Effects of the Class-Wide Functionrelated Intervention Team “CW-FIT”
Group Contingency Program
Juniper Gardens Children’s Project
University of Kansas
Debra Kamps, Howard Wills, & CW-FIT Team
CEC April 2011
Class-Wide Function-related
Intervention Teams (CW-FIT)
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Behavioral intervention to teach appropriate skills and
reinforce use through game format
Secondary Level Intervention
(3-tiered Positive Behavior Support model)
Designed to:
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help students who need more than universal supports
be implemented at the class-wide level
incorporate individualized components
address attention – a common function of problem
behavior
be implemented during “problem” times during the day
Class-Wide Function-related
Intervention Teams

Broadly target common functions maintaining
problem behaviors in elementary classrooms
(teacher attention, peer attention, escape)

Within CW-FIT, students not responding to the
primary intervention receive targeted strategies
including help cards or self-management

Functional assessment and analysis is then
utilized for students not responding to targeted
strategies
CW-FIT Components
Teaching
Extinction
Class-wide Function-Based
Intervention Teams
‘CW-FIT’
Self/Peer
Management
DRA/
Contingencies
Success In Schools
• Randomized experimental-control group study
• 17 public schools in 3 districts, 1 charter
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school, 1 parochial school
Approximately 72 Classes
and 67 comparison classes
Approximately 1,300 students
ABAB reversal design in 42 classrooms
152 students with behavior risks
109 comparison students with risks
Main Components
Lessons (Teaching Component)
 Teams
 Goals & Points
 Incentives and Consequences

Teaching Appropriate
Behavior
 Direct instruction of skills
Define, model, teacher-student and studentstudent role play, feedback, practice
 3-5 days teaching and practice
 Pre-correct at start of instruction
 Incidental teaching
CW-FIT Teaching Component
Instruction in expected behaviors
 How to gain the teacher’s attention
 Following directions
 Ignoring inappropriate behaviors
 Other optional skill
References:
Tough Kid Social Skills;
Utah State BEST Practices;
Skillstreaming Curricula
Lessons: How do we teach?
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Posters that explicitly
describe each skill will be
prominently posted in the
classroom so that all
students can easily see
them.
Posters give step by step
instructions on “how” to
perform the skill.
Never assume that a
child knows all the steps
involved in a skill without
being taught!
How to get the
Teacher’s Attention
1. Look at the teacher
2. Raise your hand
3. Wait for the teacher to
call on you
4. Ask your question or give answer
Posters
Follow Directions
the 1st Time
Ignore
Inappropriate Behavior
1. Look at the person
(teacher) & listen
1. Keep a pleasant face
2. Say OK
3. Keep a quiet mouth
2. Look away from the
person
3. Do it
4. Pretend you are not
listening
4. Check back (if needed)
5. Follow directions- do your work
Posters
Staying in Our Seat
1. Sit and stay seated in
your chair
Talk in a Quiet Voice
1. Talk with a whisper
2. Keep your feet
underneath your desk,
and your chair legs on
the floor
3. Sit straight and quietly
2. ONLY talk to people at
your table.
Lessons: Teaching Scripts
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Definition- The teacher reads the steps aloud.
Then the students read the steps chorally.
Rationale- Ask the students why it is important to
use these steps. Brainstorm possible reasons.
Role Play- Let the students practice the skill. Get
volunteers to demonstrate the right (or wrong)
way to use the skill.
*Always begin and end with an example of the right way!

Review- Read the steps together again. Remind
the students to use the behavior that day.
Lessons continued
Group lessons on skills last approximately
10 minutes daily during the first 3-5 days
of CW-FIT intervention.
 After initial lessons, teachers use “precorrects” to review basic expectations as
part of the intervention.
 Beyond initial skill lessons, the
intervention occurs during the course of
normal instruction.

CW-FIT Game Component
 Group Contingency
Class Teams of 2-5 Students
Teams of 1 – Self-monitoring
 Token Economy
Daily point goal set
Points awarded every 2-5 minutes to groups in
which all students are displaying behavioral skills
at the beep
Reward given at end of class to all groups who met
goal
 Teacher Praise
Teams
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Class should be divided into 3-6 teams, depending on
class size and composition.
Teams are usually “rows”. The teams must be
separated so the teacher can quickly and easily
differentiate which students are on each team.
Students should know which team they are on and who
their teammates are. “Rows” simplify this task.
Some students may need to be on “their own team”.
These students are usually chosen by the teacher, or
students may ask privately to be on their own team.
Goals & Points

Each day, a point chart is displayed where
everyone can see it and the teacher can easily
access it. The point chart has separate columns
for each team and is used to record points.
"CW-FIT" GAME POINTS
SCHOOL:
TEAMS:
POINTS:
1.
2.
3.
How to gain teacher attention
Following directions
Ignoring inappropriate behaviors
DATE:
TEACHER:
1
2
3
4
GOAL:
5
6
Scoring Points on the
Team Chart
When the timer beeps, scan the room and
give points to each group that at that moment
is actively engaged and behaving
appropriately.
 Points are awarded contingent on display of
skills by an entire group (see posters).
 Put a tally mark if the team gets the point.

More on Points
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It is a cooperative effort because all members of
the team must be using the appropriate skills.
One person can inhibit the team’s ability to gain a
point.

When the teacher awards a point, specific praise
is given. (i.e. “Team 1 gets a point, great job
following directions writing the math problems!”

When a team does not receive a point, specific
feedback is given. (i.e. “Team 2 needs to work on
raising their hands to get my attention.”)
Tips for giving points:
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Have the timer go off to catch kids that are hard
to catch being good.
Have the timer go off and catch kids when they
are not being good and use it as a teaching
opportunity.
For groups to earn the reward, they must meet a
daily/weekly goal. The timer should go off
enough to provide opportunities to get points 7580% of the time during which the game is played
that day.
Goals
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Each day a goal is set.
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The goal should be realistic but challenging. It is usually
determined by taking 75%-85% of the total opportunities
to earn points.
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Ex: If the timer beeps 20 times throughout the period, a
reasonable goal would be 15-18 points.

Goals are adjusted based on class performance.
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Each team that meets their goal receives an immediate
reward or incentive.
The GOLD SHEETS – turn into Coach weekly
"CW-FIT" GAME POINTS
SCHOOL:
TEACHER:
DATE:
GOAL:
TEAMS:
1
2
3
4
5
6
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
1. How to gain teacher attention
2. Following directions
3. Ignoring inappropriate behaviors
Handout: p. 2 FIDELITY
Incentives & Consequences

We are trying to replace inappropriate behaviors with
appropriate ones that accomplish the same purpose!!
We use positive reinforcement to accomplish this
outcome.
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Positive Reinforcement- the application of a
consequence that increases the likelihood that a
behavior will be repeated in the future. This is usually
thought of as a reward.
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Incentives are given at the end of the game to teams
who met their goal. Incentives can be participation in a
desired activity, free time, stickers, or other small prizes.
Ideas for Reinforcers
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Treasure box with small prizes
Balloons
Bouncy balls
Bookmarks
Bubbles
Play dough
School supplies (pencils,
erasers, small notebooks)
Marbles
Miniature cars
Puzzles
Self-stick skin tattoos
Stickers (younger kids)
Ideas continued
Ideas for Fun Activities (non-tangible, inexpensive rewards)
 Eat Lunch in classroom instead of cafeteria classroom
instead of cafeteria.
 Use of markers or art supplies
 Draw a team picture on the chalkboard
 Play a game (i.e. hangman)
 Bad Hair Day- Students get to brush their hair funny
 Opportunity to sing a fun song/ do a fun dance
Take
shoes off in class for (___) minutes
 Extra recess time (5 min)
 5 minutes of free time
 Animal noises students can briefly make animal noises
Procedures for Assessing Student
Reinforcer Preferences
Begin by explaining to students that you are going
to be playing a kind of game where they can
earn certain privileges and items based on the
points that they earn as a team.
Explain that you are going to make a “menu” of
items based on things that you and they
choose together as reasonable items to earn.
Start by suggesting something that you think all
students will agree with (e.g., stickers,
computer time, etc.).
Use the whiteboard/chalkboard or a large pad on
an easel so that all students can see the items
that are being suggested and written.
How do we know CW-FIT
works? The evidence…..
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On Task in CW-FIT classrooms:
58% to 82% year 1
50% to 83% in year 2
52% to 84% in year 3
Group On Task Observation
100%
On Task Percentage
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
1
3
5
7
9
11
Number of Sessions
13
15
17
19
What About The Tough
Kids….
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Self-management
Help Cards
Functional Behavior Assessment
30
Procedures
Booster sessions +
 Self-monitoring
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31
Procedures
Help Cards
 Break Tickets
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32
Help Card
Results: SM & Help Cards
Frequency of Disruptions
20
15
Intervention
10
Comparison
5
0
Baseline
CW-FIT/Post
Self Management
Of the students screened for SBD approximately
1/3 were unresponsive (or had variable data).
 86% (37/43) improved On Task compared to
16% (6/37)
Tough Kids – 3 years
Treatment n = 150
Male
Female
117
33
Control n = 114
Male
Female
34
81
33
1000+ hours of
Direct Observation
Engagement
Disruptions
90
19
85
17
15
80
13
75
11
70
9
65
7
5
60
pre
post
pre
post
control
control
treatment
35
treatment
SPED/BD Classroom
Consumer Satisfaction
 Teacher satisfaction
Highly satisfied with results
 Spent less time attending to problem
behavior
 Students were better behaved
 Easy to implement

 Student Satisfaction
Liked the game
 Requested to play it

Teacher testimonials for
“CW-FIT” Intervention
“Students began to discipline themselves
and their neighbors.”
 “This worked really well with my language
class...Both groups improved in what
work they were able to complete.” (a
novel class)
 “It was helpful to get some students to
follow directions and it is good team
building.”
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