USE OF A FREE-TIME CONTINGENCY WITH FOURTH GRADERS TO INCREASE SPELLING ACCURACY

This investigation was conducted in a fourth grade class of 32 pupils in a public school. The study assessed spelling performances of the group as a function of three conditions-(1) when traditional procedures were in effect, (2) When contingent free-time was individually arranged, and (3) when a group contingency, listening to the radio, was added to the individually obtained free-time. As a result of these procedures, the majority of the pupils' spelling performance increased, indicating that the use of contingent free-time and radio-listening were effective reinforcers. © 1969.