Additional information
| Dimensions | 9 × 6 in |
|---|---|
| Cover | Paperback |
| Dimensions (W) | 6" |
| Dimensions (H) | 9" |
| Page Count | 60 |
| Publisher | Edge Enterprises, Inc. |
| Year Printed | 1995 |
Surface Counseling
Joe N. CrankDonald D. Deshler
Jean B. Schumaker
Although some children seem to be in a state of perpetual anxiety, the problems causing this anxiety can definitely be real. Whether the source of the anxiety is the boy down the street, a callous remark from an unthinking peer, or an argument with someone at home, young people need help learning how to solve the kinds of problems they face every day. Without such help, their problems can interfere with learning.
Thankfully, most of the problems young people encounter don’t require a degree in psychology to solve. Using the Surface Counseling process, anyone who comes into contact with young people can provide the first level of help. The Surface Counseling process begins with developing a trusting relationship and involves prompting the youth through a set of problem-solving steps that the youth can eventually use on her own. The specific details of all these steps are outlined in this down-to-earth guidebook, and it includes role-play situations and worksheets for copying and using. The Surface Counseling process is a great tool for parents, teachers, and coaches—anyone who’s interested in helping young people grow and learn.
$8.50
Description
Research on Surface Counseling
Overview
The Surface Counseling Program is used by a teacher to work with a student to solve personal problems that the student presents to the teacher. The intent is to not only solve the current problem but also to teach the student a process for solving future problems independently. This study investigated the effects of teacher self-instruction in Surface Counseling. Two types of skills were assessed: relationship-building skills and skills involved in guiding a youth through a structured problem-solving process. Six special education teachers participated in a multiple-baseline across-teachers design to evaluate the effects of self-instruction on their behavior in role-playing situations where they were asked by a confederate youth for help with a specified problem. For the self-instructional method, each teacher was given the Surface Counseling manual to read and study. Observers of the role-play situations recorded each behavior a teacher used during each role-play performance on a checklist before and after the teachers received Surface Counseling instruction. In addition, three trained school counselors observed videotaped performances of the teachers in the role-play situations and rated the teachers’ skills before and after the instruction.
Results
The results of the multiple-baseline study with the six special education teachers showed that all of the teachers made gains with regard to using Surface Counseling skills in role-playing situations. Their mean pre-training score on the relationship-building skills was 53.7%. Their mean post-training score was 93%. Their mean pre-training and post-training scores on guiding students through the problem-solving process were 8.5% and 92.7%, respectively. Five of the six teachers exceeded the mastery level (85%) on the skills within one trial.
The three school counselors were asked to rate the teachers’ skills at the beginning and end of the study on a eight-point scale (with “8” representing “Very Good Quality”). When the counselors rated the special education teachers’ counseling skills at the beginning of the study, their mean rating was 3.72. At the end of the study, the counselors’ mean rating was 7.38. A Pearson Product Moment Correlation was computed to determine the correlation between the teachers’ behaviors in the role-playing situations and the counselors’ ratings. The correlation was .897. The teachers provided high satisfaction ratings on a seven-point scale when they were asked to rate the instruction they had received (M = 5.5), their own use of the relationship-building skills (M = 5.88), and their ability to guide students through the problem-solving process (M = 6.33).
Conclusions
This multiple-baseline design study with six teachers showed that teachers could learn to use relationship-building skills and the problem-solving process in a short period of time. Professional counselors rated the teachers’ skills as having improved. The teachers were satisfied with the instruction they received and the results that they had achieved.
Reference
Crank, J. (1986). The validation of a self-instructional program to teach learning disabilities teachers Surface Counseling skills. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Lawrence: The University of Kansas.
About the Author
Joe N. Crank, Ph.D.
Affliations
- Professor
- Educational Psychology Department
- University of Nevada-Las Vegas
- Las Vegas, NV
- Certified SIM Professional Development Specialist
- University of Kansas
- Lawrence, KS
My Background and Interests
My life began in a small town in the Midwest, and I moved to suburban western life as an adolescent. Though I was successful in school, I did have some challenges, and I was well aware that some youngsters were less adept than others at their studies and had struggles in the social/emotional arena. I knew relatively early that I wanted to find a career through which I could help children do well in their lives. Thus, when I attended college, I found majors and degrees that led me to a career in public schools and then to higher education where I’ve been teaching about child development, instructional and learning methods/strategies, and the measurement of children’s skills and abilities.
The Story Behind Surface Counseling
The term and basic rationale for Surface Counseling were mentioned in the original Alley and Deshler text (1979). I was intrigued by the idea because during my training and work in schools as a school psychologist, I noticed that teachers and even other professionals did not seem to be providing the kind of basic guidance that they could that would be helpful to students. With the advisement of Don Deshler and Jean Schumaker, I elaborated on the Surface Counseling concept, and we developed the Surface Counseling routine and the training program for teachers and other mentors who work with youngsters. Essentially, Surface Counseling is a method for mentors to use when working with youths to help them solve personal and social problems. The co-goal is for youngsters to become independent problem solvers. The skills and steps of Surface Counseling form the basis for a way of interaction, a routine for teacher/student communication.
My Thoughts about Surfacing Counseling
I see Surface Counseling as being a method of communication between teachers and students or between mentors and children in their charge. It is a professional and sincere way of dealing with children who are having problems socially. Some of the creative educators and counselors with whom I have worked with have translated the surface counseling methods and worksheets into daily or weekly social skills lessons in which students can be taught and role play the problems-solving steps in groups. In a broad way, Surface Counseling is very much a strategic method both in its delivery with children and in the problem solving steps that are embedded in the whole routine.
Feedback about Surface Counseling
A recent study by Loe, Jones, Crank, and Krach (2009) was undertaken to evaluate Surface Counseling for counselors and school psychologists in graduate training. Their study replicated the results of the original research study (see the research section on Surface Counseling). The outcome of the study has resulted in the use of the original Surface Counseling self-instruction methodology and material for graduate training in areas that are kindred to teacher education.
In another study, Lee and Crank (2005) used a qualitative method for gathering and evaluating teachers’ feedback about the Surface Counseling process with teachers making the following observations as a few examples: “It has a structured order;” “It allows students to help themselves;” “It shows students you care;” “It uses well-detailed checklists and worksheets;” “It gets the students to become involved in taking responsibility for their actions;” “Students know you care;” “Students say they have more than one way to solve (get out of) a bad situation;” and “Students say they like the problem-solving brainstorming activity.”
My Contact Information
Work phone: 702-895-1110
Email address: crank@unlv.nevada.edu
