This digest summarizes the literature on principles of changing behaviors in students with behavior disorders. Principles include: (1) focus on behaviors that need to be changed; (2) identify new behaviors to be developed; (3) provide opportunities to practice new behaviors; (4) treat social skills deficits as errors in learning; (5) teach…

This digest explores some of the reasons for spanking, examines its effectiveness, and suggests alternative discipline methods. Many parents believe that spanking will teach children not to do things that are forbidden, stop them quickly when they are being irritating, and encourage them to do what they should. Others believe nonphysical forms of…

This digest reviews and summarizes what is known about effective school-wide behavioral management systems. Emphasis in such systems is on consistency throughout the building and across classrooms with the entire staff, both professional and nonprofessional, uniformly implementing common strategies. Common features of school-wide behavioral…

This research abstract summarizes two reports titled: (1) "Mainstream Assistance Teams to Accommodate Difficult to Teach Students in General Education" (Douglas Fuchs and Lynn S. Fuchs) and "Prereferral Intervention through Teacher Consultation: Mainstream Assistance Teams (Douglas Fuchs and others). The project investigated a…

This digest discusses the new requirement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that Individualized Education Program teams conduct a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and implement behavior intervention plans that include positive behavioral interventions and supports for students with disabilities. It describes the purpose…

Based on presentations given at a 1989 conference, this booklet offers a literature-based perspective on systematic screening procedures and functional assessment procedures to facilitate services to students with emotional and behavioral disorders. The following topics are addressed: assessment decisions (in the areas of classification,…

According to non-Indian educators, American Indian children in public schools often pose discipline problems that cannot be handled with traditional non-Indian methods such as spanking, scolding, yelling, or isolation. The elements of Indian discipline (shaming, ridicule, threats of punishment by supernatural figures, storytelling, community…

Among the behavior management challenges in schools today is the question of how to deal with substance abuse among youth. Facts about student alcohol and drug use are provided in this handbook. Watching for school and home related behavioral indicators of drug use is an immediate concern for schools. Drug use follows a six-stage continuum: no…