Managing Student Behavior

Overview

One of the difficult aspects of teaching is managing students with problem behaviors. Although you can find information about how to manage behavior on many websites and television programs, it is important to realize that behavior management is more than using a few simple tips. Behavior management is about changing behavior. This process involves making adaptations for the person with challenging behavior and making changes in the environment where the problem behavior occurs. Changing behavior is not just about changing the behavior of the student, but also about changing the behavior of the adults and other students in the environment. It is important to identify and define the behaviors that need to be changed as well as the new, more appropriate behaviors that need to be learned.

Learning Outcomes

After reviewing the module, the learner will be able to:

1. Articulate basic principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).
2. Describe the goals of positive behavior supports.
3. Analyze common problem behaviors using Antecedent Behavior Consequences (A-B-C) model.
4. Conduct functional behavior assessment and identify the function.
5. Develop a behavioral intervention plan.
6. Identify the importance of consistent rules and consequences for the student.
7. Collect data on specific behaviors and monitor on an ongoing basis.
8. Provide examples of positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment, and extinction.
9. Apply modeling, prompting, and shaping in a classroom setting to improve appropriate behavior.
10. Describe token economy and its applications and procedures in classrooms.

Topics

Section I: Basic Behavior Components (ABC model)

Behavior is a chain reaction: Antecedent ⇒ Behavior ⇒ Consequence (A⇒B⇒C). Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a universal set of five behavior principles that explains behavior and how it can change.

Section II: Changing Behavior

Providing reinforcement, setting expectations and teaching behaviors in different contexts are some basic ways to use ABA in the classroom.

Teaching Appropriate Behavior

Explore the why’s and how’s of teaching appropriate behavior in the classroom, and learn the eight systematic steps teachers can use to promote behavior changes in the students.

Conducting FBAs and Writing BIPs

Special education students who have major or chronic behaviors that interfere with academic progress are required by law to have a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP).

Section III: Collaboration and Team Based Planning

Learn how teams come together and share the data that they have gathered to create an intervention plan. See how a team can use the function of the behavior during the collaborative process to determine behavior management strategies that match the student's particular problem behaviors.