Using a Timer to Increase SATOT

Every behavior intervention plan must have the fundamental goal in mind of increasing student academic time on task (SATOT). Timers provide an effective method of making students aware of and increase academic time. It is unrealistic to expect students to increase SATOT from 20% to 100% immediately. This type of change requires consistent and patient effort on the part of the teacher.

The use of a timer provides systematic reinforcement for increasing amounts of appropriate behavior such as student academic time on task. Begin the timer program with a very short, achievable, amount of time to give the student(s) high rates of positive reinforcement with the new program. As the student(s) master the behavior with short durations of time, the timer can be gradually set for greater increments. It is important to slowly and patiently increase the time increments in short graduations. If the time is increased in too large of increments students may become frustrated and the plan could fail.

When setting up your timer program clearly explain to the student(s) the target behavior that is being reinforced. Clearly notify the students when the timer begins and immediately reinforce (using the FEEDING rules) when the timer sounds. Using highly visible charts to track the number of times the timer sounds off is very effective for setting and tracking SATOT goals.

During the time that the timer is activated and errant behavior occurs the teacher should simply walk to the timer and reset it. Do not issue a verbal warning, get emotionally charged up nor use the resetting of the timer as a punishment. When the timer sounds off and everyone has remained on task the teacher should incrementally reward the class towards an academically oriented student-valued activity. The amount of accumulated student academic time on task should be posted in a highly visible place and referred to often.

Once the target behavior has been demonstrated over time the teacher should move to the maintenance phase. In this phase the timer is set for varying times ranging from short to long increments. This phase allows the teacher to fade the program over time.

For more information on classroom management email Dr. Brian at drbrian@theprincipals-office.com