Precision Teaching

Software that boosts scores by as much as 20 to 40 percentile points
SPEED + ACCURACY = FLUENCY

JellyJames has developed a powerful Integrated Skills Drill Software that deploys aspects of Precision Teaching that moves students through core numeracy skills and boosts childrens achievement through speed and accuracy. Demonstration projects have confirmed the power of this approach, showing that as little as 20 to 30 minutes per day of Precision Teaching in regular and special classrooms could boost children's achievement test scores by as much as 20 to 40 percentile points. (Binder,C,1988).

Meriel Pearson, a SENco at Dyson Perrins remarked on the close parallels of the JellyJames software and Precision Teaching. Meriel trialled the Number Bonds and Fractions software on her students and reported that the students found the format extremely easy to use. She also found that that the non-fussy layout without constant animation, targeted the childrens desire to be more grown up. The principle that all students achieve success, rather than failure also enabled the students not only to select a time that they were comfortable with, but also that they were able to go back and correct errors.

Nilufa Somani an SEN teacher at Copthall School also found the use of time-based performance allowed her make quick informed decisions on the students achievement.

The threads that support the Precision Integrated Learning software are:

1. Fully supports the curriculum by offering an extensive tutorial, practice and assessment, which provides each pupil with an individualised programme of work.

2. Logs all students through the quick and efficient Networked Administration System that can log the entire school within seconds through the First name, Surname and Class name. The advantage being that the school can take a macro view of the progress within the school and also identify progress down to individuals. This has the advantage of identifying groups with particular needs and assisting these groups.

3. Once Only Log-in where Users are transferred Year on Year by simply changing the class name. The teacher does not have to log each student again.

4. Sets questions through a clear learning sequence, ensuring that the teaching of the concepts is left to the teacher. Once the skill has been taught by the teacher, the pupil then has ample practise to perfect the skill through random, unlimited sets of questions. Saves on preparation time, setting questions, photocopying, paper and resources.

5. Marks, Scores and Times all the questions are marked for accurate response using "ticks" and "blobs", freeing the teacher and allowing her to direct this time to the students.

6. Feedback is provided to each student and depending on their scores appropriate feedback is instantaneously provided. The children find the feedback captivating, fascinating and encouraging. Instant gratification for the pupil!

7. Rewards are an integral feature of the complete range of software. Pupils gain Bronze, Silver and Gold awards as they progress, culminating in an Award of Excellence for each complete module that gains all Gold awards. The teacher has full confidence that the child is working at a higher level within the module with all the earlier modules confidently secured. Feedback from schools indicates that the software allows the teacher to differentiate the work of each pupil and where children need to be challenged the teacher can easily manage this.

8. Target Setting is quick and quantifiable to the teacher, child and parent allowing a visible and open system to communicate progress and performance between these three important partners.

9. Pupil record system, which maintains the record for each pupil and records attainment. Each pupil can then monitor their own progress through a bar graph which provides child friendly statistics. The feedback from schools indicates that this system empowers the child and allows the child to reflect on his targets.

10. Management System, which allows the teacher to use individual and class, records to produce a differentiated programme of work for each pupil, print rewards and certificates. The teacher does not have to export or import data from other packages.

11. Real Time Data where the teacher can identify through the teacher monitor the needs and challenges of particular pupils and can intervene and provide help straight away.

References on Precision Teaching:

Lindsley, O.R. (1995). Do, don't, how and did, didn't, why. Performance & Instruction, 34 (no 2), 23-27.

West, R.P., Young, K.R., & Spooner, F. (1995). Precision Teaching: An introduction. Journal of Precision Teaching, 12, 2-8. (Originally published in Teaching Exceptional Children, 1990).

Johnson, K.R., & Layng, T.V.J. (1994) The Morningside model of generative instruction. In Gardner, R., Sainato, D.M., Cooper, J.O., Heron, T.E., Heward, W.L., Eshleman, J.W., & Grossi, T.A. Behavior analysis in education: Focus on measurably superior instruction (pp. 173-197).

Johnson, K.R., & Layng, T.V.J. (1992) Breaking the structuralist barrier: Literacy and numeracy with fluency. American Psychologist, 47(11), 1475-1490.

Lindsley, O.R. (1992). Why aren't effective teaching tools widely adopted? Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 21-26.

Lindsley, O.R. (1992). Precision teaching: Discoveries and effects. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 51-57.

Lindsley, O.R. (1992). Precision teaching: Discoveries and effects. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 51-57.

Vargas, E.A., & Vargas, J.S. (1991). Programmed instruction: What it is and how to do it. Journal of Behavioral Education, 1, 235-252.

Lindsley, O.R. (1991). Precision teaching's unique legacy from B.F. Skinner. Journal of Behavioral Education, 1, 253-266.

Lindsley, O.R. (1991). From technical jargon to plain English for application. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 449-458.

Binder, C.V., Haughton, E., & Van Eyk, D. (1990). Increasing endurance by building fluency. Precision teaching attention span. Teaching Exceptional Children, Spring, 24-27.

Lindsley, O.R. (1990). Precision teaching. By teachers for children. Teaching Exceptional Children, Spring, 10-15.

Binder, C. (1988). Precision teaching: Measuring and attaining exemplary academic achievement. Youth Policy, 10(7), 12-15.

Lindsley, O.R. (1971). Theoretical Basis for Behavior Modification. In Pitts, C. E. (ed.), Operant Conditioning in the Classroom: Introductory Readings in Educational Psychology (pp. 54-60).

Lindsley, O.R. (1964). Direct measurement and prosthesis of retarded behavior. Journal of Education, 147, 62-81.

Lindsley, O.R. (1964). Direct measurement and prosthesis of retarded behavior. Journal of Education, 147, 62-81.

Haughton, E.C. (1971). Administration and precision teaching. In Pitts, C. E. (ed.), Operant Conditioning in the Classroom: Introductory Readings in Educational Psychology (pp. 239-251).