The Behavioural Approach to Teaching Secondary Aged Children (BATSAC): Two behavioural evaluations of a training package for secondary school teachers in classroom behaviour management

The Behavioural Approach to Teaching Package (BATPACK) for training primary teachers in the necessary skills of classroom behaviour management was adapted for use with teachers in secondary schools. Drawing on further research carried out in secondary schools, a prototype version of BATSAC (Behavioural Approach to Teaching Secondary Aged Children) was designed and developed and was subsequently piloted in two independent, one-shot studies. In the first study, carried out with nine staff of a mathematics department, teachers and their classes were observed before and after experiencing the six-session package. Teachers’ use of disapproval decreased significantly and pupil on-task behaviour increased significantly but teacher approval was not appreciably different following the course. In the second study, a modified version of BATSAC was employed with a group of 14 teachers and their classes in another secondary school and again teachers were observed before and after the course. In this study teacher approval increased, the use of disapproval decreased and pupil on-task behaviour increased, all significantly. It is argued that pupil on-task behaviour changes largely as a result of improvements in the ratio between teachers’ use of approval and disapproval.