Self-Monitoring Strategies for Improving Classroom Engagement of Secondary Students

Research indicates that classroom engagement steadily declines as grade levels increase, with lowest levels of student engagement in high school (Marks, 2000; Wang & Holcombe, 2010; Wang & Eccles, 2011). Additionally, the highest amounts of disengagement are observed from the lowest performing students (Blatchford, Bassett, & Brown, 2011). Teaching self-monitoring skills to at-risk students or students with disabilities at the secondary level can be an effective method of increasing classroom engagement. Furthermore, self-monitoring strategies are individualized supports that can be applied as tertiary-level PBIS interventions (Bohanon, Fenning, Eber, & Flannery, 2007). In this presentation, the presenter will share self-monitoring information from the literature to facilitate research-to-practice. Additionally, the presenter will discuss a recent study with high school students with disabilities using an inconspicuous cuing device (a vibrating app on a Smartphone) to self-monitor on-task behaviors. The audience will be provided with step-by-step information on how to implement a self-monitoring program with their students. Special and general educators will learn how to implement self-monitoring strategies that can increase students\u27 engagement and enhance access to the general education curriculum for students with disabilities