The use of positive reinforcement in acquisition programming is a hallmark of Applied Behavior Analysis; however, the Precision Teaching literature reveals a lack of reporting on the use of reinforcement. The present study utilized a groups design and single case analyses to investigate the effect of programming systematic tangible reinforcement on acquisition performance, retention and endurance of academic skills with 10 typically developing students ranging from 5-7 years of age. Results indicate that for both control and experimental participants, an increase in accuracy on both See/Say sight words and math problems occurred; however, the experimental group performed better on See/Say sight words and both groups performed the same with See/Say math problems.

Precision Teaching (PT) is a data-based educational tool that allows individual changes to be made to educational programs based specifically on the needs of the learner. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of session distribution on the material learned in the context of a PT intervention program. Typical children, ages 3- to 5-years-old, whom were enrolled in a church-based child development program, participated. The goal of this study was to assess if the administration of PT sessions one day-a-week or five days-a-week effected the acquisition, retention, and endurance of material learned. Results indicate that there was minimal difference in the rate of acquisition, retention, and endurance on the material learned between session distributions for four of the five children.

Traditional teaching methods use accuracy-only criterion when teaching students a specific skill, but more and more students are being left behind in classrooms because they are not mastering the skill. Using fluency, a combination of speed and accuracy, as a mastery criterion has shown to improve both retention and mastery. Previous research suggested that frequency scores closer to the predicted frequency aim produced greater retention. It is unclear at what frequency aim a decay in retention begins to occur. The purpose of the present study was to examine the differential effects of retention on preschool participants’ reading first grade Dolch sight words once the skill had been strengthened to 3 frequencies (i.e., 15 correct words/min, which is 25% of the accepted fluency aim, 30 correct words/min, which is 50% of the accepted fluency aim, and 60 correct words/min, which is 100% of the accepted fluency aim) using fluency training and the Precision Teaching method. Three preschool age participants were assessed for retention 2 weeks and 6 weeks after reaching criterion. All participants maintained teaching frequencies of correct responding 2 weeks after reaching mastery for all 3 frequency aims. Six weeks after teaching, 1 out of 3 participants showed retention for the 15 correct words per min criterion, all participants showed retention for the 30 correct words per min criterion, and all participants showed a decay in retention of correct responding for the 60 correct words per min criterion. Limitations and future research were discussed.

Precision teaching (PT) is a measurement system used in multiple settings for all types of behavior, from driving to mathematics. The ultimate goal of PT is to develop fluent, free operant behaviors through analyzing response frequencies on a standard celeration chart. Research has found PT to be effective at improving both the speed and accuracy of academic skills. There is little research, however, in the effects of learning channels, a component of PT, as they relate to the acquisition of academic skills. The present study examined the relationship between single and multiple learning channels on the acquisition of mathematics skills by five 1st graders in a public school setting. Implications related to universal designs for learning (UDL) utilized in educational environments are also discussed.