Linking the Interests of Families and Teachers (LIFT)

1) Category:
General program

2) Issues Behind the Program:

Numerous studies have shown a powerful link between antisocial behaviors in young children and destructive outcomes later in life (e.g. delinquency, crime, dropping out, substance abuse). The two most determinative risk factors in the development of delinquency are aggressive and maladaptive behaviors with peers and teachers in school, and ineffective parenting practices (lack of consistency, inappropriate supervision, lack of supervision, etc.). Many social skill acquisition programs do not enable transfer of these learnings to other contexts and are therefore ineffective because the desired behaviors may not translate into action in the real world.

3) Objectives:
Support children in learning prosocial skills. Promote positive peer interaction and reduce antisocial behaviors among students. Help parents supervise and guide their children positively and consistently. Increase the coherence of action between the school and the family by involving the parents.

4) Environment:
Primary schools in underprivileged communities Families

5) Target Group:
Children from 6 to 11 years old Parents

6) Key Words:
Linking the Interests of Families and Teachers, LIFT, coeuraction, school-familycommunity partnership, general program, social skills, intervention, communication, prevention, discipline, parenting skills, problem solving, risk factors, violence, behavior

This factsheet was taken from the following website: http://rire.ctreq.qc.ca/.

Page 1 of 5

7) Description:
Linking the Interests of Families and Teachers (LIFT) is a research intervention program designed to prevent the development of aggressive and antisocial behavior in school. LIFT has three main components: o o o classroom-based problem-solving and social skills training; group-delivered parent training; playground-based and peer-interface behavior modification (i.e. playground good behavior game).

The three components are conducted simultaneously. The result is greater coherence between practices in school, at home and in class. Communication between parents and the teacher is a key element of LIFT. To facilitate contact, each class may be equipped with a phone and voice messaging. Using the LIFT line, the teacher can, for example, record information about homework and classroom activities on the voice message. Parents can also phone the teacher or leave a message.

8) Steps:
Planning of how social skills will be taught; Construction of reinforcement system material and any other material for program activities; Invitations to the parents; Establishment of the programs three components; Communication with the parents.

9) Activities/Actions:
Parent training: This component is designed to teach parents positive reinforcement strategies and the use of consistent and effective discipline in six 90-minute weekly meetings in groups of 10 to 15 parents. Training occurs through readings, role-playing, and videos showing dos and donts. Exercises are provided for home practice of the techniques learned. o Training varies according to the age of the students. For example, the parents of a Grade 1 student will be trained in how to help their child form positive relationships with their peers, whereas those of a Grade 5 student are shown how to hone their problem-solving strategies in order to help their child deal with the challenges of adolescence.

In class: This component consists of 20 one-hour instruction units that can be easily integrated within the regular curriculum. The workshops, adapted to the age of the students, are given twice a week by the homeroom teacher. Since all the students participate in the workshops, those who adopt prosocial behaviors not only serve as models, but also learn how to help their peers. Organized activities include reading and role-playing, and the subjects covered range from active listening and questioning during a discussion and strategies for becoming part of a group, to anger management and identification of emotions. o In addition to the workshops, there are weekly meetings for group problem solving. These meetings give certain students the opportunity to express themselves, be heard, and get new ideas for solving their problems.

This factsheet was taken from the following website: http://rire.ctreq.qc.ca/.

Page 2 of 5

In the playground: This component enables the students to practice the prosocial behaviors they learned at the workshops in a more natural setting. o Positive behaviors: The playground supervisors reward prosocial behaviors by giving the deserving students a bracelet. When a student has received a set number of bracelets, the entire group receives a reward. Students who have mastered the system can become supervisors. Negative behaviors: The class is divided into teams of four to six students who begin recess with the same number of points. The team loses a point every time a member exhibits antisocial behavior or disobeys the rules. The behaviors are entered by the supervisor in an observation grid. The teams that maintain a set number of points are given a small reward after recess. The points are compiled and posted to keep tabs on student progress. Post-recess: A short post-recess discussion makes it possible for the teacher to take stock of student behavior. This is the perfect time to highlight good behaviors and to take a look at inappropriate behaviors, but from a positive angle by, for example, suggesting alternatives that would prevent a conflict.

10) Resources Required:

Human resources: o o o o o Teacher, instructor, other teachers in the school Parents Budget required for parent training and the purchase of program material. Phone line and voice mail Material required for playground intervention: posting of recess rules, student list, bracelets (or any other objects, such as coupons, that can be distributed easily), container for bracelets, student rewards.

Financial resources: Material resources:

11) Roles of the Participants:

The teacher: o o o o o o o o moderates the social skills development workshops; is in touch with the parents on a regular basis; supervises the reinforcement system in the playground; provides post-recess feedback; designates the student supervisors; asks the other teachers to note the inappropriate behaviors observed. leads the parent training sessions; when applicable, provides parents absent from workshops with the material they missed.

The instructor:

This factsheet was taken from the following website: http://rire.ctreq.qc.ca/.

Page 3 of 5

Parents: o o o attend the workshops; try to put their learnings into practice at home; work with the teacher.

12) Scientific Basis or Validity:

An experimental evaluation involving nearly 600 students was carried out to determine the effectiveness of the LIFT program (Eddy, Reid, & Fetrow, 2000). The results showed that: o families in the randomly assigned treatment group demonstrated greater improvements in problem-solving and conflict resolution skills than the randomly assigned control group families; participants in the LIFT program successfully lowered levels of adolescent aggression during peer interaction; LIFT students were rated by teachers as less aggressive towards peers during play and social interaction, compared to those in the control group; Over the three years following the program, LIFT children were less likely than control group children to show an increase in severity in teacher-reported problem behaviors.

o o o

Earlier studies indicated that youth who participated in LIFT showed lower levels of social avoidance than youth in the control group (Ralph et al., 1998) and were more likely to initiate social interactions with peers (Eddy et al., 2000).

13) Program Material:

There is no other material required for carrying out the program.

14) Additional Information:

The information contained in this factsheet was taken in whole or in part from: o Walker, H.M., Ramsey, E. and Gresham, F.M. (2005) Antisocial behavior in school: evidence-based practices. Toronto: 2nd ed. Thompson-Wadsworth. ISBN 0-534-258840. 414 pages. http://www.findyouthinfo.gov/programdetails.aspx?pid=354 ; http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/exemplary01/exemplary01.pdf ; http://www.childtrends.org/lifecourse/programs/LinkingtheInterestsofParentandTe achers.htm; http://www.oslc.org/projects/popups-projects/link-family-teacher.html .

o o o o

This factsheet was taken from the following website: http://rire.ctreq.qc.ca/.

Page 4 of 5

15) Contacts:
John Reid, Ph.D. Oregon Social Learning Center (OCLC) 10 Shelton McMurphey Boulevard Eugene, OR 97401 Tel.: (541) 485-2711 Email: johnr@oslc.org Website: www.oslc.org

This factsheet was taken from the following website: http://rire.ctreq.qc.ca/.

Page 5 of 5