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Environment and duration -

Assumption: Russell is fearful of going to school/classroom whenever there is a Math test.

Russell goes to school on days when there is a Math test. Depending on how fearful he is, decide on the duration (5min, 10min?)/where he should stay (classroom, LBS room, counselling room?). Increase the duration/decrease physical proximity to his classroom. At the same time, teach him strategies to regulate his anxiety.

Usage of positive reinforcement -

Whenever Russell goes to school on a day that has a scheduled Math Test, reward him something that he likes. (This is to be reduced and faded off eventually)

Doing the paper without marks/guidance -

Assumption: Russell is afraid of Math test.

Russell will still attend school on the day of Math test. Instead of doing his test, he will be asked to do mock papers without having marks stated to build his confidence in his Mathematics skills. Questions that he may be unsure of will be guided with a teacher or AED(LBS). Fading will occur to the point Russell will attempt his Math test.

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Penny, Jia Yi, Syarfa, Ai Ling & Sajitha

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Penny, Jia Yi, Syarfa, Ai Ling & Sajitha

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Laying the groundwork

-Start by approaching and talking to him, to build rapport.

-Let him know that we are here to help and we need his cooperation.

-After getting on the same page as him we can start discussing the issue → not turning up for math lessons whenever there is a Math test.

-Try to find out what are his misconceptions/weaknesses from the first Math test. Emphasize to him that failure once does not equal to failure always. We can collaborate with the Math Teacher to help address his areas of weakness if needed.

Incorporating Classical Conditioning

-Try to build up his self-confidence in Math again by giving bite-sized,  differentiated small quizzes. When he starts to experience small success from the quizzes, he may start to associate positive emotions with having a Math test, instead of the negative emotional and physiological responses that he had developed for Maths tests previously.

-At the same time, his Math teacher could make efforts to ensure a positive and encouraging learning environment. This could be done by incorporating strategies like positive classroom rules, growth mindset and many others. These will evoke positive emotions within Russell (unconditioned response) during Math lessons (neutral stimulus), and over time, Russell will develop an association between Math lessons (conditioned stimulus) and positive emotions (conditioned response).

Incorporating Operant Conditioning

-Positive Reinforcement

●      Acknowledge and praise his efforts when he attends Math lessons, so that he will be more willing to attend the classes in general

●      Help him to build a small group of supportive peers to work with during Math lessons

-Negative Reinforcement

●      Identify if there are other factors that are affecting him, such as teacher’s/parent’s high expectations and responses or peers who laugh at him for doing poorly in the test → talk to the parents/teachers/peers to reduce such behaviour/expressing such expectations outwardly

Other Suggestions

-We can start motivating him by advising him to have positive self-talk.

He can be mindful of what he is saying to himself. He can develop positive affirmations such as "I will succeed in this test!" or "I love math!" to counteract any negative feelings he may have about his abilities or about math itself.

-Extinction

For the subsequent Math tests following the time he was allowed to stay home due to a stomachache, Russell said he was unwell and was allowed to miss school as a result, only to feel better and head to school after the scheduled Math test was over.

●      Perhaps the next time there is a Math test, even if his mother allows him to stay home to rest since he feels unwell, ensure that a makeup test is scheduled in order to diminish the escape function that skipping school serves.

●      Alternatively, whenever Russell says he is unwell on the morning of a Math test, his mother could give him the relevant medication to ease his ailment, before sending him to school for the Math test, which also effectively removes the escape function of Russell’s behaviour.

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Celebrate small successes. Russell could have developed an irrational fear of not doing well for his Math test. Hence, it is important to help him to overcome that fear and encourage him to celebrate small wins. His teachers or parents could introduce a reward system for him. For example, for every 5 marks increment in Math test, he gets one sticker/token. After 5 stickers/tokens collected, he will receive a reward as a positive reinforcement for not avoiding Math tests and showing improvement in scores. Teachers and parents should also lower their expectations for him to minimise his anxiety and devastation. With clear expectations and achievable goals, Russell will be able to manage and reduce undesired behaviour (giving excuses of feeling unwell), and increase desired behaviour (to keep trying to do well at his own pace).

Another way for his Math teacher to help him defeat the fear of math tests is by administering more formative assessments (ungraded test) instead. Formative assessments are not graded, and it allows teachers to provide ongoing feedback for their students. Besides, teachers generally do not have to inform their students when administering formative assessment. This may help Russell to slowly develop and practise self-regulation. When Russell is given the opportunity to do well in tests, it can boost his confidence and gradually help to reduce his undesired behaviour.

Assuming that Russell’s Math teacher could see the pattern he displayed whenever there was a Math test, teacher could sit down with him and find out from him if he has any difficulties in the subject or the topics that he is struggling with. Teacher could also check on his study habits and provide suggestions on how he should work on his Math practice in order for him to feel more confident in future when attempting any tests.

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Aishah, Bee Lian, Bernard, Hidayah, Li Li

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Aishah, Bee Lian, Bernard, Hidayah, Li Li

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As his Math teacher, I would have realised the pattern that he will be sick whenever there is a math test. I have identified that his math test results have been good except one of the tests which he did poorly. I would get hold of him and have a chit-chat session to find out what has caused him to keep avoiding whenever there is a math test. I would then find out what help he needed. Below are what I will be doing.

●      Ungraded quiz to test understanding and concept

●      Make small test for every topic to see which is his difficulty, I will then intervene

●      Make him feel that the teachers are concerned about him and would want to help him

●      Praise him if he achieves small success to boost his confidence and overcome the fear

●      Get him to do retest at a later time as it cannot be avoided

Mum has to also be noted that his absence from school was because of the avoidance from his math test. I will work with his mother to provide positive reinforcement whenever he turns up for a math test. Mother has to know the consequences of missing the test and also convey that to Russell.

On the other hand, his mother should be more alert and bring him to see the doctor if he is really sick. With that he knows that it will not be so easy to escape from school. Mum has to also build his confidence and understand his needs.

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Laura, Vathana, Noraini, Daliana and Afiq

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Laura, Vathana, Noraini, Daliana and Afiq

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a.             Positive Reinforcement:  Mother introduces a highly desirable stimulus
(example: praise or extra outdoor play time) to encourage behavior that is desired
(taking the test).

Russell’s Math teacher could also provide more support to him so that he could do better in his Math scores and encourage him to attempt the test as a practice paper.  This will be a positive reinforcement which will motivate him to sit for his Math test.

b.     Extinction (discontinue reinforcement provided for problem behavior)

Before behavior: Russell fears/ does not want to do the test

Behavior: Russell possibly feigns a stomach ache.

After behavior: Mother insist on giving Russell medication and ensures that
he gets to school.

Extinction

A. Mother gives him medication for stomach ache and sends him to school in
the morning or

B. Conduct test via zoom at home or

C. Conduct test after lunch when he goes to school

D. Once he gets back the next day, take the test separately

E. Allow him to attempt the test as a practice paper

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AED(LBS) and Math teacher to work together to assess  the depth and breadth of Russell’s learning so as to identify his learning gaps in math. Prior to doing this, they can have a discussion with Russell on the concepts he finds the most challenging and needs the most help in. It is only through identifying his learning gaps that intervention can begin. Based on the assessment, the intervention can either be reintroducing concepts learnt entirely and/or equipping him with the relevant skills/strategies in solving a math problem. The intervention, too, can target exam skills such as time-management - skipping a question and coming back to it once completing his test and/or checking his answers to avoid careless mistakes. With intervention, Russell will eventually develop competency and confidence in the subject and this will reduce the overall frequency of developing anxiety in the form of a stomach ache in view of  math tests. This will in turn lead to him being present in school to attend future math tests.

In working with Russell, the AED(LBS) and the Math teacher should be encouraging, understanding and warm to promote a positive learning experience. They can make use of reinforcers such as

Give specific praise (praise his efforts)

Encourage him

Using of Primary reinforcers i.e. Snacks, stickers and/or Secondary reinforcers i.e. Tokens to build on his motivation to relearn concepts and apply these concepts to math questions