Pairing Procedures:

Or how to get your students to want to work with you!

Melinda Henson, M.Ed., BCBA

ASD Behavior Analyst

NE Autism Spectrum Disorders Network

Pairing Procedures: Or, how to get your students to want to work with you!

Pairing is a process by which teachers and Para-educators can most effectively establish instructional control, build trust, connect themselves to reinforcement (eventually becoming a reinforcer), and get to know the student’s interests. Failure to include opportunities to incorporate the pairing process while developing relationships with students can cause problem behaviors to increase, kill instructional control, and impair the teacher-student relationship.

Here are 10 tips for successful implementation of pairing procedures in your classroom, including common mistakes to avoid, signs of readiness to begin teaching, and troubleshooting common problems.

Becoming a Reinforcer for your student

  1. Identify as many potential reinforcers as possible and limit access to some of those reinforcers.
  2. Have a large variety and supply of reinforcing items available to give to the student.
  3. Approach the student and deliver reinforcement non-contingently, giving the student things that he likes for “free” (student does not need to request or “earn” reinforcers).
  4. Once they are engaged in an activity, hold item and let the student approach the adult (avoid delivering items when student is moving away from you)
  5. Maximize the # of times you provide reinforcement
  6. Break edibles into small pieces to be delivered more frequently
  7. Deliver multiple reinforcers at once
  8. Try to deliver reinforcers several times per minute
  9. Talk to the student without the expectation of him/her to talk back.
  1. Interact in an animated and fun way to make the student WANT to be with you- try to find ways to make the activity better because you are present.
  1. Follow the student’s changing interests
  2. If the student becomes bored with a reinforcer, find another!
  3. Be sure to deliver items that the student wants when they want it (motivation in effect).
  1. Actively manipulate the environment and interact with the student so that you are required for maximum enjoyment of the activity
    Examples:

–Student is on the swing – teacher pushes child

–Student is thirsty – teacher fills child’s cup a tiny bit at a time

–Student wants to go outside – teacher unlocks the door

  1. Pair with the environment

–Across settings

–Across stimuli

–Across activities

Common mistakes to avoid

  1. Placing demands on child

Resist urge to try to “teach” the student by asking questions or making the student “work” for reinforcers. Don’t require a response. In other words, don’t give the student any directions to “come here,” “sit down,” “look at this” etc. It is necessary to first build rapport before teaching.

  1. Lack of active interaction with the child
  • Pairing is an active process on the part of the teacher(s)
  • Teachers must constantly be giving reinforcers to the child
  • Pairing will not be effective if the adult just sits in the room while the student does his own thing
  • Adult must continually act as the “giver” and the student should function as the “taker” (offer toy when student is bored, deliver special food, etc.)
  1. Infrequent or weak reinforcement
  2. If strong reinforcers are not given frequently, the pairing will be less effective
  3. Find as many opportunities to deliver reinforcers as possible (several per minute)

Has pairing been effective?

Are you ready to teach? Ask yourself…

  • Does the student run to you or away from you?
  • Does the student follow you when you leave the area?
  • You’ll know that you are being successful if the student appears happy to see you!
  • Once the student is frequently and willingly approaching you to obtain reinforcement, you are ready to begin teaching!

Troubleshooting

If the student is not taking offered items, ask yourself …

  • Does the student have access to these reinforcers at other times during the day?
  • Can the student access these reinforcers without help (e.g., opening cabinets)?
  • Can the student access these reinforcers through other people (e.g., in home or school)?
  • In the past has demands been placed on this item? If so it may be aversive when delivered by adults!

References

Cooper, J., Heron, T., & Heward, W. (2007). Applied Behavior Analysis. New Jersey: Pearson Education.

Barbera, M. L. (2009, September 26). Pairing with reinforcement: The first step to teaching students with autism. Retrieved from 09/pairing-with-reinforcement-first-step.html

Kelly, A.N. (2013, May 26). Effects of Presession Pairing on Challenging Behavior for Children with Autism. Retrieved from

Carr, J. E., & LeBlanc, L. A. (2006). Noncontingent reinforcement as antecedent behavior support.In J.K. Luiselli (Ed.), Antecedent assessment & intervention: Supporting children & adults withdevelopmental disabilities in community settings (pp. 147-164). Baltimore, MD: Brookes.

Maurice, C., Green, G., & Luce, S. (1996). Behavioral intervention for young children with autism: A manual for parents and professionals. Austin, TX: Pro-ed.