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 

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.

           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

●      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. 

 

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.

-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.