If you're wondering what behaviors to focus on versus ignore, you must ask yourself "If the behavior is harmful, destructive, and unacceptable/inappropriate?" It is also important to take into consideration if communication and the inability to do something are the main causes or antecedents for behavior(s).
After careful observation, it is also key to determine when and where this behavior occurs and if the student's other teachers are experiencing the same issue. A teacher can take it a step further by conducting a parent-teacher conference to discuss with parents if anything changed at home, how does the child interact away from school, and what strategies are being implemented that can be used in the classroom.
According to Sprick’s, escaping/avoiding, ability/inability, unaware/aware, and attention seeking are the main four functions that a child exhibits behavior and problems. In addition, communication and sensory discrepancies are another function of/for behavior. The important points to consider when assessing behavior is engagement, neurological issues, The Range of Contextual Support and Cognitive involvement (quadrant levels), and seeking attention.
-
Escaping/Avoiding (The student is trying to escape or avoid a task, instruction, or location or escaping to go somewhere else.)
-
Ability/inability (The child is not able to do what is being requested of them. In this case it can be the inability to read because they do not have the phonemic awareness, fluency, or confidence to do so.)
-
Unaware (The child is simply unaware that what they are doing is wrong or inappropriate and unacceptable. If I say “hello” and the child continuously licks my hand as a form of greeting, it is crucial that I teach him the correct way to say hello.)
-
Attention Seeking (The child is looking for a reaction or a moment to have your attention. This is easily observed when the teacher pivots their attention to someone else and they immediately act out or do something that calls for your immediate reaction. This is also the first function that teachers tend to go to.)
-
Communication (This tie into the inability to express one’s thought, needs, and wants. If I’m hungry and I can’t express myself, I will do whatever I can to notify you that I am hungry.)
-
Sensory (Perhaps the way something feels, sound, smells, taste or appears is either overwhelming the child or making them feel uncomfortable.)
Implementation of 5 Behavior Interventions/Strategies
Thinking Maps: Based on a behavioral approach, thinking maps are effective for teachers to use for students with emotional behavior disorders (EBD) or conduct problems as a tool for problem and solution methods. Students with EBD are in need of making connections with actions and consequences. In this case, by selecting 1 out of the 8 thinking maps, circle, bubble, double bubble, tree, flow, multi-flow, brace, and bridge, the student is able to bridge the gap from their consequences and learned strategies. Students learn to effectively handle behaviors, triggers, social discrepancies, and may keep the document as a guide when they may feel or attempt to act out or inappropriately.
Response to Intervention (RtI): This is a 3-tiered process from a behavior aspect, that can support and help the student overcome challenges. When RtI is used for behavior purposes, teachers and students collaborate to tailor skills and communication discrepancies based on the student's difficulty. For example, a student may have trouble with self-regulating or gaining an adult's attention. The teacher first uses a whole group method to teach skills and classroom expectations/rules, if that doesn't work, the teacher goes on to use a small-group setting with students who may have the same issue. If after a few weeks that doesn't promote any change, the teacher and the student ratio is lowered or they work one-on-one to provide more intense instruction. In some cases, the student may need to receive support from the counselor or therapist outside of the school for additional support.
Reinforcers : Alberto & Troutman, two very well known authors and educators stated, that there can be positive or negative depending on the person providing the reinforcer and/or the behavior. A reward can be used as a positive reinforcer when a child does something that they’re supposed to do. For example, the child takes out the trash 5 days a week, so they earned their play-date with their friends over the weekend. A negative reinforcer can be something taken away to get the desired behavior back or diminish a negative behavior. For example, if the child did not take out the trash, they do not get the play-date with their friends over the weekend. Rewards and reinforcers are contingent upon what the child likes, age-appropriateness, discussing beforehand the expectations of the reinforcer, how often they receive the reward to prevent satiation, and giving the reward in a timely and consistent matter.
Task Analysis/Response Cards: The process it takes for a student to learn and perform a specific and direct task. The teacher must break down the task and create specific steps that are used as a guide to provide instruction. The beginning steps consist of identifying the behavior then teaching it in sequential steps. For example, steps can be placed on a card to teach a student how to brush their teeth, get dressed for school, get on the bus and
so on are instances where a task analysis can be taught. Once the child is successful, is it applied to their life, generalized.
Check-In Check-Out: This intervention can be used with the FAB/BIP as a means to confirm and verify that the students completed his or her work and/or met the teacher's expectations. Expectations can be tied to the child's IEP such as staying on task, appropriately interacting with others, keeping their hands to themselves and so on. Parents can obtain feedback from their child's teacher about progress and regression that were made for that day.
Below you will be able to see these interventions and strategies done within the classroom. Students in these videos vary from elementary to high school and majority are in a self-contained setting.
