The token economy system is a popular way to motivate students with disabilities in areas of struggle. For kids with autism and behavioral issues, token rewards have proven to be a valuable tool of motivation and achievement. Token economies can take many forms and can be as creative as a teacher or caregiver decides to make them. This classroom management strategy can also appeal to a child’s individuality.
A reward system based on earning tokens is set up by deciding how often rewards will be offered, and then creating a system of tokens and a way to display earnings. Token boards are a very important part of the token economy because when chosen properly, the token boards will effectively display a child’s earnings and motivate him or her to continue improving in whatever area that is being targeted.
Types of Token Boards – Punch Cards
One of the cheapest and easiest types of token boards is the simple punch card. Each child in an inclusion classroom or in a special education classroom will receive his own personalized punch card, and whenever they successfully accomplish a goal (which can be different for each child), a hole can be punched in the card. A teacher can decide how many holes are necessary to receive a reward.
Teachers will also decided on what types of reward will best motivate each student, or she can offer two or three reward choices. The punch cards can be made out of card stock, and replaced easily once they are filled up.
Token Board Ideas – Velcro Strips and Progress Boards
Another type of token board is the Velcro strip board. This type of reward display may be a little bit more complicated to assemble than a punch card, but it has several advantages. Firstly, a Velcro strip board is reusable. Also these token boards can be more colorful and creative than punch cards.
There are two styles of token boards that can be made out of Velcro strips: boards that display several tokens, earned throughout a specific time period, and boards that show movement of a single token piece toward a particular goal at the end of the board. The tokens can be designed with meaningful pictures and graphics with a piece of Velcro on the other side so they will stick to the board.
The token boards can be set up to show elapsed time (days or hours), with a space to attach the token, or they can be designed to show progress toward a particular achievement. The latter is most useful when a single goal has been set, either academic or behavioral. The former is great for general behavior issues. Both are very visual in nature and appeal effectively to children with autism and other disorders.
Token Board Styles – Coin Books and Sticker Books
Another type of token board is actually not a board at all, but a book. Coin books are great if the chosen tokens are in coin form, and sticker books are effective and similar. Sticker books and coin books can be incorporated into a daily journal. Children who are capable of writing down their feelings with words or pictures can be given a small writing assignment expressing their feelings about their achievements and earnings.
A token economy works well as a classroom management strategy for kids with autism and other disabilities because it is very visual and it offers a variety of ways to individually reward children for accomplishing goals. Choosing the right token board can make a big difference in how well the system will motivate students in the classroom.
Karen Plumley - Karen Plumley is a writer specializing in parenting and education. She works for Parenting NH and the Hippo, NH's most widely read ...
