Functional communication training (FCT) is a strategy to address problem behavior for students with various disabilities that is supported by a broad evidence base. Despite this support, multiple factors continue to dissuade educators from utilizing FCT in their classrooms. This article outlines the process of developing and implementing FCT plans…

The use of both empirically supported and unsupported practices by teachers is common with autistic students. In this study, strategies were used to reduce use of unsupported practices. First, specially-designed information sheets were shared with teachers about the evidence-base of two practices used in schools: one unsupported (sensory…

"Early-Stage Interventions: Behavior Strategies for Every Teacher" offers a set of simple, teacher-friendly interventions to use as a starting place in addressing an individual student's chronic misbehavior-- disrespect, noncompliance, lack of motivation, bullying, aggression, and more. Though every teacher will encounter students who…

This column presents a strategy for teachers to use with students with challenging behaviors motivated by a desire to escape a setting. Although many detailed strategies are available for students with behavior problems, few provide a structured approach for working with the students motivated by escape or avoidance. To effectively intervene with…

Background: Children with a developmental disability often engage in challenging behaviour, which may require that parents implement behavioural assessments and interventions. The purpose of our pilot study was to examine the effects of an interactive web training (IWT) to teach behavioural function identification and intervention selection to…

Elopement occurs when an individual runs away from or leaves a supervised area. Elopement is a dangerous behavior that requires diligence from school personnel in order to effectively reduce its occurrence. Using a step-by-step process to identify the reasons goal-directed elopement occurs and then implementing an intervention to effectively teach…

The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which two classroom-wide instructional interventions, peer support and instructional choice, were able to reduce escape-maintained off-task and problem behaviors. This study also measured the extent to which these interventions, when coupled with individually designed function-based…

Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) is an effective technique for reducing a variety of behaviors in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD); however, prior researchers have not investigated the effects of NCR to reduce perseverative speech in children with ASD in naturalistic educational contexts. The current investigation evaluated the…

This article describes Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children (PTR-YC), a model based on extensive research that is designed for feasibility and effectiveness for treating challenging behaviors in classroom settings. This model is designed to meet the needs of children with and without disabilities who engage in challenging behavior that…

The discipline gap between White students and students of color has increased demand for teacher training in culturally responsive and behavior management practices. Extant research, however, is inconclusive about how culturally responsive teaching practices relate to student behavior or how to assess using such practices in the classroom.…

The discipline gap between White students and African American students has increased demand for teacher training in culturally responsive and behavior management practices. Extant research, however, is inconclusive about how culturally responsive teaching practices relate to student behavior or how to assess using such practices in the classroom.…

The call for effective instructional and classroom management is frequent within the professional literature. However, type, amount, and sequence of strategies sufficient to impact rates of problem behavior are often missing or listed with limited guidance on differentiation based on student pattern of problem behavior. The purpose of this study…

This study examined the role of the replacement behavior when designing function-based interventions. Three students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ages 12, 5, and 6, who displayed chronic off-task behavior participated in the three-phase study. In Phase 1, a descriptive functional behavioral assessment (FBA) was conducted for each student,…

Hobson's Choice is a psychological philosophy that prescribes a "take-it-or-leave-it" approach when addressing the problematic behaviors of students. Logically, this choice provides a traditional order in the classroom and gives teachers and service providers the sole power and authority to manage problem behaviors. For many students…

Teachers who understand anxiety and its effect on a student's learning and behavior, and use a few common strategies in different and more effective ways, will be less frustrated and more effective in their work with anxious or emotionally fragile students.