Intervening with Difficult Behaviors

October 23, 2014NSPA

As you arrive….…Take an index card. Think about a difficult behavior you have encountered so far this year. Record the following…1. Describe the behavior.2. What’s your intervention?3. What data are you collecting?

Who we are…Scott Butler, Ed.D.Director Boys Town Day School Omaha

Tanya Martin, Ed.D.Director of Special Education Boys Town

What is a Boys Town Day School?Level 3 Special Education PlacementServe students K - 21Emphasis on teaching Social Skills

What SKILLS do kids need to be successful in your school?

Social Skill…Socially acceptable learned behaviors enabling the the individual to interact effectively with others and avoid or escape socially unacceptable behavior exhibited by others.

When we encounter a problem…Ask 3 questions

Does the student KNOW the skill?

Can the student USE the skill?Can the student USE the skill

fluently?

Why might someone have a skill yet not use it fluently?

What obstacles do you encounter?Behavior:

Kids don’t know the skills?Kids don’t use the skills?

SystemicWe don’t know how to identify

the skill?We don’t know how to teach / practice the skill?

If kids don’t use or know how to use the skills…..

We have to teach them.

We have to motivate them.

If the problem is systemic….

Step 1: Teach the difference between a SKILL and a BEHAVIOR

Behavior vs. SkillIndividual, discrete acts demonstrated as part of a larger measure of activity.

Sets of behaviors designed to produce positive results for the user in specific situations.

Let’s practice using examples from your cards.

What is the BEHAVIOR?

What SKILL is missing?

Task AnalysisLimit the scope of the task to less

than 5 steps.Keep steps observable.Use language appropriate to the

student.State what the student will DO.Focus on the task.

What SKILLS do your students need to be successful at school?

How do we intervene with kids?Gather baseline data.Team discussion of behavior.Team identifies target SKILL.Teach the skill (1-1 interaction,

skills groups, multiple settings, multiple times each day, regular practice)

ReinforceCollect data.