Welcome to Teaching Methods That Work

Listen to Dr. Kent Johnson talk about the Morningside Model of Generative Education, in this interview from South Dakota Public Broadcasting, on October 28, 2004.
(You may have to allow popups, if you are using Internet Explorer 6 sp 2, or Firefox). Hear Kent Johnson!

Yet behavior analysis has made gigantic contributions to education. In the last three or four decades, behavioral scientists have developed exceptionally effective educational practices based on a scientific analysis of behavior. Unfortunately, these practices are neither well known nor widely adopted, and our schools continue to fail!

The Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies is committed to helping those who are concerned about the current educational crisis by providing information about these effective educational practices.

Education that Works

Education That Works: The Child is Always Right by Ed Anderson

Selected for Success: How Headsprout Reading Basics™ Teaches Beginning Reading by T. V. Joe Layng, Ph.D., Janet S. Twyman, Ph.D., and Greg Stikeleather, MA.

Introduction to Behavior Analysis in Education

They Never Learn in The Washington Post by columnist William Raspberry, May 12, 2000* Columnist William Raspberry ponders “why...so many of our schools [are] still mired in unsuccessful practices, seemingly oblivious to the demonstrated success of their similarly situated colleagues? Don't they want to succeed?” Read his column and find out how behavioral educational practices such as Direct Instruction offer the best hope for America's schools.

 Pervasive Negative Effects of Rewards on Intrinsic Motivation: The Myth Continues. The Behavior Analyst 24, 1–44. By Judy Cameron, Katherine M. Banko, and W. David Pierce. Reprinted with permission of the Association for Behavior Analysis [please note that this article is only available for personal use and can not be duplicated and distributed without permission of the Association for Behavior Analysis]. A major concern in psychology and education is that rewards decrease intrinsic motivation to perform activities. Over the past 30 years, more than 100 experimental studies have been conducted on this topic. The results of this study show that in general, rewards are not harmful to motivation to perform a task. Every parent and teacher should be aware of these important findings, and the potential positive impact of a reward-based system in the classroom.

 Precision Teaching and Direct Instruction: Measurably superior instructional technology in schools. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 3(4), 74-96.   By Carl Binder and Cathy L. Watkins. Reprinted with permission. Although educators, policy-makers, business leaders, and the general public have become increasingly concerned about the “basic skills” crisis in American schools, research-based solutions have existed for over two decades in the form of measurably superior teaching methodologies. Learn what these proven educational techniques are and how to use them to significantly enhance the educational experience.

The Methods

There are four main teaching paradigms that have derived from behavior analysis. Follow the links to find more detail about each one.

Programmed Instruction

Personalized System of Instruction (PSI)

Direct Instruction (DI)

Precision Teaching

Cambridge Center Publications on Educational Topics

Resources in Education and Behavior Analysis

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The Cambridge Center thanks the
Richard Lounsbery Foundation
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Teaching Methods That Work.

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