Students with behavior disorders often require specific interventions to improve their behavioral outcomes. Common interventions to use with these students include teaching appropriate behaviors, focusing on positive behaviors, noting the start of behaviors and intervening early, and providing appropriate reinforcements. To enhance the…

This bulletin, the first technical assistance bulletin produced by the Special Education Effective Practices Section of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, is intended to share research-based promising practices with educators including family members, teachers, building administrators, and paraprofessionals. It…

Red Light-Green Light is a levels system providing immediate behavior modification feedback and varying privilege levels throughout the school day for primary students with behavior disorders. This article presents guidelines for implementation, covering development of classroom rules, classroom expectations, and system maintenance. Tips for…

This article delineates the reasons why educators find punishment a more acceptable approach for managing students' challenging behaviors than positive reinforcement. The article argues that educators should plan the occurrence of positive reinforcement to increase appropriate behaviors rather than running the risk of it haphazardly promoting…

This bulletin is intended to share research-based promising practices with educators including family members, teachers, building administrators, and paraprofessionals. Using a question-and-answer format, it discusses the definition of positive behavior intervention and supports (PBIS) and characteristics of PBIS. Program characteristics include:…

This informational brochure for parents of children with behavior disorders discusses positive behavioral support that focuses on rewarding appropriate behavior, altering environments, and teaching appropriate social, academic, or behavior skills. It explains that functional behavioral assessments can identify triggers of inappropriate behavior…

This article discusses resiliency behaviors and characteristics that can be nurtured within a family, school, or agency. These include practicing unconditional positive acceptance; establishing close, supportive relationships; communicating realistic standards; establishing clear boundaries; using a low-criticism style of interaction; focusing on…

This article describes Effective Behavioral Support, a systems approach to enhancing the capacity of schools to adopt and sustain use of effective processes for all students. Implementation across four major areas of the school system is discussed, including: (1) schoolwide; (2) nonclassroom; (3) classroom, and (4) individual student. A sample…

This paper discusses how to set up and implement a token economy system for students with behavior disorders in a classroom setting. The available literature is reviewed, and it is concluded that token economies have been proven effective in improving behavior among students with social and academic deficits. (Author/PB)

This article describes how effective systems of positive behavioral support can be used in alternative educational settings as a means of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention for at-risk and adjudicated youth. Special concerns and specific strategies for this population are discussed across the range of placement alternatives. (Contains…

Describes what is meant by "positive behavioral support" (PBS) for students with challenging behavior, the value of exploring why a student exhibits challenging behavior, and certain key PBS strategies teachers can implement in their classrooms. Relevant resources for those interested in implementing PBS are provided. (Author/CR)

This monograph provides a variety of positively focused techniques for effectively managing behaviors of students with emotional/behavioral disorders in the classroom. Each section focuses on a specific behavior management technique and includes a brief description of the technique, an explanation of why the particular technique works, conditions…

This guide describes eight skills every teacher should learn that were derived from a study of 252 schools in 50 states, American territories and protectorates, and 14 foreign countries over a 16-year period (1980-1996). Interviews were conducted with 769 teachers, 253 administrators, and 23 other school personnel. The skills include: (1) the…

This monograph describes the unique features of secondary schools and the application of a systems approach to school discipline at the secondary level. The use of effective behavior support (EBS) designed to increase the capacity of schools to educate all students, especially students with behavioral challenges, is highlighted. Critical features…

This monograph provides information on identifying children and youth who could benefit from social skills instruction, highlights strategies for teaching social skills, and presents ideas for reinforcing social competence. After a chapter that introduces the issues, Chapter 2, "Social Competence," defines social competence and discusses…