Describe a token economy system and its uses

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Token economies are useful in all classrooms for a wide range of students and behaviors. Basically, a token economy is one in which something intangible or representative (like points, chips, or tokens) is earned through appropriate behavior (it is a reinforcer) and later exchanged (like money; hence the word "economy") for something else, usually tangible (such as toys and school supplies), but sometimes intangible (like extra playground time). The fact that it is exchanged for something of value makes it more likely that students will perform desired behaviors repeatedly. The keys to a successful token economy are: 1) make sure the tokens keep their value and are earned on a frequent-enough schedule with frequent-enough opportunities to earn them; 2) choose exchange items that students actually value and want; 3) plan how to fade the use of the system