Teach compliance11
- Compliance refers to the ability and/or willingness to respond to the requests of others. Compliance and noncompliance are learned behaviours that serve a function for that individual. It is important that students be able and willing to comply with basic social expectations and basic requests, especially for safety and group inclusion purposes. For example, a young student who runs off school grounds at recess or runs off from the group during field trips creates a serious safety risk. Students need to understand and respond appropriately to basic requests such as “Stop” and “Please come here.”
General tips for teaching compliance
- Make sure you have the student’s attention. Make eye contact (if that is appropriate for the student) and remove distractions.
- Communicate clearly what the student needs to do. Limit the talking and use a minimum number of words to make the point. Use concrete language. “Pick up the math books and put them on the table” versus the more abstract direction to “Clean up.”
- Use visual cues with the verbal requests and as a follow-up reminder.
- You can use your body to block or communicate, look expectant or gesture what you want. If necessary, partial physical prompting may be useful. However, avoid physical management as much as possible.
- If requests are not being followed, remain as neutral as possible. Do not reinforce with attention, tangible items or discussion.
- Try a gentle reminder of how compliance to one request will lead to being able to do a preferred activity: “First you ____ then you can ___.”
- Sometimes you may have time to “wait,” sometimes you can’t. Try to avoid rushing if you know it will be a problem. Allow adequate time for completing the task.
- Consider going ahead and doing something else rather than engaging in a power struggle. “It is time for ___, we will have to clean up later” and return to the original request right before the next preferred activity.
- Make sure positive reinforcements and negative consequences are clearly stated, fair and consistently implemented. As much as possible, prevent the obtaining of preferred items or activities directly after a noncompliant act.
- Whenever possible, use other students as positive role models.
Variables that affect compliance
Statements work better than questions. State the expectation in the positive. “Please start your math assignment” rather than “Isn’t it time to start your work?”
“Do” requests are more desirable than “Don’t” requests. The majority of teacher requests should start behaviours rather than stop behaviours. If too many requests are to stop behaviour, then the classroom rules need to be better communicated.
Descriptions clarify understanding. Describe the behaviour needed. Giving specific and well-described requests will lessen confusion.
Distance matters. The optimal distance for making a request is about one metre away. If speaking with a smaller student, physically get down to his or her level.
Quiet is more effective. A soft but firm voice is more likely to inspire cooperation than a loud voice.
Making eye contact can help focus students. When culturally appropriate for the student, request eye contact when making a request. For example, “Jilla, please look at me. Now, I need you to …”
Using wait time gives students time to respond. Wait at least 10 seconds after making the request before repeating the request or giving another prompt.
Keeping requests to a minimum increases the chances of success. Issue a single request only twice, then follow through with a preplanned consequence. The more you request, the less likely you are to gain compliance. When beginning, make only one request at a time.
Redirecting can help avoid power struggles. For example, asking a student to carry something to the gym, rather than lining up for gym may be the first step in complying to requests to move from one activity to the next.
Positive choices can encourage cooperation. For students who are initially resistant to directions, choices rather than direct statements may be effective. For example, “Do you want to do your math on the floor or at the table?” might be more effective than a direct request to “Get your math book out and get started now.”
Reinforcing natural instances of compliance can build competence. Watch for times students are about to do something they like, then ask them to do it, and reinforce them for following through. “Thanks for ___ when I said to.” Younger students can play games such as “Simon Says” and “Follow the Leader” to build positive attitudes towards compliance.
Positive reinforcement will increase instances of compliance. It is easy to neglect verbally or socially rewarding students for complying with a request. To get more compliance, genuinely reinforce it.
Help students understand their own behaviour
Students may reject behaviour support—no matter how positive—particularly if the students have oppositional characteristics. One of the most successful approaches to this problem is to collaboratively develop strategies with the student. Students can participate in:
- identifying the problem behaviour and becoming more aware of why it is problematic
- identifying new or replacement behaviours and why they are preferable
- identifying and agreeing to the techniques for teaching and practising the new behaviours
- identifying ways to reinforce and reward the new behaviours
- identifying negative consequences if the negative behaviour continues.
Verbal descriptions
Try describing to students what they are doing that is inappropriate or unacceptable, and what the reactions and consequences to this negative behaviour will be. Work with the student to verbally identify and discuss the trigger events. To make this technique work, discuss what the replacement behaviours are and the reaction to expect from others (including the reinforcement). To be most effective, keep the verbal descriptions as brief as possible.
Physical demonstrations
Many students respond verbally to explanations but do not follow through. Address the verbal and physical aspects of students’ responses, explaining that demonstration is important. For some, drawing pictures of the trigger event followed by a positive behaviour choice may be sufficient. Others need to physically demonstrate this new behaviour; for example, by role-playing.
Modelling
Students often learn from watching and copying others’ behaviour. Most teachers avoid showing that they are agitated or angry. However, if they model emotional regulation strategies such as Do Turtle or STAR, students see how these responses can be useful and effective.
Video
Some students respond well to making a video that emphasizes the positive aspects of their social skills and shows them displaying new or replacement behaviours. The video provides a visual memory of positive behaviour.
