How to Reach and Teach Children with Challenging Behavior (K-8)

KAYE L. OTTEN, Ph.D., has worked with children with behavior challenges for nearly twenty years as a classroom teacher, special educator, and behavior specialist. She is co-founder of Camp Encourage, a highly acclaimed overnight camp for children with autism spectrum disorders.JODIE L. TUTTLE, M.Ed., worked as a teacher of behaviorally challenged students for seventeen years. She currently works as a behavior specialist for preschool to high school-aged students.

• About This Book viAbout the Authors viiAcknowledgments ixForeword by John W. Maag xxiiiPreface xxvPart One A Positive, Proactive Approach to Behavior Management1 A Case for Change 3What’s Wrong with Kids Today? 4What Happened to the Good Old Days? 4I Didn’t Sign Up for This! 5Students with Behavior Problems Should Just Be Suspended! 6Punishment Works for Me! 7What Can We Do? 8Remove the Words Should and Shouldn’t from Your Vocabulary 8Limit the Time Spent ‘‘Admiring the Problem’’ 8Strive to Understand the Perspectives of All Team Members and Stakeholders 8Let Go of the Old Way of Doing Things 9Expand Your Behavior Management Toolbox 10Key Points to Remember 10Discussion Questions 102 Positive Behavior Support and Functional Behavioral Assessment for Educators 12What Exactly Is Positive Behavior Support? 13Research-Validated Practices 13Enhancing the Capacity of Environments 13A Three-Tiered Model 14What Exactly Is Functional Behavioral Assessment? 15Three Key Concepts of FBA 17Setting Events 17Triggering Antecedents 17Maintaining Consequences 18Common Functions of Problem Behavior 18To Get Attention or a Reaction 19To Get Something Tangible 20To Obtain a Sense of Power or Control 20To Meet a Sensory Need 20To Communicate Feelings 20As a Result of a Lack of Understanding 21To Escape or Avoid Something 21The Bottom Line on Functional Behavioral Assessment 22Our Model of Intervention 22Key Points to Remember 23Discussion Questions 24Part Two Social Skills Instruction3 Teaching Social Skills: The Basics 27Traditional Approaches to Social Skills Instruction 27A Three-Tiered Approach to Social Skills Instruction 28Types of Social Skills Deficits 30Skill Deficits 30Performance Deficits 30Fluency Deficits 32Self-Management: The Ultimate Goal 33Key Points to Remember 34Discussion Questions and Activities 354 Group Social Skills Instruction 36Schoolwide and Classwide Social Skills Instruction 36Class Meetings 37Mini-Lessons 37Frequent Positive Feedback 37Schoolwide and Classwide Expectations or Rules 38Schoolwide and Classwide Routines 39Important Schoolwide and Classwide Lessons 41Small Group Social Skills Instruction 43Choosing Curricula: A Case Study 43Key Points to Remember 46Discussion Questions and Activities 475 Individualized Social Skills Instruction 57What Behaviors Should Be Focused on During Individualized Instruction? 57‘‘So What?’’ Behavior 58Identifying Replacement Behavior 60Other Target Behaviors 61Who Should Provide Individualized Instruction? 62When Should Individualized Instruction Take Place? 62Embedded into Existing Structures and Therapies 62Check-In 63Precorrection 63Behavior Tutoring Sessions 63Incidental Teaching 63How Should Individualized Instruction Be Delivered? 64Video Modeling 64Social Stories 64Commonly Overlooked Replacement Behaviors 65Taking Appropriate Breaks 65Negotiating Assignments 65Key Points to Remember 66Discussion Questions and Activities 66Part Three Preventing Challenging Behavior6 Preventing Challenging Behavior: The Basics 71Targeting Setting Events and Triggering Antecedents 71Identifying Sources of Frustration 72Developing a Positive Relationship 73Be Consistent 73Develop a Partnership 74Focus on Frequent Positive Feedback 76Key Points to Remember 76Discussion Questions 777 Assisting with Executive Functioning Tasks 78Using Visual Supports 80Organizational Helpers 81Behavior Prompts 81Visual Schedules 84Transition Helpers 85A Final Word About Visual Supports 88Assistance with Other Executive Functioning Skills 88Breaking Long Projects into Steps 88Waiting to Be Called On 89Staying on Task 90Key Points to Remember 93Discussion Questions 948 Providing Appropriate and Engaging Academic Instruction 99Differentiated Instruction 100Providing Choices 101Embedding Interests and Preferences 101Writing Strategies 102Scheduling 107Learn How to Make a Table in a Word Processing Program 108Schedule Things That Are Absolutely Inflexible First 108Schedule the Major Core Academic Areas 109Use Paraprofessionals Wisely and Appropriately 109Make Sure You Get a Planning Time 111Maintaining Academic Engagement 112Failure Is Not an Option 112Honor Roll 113Key Points to Remember 113Discussion Questions and Activities 114Part Four Reinforcing Desired Behavior9 Reinforcing Desired Behavior: The Basics 117Reinforcement Versus Rewards 117Focus on Common Unintentional Reinforcers: Attention and Escape 118Reinforcement Versus Bribery 119How to Determine What Is Reinforcing for Students 120Interviews and Surveys 120Observations 120Reinforcement Journals 121Reinforcement Menus 121Reinforcement Schedules: Determining How Much and How Often 123Differential Reinforcement of Zero Rates of Behavior 126Differential Reinforcement of Lower Rates of Behavior 127Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior 127Other Issues Surrounding Reinforcement 128Setting Appropriate Criteria 128Pairing Educators and School with Reinforcers 129Deprivation 129Teaching Peers to Reinforce Appropriately 130Key Points to Remember 130Discussion Questions and Activities 13110 Group Reinforcement Systems 132Interdependent Group-Oriented Contingencies 132Student Teams 133Interdependent Group-Oriented Contingency Games 134The Classwide Peer-Assisted Self-Management (CWPASM) Program 135Independent Group-Oriented Contingencies 136Lottery Systems 137Token Economies 137The Importance of Tier 1 Reinforcement 138Key Points to Remember 138Discussion Questions and Activities 13911 Individual Reinforcement Systems 140Target Behavior Sheets 140Use Positive Language 141Limit the Number of Skills 141Individualize the Target Skills 144Be Specific 144Embed Visual Supports and Special Interests 146Partner with the Student to Help Develop 146Set Realistic Criteria 146Let Students Keep Their Sheet with Them (If They Wish) 146Review Regularly with the Student 147Use Turnaround Points 147Use Bonus Points 147Allow Students to Self-Monitor When Ready 148Communicate to Parents What Constitutes a Successful Day 148Dependent Group-Oriented Contingency 150Level Systems 150Structured Behavioral Skills Program: Daily Level System 151Climbing the Ladder of Success 152A Warning About Using Point and Level Systems 154Token Boards 154Contracts 155Punch Cards 158Positive Attention Trackers 158Key Points to Remember 160Discussion Questions and Activities 161Part Five Using Undesirable Consequences12 Using Undesirable Consequences: The Basics 165Problems with Punishment 165Punishment Does Not Work in the Long Term 166Punishment Does Not Teach the Student What to Do Instead 166Punishment Encourages Negative Attitudes Toward School and Educators 166Punishment Reduces Motivation to Learn Other Techniques 166Natural and Logical Undesirable Consequences 167Natural Undesirable Consequences 167Logical Undesirable Consequences 169The Three R’s of Logical Consequences 169Related 169Reasonable 170Respectful 170Punishment Versus Logical Consequences 171Key Points to Remember 172Discussion Questions and Activities 17313 Common Logical Undesirable Consequences 174Common Undesirable Consequences Continuum 175Three Strikes 175Response Cost or Fines 176Wasted Time 176Behavior Tutoring 177Think Time 178The Importance of Problem Solving 178Consequence Maps 179Alternatives to Out-of-School Suspension 181In-School Suspension 184Red Schedule 184Advantages of Alternatives to Out-of-School Suspension 187Key Points to Remember 188Discussion Questions and Activities 189Part Six Putting It All Together14 Conducting Effective and Efficient Functional Behavioral Assessments 193Step One: Operationally Define the Problem and Replacement Behaviors 195Step Two: Collect Information 195How Much Information Is Needed? 195How Do I Collect the Data? 197Step Three: Develop Hypotheses About Why the Problem Behavior Is Occurring 199Key Points to Remember 202Discussion Questions and Activities 20315 Designing and Implementing Effective and Efficient Behavior Intervention Plans 204Step 4: Design a Behavior Intervention Plan Based on the Functional Behavioral Assessment 204Step Five: Monitor and Adjust the Behavior Intervention Plan as Needed 205Was the Plan Implemented as Written? 205Did Behavior Improve, and Was This Improvement Maintained over Time? 206Key Points to Remember 209Discussion Question 20916 Example Success Stories 210Example 1: Joey 211Functional Behavioral Assessment Worksheet 211Behavior Intervention Plan Worksheet 212Joey’s Safe Note for Home 214Joey’s Target Token Board (Front) 214Joey’s Target Token Board (Back) 215Joey’s Fidelity Checklist 216Joey’s Data Sheet 217Joey’s Data Graphs 217Example 2: Susan 218Functional Behavioral Assessment Worksheet 218Behavior Intervention Plan Worksheet 220Susan’s Self-Monitoring Target Behavior Sheet 223Susan’s Reinforcement Menu 224Susan’s Consequence Map 225Susan’s Target Skill Progress Computation Sheet 225Susan’s Fidelity Checklist 226Susan’s Data Graphs 227Example 3: Taylor 228Functional Behavioral Assessment Worksheet 228Behavior Intervention Plan Worksheet 230Taylor’s Stoplight 233Taylor’s Tower of Success 234Taylor’s Data Sheet 235Taylor’s Fidelity Checklist 235Taylor’s Data Graphs 236Example 4: Malik 237Functional Behavioral Assessment Worksheet 237Behavior Intervention Plan Worksheet 238Malik’s Data Sheet 241Malik’s Consequence Map 242Malik’s Fidelity Checklist 243Malik’s Data Graphs 243Part Seven What About Dangerous Behavior? Managing Crises17 Intervening During the Escalation Cycle 247Stage One 248Stage Two 248Stage Three 249Stage Four 250Stage Five 250Stage Six 251Key Points to Remember 253Discussion Questions and Activities 25418 Physical Restraint and Seclusion 255Definitions 256Historical Overview 256Roots of the Problem 257Current School Culture 257Lack of Regulation 257Lack of Training 258Lack of Research 259Concern About Increase of More Aversive Options 259Lack of Options 259What Can Educators Do? 260Be Informed 260Provide or Ask for Training 260Commit to Positive Behavior Support in Philosophy and Practice 262Monitor Use of Restraint and Seclusion 262Key Points to Remember 262Discussion Questions and Activities 265Part Eight Reproducible Tools1 Positive-to-Negative Ratio Data Sheet 2682 Break Pass 2693 Countdown Strips 2704 Chart Moves Frame 2715 Peer Comparison Direct Observation Form 2726 Consequence Map Template 2737 If-Then Chart Template 2748 Notes Template for Functional Behavioral Assessment 2759 Functional Behavioral Assessment Summary Worksheet 27610 Behavior Intervention Plan Worksheet 278Glossary 281Notes 287References 293Index 299