Instructor behavior associated with trainee attentiveness during behavioral training workshops: A preliminary assessment

Reid et al. (2020) watched ABA workshop leaders and the adult trainees in front of them.

They timed how long instructors spent talking, showing slides, asking questions, telling stories, playing videos, running activities, or joking.

Then they scored how many trainees were looking at the speaker or taking notes at each moment.

Attention dropped when the teacher only lectured or clicked through slides.

Attention rose every time the teacher added a question, story, video, quick task, or bit of humor.

The same trainees who stared at their phones perked up the moment the format changed.

Downs et al. (2008) and Bhaumik et al. (2008) showed that feedback after training lifts instructor accuracy. Reid’s team moves the lens earlier: keep trainees awake first so they can even absorb that later feedback.

McKearney (1976) and Fahmie et al. (2013) found that faster pacing cuts kids’ off-task behavior. Reid agrees that how you deliver matters, but adds variety—not just speed—keeps adult eyes forward.

Cruz et al. (2023) and Bukszpan et al. (2025) later used structured BST packages to build skilled supervisors and teachers. Their strong results assume people were paying attention; Reid shows the low-tech tricks that buy that attention.

If you run staff trainings, CEU events, or parent classes, swap activities every few minutes. Ask a question, show a brief clip, tell a real case story, or give a 30-second partner task. These micro-changes cost nothing, need no tech, and immediately win back wandering minds so your actual content lands.