Extra Set of Materials

The Strategy

Extra set of materials is a strategy in which teachers keep extra materials in the classroom so the student is not responsible for bringing the necessary materials to class. Providing an extra set of materials that stay in the classroom will increase a student’s likelihood of being prepared for class and in turn may improve engagement and decrease disruptive behavior. Although this strategy will reduce the problems observed in the classroom, it will not provide the student with independent organizational skills. Thus, this strategy should be used in conjunction with other strategies that facilitate organizational skills (e.g., organizational skills training; daily report card). 

  1. Identify the ways in which the student is having difficulty with class preparation. Evaluate if there are specific materials that are commonly forgotten.

  2. Collect an extra set of the chosen materials and designate a spot in the classroom to keep these materials.

  3. Discuss with the student where the materials will be kept and when they should use them.

  4. You may wish to encourage the student to still bring their materials to class and only use the extra set when materials are forgotten.

  • Although the student is no longer responsible for transporting their materials between locations, they should still be encouraged and expected to organize the materials in a given location (e.g., desk; locker; cubby).

  • Have clear conversation with the student or parents about the expectations for materials and consequences if something is lost or ruined.

Because providing an extra set of materials does not effectively build the skills students need to independently meet age-appropriate expectations, it cannot be evaluated for effectiveness. The goal of providing an extra set of materials is to ensure a student can engage in classroom activities or work even if they forget to bring the necessary materials. If this strategy is selected for use in the short term, it is recommended that at some point it be replaced with an intervention to help the student develop the skills needed to independently meet age-appropriate expectations for organizing and managing their materials.

Intervention Scorecard

This intervention is recommended for the following presenting problems.

Select an age group:

Recommended
Presenting Problem Effectiveness Magnitude Effort

Other suitable presenting problems

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