Question
Answered step-by-step
CountNeutron13140
Background Student: Howard Age: 8 Grade: 3rd Scenario…
Background Student: Howard
Age: 8
Grade: 3rd
Scenario Howard is showing significant signs of reading and math difficulty. Ms. Andersona first-year teacherhas referred him to the office six times in four months for “insubordination.” She frequently complains to the other teachers that he is bad student and she is at her wits end trying to work with him. Mr. Knowall, the Principal suggested that maybe she could reward him with a sticker if he does better.
What Happened? Yesterday
8:00 am the bell rings
8:03 Ms. Anderson instructs the class to begin working on the math problems on the chalkboard.
8:11 Howard begins to talk loudly about the rims on his dad’s car. Another student, Davis, comments, “Aw, your daddy has a hooptie and those rims are wack.” Howard responds, “Well, at least we have a car. I saw you waiting for the bus.”
8:12 Other students begin to laugh, and Davis tells Howard to shut up.
8:13 At this time Ms. Anderson intervenes, telling the students to quiet down. She reprimands Howard and Davis, tells them to go sit down, and reminds them of their assignment. She then returns to her desk.
8:14 Howard and Davis continue to discuss their parents’ cars.
8:15 Howard calls Davis a stupid head. The class laughs.
8:16 Ms. Anderson again reprimands them for talking.
8:18 Howard then sharpens his pencil, gets a new piece of paper, and walks back to his seat using the longest route possible. He stops to talk to Myron and says loudly “MATH SUCKS.” He laughs.
8:35 The students appear to have finished their math problems and Ms. Anderson begins class.
8:43 Howard stands up and yawns dramatically
8:44 Ms. Anderson tells him to sit down
9:00 Students go to specials, and Ms. Anderson reviews his paper. He has drawn superheroes on his paper and completed no math problems.
Howard has several behaviors that Ms. Anderson feels are contributing to his incomplete work, but she is most concerned about him starting his assignments when told to do so. So, the next week, Ms. Anderson collects event data on Howard’s appropriate and inappropriate comments and latency data on how long it takes him to begin his work each day. She takes data of what happened yesterday and for five additional days.
Based on this situation, what would be an appropriate ABC analysis for Howard? What is the function of his behavior? What is an appropriate hypothesis for his behavior?
