This is the Reading Instruction Show. I'm your host as always, Dr. Andy Johnson.
The topic of today's podcast or the title is this. Is MTSS merely a PBIS and ABA
delivery system? Now MTSS stands for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. The claim
is made that this is based on scientific research and uses only evidence-based
practices. Now MTSS originated in the world of special education. PBIS stands
for Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support. ABA stands for Applied
Behavioral Analysis. The claim that's made is that these are evidence-based and
they are used in MTSS. All well and good. So let's take a look at PBIS. We'll look
at that first and then ABA. Now there's a center on PBIS. I'm not kidding. They've
got a whole center. The center on PBIS describes it as quote an evidence-based
three-tiered framework to improve and integrate all of the data systems and
practices affecting student outcomes every day. PBIS creates schools where all
students succeed. An evidence-based three-tiered framework. My goodness. Who
could disagree with that? Who wouldn't want to improve and integrate all of the
data systems and practices? Who wouldn't want to improve student outcomes every
day and who wouldn't want to create a school where all students succeed? I know
that I would. Of course, one must always ask succeed at what? What does that look
like? What kind of outcomes? Who decided these were the right outcomes? What data
and systems? And who makes the choices related to practices? Let's be clear.
Student outcomes in special ed world means behaviors. They want to focus on
behaviors. PBIS by definition focuses on behaviors. Certain behavior must
disappear. Behaviors that interfere, impair, or are said to be maladaptive
must be eliminated. When one manifests such behaviors, they are given a label.
One is said to have a behavior disorder. The behavior they displayed must be
vanished. Never mind the cause or conditions of that behavior. The behavior
like a cockroach must be eradicated. Like a bit of cancer, it must be cut out. We
have to administer treatment in order to cure the infected subject of that
disorder. Now, other behaviors must appear. Those that focus on silence,
compliance, and conformity. Now, when I was a child and somebody asked if I was a
good boy in church, what they meant was, was I silent, compliant, and did I
conform to the church system of expected behaviors? As I got older and grew into
young adulthood, if someone asked if I was a good boy from a church point of
view, they meant was I silent. Nobody wanted to hear what I thought about
things. Just shut up and sing the liturgy. Was I compliant? Did I adopt the
belief system that was given unto me without question? And did my behavior
conform to the spoken and unspoken expectations? In church world, this meant
no drinking, no squaring, and definitely no sex, quasi-sex, or sex-related
activities. In essence, goodness in church world was determined by what I
refrained from doing. Now, how is that goodness different from goodness in
special ed world? PBIS is all about this goodness. It's designed to make sure
that all the good boys and girls are silent, compliant, and they conform to
the system, that the bad behaviors disappear and the good behaviors reappear.
Now, in special ed world, that wacky zany place, anxiety, depression, and other
mental health conditions are called internalized behavior disorders. These
are said to be maladaptive emotions and cognitions. Now, imagine that. I have been
dealing with a depressive order for 30 years and all this time it was an
internalized behavior disorder. Oh my goodness, instead of the professional
help I got, psychotropic medication, and therapy, I should have gone to a local
special ed teacher for a little PBIS. What was I thinking? I could have been all
fixed up. In special ed world, behaviors are the root cause of all behaviors. Now,
can you see the problem with that? It's like saying, hemorrhoids are the cause of
all hemorrhoid problems. Eliminate the behaviors or hemorrhoid and eliminate the
problem. Hemorrhoids. The emotional behavioral disorder, EBD, label is
attached to some kid. Now, here's the thing. EBD, they aren't concerned with the
E at all emotions, just the B, the behaviors. Since emotion can't be
measured directly, these don't exist. And since environmental conditions can't be
controlled, they don't exist either. And since past experiences cannot be
observed directly or measured with a standardized test, we're going to
discount these as well. Even though emotions, environmental context, and past
experiences might be a significant part of current behaviors, we're just gonna
set those inside and use a little PBIS to make all those pesky behaviors go away.
Instead of dealing with the cause of a behavior, we're just gonna put a lot of
duct tape over the effect and collect data showing that the effect has gone
away. Evidence-based. There you go. Our data systems and practices are all
integrated and all the unwanted behaviors have gone away. God bless America.
But in the meantime, teachers are just trying to help the kid learn to read and
kids are trying to manage their situation with the limited tools that they
have. Kids don't want their data and systems to be integrated. They're just
trying to be happy to cope to exist. Now to be fair, and I am fair, there are
limited places and instances where PBIS is appropriate and effective. It can be
helpful in getting students to focus on certain behaviors, but it discounts the
fact that all behaviors are the effect of some cause. PBIS should be one of many
tools used by a school psychologist or special educator. Now Abraham Maslow
once said, if the only tool you have is a hammer, all the world becomes a nail. I
once said that if the only tool you have is PBIS, all the world becomes a
behavioral objective. Now let's look at ABA or applied behavior analysis. This is
another tool that can be effective if used selectively, not exclusively. It is
appropriate in some limited instances. ABA is based on the principles of
behavior modification. Behavior modification originates with the work of
B.F. Skinnerd who studied rats in a Skinner box. In essence, the research
used on one species, rats, is applied to another species, humans, and called
evidence-based. So let's see what's said about ABA in special ed world.
Applied behavior analysis is the practice of applying the psychological
principles of a learning theory in a systematic way to modify behavior. This
practice is used most extensively in special education and the treatment of
autism spectrum disorder. Treatment, interesting word. ABA is widely recognized
as the only scientifically valid therapy available for treating behavioral
issues associated with AST. By the way, the funny voice was mine. And I say, oh
really? Perhaps we should ask adults who are neurodiverse or neural atypical or
autistic if they appreciated having their behaviors treated. Let's collect that
evidence. Let's see if they appreciated or wanted people trying to fix them so
their behaviors were quote normal, unquote. Let's ask them if their treatment was
successful. Were they cured of ASD? Did their neurodiversity go away? Let's
collect that evidence, shall we? Now the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, interesting enough, they weigh in on ABA. That should be our first
clue when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are weighing in on ABA.
According to them, ABA is a method of studying and managing behavior to bring
about change. ABA therapists develop research-based, of course it's research
based, behavioral intervention plans to reduce problem behaviors in children. That
term research-based gets bandied about as if that justifies everything they do.
All right, let me continue. ABA is also known as behavior modification and
learning theory. Behavior modification, BF Skinner, Thorndike. Hello. As children
with learning disabilities may also have behavior problems or disorders such as
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, which can cause them to be
disruptive at school, at home, or in their interactions with friends and
peers. All right, you've got a learning disability and they want to address
behavior problems. What? And of course, if you're failing all day, if instruction
has been ineffective, if you are made to feel like a failure in school, of course
you're going to act out. Sometimes negative behaviors are a positive
response to a negative situation and kids made to be feel like their failures
sent off someplace to special ed world, of course they're going to react. That is
a positive reaction to a negative situation. Now the idea behind ABA is
that reinforcing certain behaviors will lead kids to repeat those behaviors and
diminish other behaviors. Now this certainly makes sense. If I were
training a dog, I'm certainly that I would be all over ABA. And there are
places in education where ABA ideas might be useful. I used forms of ABA
with one or two students each year in a very limited way on a limited basis
when I was teaching second grade way back in 1983. It was effective in helping
students focus on behaviors but these techniques were always applied in the
context of a relationship with this student. I understood the student. I was
able to interact with the student on a daily basis and I was able to focus on
teaching that student the desired behavior. Teaching not reinforcing. I
understood the whole student and the environmental situations in which the
behavior arose. And in each case when I used ABA in the classroom I was able to
discontinue using it after two or three weeks. Now with ABA punishment or a
versive conditioners are said not to be used although they sometimes are
especially in institutional settings. Instead positive reinforcement or
rewarding and teaching replacement behaviors is said to bring about a more
long-lasting change. But here's the thing. B.F. Skinner and Edward Lee
Thorndike found out long ago when the reward or threat of punishment disappears
the behavior gradually reappears. Now let's take a look at MTSS
multi-tiered systems of supports. Why have I spent so much time blabbering on
about PBIS and ABA when the focus is on MTSS? This is why. Look at any MTSS plan
and you will see it is infested with PBIS and ABA. MTSS is said to focus on
academic support for reading, writing, and math. But you will see that each of
these is woefully inadequate. Again there are places where it may be
appropriate to use PBIS and ABA. In other words I'm sure there's evidence to
indicate that in certain situations for certain students these may be effective
for certain things. But this certainly does not mean that they are evidence
based for everything. And this does not mean that they should be the main tool.
And that's what's happening in special ed world and leaking into the real world
with MTSS. This is what I see occurring in MTSS, the multi-tiered system of
supports. PBIS and ABA are used to fix problem behaviors. It's like a dystopian
society, the one described by George Orwell in his book 1984. It's being
brought into the school systems. Big Brother is watching. Happy talk. There
are limited places where PBIS and ABA might be an effective tool. But if they
are the only tools in your educational toolbox, you're like a carpenter with
just a hammer and a nail. Again if the only tool you have is a hammer, all the
world becomes a nail. If the only tool you have is PBIS and ABA, all the world
becomes a behavioral objective. Now let's take a look at MTSS and SEL. Oh gosh, I
love these letters. SEL stands for social emotional learning and this is said
to be a part of MTSS. Teaching social skills is a good thing. Everyone agrees
with that. And what about learning about one's emotions? That's a good thing. I
strongly encourage both of these. Another term for this would be interpersonal
and intrapersonal intelligence. Absolutely, we need to teach and develop
these. Both of these can help students become better human beings, happier
human beings, and more successful in all social and interpersonal situations. Both
of these enable humans to function better in relationships and in society.
I'm absolutely all for social and emotional learning if it's put in the
context of being a better human being. But this is not the focus of social
emotional learning in MTSS. The focus here is on specific skills or behaviors
that support attendance, behavior, and course performance. In other words,
behaviors that enable you to perform or the student to perform school-related
circus tricks. And this is the insidious nature of MTSS and special ed world.
When you get behind the mirage of words, all you see is a giant skinner box with
flashing lights, pellets, and electrical grid. Now, let's take a look at MTSS and
the mirage of words. It's really hard to get into the specifics of MTSS because
it's all words. The descriptors of MTSS are littered with words. The websites,
books, and articles spew forth an excess of wonderful, glorious words such as
equity, evidence-based, whole-child, community engagement, integrated
educational focus, transformational process, specialized support, inclusion,
paradigm shift, setting higher expectations, redesign of integrated
services, CCSS aligned instruction, addressing the needs of all students,
problems solving, processes, collaborative and team-based decision-making, data
evaluation, building relationships, capacity building infrastructure,
universal design for learning, professional development, active
involvement, integrated continuum of research-based practice. Oh, what
wonderful words. These are all delightful, inspirational, aspirational words. Who
wouldn't want a redesign of integrated services? Who wouldn't want their paradigm
shifted? And who wouldn't want their processes to be transformational? But
these are all words designed to messy up the water. Words. When you try to look
beyond the words, MTSS seems to be little more than an ABA and PBIS delivery
device. This has been the Reading Instruction Show. I'm your host, Dr. Andy
Johnson.