Empowering teachers with low-intensity strategies to support instruction: Self-monitoring in an elementary resource classroom

Self-monitoring is a low-intensity strategy teachers can use to support instruction in classrooms across the grade span in various instructional settings and content areas. This study extended the knowledge base by examining the effectiveness of self-monitoring through a systematic replication with three students with specific learning disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a fifth-grade resource classroom. Classroom teachers designed and implemented the intervention in collaboration with university researchers, including implementation by a student teacher and data collection supported by the classroom teacher. Self-monitoring resulted in increases in overall academic engagement and active academic engagement. Treatment integrity and social validity data suggested that the intervention was feasible and acceptable when implemented in collaboration with classroom teachers. Limitations, future directions, and tips for teacher implementation are presented.