The Alarm Clock Procedure

Some children with language delays have difficulties when they don’t understand when something is going to happen. For example, I once worked at a school where the buses lined up outside about 45 minutes before dismissal. I was working with four children who would see the bus pull up and start to get ready to leave. When we tried to explain that it wasn’t time yet, it led to severe problem behaviors.

The problem was very clear. Getting on the bus was motivating, and the children didn’t know when it was time. What we did was simple. We bought an alarm clock with a unique sound to ring when it was time to get on the bus. When the alarm would ring, we’d all rush around – OK, get your coats, get your backpacks, time to go! It was extremely successful. Within a week or two, all the children learned to wait for the alarm before packing up to go home, and it completely eliminated problem behaviors. Of course, as I think back, it might have been even better to make it so that the kids weren’t dying to get out of school. But that’s a topic for another day.

Over the years, I’ve replicated this type of procedure many times for a variety of similar problems. Now, we use apps or timers on our phones or iPad but the idea is still the same–send a clear message about when the preferred activity will and will not be available. Preschoolers who are concerned about when mom will pick up. Students who are concerned about when it will be time for lunch, recess, or gym.

I’ve even had success using this procedure with some children about events occurring a very long time in the future. For example, if the child doesn’t understand how long it will be until Christmas, getting a calendar and marking off each day until the highly preferred event occurs can be extremely successful. That can take some training with successive building up the number of days, but several parents have found it extremely successful.

This isn’t my idea. What I’ve done here is take a thoroughly researched procedure and extend and modify it a bit to solve practical problems.

Behavior analytic services should only be delivered in the context of a professional relationship. Nothing written in this blog should be considered advice for any specific individual. The purpose of the blog is to share my experience, not to provide treatment. Please get advice from a professional before making changes to behavior analytic services being delivered. Nothing in this blog including comments or correspondence should be considered an agreement for Dr. Barry D. Morgenstern to provide services or establish a professional relationship outside of a formal agreement to do so. I attempt to write this blog in “plain English” and avoid technical jargon whenever possible. But all statements are meant to be consistent with behavior analytic literature, practice, and the professional code of ethics. If, for whatever reason, you think I’ve failed in the endeavor, let me know and I’ll consider your comments and make revisions, if appropriate. Feedback is always appreciated as I’m always trying to Poogi.