NJEA behavior 2013

Behavior Basics: Identifying Why and

Developing Solutions

NJEA 2013

Presented by:Karen Umstead, M.Ed, B.C.B.A

Beautiful Minds of Princeton“Teach, Reach, & Expand Potential”

www.beautifulmindsofprinceton.com [email protected]

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http://www.beautifulmindsofprinceton.com/


For more information:

Call: 1-800-675-2709

Email: [email protected]

or Visit us:

www.beautifulmindsofprinceton.com

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This workshop is sponsored by the New Jersey Council for Exceptional Children (NJCEC)

Our conference will be:

Monday, March 17, 2014 at Ramapo College

www.njcec.org

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Introductions• Who am I

• Who are you– Job position (Teacher, Related Service, Para, etc)– Age range of students– Functioning levels (where on the spectrum)– Placement (Self-contained, Resource, In class)

Additional materials are at the end of your handout. You can also email me for more details on some of the strategies talked about

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KWL

• What do you know?

• What do you want to know?

• What are some specific problems you would like to consider?

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Target Behaviors

Clearly defined

Observable (describe it like I’m a blind man)

Must be an action that can be seen (internal events do exist but cannot easily be measured by outsiders)

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Target Behaviors

Measurable (can be counted or timed)

• Two people must be able to agree a behavior is or is not occurring.

• Is it defined so clearly that a person unfamiliar with the student could recognize the behavior without any doubts?

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Target Behaviors

Non-example:

• He’s throws a temper tantrum

• He’s aggressive.• She is non-compliant. • Just calm down• I want them to act

appropriately

Examples

• Aggression: verbal or physical violence towards another person, slapping, kicking, hitting, throwing items towards a person, pushing, cursing (verbal and non-verbal), yelling.

• Non-compliance: refusing to work, not following directions, failure to comply with class routines, arguing, communicating in a confrontational tone

• Staying calm: keeping my hands to myself, asking for staff assistance when problems arise, using “I feel” statements, taking deep breaths, speaking in a neutral or quiet tone to peers and staff, or using positive language about peers and staff.

• Waiting my turn to speak raising my hand, waiting for staff or peer’s to finish talking before starting to speak.

Defining Behavioral Expectations

• Tell the student what to do as opposed to what not to do: – Walk in the hallway instead of Don’t run in the hallway

• Use action oriented words: Use kind words

• Define expectations in terms of what they look and sound like. Meaning, what should you see or hear the student doing/saying. – Be Responsible in the cafeteria means cleaning up your

area

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Defining Behavioral Expectations

• Keep definitions to no more than 4 key expected behaviors: Be Responsible in the cafeteria looks and sounds like:

• Have your ID ready

• Clean up your area

• Finish eating timely

• Define expectations for each location of the building • Whenever possible have the same definition go across

locations: – For example, keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself could

be applicable across all settings while wear safety glasses may only be applicable in a metal or wood shop class.

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Function of Behavior

• Look at the function (why the behavior is occurring)

• Four main reasons (EATS)– Escape/Avoidance– Attention– Tangible (wants to get an item) – Sensory

Function: To Gain

Attention Adult or peer

TangibleGetting object, activity, event

Sensory StimulationVisual, Auditory, Smell, Movement, Touch,

Taste

All are maintained by positive reinforcement

Function: To Escape

Attention Adult or peer

Escape from Task, setting, object, activity, event

Sensory StimulationInternal stimulation which is painful or

discomforting

All are maintained by negative reinforcement


• John sits down and begins tapping his pencil on the desk. The teacher starts the lesson and John continues to tap. He is asked to stop and he does. While the class is reading their novel silently to themselves, John starts to tap his pencil. Later on, during free time, John is talking with his friends and tapping his pencil on the desk.

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• There are three computers in the classroom for students to use when they finish their work. Two students are using the computer when Dylan finishes his last math problem. He turns in his paper and turns around. Another student has just sat down at the third computer. Dylan yells “This is stupid! I was supposed to go on that one! Get up!”

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Function of Behavior• During the discussion of the schedule, Daniel calls out “I

don’t like that sport. I’m not going to play it”. Staff tell

Daniel to remember to raise his hand and that he needs

to try the sport. Daniel replies “I’m not gonna and you’re

not going to make me”. Staff reply “We can talk about

this later”. Daniel shouts out “I’ll talk about it whenever

I feel like it.” Staff ignores Daniel’s outburst and

continues the discussion. Daniel continues to call out for

another 5 minutes and then stops. The probable function

of his behavior is:

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Function of Behavior• The class is lining up to go to the sports activity. Justin

says he needs to go to the bathroom. An aide takes him

to the bathroom and then Justin says he doesn’t feel well

and needs to see the nurse because of his eye hurting.

The aide takes him to the nurse who puts eye drops in

his eyes and says he is fine to go back to the class. The

aide begins to walk Justin towards the gym. Justin

begins crying and saying “I can’t go.” He sits down on

the floor outside the gym and cries. The probable

function of his behavior is:

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Worksheet Time Out

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Video to Discuss

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Research Based Elements• Routines are clearly established and taught

– Including arrival/dismissal– Transition within and between activities– Transitioning between locations

• Signals are established (e.g. attention, correction)

• Active supervision (academically, physically, verbally etc)

• DATA BASED DECISION MAKING!!!!!!!

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Research Based Elements• High ratio of positive to negative 4:1

– Consider tracking your + vs. – statements to find out how much you emphasize the positive

• Active student engagement and responding (e.g. frequent, choral responding, etc)

• Behaviors expected are clearly defined, taught, and reinforced

• Problem behaviors are identified and addressed

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Active Student Engagement

• Response Cards– Preprinted (Yes/No, A/B/C/D/Other)– Write-on

• Guided Notes– Can require pictures or words

• Partner responding

• Choral responding

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Direct Instruction Learning Paradigm

What you do: Say: Who:

Model “My turn” Teacher

Lead “Do it with me”Teacher and Student

Test “Your turn” Student

Delayed Test “Starting over” Student

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Signaling• Signal shows each child when to respond so that

each will give an independent response and yet all children will respond together.

• Provide the instruction first (e.g. spell the word frog) then signal

• Basic signals rules– You talk first then signal– You never signal when talking– You always pause the same length of time between the end of

your talking and the signal for children to respond

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Direct Instruction Signaling

If students' eyes are on the teacher

use a hand drop signal

For example, "Say the seasons starting with Winter." The teacher should have her hand up in the stop position when she is talking and drop her hand when she wants students to respond.

If students' eyes are on not on the teacher ( (e.g. looking at pictures in their workbooks)

use an audible signal

Audible signals include finger snaps, taps with the pencil, or claps that are stated after the teacher provides the directive

If students are looking at the teacher presentation book

use a point-touch signal

For example, if the teacher points to a ladder in a picture and says, "This ladder is next to the tree. Where is this ladder?" she would tap the picture (or letter noted on the picture), evoking a unison oral response from the students.

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Choice Making

• Can a sense of personal control within the limits defined by staff

• May not always be possible to give the student a choice

• Can decide to plan for incorporation of choices throughout the day/daily routines

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Choice Making • Consider choices:

– Within Activities (choice of materials within an activity)

– Between Activities (opportunity to choose among different activities)

– Refusal (choice to refuse participation in an activity)

– Who (choice of person(s) to be included/excluded in an activity)

– Where (choice of location of an activity)

– When (at what time the activity should occur)

– Terminate (choice to end a particular activity)

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Direct Social Skills Instruction

Key components of effective social skills instruction:

Define the skillModel the skill (example & non-example)Role-playFeedback

Another way to view it: 3-D approach Discuss Demonstrate and Do (from Behavior Therapy Associates)

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Direct Instruction

Think of a specific skill (e.g. greeting, dealing with anger, etc)

Break down the skill into steps (task analysis)

Teach each of the skills

Generalize across settings, staff, materials

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Following Directions

1. Listen carefully to the instructions

2. Ask questions about anything you don’t understand

3. Repeat the instructions to yourself (or the person)

4. Follow instructions

From Skillstreaming task analysis of Following Directions pg. 95

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Modeling & Role-Play

Modeling– Show the correct way and the incorrect way– Modeler should “talk aloud” about the steps they

are taking

Role-play– Give students the opportunity to practice the skill– Be as realistic as possible in creating situations

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Feedback & ReinforcementFeedback

– Peers and staff should give feedback on what the role-play participants did well and areas for improvement

Reinforcement– Behavior specific praise (“That was a great job

remembering to raise your hand”, “I like the way you came and asked me for help”)

– Provide reinforcement as soon as possible after the appropriate behavior

– Make sure the reinforcement is personally meaningful to the individual

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Shaping

Encourage approximations that are better than the one before it.

Student wants a ball:

Uhhh Bbbbb Baaaa Bawwl Ball

You want the student to sit quietly during reading:

Student sits 30 sec w/o talking, then 60 sec, then 2 min, 3 min, until all of reading time

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Reinforcement-Definition

Anything that increases the likelihood that in the future the behavior will occur

Are the following things reinforcing?

M&M’s Popcorn Sesame Street

Snickers Flowers Math

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Ideas for reinforcers

• Edible

• Tangible/Possessional

• Activity

• Social

• Privilege

• Generalized (tokens, points, credit)

• Sensory

Asking about preferences

• Ask the Target Person– Open-ended questions

• What would you like to work for?

– Asking about specific items• How would you like to work for stickers?

– Choice format• Would you rather work for things to eat or things to do?

– Rank order format• Put these items/activities in order from which you’d like to work

for most to which you’d like to work for least.

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Asking about preferences• Offering Pre-task/Post-task Choices

– When you are finished working, you can play with Battleship, checkers, or the computer

• Asking Others (caregiver, staff, etc)– Ask caregivers to identify preferred items (stimuli)

• CONSIDER:– What people say may not truly effect behavior– Quickest but least accurate method– May help in identifying item (stimuli) to “test”


Considerations: Reinforcers• Consider novelty (keep things varied or new) • Consider the function of the behavior• Consider sensory preferences (e.g. likes playing

with toys with lights)• Always think about connecting to natural reinforcers• Consider what features of a reinforcer are reinforcing (e.g.

An award: is it the actual certificate, recognition from adults and/or peers, the handshake/pat on the back when receiving the award, getting something others are not, etc.)

[email protected] 58www.beautifulmindsofprinceton

Considerations: Reinforcers

• Consider age & interests of group/person (age appropriate, typical, etc)

• Consider behavior to change and match the value or effort (e.g. most difficult task with the most preferred reinforcer)

• Ask the person/group!

[email protected]


Where to start?

• Consider the behavior you want to change and determine how long student can be successful

• Example: If the behavior you want to reinforce is sitting in your spot at circle, then you want to take some data to find out how long student can sit successfully

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VERMI

• Value (restrict access to increase value)

• Effort (is what I earn worth what I have to do)

• Rate (what to be “just right” (not too much, not too little)

• Magnitude (not too little or too big)

• Immediacy (not too long or too short)

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Punishment-Definition

Anything that decreases the likelihood that in the future the behavior will occur

Are the following things punishing?

Going to office Eating Nuts Drinking water

Cleaning Being yelled at Math

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Extinction• Extinction is when reinforcement for a response is

discontinued. In other words, a response that was previously reinforced, now is not reinforced.

• Many times when you stop reinforcing a behavior, it will get worse initially (extinction burst)

• The response usually increases initially, but decreases over time

Group Behavior Plans

• 3 types commonly talked about– Dependent– Interdependent– Independent

• Some can be adapted for an individual or group

Dependent

• All class members receive “reward”

• Dependent on the performance of section of the class or individual

• Be aware peer pressure can work for you or against you

• Can designate student or randomly decide at the end of class

Inter-dependent

• Reward is delivered when ALL class members meet the criterion

• Most conservative (e.g. most likely reinforcers are delivered less frequently)

• Decide how data will be “collected”– Group average

– Designated or randomly selected student

Independent

• Reward is only delivered to members of class who meet the criterion

Example: Only member of the group who brought in their homework are allowed to go out to recess

Some consider this the most “fair”

Leveled Behavior Systems• A level system lists and organizes behavioral targets

and their consequences in a kind of hierarchy or set of levels.

• Can be long term progressive/consecutive– Every day student can possibly move forward within the

level

• Can be daily/short-term– the level you are on at the end of the day?– the level you ended on the previous day?

• Can be successive or cumulative

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Leveled Behavior Systems

• Can relate to small and/or large events (e.g. playing computer, field trip)

• Can incorporate special privileges dependent upon the level (e.g. ability to go into hallway to another class; ability to work in groups)

• Can be related to zones within the classroom (e.g. seating alone, in pairs, in groups, in bean bags, etc)

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Good Behavior Game

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PROGRAM:•Divide class into groups•Record a point for each time the unwanted (or wanted) behavior is observed•Team with the fewest points (or most points)wins •OR any team with less (or more)than 5 points wins

Examples: Punch-Out1. Give each student a punch card with his/her name on it.

Students keep the card at the corner of their desk. 2. Explain to students that they are able to earn a punch when

their target behavior is observed.3. Show students the bulletin board on which they will staple

their full cards. 4. Circulate through the classroom punching student's cards.

When a student's card is punched they should also be given a verbal praise.

5. Individual goals can be made or they can be targeted toward the whole group. This also applies for the reward system.

Mystery Motivators• Pre-select several potential reinforcers and

explain the plan. • A secret mystery motivator number will be written

down (option) and a mystery motivator derived from their reinforcer inventories will be selected for the day.

• Be CREATIVE! • You may decide to place the number or motivator in a sealed

envelope on the board, use magic ink pens to make the number appear, etc)

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Mystery Motivators

• At the end of the preset time, you will reveal the magic number.

• If students/team reached the number, the motivator will be revealed.

• If not, the reinforcer remains a secret. Make students aware of pre-set

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More programs

• More mystery:– Can place items inside plastic eggs– Bury the item/reinforcer in a sand or rice bin– Put items in a box, envelope

• Yes/No raffle

• Lottery

• Bingo

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More Ideas

• Take a picture of reinforcer and cut it up into puzzle pieces. When the student completes the puzzle, then he earns the reinforcer

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More Ideas

• Have student spell out the word for the reinforcer

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B KER A

Get Creative!• Make a Powerpoint slideshow

– Use animation

– Use favorite pictures (of pics of self)

– Use favorite characters

• Videos– Youtube

– Specific sites (pbs kids, nick jr, disney, etc)

– Record video of student or fav people

• Let student talk about special interest88

Think of your class

• What kind of system might you use?– Interdependent, Dependent, Independent?

• How will you:– Teach it– Reinforce appropriate behavior– Deal with problem behavior– Monitor

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Think of your class

• What are you the behaviors you want to see?

• Remember you will need to– Teach– Reinforce– Remind

• We will use these behaviors to develop your classwide plan

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For more information:

Call: 1-800-675-2709

Email: [email protected]

or Visit us:

www.beautifulmindsofprinceton.com

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Education

NJEA behavior 2013