Behavioral Interventions And Strategies Series: Tootling
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1
2Behavioral Interventions and Strategies Series:
Tootling
When to use: To improve the quality of interactions between students, discourage focusing
on negative behaviors, and encourage focusing on positive behaviors.
Why use: Classrooms are often set up to prevent negative behaviors rather than focusing on teaching positive
behaviors. Rule systems typically identify negative behaviors and associated negative consequences. When rules
and expectations focus on negative behaviors, students often engage in tattling on negative behaviors of other
students. Tootling is a positive intervention that can be added to existing classroom systems to enhance students’
awareness of positive behaviors of other students and provides incentive to engage in positive behaviors
themselves. Tootling can be particularly helpful in classrooms that experience high rates of student turnover and
classrooms with students who are at risk for isolation or peer rejection due to persistent negative behaviors.
Materials Needed: Index cards (3x5) or slips of paper to record Tootles, shoe box or container for turning in
Tootles, Tootling Progress Chart to indicate cumulative number of Tootles and progress toward reward, anything
needed to provide classroom reward
Preparation:
Collect baseline data for behaviors (number of tattles, number of negative verbalizations, aggressive behaviors)
Determine parameters for Tootle Time: what time of day students should observe behavior (all day or during a
specific time period), when Tootles will be recorded and turned in
Gather materials and determine classroom rewards
Introduction:
Introduce Tootling to the class by telling them they will begin playing a game that will let them name or “shout
out” a classmate who has been kind or helpful
Explain the difference between tattling (when someone does something wrong) and Tootling (when someone
does something good, kind, or helpful)
Review Tootling criteria with the class
Behavior must be of another classmate
Kind or helpful behavior must be towards another student
Behavior must occur at school
Provide examples of Tootling (helping others clean, sharing, using kind words, and helping with assignments)
and have students give examples. Praise appropriate Tootles and provide corrective feedback for comments that
don’t meet Tootling criteria.
Demonstrate how to record Tootles—Who, Did What, For Whom—and how to turn them in
Give each student an index card and ask them to write down a Tootle. Collect the cards, read the Tootles aloud,
praise appropriate Tootles and provide corrective feedback for inappropriate or vague Tootles.
Display the Tootling Progress Chart, tell the class what their Tootling goal is (e.g., 100 Tootles), and explain what
reward the class will earn when they reach their goal (extra recess, movie time, dance party, game time)
References
Rathvon, N. (2008). Effective school interventions, Second Edition: Evidence-based strategies for improving student outcomes (pp. 83-84). New York: The Guilford Press.
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