Direct Observation of Teachers' Implementation of the Best in CLASS Practice Components and Collateral Child Outcomes

Introduction: Increasingly children enter pre-kindergarten programs with significant problem behaviors that place them at elevated risk for behavioral and learning difficulties. Unfortunately, many early childhood teachers lack the skills needed to prevent and ameliorate these children’s chronic problem behaviors. BEST in CLASS was developed as a Tier 2 classroom-based intervention that systematically identifies and targets high risk, preschool-age children, with an emphasis on changing the instructional behaviors of teachers and improving teacher-child instructional interactions. BEST in CLASS supports teachers’ use of effective instructional practices that promote positive teacher-child interactions, enhance child engagement, and decrease the occurrence of problem behaviors. BEST in CLASS is comprised of professional development training around effective instructional practices (i.e., Rules; Behavior Specific Praise; Precorrection; Opportunities to Respond; Instructional and Corrective Teacher Feedback). Using practice-based coaching (including performance feedback), teachers are coached in the implementation of instructional practices targeted at high risk children during classroom-based activities. This paper presents findings during year 1 of a 4-year RCT examining teachers’ implementation of BEST in CLASS instructional practices and collateral child outcomes.

Methods: Using the Teacher-Child Interactions Direct Observation System (TCIDOS; a researcher developed interval recording direct observation system that utilizes a computer-based platform), data were collected on 53 teachers’ implementation of BEST in CLASS instructional practices. Teachers were randomly assigned to the BEST in CLASS condition (N=26) and a comparison condition (N=27) and 129 children’s behavioral outcomes were also recorded (N=66 BEST in CLASS condition; N=63 comparison condition). The TCIDOS was used to code occurrence of BEST in CLASS instructional practices, children’s engagement, disruption, aggression, and defiance, as well as positive or negative teacher-child interactions. Data were collected weekly during a 20-min observation session at baseline, practice-based coaching completion, and maintenance.

Results: Results indicate that teachers in the BEST in CLASS condition demonstrated a higher occurrence of BEST in CLASS instructional practices than those teachers in the comparison condition. Results also indicate that children whose teachers participated in the BEST in CLASS treatment condition demonstrated an increase in engagement and decreases in problem behaviors in comparison to the control condition. Additionally, positive teacher-child interactions increased and negative teacher-child interactions decreased in the treatment classrooms.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that professional development training including practice-based coaching is a promising approach for increasing teachers’ use of effective instructional practices as well as reducing problem behaviors demonstrated by young high-risk children.