Improving Participation During Choral Responding

by Armendariz, Fernando R.

This study looked at whether a procedure of interspersing individual targeted questions would improve participation by low-responding students during a choral responding activity. Improved participation involved increased responding, increased accuracy, and decreased disruptive behavior. The study was conducted in two established elementary school classrooms. In each class, data were collected on two low-responding and two high-responding students. The choral activity was conducted in each classroom for 10 minutes a day. An ABAB reversal design was used. During baseline conditions, teachers conducted whole-group choral responding only. During the intervention conditions, teachers interspersed targeted questions to individuals who responded at low levels during the whole group choral responding activity. During the intervention (targeted questioning) conditions, the low-participating students in each classroom (a) responded to a higher percentage of the teacher’s questions, (b) maintained or increased response accuracy, and (c) decreased disruptive behavior. During these same conditions, the high participating students maintained or slightly increased their participation levels. Teachers gave high social validity ratings to the targeted questioning procedure, noting that it made choral responding more effective with unwilling responders. 11