How to Reach and Teach Children with Challenging Behavior (K-8): Practical, Ready-to-Use Interventions That Work

About This Book vi

About the Authors vii

Acknowledgments ix

Foreword by John W. Maag xxiii

Preface xxv

PART ONE

A Positive, Proactive Approach to Behavior Management

1 A Case for Change 3

What’s Wrong with Kids Today? 4

What Happened to the Good Old Days? 4

I Didn’t Sign Up for This! 5

Students with Behavior Problems Should Just Be Suspended! 6

Punishment Works for Me! 7

What Can We Do? 8

Key Points to Remember 10

Discussion Questions 10

2 Positive Behavior Support and Functional Behavioral Assessment for Educators 12

What Exactly Is Positive Behavior Support? 13

A Three-Tiered Model 14

What Exactly Is Functional Behavioral Assessment? 15

Three Key Concepts of FBA 17

Common Functions of Problem Behavior 18

The Bottom Line on Functional Behavioral Assessment 22

Our Model of Intervention 22

Key Points to Remember 23

Discussion Questions 24

PART TWO

Social Skills Instruction

3 Teaching Social Skills: The Basics 27

Traditional Approaches to Social Skills Instruction 27

A Three-Tiered Approach to Social Skills Instruction 28

Types of Social Skills Deficits 30

Self-Management: The Ultimate Goal 33

Key Points to Remember 34

Discussion Questions and Activities 35

4 Group Social Skills Instruction 36

Schoolwide and Classwide Social Skills Instruction 36

Small Group Social Skills Instruction 43

Choosing Curricula: A Case Study 43

Key Points to Remember 46

Discussion Questions and Activities 47

5 Individualized Social Skills Instruction 57

What Behaviors Should Be Focused on During Individualized Instruction? 57

Who Should Provide Individualized Instruction? 62

When Should Individualized Instruction Take Place? 62

How Should Individualized Instruction Be Delivered? 64

Commonly Overlooked Replacement Behaviors 65

Key Points to Remember 66

Discussion Questions and Activities 66

PART THREE

Preventing Challenging Behavior

6 Preventing Challenging Behavior: The Basics 71

Targeting Setting Events and Triggering Antecedents 71

Identifying Sources of Frustration 72

Developing a Positive Relationship 73

Key Points to Remember 76

Discussion Questions 77

7 Assisting with Executive Functioning Tasks 78

Using Visual Supports 80

Assistance with Other Executive Functioning Skills 88

Key Points to Remember 93

Discussion Questions 94

8 Providing Appropriate and Engaging Academic Instruction 99

Differentiated Instruction 100

Scheduling 107

Maintaining Academic Engagement 112

Key Points to Remember 113

Discussion Questions and Activities 114

PART FOUR

Reinforcing Desired Behavior

9 Reinforcing Desired Behavior: The Basics 117

Reinforcement Versus Rewards 117

Reinforcement Versus Bribery 119

How to Determine What Is Reinforcing for Students 120

Reinforcement Menus 121

Reinforcement Schedules: Determining How Much and How Often 123

Other Issues Surrounding Reinforcement 128

Key Points to Remember 130

Discussion Questions and Activities 131

10 Group Reinforcement Systems 132

Interdependent Group-Oriented Contingencies 132

Independent Group-Oriented Contingencies 136

The Importance of Tier 1 Reinforcement 138

Key Points to Remember 138

Discussion Questions and Activities 139

11 Individual Reinforcement Systems 140

Target Behavior Sheets 140

Dependent Group-Oriented Contingency 150

Level Systems 150

Token Boards 154

Contracts 155

Key Points to Remember 160

Discussion Questions and Activities 161

PART FIVE

Using Undesirable Consequences

12 Using Undesirable Consequences: The Basics 165

Problems with Punishment 165

Natural and Logical Undesirable Consequences 167

The Three R’s of Logical Consequences 169

Punishment Versus Logical Consequences 171

Key Points to Remember 172

Discussion Questions and Activities 173

13 Common Logical Undesirable Consequences 174

Common Undesirable Consequences Continuum 175

The Importance of Problem Solving 178

Consequence Maps 179

Alternatives to Out-of-School Suspension 181

Key Points to Remember 188

Discussion Questions and Activities 189

PART SIX

Putting It All Together

14 Conducting Effective and Efficient Functional Behavioral

Assessments 193

Step One: Operationally Define the Problem and Replacement Behaviors 195

Step Two: Collect Information 195

Step Three: Develop Hypotheses About Why the Problem Behavior

Is Occurring 199

Key Points to Remember 202

Discussion Questions and Activities 203

15 Designing and Implementing Effective and Efficient Behavior Intervention Plans 204

Step 4: Design a Behavior Intervention Plan Based on the Functional

Behavioral Assessment 204

Step Five: Monitor and Adjust the Behavior Intervention Plan as Needed 205

Key Points to Remember 209

Discussion Question 209

16 Example Success Stories 210

Example 1: Joey 211

Example 2: Susan 218

Example 3: Taylor 228

Example 4: Malik 237

PART SEVEN

What About Dangerous Behavior? Managing Crises

17 Intervening During the Escalation Cycle 247

Stage One 248

Stage Two 248

Stage Three 249

Stage Four 250

Stage Five 250

Stage Six 251

Key Points to Remember 253

Discussion Questions and Activities 254

18 Physical Restraint and Seclusion 255

Definitions 256

Historical Overview 256

Roots of the Problem 257

Current School Culture 257

What Can Educators Do? 260

Key Points to Remember 262

Discussion Questions and Activities 265

PART EIGHT

Reproducible Tools

1 Positive-to-Negative Ratio Data Sheet 268

2 Break Pass 269

3 Countdown Strips 270

4 Chart Moves Frame 271

5 Peer Comparison Direct Observation Form 272

6 Consequence Map Template 273

7 If-Then Chart Template 274

8 Notes Template for Functional Behavioral Assessment 275

9 Functional Behavioral Assessment Summary Worksheet 276

10 Behavior Intervention Plan Worksheet 278

Glossary 281

Notes 287

References 293

Index 299