Managing Student Behavior in Dual Immersion Classrooms: A Study of Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams.
CW-FIT works in dual-language classrooms—teachers can give praise and points in French and still see big gains in on-task behavior.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers ran CW-FIT in French immersion classrooms. They worked with four elementary teachers who spoke only French during lessons.
The team used a multiple-baseline design across teachers. They measured teacher praise, reprimands, and student on-task behavior.
Teachers got a short training and a coach who watched and gave feedback. The whole study lasted eight weeks.
What they found
Teacher praise doubled once CW-FIT started. On-task behavior rose from a large share to a large share.
Reprimands did not drop much. Some teachers kept scolding even while giving more praise.
The program worked even when teachers spoke only French. Kids still learned the rules and earned team points.
How this fits with other research
Kamps et al. (2015) first showed CW-FIT works in English-only rooms. García-Villamisar et al. (2017) now prove it also works in a second language.
Bohan et al. (2022) thinned the Caught Being Good Game schedule and kept good results. CW-FIT did not test thinning, but both studies show group contingencies save teacher time.
Davenport et al. (2019) used behavioral skills training to hit a large share teacher fidelity. The same quick training package helped these French teachers reach high fidelity too.
Why it matters
If you teach in bilingual, Spanish, or immersion rooms, you can run CW-FIT without switching to English. Keep the same team points, praise, and timeout rule—just speak the target language. Start with two weeks of baseline so you can show the gain. Track praise rate with a simple tally; aim for four praises every five minutes. The kids will work harder and you will scold less.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Classroom management in dual immersion classrooms includes unique challenges. The teacher must instruct and correct in the L2 language, in which students are beginning learners, and effective classroom management strategies appropriate to the L2 context. Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is a positive classroom management program that teaches social skills and uses group contingencies to improve behavior. The present study examined the ability of French immersion teachers to implement CW-FIT in the L2, including the effects of CW-FIT on teacher praise and reprimand rates and as well as on students' classroom behavior. Social validity was also assessed. A single-subject multiple baseline design with embedded reversals was used to evaluate impact in second-, third-, and fourth-grade dual immersion classrooms. Results indicated that dual immersion teachers were able to implement CW-FIT in L2 with fidelity. The intervention significantly increased teacher praise and improved classroom on-task behavior. Changes in teacher reprimand rates were inconsistent. Students and teachers reported CW-FIT to be socially valid.
Behavior modification, 2017 · doi:10.1177/0145445517698418