paper next to the child.

Tape a similar piece next to the teacher.

Neutrally describe the behavior which you want the child to stop e.g. "When you speak out while someone else is talking no one can really listen to you. I would like you to wait for your turns."

Ask the child to put a mark on the paper whenever he has used that behavior.

Inform the child you will also make a mark when you notice the behavior.

At the end of the lesson you will compare notes to see if you agree on the number of times the behavior had occurred.

SELF MONITORINGThis is a non-judgmental, no

consequence exercise intended to make the child aware of the behavior. The awareness often results in lessening or extinguishing of the behavior.

When a student is responsible for monitoring his/her own behavior, chances for positive change are usually greater.

ADVANTAGES OFSELF-MONITORING

Practical and takes little extra time from teacher

Can be used to improve a variety of academic or social skills

Monitoring systems such as graphs, charts & checklists provide concrete evidence of improved behavior.

Provides more immediate feedback than a teacher is able to provide

Increases student independence and responsibility

Facilitates communication with parents by providing data that can easily be shared during meetings

Involves individual improvement rather than competition across students so each student can work on his or her own goal.

Current trends

TEACHERS CAN USE SELF-MONITORING FOR VARIOUS ACADEMIC TASKS

Examples:

• After working on several math problems, the student can check his/her answers and record on a graph how many answers were correct. After several days, the students and teacher have an observable record.

• Students can increase the number of words spelled correctly and increase length of written stories.

• Students can monitor on-task behaviors by asking themselves: “Was I paying attention?” every time they hear a tone (provided by teacher).

ENCOURAGING SELF-MONITORING

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Tracking strategy

Visual reminder for students to track 3-4 goals to stick to on a daily basis.

A daily self-monitoring report for students to bring home each day to ensure schoolwork and behavior goals are being met.

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Current trends

Self-monitoring and Graphing

effective for students with LD & attention problems

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In Writing and Reading:

USING QUESTIONS

As students make errors without self-correcting them, draw attention to their mistake by asking one of the questions.  Don’t just fix a mistake by students.  Instead, let them to think about the question asked to them.

This causes them to be more attentive as they are reading and helps them make fewer mistakes in the long run.

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Academic Self-monitoring Checklist

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Group Contingency Plans

The behavior of one student in an inclusive classroom is tied to outcome of the whole group.

Teachers can use the same behavioral management approach for all students and do not have to differentiate their treatment of the few students who need help with self-management.

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Teachers can implement similar management strategies through:

Targeting specific undesirable behaviors to be eliminated or specific behaviors to reinforce

Creating chart for students to use for self-management

Communicating procedures for recording behaviors on the chart e.g.: “If you do X, mark your chart.” or “When the beeper beeps, check to see if you are doing X then mark your chart accordingly.”

Connecting the self-management procedures to Group Contingency. “If all students get over X points during the lesson, all students will get a homework pass.”

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REFERENCES Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (1997).

Exceptional learners: Introduction to special education (7th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Lloyd, J. W. (1976). Introduction to learning disabilities: A psycho-behavioral approach (pp. 150-178). Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

Rooney, K., Polloway, E. A., & Hallahan, D. P. (1985). The use of self-monitoring procedures with low IQ learning disabled students. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 18(7), 384-389.

Hallahan, D. P., Marshall, K. J., & Lloyd, J. W. (1981). Self-recording during group instruction: Effects on attention to task. Learning Disability Quarterly, 4(4), 407-413.