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
Remove the Words Should and Shouldn’t from Your Vocabulary 8
Limit the Time Spent ‘‘Admiring the Problem’’ 8
Strive to Understand the Perspectives of All Team Members and Stakeholders 8
Let Go of the Old Way of Doing Things 9
Expand Your Behavior Management Toolbox 10
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
Research-Validated Practices 13
Enhancing the Capacity of Environments 13
A Three-Tiered Model 14
What Exactly Is Functional Behavioral Assessment? 15
Three Key Concepts of FBA 17
Setting Events 17
Triggering Antecedents 17
Maintaining Consequences 18
Common Functions of Problem Behavior 18
To Get Attention or a Reaction 19
To Get Something Tangible 20
To Obtain a Sense of Power or Control 20
To Meet a Sensory Need 20
To Communicate Feelings 20
As a Result of a Lack of Understanding 21
To Escape or Avoid Something 21
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
Skill Deficits 30
Performance Deficits 30
Fluency Deficits 32
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
Class Meetings 37
Mini-Lessons 37
Frequent Positive Feedback 37
Schoolwide and Classwide Expectations or Rules 38
Schoolwide and Classwide Routines 39
Important Schoolwide and Classwide Lessons 41
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
‘‘So What?’’ Behavior 58
Identifying Replacement Behavior 60
Other Target Behaviors 61
Who Should Provide Individualized Instruction? 62
When Should Individualized Instruction Take Place? 62
Embedded into Existing Structures and Therapies 62
Check-In 63
Precorrection 63
Behavior Tutoring Sessions 63
Incidental Teaching 63
How Should Individualized Instruction Be Delivered? 64
Video Modeling 64
Social Stories 64
Commonly Overlooked Replacement Behaviors 65
Taking Appropriate Breaks 65
Negotiating Assignments 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
Be Consistent 73
Develop a Partnership 74
Focus on Frequent Positive Feedback 76
Key Points to Remember 76
Discussion Questions 77
7 Assisting with Executive Functioning Tasks 78
Using Visual Supports 80
Organizational Helpers 81
Behavior Prompts 81
Visual Schedules 84
Transition Helpers 85
A Final Word About Visual Supports 88
Assistance with Other Executive Functioning Skills 88
Breaking Long Projects into Steps 88
Waiting to Be Called On 89
Staying on Task 90
Key Points to Remember 93
Discussion Questions 94
8 Providing Appropriate and Engaging Academic Instruction 99
Differentiated Instruction 100
Providing Choices 101
Embedding Interests and Preferences 101
Writing Strategies 102
Scheduling 107
Learn How to Make a Table in a Word Processing Program 108
Schedule Things That Are Absolutely Inflexible First 108
Schedule the Major Core Academic Areas 109
Use Paraprofessionals Wisely and Appropriately 109
Make Sure You Get a Planning Time 111
Maintaining Academic Engagement 112
Failure Is Not an Option 112
Honor Roll 113
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
Focus on Common Unintentional Reinforcers: Attention and Escape 118
Reinforcement Versus Bribery 119
How to Determine What Is Reinforcing for Students 120
Interviews and Surveys 120
Observations 120
Reinforcement Journals 121
Reinforcement Menus 121
Reinforcement Schedules: Determining How Much and How Often 123
Differential Reinforcement of Zero Rates of Behavior 126
Differential Reinforcement of Lower Rates of Behavior 127
Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior 127
Other Issues Surrounding Reinforcement 128
Setting Appropriate Criteria 128
Pairing Educators and School with Reinforcers 129
Deprivation 129
Teaching Peers to Reinforce Appropriately 130
Key Points to Remember 130
Discussion Questions and Activities 131
10 Group Reinforcement Systems 132
Interdependent Group-Oriented Contingencies 132
Student Teams 133
Interdependent Group-Oriented Contingency Games 134
The Classwide Peer-Assisted Self-Management (CWPASM) Program 135
Independent Group-Oriented Contingencies 136
Lottery Systems 137
Token Economies 137
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
Use Positive Language 141
Limit the Number of Skills 141
Individualize the Target Skills 144
Be Specific 144
Embed Visual Supports and Special Interests 146
Partner with the Student to Help Develop 146
Set Realistic Criteria 146
Let Students Keep Their Sheet with Them (If They Wish) 146
Review Regularly with the Student 147
Use Turnaround Points 147
Use Bonus Points 147
Allow Students to Self-Monitor When Ready 148
Communicate to Parents What Constitutes a Successful Day 148
Dependent Group-Oriented Contingency 150
Level Systems 150
Structured Behavioral Skills Program: Daily Level System 151
Climbing the Ladder of Success 152
A Warning About Using Point and Level Systems 154
Token Boards 154
Contracts 155
Punch Cards 158
Positive Attention Trackers 158
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
Punishment Does Not Work in the Long Term 166
Punishment Does Not Teach the Student What to Do Instead 166
Punishment Encourages Negative Attitudes Toward School and Educators 166
Punishment Reduces Motivation to Learn Other Techniques 166
Natural and Logical Undesirable Consequences 167
Natural Undesirable Consequences 167
Logical Undesirable Consequences 169
The Three R’s of Logical Consequences 169
Related 169
Reasonable 170
Respectful 170
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
Three Strikes 175
Response Cost or Fines 176
Wasted Time 176
Behavior Tutoring 177
Think Time 178
The Importance of Problem Solving 178
Consequence Maps 179
Alternatives to Out-of-School Suspension 181
In-School Suspension 184
Red Schedule 184
Advantages of Alternatives to Out-of-School Suspension 187
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
How Much Information Is Needed? 195
How Do I Collect the Data? 197
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
Was the Plan Implemented as Written? 205
Did Behavior Improve, and Was This Improvement Maintained over Time? 206
Key Points to Remember 209
Discussion Question 209
16 Example Success Stories 210
Example 1: Joey 211
Functional Behavioral Assessment Worksheet 211
Behavior Intervention Plan Worksheet 212
Joey’s Safe Note for Home 214
Joey’s Target Token Board (Front) 214
Joey’s Target Token Board (Back) 215
Joey’s Fidelity Checklist 216
Joey’s Data Sheet 217
Joey’s Data Graphs 217
Example 2: Susan 218
Functional Behavioral Assessment Worksheet 218
Behavior Intervention Plan Worksheet 220
Susan’s Self-Monitoring Target Behavior Sheet 223
Susan’s Reinforcement Menu 224
Susan’s Consequence Map 225
Susan’s Target Skill Progress Computation Sheet 225
Susan’s Fidelity Checklist 226
Susan’s Data Graphs 227
Example 3: Taylor 228
Functional Behavioral Assessment Worksheet 228
Behavior Intervention Plan Worksheet 230
Taylor’s Stoplight 233
Taylor’s Tower of Success 234
Taylor’s Data Sheet 235
Taylor’s Fidelity Checklist 235
Taylor’s Data Graphs 236
Example 4: Malik 237
Functional Behavioral Assessment Worksheet 237
Behavior Intervention Plan Worksheet 238
Malik’s Data Sheet 241
Malik’s Consequence Map 242
Malik’s Fidelity Checklist 243
Malik’s Data Graphs 243
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
Lack of Regulation 257
Lack of Training 258
Lack of Research 259
Concern About Increase of More Aversive Options 259
Lack of Options 259
What Can Educators Do? 260
Be Informed 260
Provide or Ask for Training 260
Commit to Positive Behavior Support in Philosophy and Practice 262
Monitor Use of Restraint and Seclusion 262
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
