The Influence of Adventure-Based Learning / Social Skill Instruction on 5th Grade Students’ Behaviors During Physical Education

Abstract

The purpose of this behavior analysis study was to examine the effect of adventure-based learning (ABL) and social skills instruction on the acquisition and maintenance of appropriate behaviors of elementary children during regular and inclusive physical education (PE). Participants were four 5th grade students (one female and three males – one with special needs) from California and Puerto Rico. An Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Reversal design was used to evaluate the effects of the ABL unit of instruction on appropriate and inappropriate behaviors during PE across acquisition and maintenance (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007). Instructional sessions occurred three times per week and were between 20 and 35-minutes in duration for a period of 5 weeks. Two elementary physical educators were trained and then taught a 10-session (California) and 8-session (Puerto Rico) ABL unit to their 5th grade students at their respective sites. Four social relationship skills (responsibility, caring, helping others, and respect) were identified and practiced during the ABL activities. Results of this applied behavior analysis study showed that ABL/social skills instruction was an effective strategy to increase appropriate behaviors and decrease inappropriate ones for the participating 5th grade students during PE.