The Development of Classroom Sharing by a Teacher Using Positive Practice

Abstract

A kindergarten class of five hearing-impaired children initiated and reciprocated sharing responses through the use of positive practice. Positive practice was conducted by a teacher in the regular classroom during a free-play period in which toys were available. Students who were not sharing practiced asking other students to share, and the rquested student was required to acquiesce in the sharing. Failure to acquiesce led to the positive practice of that correct role. A design which utilized individual probes interspersed among treatment sessions was employed. Positive practice resulted in more than a threefold increase in physical sharing of toys. All five children increased their physical sharing. Verbal sharing was unaffected by the procedure. Fifteen weeks after termination of the experiment, physical sharing still occurred approximately three times more often than during the initial baseline. Sharing generalized to a new teacher, a larger class with untrained students, and new toys. The results suggest that a teacher can systematically facilitate physical sharing among young children in the classroom by the use of positive practice.