Managing middle school students' disruptive behaviors during physical education classes using the color wheel system

This study investigated whether the use of the color wheel system (CWS) during physical education (PE) classes is associated with a significant decrease in disruptive behaviors among middle school students. Using a multiple‐baseline single‐case design, we investigated the effects of the CWS on disruptive behavior in nine middle school students with identified disruptive tendencies, aged 13.33 ± 1.1 years on average. Disruptive behaviors were tracked through observation using a 15‐s partial time sampling technique. The results, as indicated by time series graphs and Nonoverlap of All Pairs values ranging from 0.79 to 1.00, consistently demonstrated that the implementation of the CWS led to a reduction in disruptive behaviors across the three classrooms. The findings suggest that the CWS is an effective intervention for mitigating disruptive behaviors among school‐aged children during PE classes. However, it should be noted that the training procedures for implementing the CWS were relatively brief. To address potential limitations in future CWS implementations, it is recommended to address these shortcomings and carefully consider the implementation of the CWS as a behavioral intervention in PE. Practitioner points The color wheel system (CWS) has shown promise in reducing disruptive behaviors in the physical education setting. It is crucial to provide sufficient training and support to teachers before implementing the CWS. The CWS is a preventative classroom management strategy to promote a positive learning environment