Precision Teaching:

Precision Teaching should probably be called Precision Learning, because its central tenet is "the learner knows best." To help the learner get a handle on his learning, Lindsley developed the Standard Behavior Chart. The learner decides on a behavior to improve, picks a pinpoint that will show changes in the behavior, then keeps a count of the number of times he produces that behavior in a set period of time. He records the count on the chart, and studies whether the results are what he wanted. He can try making changes around the behavior, and see what the effect is.

The chart is the centerpiece of this approach. Once a person learns the logarithmic scale and drops a few dots, charting becomes relatively simple. Since everyone reads the same chart, learners soon develop a facility for understanding and reading the charts, resulting in rapid analysis and lively discussion during chart shares.

Precision Teaching; Why do it? Guest perspective by Richard McManus (update 4/19/99)

GRADING
Our USA schools use grades with children. Most of us in the USA grew up with grades and tests, and understand them quite well. Underlying the system is the assumption that sorting out children is a good thing. There can only be so many A's in a group. Not every child can get one, or it "cheapens" the grade. There is nothing above an A+, and most of the time the grading or sorting process has to do with who is available in the class. Unfortunately some children will get F's or D's, meaning that they "grade low" in a particular class.

This is a good system for eggs or meat, but not for learners. All too often learners begin to think of themselves as "not grade A material" and lose confidence in their abilities. Think you can't, then you won't.

There is another way to look at learning: Believe that every child is Grade A material and give them the practice, expectations and feedback they need to get there.

MEASURING
Precision teaching (PT) was created by Ogden Lindsley in 1965. Dr. Lindsley wanted to provide a graphic language for changes in learning. He put a day by day calendar across the bottom of a piece of semi-log graph paper. The semi-log paper made it possible for teachers to show a range of behavior from 1 to 1,000,000 in a day. Thousands of students have been taught since these beginnings, but PT is not very widely known or understood.

Precision Teaching does something that unsettles many people. Instead of grading children and comparing them with each other, PT measures a performance and allows students to make progress against their own best records, not against other students. Surprisingly PT educators have learned that there are levels of excellence BEYOND 100%. In most schools, 100% is "the best," and it "grades" as an A. But getting 100% correct does not mean mastery. It is two dimensional, answers are right or they are wrong, and that is the entire story. But PT folks have learned that there is another dimension that is critical to learning, and that is time.

READING EXAMPLES: Beyond 100%
PT teachers want to know MORE than how accurately a student can read. We want to know how fluently! Children at BBA are taught from the very beginning to read at 150 words per minute ALOUD before they learn a large vocabulary. This is because reading is like riding a bicycle. Reading slowly is very difficult for new learners, just like riding slowly on a bicycle. It is easy to "fall off" and lose confidence in your skill. (Presently major research on reading states that 40% of USA people are reading disabled to the extent that they dislike reading and will not read for pleasure or independently. Once you "fall off" in reading you may never master the skill.)

Students who CAN read fluently will master new vocabulary with confidence and ease. Our USA schools expect students to learn to read at 60 words per minute. Start tapping your finger once per second, and then talk along with that beat. (Go on, give it a try, even for ten seconds!) Even after years of "riding the reading bicycle" most adults cannot understand slow reading or slow talking and will not listen for long. Neither will students.

PT uses daily measurement of words read correctly and words read incorrectly PER MINUTE. We do this not as a test for grading purposes but to make sure that our students are reaching mastery levels of performance-above an A-and gaining a skill that will be fun and useful for life. As a result, PT student performances on standardized tests far surpass those of students who are in a "grading" school because they are mastering, not "passing."

NOT ONLY READING
Thirty years of research findings have enabled PT teachers all over the world to help students become masters of reading, mathematics, typing, foreign languages, vocational skills, public speaking, even college engineering and basketball! PT is a useful tool in mastering any complex skillset.

DON'T BE INTIMIDATED
PT intimidates people because the measurement tool that we use looks kind of strange and most of us think of "tests" as a part of the grading process. Daily testing seems too harsh and demanding. TESTING sorts children; measurement builds their skills. PT measurement is simply a way of finding out how a student is doing for the purpose of improving skills. Do not let the chart scare you-it does look different-but it is a tool that expects and enables mastery learning.
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Ogden Lindsley: From Skinner to precision teaching: The child knows best. In Jordan, J.B., and Robbins, L.S. (Eds.): Let's Try Doing Something Else Kind of Thing: Behavioral Principles and the Exceptional Child.. Arlington VA., Council for Excptional Children, p. 2.

Richard McManus, LifeForce Inc., Cambridge MA.

Precision Teaching Bibliographies and other Gems:

Joe Parsons has put together a good bibliography, as has John Eshleman

Check John's website for discussions of Celerations and SAFMEDS.

Red Sarna has added Rich McManus' discussion of the Sacajewea project on his site.

Precision Teaching Conference:

The 18th International Precision Teaching Conference will take place near Chicago on November 18 to 20, 2004. Click here for a summary of the events there.

Some Active Precision Teachers:

There is an official Standard Celeration Society website, which has a Membership List and Signup page, as well as a synopsis of all of the issues of the Precision Teaching and Celeration Journal. There are 129 members of the SCListServ, which is dedicated to discussing Precision Teaching issues. You can join it or inquire by sending an email to listserver. The following list is not complete. It is some of the people we know, the town or state they live in, and their area of interest. If you are a Precision Teacher and your name is not on this list, or it is outdated information, let Ian know. Links are to websites if known, otherwise they are to e-mail addresses. (updated 5/10/2004)

Ogden Lindsley (Lawrence, KS) The originator of Precision Teaching. His advice and comments are wise, but usually take a generation to digest. His hunches inspire.

Hank Pennypacker. (Gainesville, FL) Co-author of the Handbook of the Standard Behavior Chart. Kansas City, KS, Precision Media, 1972.

Elizabeth Haughton. (Napa CA and Ontario, Canada) Guiding light of the Haughton Learning Center in Napa CA. The best example of the educational use of Precision Teaching. Not one minute is wasted, and the students rave about their charts of progress. Elizabeth is presently teaching Grade 1 students in Canada.

Carl Binder. (Santa Rosa, CA) Fluency.org. Excellent sources for Precision Teaching applied to Business and Organizations.

John Cooper. (Columbus, OH) Past President of the International Precision Teaching Organization, Precision Teaching training.

Michael Fabrizio and Allison Moors. (Seattle, WA) Precision Teaching with Autism Spectrum students.

Steve Graf. (Youngstown OH) Precision Teaching at the College Level, and shooting baskets. PracticeSheeter software. Chart Share host at most PT events, Past President of Standard Celeration Society.

Claudia McDade. (Jacksonville AL), Precision Teaching applied to University Learning Centers. Editor of the Journal of Precision Teaching

Richard McManus. (Hingham MA) Fluency Factory, a Precision Teaching tutoring service.

Chuck Merbitz.(Chicago, IL) Professor, Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and Director, Clinical Master's Program, Applied Behavior Analysis and School Psychology Specializations. President of Standard Celeration Society.

Ray Beck. (Longmont CO) Publisher of Worksheets in Precision Teaching. (Sopris West.) Ray was the director of the now fabled Sacajawea Project.

Michael Maloney.(Belleville, Ontario, Canada) Author of Teacher Your Children Well.and a structured reading series under that title. Cambridge MA: Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies, 1998. Founder of Quinte Learning Center, and advisor to many learning centers, including this one.

Abigail Calkin.(Gustavus, Alaska) Calkin Learning Center, Charts on Inner Behaviors, and learning Russian. Chart Share promoter.

Red Sarna. (Bath Maine) Precision Teaching in advanced Math at Maine Maritime Academy. This Web Site produces instant fluency sheets that you can print off your browser!

Clay Starlin. (Eugene OR) Originator of the term 'fluency.' Precision Teaching at College and School settings.

Jesus Rosales-Ruiz. (Denton, Texas) Lab studies in behavior.

John Eshleman. (Atlanta GA) Behavioral engineering and technology resource.

Jim Cowardin. (Columbus, OH) Charter Schools.

Joe Parsons. (Victoria, BC., Canada) Celeration Technologies. Think Fast Software. A sophisticated computer flashcard system. Glossary of Precision Teaching terms.

Kent Johnson. (Seattle WA) Exemplary use of Precision Teaching and Direct Instruction at Morningside Learning Center. Active in New School for the Learning Sciences.

T.V. Joe Layng (Chicago IL) Precision Teaching at Malcolm X College, and active in New School for the Learning Sciences.

Malcolm Neely (Federal Way, WA) Private Teacher/Consultant using Precision Teaching and Direct Instruction.

Karen Pryor (Waltham, MA) Biologist, publisher, author of Don't Shoot the Dog," a popular guide to positive reinforcement training for animals and people.

Dennis L. Edinger (Arvada, CO) Psychologist and Special Educator (Retired.) Avid chart reader and shrewd observer. Dennis is presently spearheading a project to resurrect an archive of the best of publications about Precision Teaching and put it on the web.

Sue Casson (Winnebago, Ill). Precision Tutoring, and some of the best ideas for increasing the skills of Grade 2 delights.

Rick Kubina (University Park PA). Precision Teaching theory and practice in Special Education and School Psychology. List Server manager.

David Keller (Alaska). Precision Teaching in Special Education.

Bob Worsham (MA/RI). Precision Teaching at Judge Rotenberg Center (formerly Behavior Research Institute).