An investigation into the effects of tootling for instruction- following and on-task student behaviour in a New Zealand primary school

Abstract

This study aimed to extend the literature on tootling interventions within a New Zealand. In a tootling procedure, students are taught how to report on their peers’ prosocial behaviours, which is combined with public posting and inter-dependent group contingency components. This focus of this study was to determine if tootling affected the keystone skill of instruction-following for three target students and their comparison peers in one primary classroom. Additionally, on-task behaviour, teacher praise statements and teacher stress were measured in an A-B-A-B-C-D reversal design with a fading and follow-up phase. Increases in instruction-following and on-task behaviour occurred for two of the three target students and their peers. Mixed results were reported concerning teacher praise statements and teacher stress. Both the teacher and the students viewed the intervention as socially acceptable, and treatment integrity remained high across all phases. Strengths, limitations, and implications for further practice are discussed.