Investigating strategies to increase general education teachers' adherence to evidence-based social-emotional behavior practices: A meta-analysis of the single-case literature

Educational researchers have produced a variety of evidence-based practices (EBP) to address social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) needs among students. Yet, these practices are often insufficiently adopted and implemented with fidelity by teachers to produce the beneficial outcomes associated with the EBP, leaving students at risk for developing SEB problems. If ignored, SEB problems can lead to other negative outcomes, such as academic failure. Therefore, implementation strategies (i.e., methods and procedures designed to promote implementation outcomes) are needed to improve teachers' uptake and delivery of EBPs with fidelity. This meta-analysis sought to examine the types and magnitude of effect of implementation strategies that have been designed and tested to improve teacher adherence to SEB EBPs. Included studies (a) used single case experimental designs, (b) employed at least one implementation strategy, (c) targeted general education teachers, and (d) evaluated adherence as a core dimension of fidelity related to the delivery of EBPs. In total, this study included 28 articles and evaluated 122 effect sizes. A total of 15 unique implementation strategies were categorized. Results indicated that, on average, implementation strategies were associated with increases in teacher adherence to EBPs above baseline and group-based pre-implementation trainings alone (g = 2.32, tau = 0.77). Moderator analysis also indicated that larger effects were associated with implementation strategies that used a greater number of unique behavior change techniques (p < .001). Implications and future directions for research and practice regarding use of implementation strategies for general education teachers are discussed.

A randomized controlled trial of instructional coaching in high-poverty urban schools: Examining teacher practices and student outcomes

Job-embedded professional development is needed to effectively and efficiently enhance teachers' use of evidence-based practices in high-poverty urban communities. This study employed a three-cohort, waitlist controlled, randomized block design to investigate the effectiveness of the Classroom Strategies Coaching Model (CSC) in 14 high-poverty urban elementary schools. The CSC Model is guided by observations of teachers' instructional and behavioral management practices as measured by the Classroom Strategies Assessment System. Primary dependent measures included teacher use of evidence-based practices, student academic engagement, and teacher ratings of class wide student academic and behavior functioning along with perceived instrumental support, emotional support, and stress. The sample included 2195 students and 106 teachers randomly assigned to CSC coaching or waitlist control. Multilevel negative binomial modeling revealed that teachers in the CSC coaching condition had significant improvements in the frequency of academic praise (used 1.74 times more frequently) and behavior praise (used 2.10 times more frequently) as compared to teachers in the waitlist control condition. Multilevel linear models revealed that, relative to the waitlist control condition, teachers in the CSC coaching condition demonstrated significant improvements in quality of instruction (d = 0.52), behavior management (d = 0.60), and class wide student academic engagement (d = 0.41). Teachers reported significant improvements in class wide student academic (d = 0.96) and behavioral functioning (d = 1.24), instrumental support (d = 0.90) and emotional support (d = 1.04). No change was found for teacher stress. Implications for research and practice are reviewed.

Teachers' perception of satisfaction, skill development, and skill application after instructional consultation services

A primary hypothesized outcome of consultee-centered consultation, including instructional consultation (IC), is that consultees will become more skilled. However, these claims have not been well researched. Data from 274 teachers implementing IC were analyzed to investigate perceptions of satisfaction and skill development. Results indicated that teachers were highly satisfied, perceived outcomes to meet or exceed their expectations, and felt confident about handling similar problems in the future. The majority reported learning one or more skills or strategies from participating and indicated generalization of skills learned from IC to other students. Relationships between satisfaction, generalization, and perceived outcomes are also presented. Although based on descriptive methodology, this analysis of teachers' perceptions of IC provides a window into their experiences.