Writing Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIP) based on - Behavior Doctor

Building <strong>Behavioral</strong> Expertise in 

Your School 

By 

Laura A. Riffel, Ph.D. 

www.behaviordoctor.org 

caughtyoubeinggood@gmail.com 

1

Syllabus of Expectations: 

Week 

One 

Week 

Two 

Week 

Three 

Week 

Four 

Week 

Five 

Week 

Six 

Class Assignment for Student One Assignment for 

Student Two 

Dr. Riffel presents the entire day on 

Function of Behavior 

Collect baseline data for student one using ABC data 

AM- Go over data and determine <strong>BIP</strong> Collect intervention data for student one using any Collect baseline 

PM- Mining for Gold- other data data collection and comparing against baseline data for student 

samples 

two using any 

data sheet your 

team chooses. 

AM- Go over data and determine <strong>BIP</strong> Collect follow up data for student one using same Collect 

PM- Positive <strong>Intervention</strong>s for data collection as last month and compare against intervention data 

ADHD, Autism, ODD, LD 

baseline 

for student two 

using same data 

collection and 

compare against 

baseline. 

AM- Go over data and determine <strong>BIP</strong> 

Collect follow up 

PM- Positive <strong>Intervention</strong>s and 

data for student 

Effective Strategies for Secondary 

two using same 

and Universal Levels 

AM- Go over data and determine <strong>BIP</strong> 

PM- Curriculum modifications for 

students using RtI and Personality 

Survey 

data collection as 

last month and 

compare against 

baseline. 

Assignment for 

Student Three 

Collect baseline 


three using any 


team chooses. 

Collect 

intervention data 

for student three 

using the same 

data sheet as last 

month 

Collect follow up 


three using same 

data sheet as last 

month. 


Student Four 



four using any 


team chooses. 

Collect 

intervention data 

for student four 

using same data 

sheet as last 

month. 


Student Five 



five using any 


team chooses. 

All teams present a PowerPoint show data of students including any documentation, possible movies of interviews of teachers involved, students (get permission to video for 

educational purposes). Dr. Riffel will wrap up and comment on capacity building strategies to continue the momentum. 

3

Preface: 

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 makes provisions for 

students being served in special education in regard to functional behavior assessments 

(FBA) and positive behavior support (PBS). 

…`` (D) SERVICES.--A child with a disability who is removed from the child's 

current placement under subparagraph (G) (irrespective of whether the behavior 

is determined to be a manifestation of the child's disability) or subparagraph (C) 

shall-- 

``(i) continue to receive educational services, as provided in section 612(a)(1), 

so as to enable the child to continue to participate in the general education 

curriculum, although in another setting, and to progress toward meeting the goals 

set out in the child's IEP; and 

``(ii) receive, as appropriate, a functional behavioral assessment, behavioral 

intervention services and modifications, that are designed to address the behavior 

violation so that it does not recur. 

`` (B) CONSIDERATION OF SPECIAL FACTORS.--The IEP Team shall-- 

``(i) in the case of a child whose behavior impedes the child's learning or that 

of others, consider the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports, and 

other strategies, to address that behavior; 

This training is geared toward meeting the legal requirements of IDEA 2004 for children 

being served in special education. However, research indicates that not all children who 

have behavior difficulties are identified as having special needs. The skills taught during 

this one day training are geared to help all students in a full continuum of support. 

Any child who has 3 or more referrals to the office during a nine month period would be 

a candidate for a functional behavior assessment. While FBA data collection can be time 

consuming, it is well worth the time investment when considering the alternative of 

continually dealing with problematic behavior. 

4

This training takes the arduous task of collecting ten days of data and condenses it into an 

easy format; which gives the behavior support team (BST) the most information with the 

least amount of effort. 

Participants learn a unique method for collecting ten days of Antecedent, 

Behavior, Consequence (ABC) Data. 

Once the data are collected, the participants learn how to analyze that data to 

determine the function of (or the reason behind) the behavior. 

o These behaviors are called the target behaviors because these are the 

behaviors the team will “target” to change. 

o Once the team knows what is feeding the behavior, they can implement 

positive proactive choices for making the target behavior unnecessary. 

Participants will use a Competing Pathways Map for analyzing antecedent 

modifications, behavior teaching, consequence manipulation, and setting changes 

that may or may not need to take place to change the behavior. 

Participants will learn how to form a behavior support team to develop 

interventions and will be given a book entitled Positive <strong>Intervention</strong>s and 

Effective Strategies (PIES) which will guide them through some suggestions for 

particular behaviors. 

5

CONTINUUM OF 

SCHOOL-WIDE 

INSTRUCTIONAL & 

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR 

SUPPORT 

Primary Prevention: 

School-/Classroom- 

Wide Systems for 

All Students, 

Staff, & Settings 

Sugai & Horner 2005 

~5% 

~15% 

~80% of Students 

Tertiary Prevention: 

Specialized 

Individualized 

Systems for Students 

with High-Risk Behavior 

Secondary Prevention: 

Specialized Group 

Systems for Students 

with At-Risk Behavior 

Research from the National Technical Assistance Center on Positive <strong>Behavioral</strong> 

<strong>Intervention</strong>s and Supports indicates that if 3-5 behavioral expectations are clearly taught, 

modeled, practiced, and rewarded that approximately 80% of the students in the school 

will not need interventions. The same research indicates that 10-15 percent of the 

students will need booster shots or reminders from time to time to keep them on track. 

Approximately 5% of the student population will need intensive supports in the form of a 

functional behavior assessment. Not all of the 5% (red zone) group are students 

identified with special needs. Therefore, although this training is extremely helpful in 

terms of IDEA 2004, it is also supportive to all students in a school who are exhibiting 

behaviors that impede their own learning or that of others. 

For more information on positive behavior support research, please visit www.pbis.org 

6

What is Positive <strong>Behavioral</strong> Support? 

A new way of thinking about behavior (<strong>based</strong> in research) 

Broadens intervention from only one approach - reducing challenging behavior to 

Encompassing multiple approaches: changing systems, altering environments, 

teaching skills, and appreciating positive behavior 

PBS Includes: 

A team process for goal setting 

Functional <strong>Behavioral</strong> Assessment (Using data to make decisions) 

Behavior intervention plan design, implementation, and evaluation 

Goal Setting 

Identify team members 

most effective as collaborative process 

Develop a profile to include: 

student’s strengths 

student’s needs 

student’s target behaviors 

Identify settings & situations that require intervention 

Functional <strong>Behavioral</strong> Assessment (FBA) 

FBA is a process for gathering information to understand the function (purpose) of 

behavior in order to write an effective intervention plan. 

Assumptions Underlying FBA 

Behavior is learned and serves a specific purpose. 

Behavior is related to the context within which it occurs 

Questions to Address: 

How often does the target behavior occur & how long does it last? 

Where does the behavior typically occur/never occur? 

Who is present for the occurrence/nonoccurrence of the behavior? 

What is going on during the occurrence/nonoccurrence of the behavior? 

When is the behavior most likely/least likely to occur? 

How does the student react to the usual consequences that follow the behavior? 

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Example 

Hit others with fist 

Crying 

Lying on the floor and refusing to move 

Defining Target Behaviors 

Non-Example 

Poor impulse control 

Angry, hostile, resentful 

Stubborn 

Frequently educators want to list every possible behavior and collect data on 

those behaviors. It is best to consider putting certain behaviors into classes. 

Most likely you would react the same way if a child hit you or kicked you; 

therefore these behaviors could be called physical aggression. 

Another frequent dilemma is the child who throws tantrums. The team 

should list all the behaviors that have been associated with a tantrum and 

then use tantrum as one of the behaviors to measure with the following 

caveat: 

Johnny frequently has the following behaviors: 

Hitting, 

Spitting, 

Kicking, 

Knocking everything off the table, 

Screaming, 

Head banging 

A tantrum will be marked if two or more of the above behaviors happen 

within a two minute time frame. 

This makes it easier to measure the behavior and everyone will understand 

what a tantrum consists of for this particular child. 

There should be a thorough review of anything that might be connected to 

this child and his or her behaviors. 

8

Record Review 

• diagnostic & medical records 

• psychological information 

• educational assessments 

• social histories 

• developmental profiles 

• previous behavior programs 

• individual education plans 

• anecdotal records/incident reports/discipline summaries 

Methods for Conducting FBA 

Indirect Methods: 

• MAS - Motivational Assessment Scale 

• FAST- Functional Analysis Screening Tool 

• PBQ- Problem Behavior Questionnaire 

• Strengths 

Easy to implement 

Minimal time and training required 

Structured methods 

May use for initial assessment 

• A-B-C Analysis 

• Scatter plot 

• Interval or time sampling 

Indirect Methods: 

Strengths and Limitations 

Descriptive/Observational Methods: 

Examples 

• Limitations 

30% reliability to determine function 

Information can be subjective 

Non-specific functions identified 

(ex: escape from work) 

• Strengths: 

Descriptive Methods: 

Strengths and Weaknesses 

• Limitations: 

Objective & quantitative data 

Analysis can be complex 

Behavior is sampled in relevant Time requirement 

settings 

Increased staff training & experience 

9

Can ID environmental relationships 

Sufficient for <strong>BIP</strong> development 

Reliability (60-80%) 

Positive Reinforcement: 

Social attention or 

Access to materials 

Sensory Stimulation 

Control- No Research !!!! 

• Medical concerns 

• Activity patterns 

• Relationships with others 

Possible Functions 

may be necessary 

May not ID function of 

infrequent behavior 

Negative Reinforcement: 

Escape from activities or people 

Sensory 

Pain 

“TO GET” “TO GET OUT OF” 

Setting Events 

Analyzing Patterns 

• Under what circumstances or antecedent events is the target behavior most/least 

likely? WHEN? WHERE? WHAT? WHO? WHY? 

• What consequences or results predictably follow the problem behavior? WHAT DO 

THEY GET? WHAT DO THEY AVOID? 

• What broader issues are important influences on behavior? 

Other Information: 

• Times, activities, and individuals when behavior is most or least likely to occur 

• Conditions that are typically associated before or after the target behavior 

• Common setting events associated with the behavior 

• Other behaviors that may occur before or with the target behavior 

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Summary Statement 

1. When this occurs… 

(describe circumstances/antecedents) 

2. the student does… 

(describe target behavior) 

3. to get/to avoid… 

(describe consequences) 

Example Statements: 

1. When the teacher’s attention is withdrawn or focused on another student, 

2. Zoë makes noises; 

3. this results in the teacher scolding and moving closer to Zoë. 

1. When unanticipated changes in the schedule occur, 

2. Terry throws materials; 

3. picking them up delays the transition to the next activity. 

1. When Kim finishes work before the other students, 

2. the desk gets scribbled on; 

3. this alleviates Kim’s boredom. 

Setting 

Events 

Summary Statement Model 

Antecedent 

Target 

Behavior 

Behavior <strong>Intervention</strong> Plan (<strong>BIP</strong>) 

The summary statement is the foundation for a positive and supportive plan. 

<strong>BIP</strong> Includes the Following: 

• Proactive 

What environmental adjustments will be used to make the student’s problem behavior 

unnecessary? 

• Educative 

What behaviors (skills) will be taught to replace or meet the same function as the 

student’s problem behavior and improve his or her ability to function more 

effectively? 

Function 

(Reinforcer) 

11

• Effective 

How will consequences be managed to insure the student receives reinforcers for 

positive behavior, not problem behavior? 

Proactive 

• Adjustments to the environment that reduce the likelihood of problem behavior 

occurring 

• Allow the student to be independent and successful 

• Examples: modifying the curriculum, reorganizing the physical setting, clarifying 

routines and expectations 

Educative 

• Teaching replacement skills 

• Building generalizable competencies 

• Allow students to meet objectives in more effective, efficient, and appropriate ways 

(e.g., communication alternatives) 

• Enhance the student’s overall independence, integration, and quality of life 

Effective 

• Managing consequences to reinforce desired behaviors and replacement skills 

• Withhold reinforcement following problem behavior 

• Use of natural, least intrusive consequences that address the identified function 

Setting 

Event 

Antecedent 

Antecedent 

Modifications 

<strong>Behavioral</strong> <strong>Intervention</strong> Plan Model 

Desired 


Target 


Acceptable 

Alternative 

Reinforcement 

Reinforcement 

(< R+) 

Reinforcement 

(Function) 

12

Let’s Meet Zoë 

• Zoë is a fifth grade student who constantly interrupts the teacher. When the students 

are working independently and the teacher is going around the room working with 

individuals, Zoë makes animal noises to get the teacher’s attention. Zoë does not get 

work done independently. 

antecedent target behavior function of behavior 

Example Plan for Zoë: 

• Tell Zoë when you will be unavailable for extended periods, “I’m helping ___ now.” 

• Teach Zoë to display a “help” card when help is needed. Remind Zoë to do this. 

• Provide attention whenever Zoë displays the “help” card, even if just to say “I’ll be 

there in a minute.” 

• Ignore all noises. 

Precorrects 

No Teacher 

attention 

<strong>Behavioral</strong> <strong>Intervention</strong> Plan Model for Zoë 

Uses social 

skills 

Zoë makes 

noises 

Use “help” 

card 

Attention 

Ignore because Bx 

was getting 

attention 

Teacher attention 

& praise 

13

Let’s meet Terry 

• Terry is a junior high student with a moderate intellectual disability. Terry frequently 

throws books on the floor during transitions between classes. Terry’s paraprofessional 

must stop and clean up all the papers and books before proceeding to the next work 

assignment. 


Example Plan for Terry: 

• Provide a written or picture schedule and refer to it throughout the day. 

• Prepare Terry for changes, noting them on the schedule. 

• Teach Terry to ask for clarification regarding changes and reward Terry for smooth 

transitions. 

• Have Terry pick up materials after finishing the next activity. 

<strong>Behavioral</strong> <strong>Intervention</strong> Plan Model for Terry 

Changes in 

schedule 

Schedule noting 

changes 

Accepts 

changes 

Terry throws 

materials 

Teach Terry to 

ask questions 

Positive feedback 

Pick up materials 

later 

Earns computer 

time 

14

Let’s Meet Kim. 

• Kim is a 9 th grade student who has a mild learning disability. When Kim finishes 

work before others either the desk gets scribbled on or neighbors are disturbed. 


Example Plan for Kim: 

• Give Kim something to do when work is finished (e.g., extra credit, teacher helper). 

• Teach Kim to ask for activities or items and provide them consistently following 

requests. 

<strong>Behavioral</strong> <strong>Intervention</strong> Plan Model for Kim 

Sponge activities 

Self-monitoring 

Finishes work Writes on desk 

Teach to 

request task 

Gets needs met 

Ignore & clean after 

school because 

attention was the 

function 

Provide activities 

when Kim requests 

as this is an 

appropriate way to 

gain attention – give 

rewards for 

appropriate behavior 

(token economy) 

15

Promoting Self-Management 

• Self-monitoring 

(e.g., the student tracking own performance by logging incidents such as speaking out 

of turn) 

• Self-reinforcement 

(e.g., taking a break following completion of a specific number of math problems, 

recruiting praise from an adult for use of a particular social skill) 

• Self-correction 

(e.g., student uses behavioral checklist to evaluate own performance at the end of each 

class period) 

Crisis Management 

• If the student’s behavior poses a significant risk to self or others, a plan to ensure 

safety and rapid de-escalation needs to be developed. 

• Crisis plans are reactive, rather then proactive. 

• Team members may require outside training to implement procedures. 

Contextual Fit of Plan 

• How does the plan align with the goals of the student and support providers? 

• Do the people implementing the plan have the capacity and commitment to do so? 

• Are the resources needed for the plan available? 

Implementing the Plan & Monitoring Outcomes 

• Team tracks changes in student’s target behaviors and evaluates broader lifestyle 

changes that occur. 

• Use objective measures to document success. 

• If minimal progress occurs, the plan and possibly the assessment need to be 

reevaluated. 

Dynamic Process 

Functional Assessment 

Positive <strong>Intervention</strong>s 

Over time, plans will need to be adjusted as the student’s needs 

and circumstances change….or …..as we figure out the 

answers the child changes the test. 

16

How to Build a Behavior Support Team 

This information is <strong>based</strong> on the book: Building Positive Behavior Support Systems in 

Schools: Functional <strong>Behavioral</strong> Assessment by Deanne Crone and Robert Horner (2003) 

Many schools refer to children with behavior that impedes their learning or that of others 

as having “problem behavior.” The assertion of this book is to change this verbiage from 

problem behavior to the behavior the team wants to change. We call this the target 

behavior rather than the problem behavior. This helps change the philosophy from a “the 

child is bad philosophy” to a “systems change philosophy.” 

Target behavior reduction flourishes when the school designates a behavior support team 

(BST), instead of relying on only one individual. (Crone & Horner, 2003). 

Who should be part of the BST? 

Action Team Members 

•1-2 members of core team 

•Parents of referred student 

•Teachers of referred student 

•Significant others 

Crone & Horner, 2003 

Referral process for individual students 

Core Team Members 

•Administrator 

•Person with behavioral competence 

•Representative sample of school 

staff 






Members of School Staff and Community 

•Teachers 

•Parents 

•Probation Officers 

•Social Workers 

•Mental Health Workers 

In order to build a sustainable system of function <strong>based</strong> behavior support, you will 

need to determine a team that will meet regularly to discuss the progress of the 

student. This should include at the very least: 

Administrator who can support the interventions with time, staff, or money 

Regular and special education teachers that work with the referred student 

Ancillary staff that work with the student 

Any staff where problem behaviors occur (cafeteria, bus, playground) 

Parents 






17

BST member well versed in function <strong>based</strong> assessment 

Together the team will build the structures to use: 

Data <strong>based</strong> decisions 

o Assessments 

o Testing the hypotheses 

Functional-<strong>based</strong> interventions 

o Antecedents and Consequences of maintaining behaviors 

Competing behavior pathways 

o Replacement behaviors 

o Antecedent and consequence modifications 

Principles the team will use for decision making: 

Behavior is predictable 

o Environmental conditions can be set up to decrease target behaviors or 

o Environmental conditions ca be set off to maintain target behaviors. 

Behavior can be altered 

o Understanding the functions, predictors, and consequences of target 

behaviors help the BST pinpoint and script the appropriate behavior 

intervention plan. 

The team will conduct a FBA following the directions in the first half of this 

training. 

o When the BST meets again the team will use the material gathered to 

develop a testable hypothesis to serve as a prescription for a behavioral 

intervention plan. 

o This will help determine what behavior should be manipulated in order to 

reduce the target behavior or 

o Indicate which new behaviors should be taught to replace the target 

behaviors. 

The team will design a behavior intervention plan (<strong>BIP</strong>) 

o Generate strategies for reducing target behaviors and increase appropriate 

replacement behaviors 

o Ensure that the <strong>BIP</strong> is <strong>based</strong> on the FBA 

o Fill out a competing pathways form 

The team will ensure that the intervention plan: 

o Has a contextual fit 

The plan matches the values, skills, resources, and routines of the 

people who will implement the plan. 

Is individualized for each child 

The BST will follow-up for the evaluation and modification of the <strong>BIP</strong> 

o Without regular evaluation there are no objective means by which to 

determine if an intervention has been successful or if the efforts of the 

team have been worthwhile. 

o A well planned evaluation can isolate problem areas in an unsuccessful 

intervention process. 

o Regular evaluation enables the team to make impartial, data-<strong>based</strong> 

decisions 

18

Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence (ABC) Data Collection Tools give us the best 

information when we can use that information. ABC Data tools are good for students 

whose behaviors occur less than 10 times per day. This is not the tool to use for a student 

who interrupts his teacher 63 times in 30 minutes. This training is going to focus on 

ABC Data collection. 

Prior to this training if you conducted an ABC Data Collection you probably wrote 

copious notes either during the behavior or most likely at the end of the day in the form 

of anecdotal notes. While this can be useful information, it is very difficult to determine 

the function <strong>based</strong> on anecdotal notes or information that is coded differently every time 

due to a situation called “building the plane while you are flying it.” Rather than 

reverting to the old method which looked like this: 

Student: ________ Circle One: Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri 

Page _1_______ 

Full day Absent Partial day: In _____ 

Out ______ Date: ____ 

Time Context/Activity Antecedent/ 

Setting Events 

Begin The student’s Describe exactly 

& End environmental what occurred in 

surroundings (people, the environment 

places, events) just before 

targeted behavior 

was exhibited. 

8:00- 

8:30 

9:00- 

9:30 

9:45- 

1015 

Reading Getting out 

books and 

starting a new 

story. 

Math Doing 

multiplication 

problems. 

Social Studies Round Robin 

Reading 

Identified Target 

Behaviors 

List types of 

behaviors 

displayed during 

incident 

Threw her book 

across the room 

and stomped her 

feet and cried. 

Yelled out and 

disrupted the 

class. 

Hit Stephen and 

then hit Sean. 

Consequence/Ou 

tcome 

Student Reaction 

What happened How did the 

in the 

student react 

environment immediately 

immediately after following the 

behavior was initial 

exhibited. consequence 

being delivered 

Told her to stop. She didn’t stop. 

Told her to stop. She didn’t stop. 

Sent her to time 

out. 

As evident above, it would be very difficult to determine the function <strong>based</strong> on this 

information. The behavioral data are not exactly accurate because all behaviors 

do not occur in 30 minute intervals. Information is <strong>based</strong> on teacher recollection; 

therefore, the information may not be entirely accurate especially concerning 

antecedents. 

She cried. 

19

The new format makes it simpler to collect data because the behavior support team 

(BST) develops a coded form that will be used for the 10 days of data collection. 

The team brainstorms possible contexts, antecedents, target behaviors, 

consequences and student reactions. This way everyone is using the same form to 

mark behaviors. See page 50 for most common entries for school and 51 for home. 

Time Context 

Activities 

Begin & 

End of 

behavior 

The student’s 

environmental 

surroundings. 

(people, places, 

events) 

Antecedents Target 


Describe exactly 

what occurred in 

the environment 

just before 



List types of 

behaviors 

displayed 

during incident. 

Consequence 

(outcome) 

What happened in 


immediately after 

behavior was 

exhibited. 

Student 

Reaction 

How did the 

student react 

immediately 

following the 

initial 

consequence 

being delivered? 

Key: A Group A Transition A Throwing 

objects 

A Choice given A stopped 

B Individual B Choice B Disruptive B Redirection B continued 

given 

outburst 

C Reading C Redirection C Physical C Discussion of C intensified 

aggression behavior 

D Math D Instruction/ D D Personal space D Slept 

directive 

given 

E Spelling E New task E E Changed 

activity 

E Yelled 

F Social F Routine F F Peer attention F Cried 

Studies task 

G Science G Physical G G Verbal G Other 

prompts 

reprimand behavior 

H Free H Teacher H H Physical H Moved away 

Choice attention to 

others 

prompt 

I Lunch I Told “NO” I I Time out I Selfstimulation 

J Outside J Close J J Close 

J Left the 

proximity 

proximity building 

K Bus K Loud noise K K Sent home K 

Once the key is filled out the team makes at least 15 copies of the key. Now when a 

behavior occurs the staff member responsible for the student during this time 

period only has to mark the corresponding letter of the context, antecedent, 

behavior, consequence, and student reaction. The staff member would write down 

the beginning time and the ending time of the behavior and their initials. 

This takes much less time, makes the data collection consistent no matter who is 

collecting the data and makes analysis a breeze. See example on the next page: 

Staff 

Initials 

20


Activities 

Begin & 

End of 

behavior 

8:17 – 

8:29 

9:23- 

9:25 



surroundings. 


events) 






just before 



List types of 

behaviors 

displayed 



(outcome) 




behavior was 

exhibited. 

Student 


How did the 

student react 

immediately 

following the 

initial 



Staff 

Initials 

B A B C B LR 

B F C G A TP 


objects 



given 

outburst 




directive 

given 


activity 

E Yelled 


Studies task 


prompts 




others 

prompt 



J Left the 

proximity 



Middle and High School teachers can each fill out a page for the portion of the day 

that the student is in the class that day. Once the team reconvenes to analyze the 

behavior, the team will put all the Monday data together for each Monday, and so 

on to build a typical day for the student. 

21


Activities 

Begin & 

End of 

behavior 

8:17 – 

8:19 

9:23- 



surroundings. 


events) 






just before 



List types of 

behaviors 

displayed 



(outcome) 




behavior was 

exhibited. 

Student 


How did the 

student react 

immediately 

following the 

initial 



Staff 

Initials 

B A B C A LR 

A A B G B TP 

9:54 G C I C TP 


objects 



given 

outburst 




directive 

given 


activity 

E Yelled 


Studies task 


prompts 




others 

prompt 



J Left the 

proximity 



Sometimes the consequence for one behavior becomes the antecedent for a new 

behavior. When this happens, we ask the team to draw a line from the first line to a 

new line and begin the behavior chain on the next line beginning with the previous 

consequence which is now the new antecedent. 

We also ask teachers to choose one consequence and to try not to inundate the 

student with a plethora of consequences. 

22

Blanks can be downloaded for free from 


The top of the form has a place for the following: 

Student Name ____________________ 

Circle one: Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Page _________ 

Full day Absent Partial Day: In _________ Out ________ 

This information is important when calculating baseline data and in determining 

patterns around day of the week. 

23

Meet Scout Radley 

• Scout is a sixth grade student with mild intellectual disabilities. 

• Scout has two siblings who attend the nearby high school. 

• Scout’s mother works full time and father frequently travels. 

• Scout is included in the regular classroom with support services provided. 

The team has met on Scout and agreed on the following behaviors: 

Behaviors are in measurable observable terms: 

Throwing objects 

A physical object leaves Scout’s hands and lands at least six inches 

from Scout. 

Disruptive outburst 

A loud verbal sound or words come from Scout that disturbs the 

learning environment. 

Physical aggression 

Any part of Scout’s body comes in contact with another person 

with force. 

After defining the behavioral terms of the target behaviors the team wrote a key of 

possible: 

Contexts 

Antecedents 


Consequences 

And student reactions 

Copies of the keys were made so that behaviors were measured the same way each day 

for ten days. It is important to have at least ten occurrences of a behavior in order to 

determine the function of that behavior. Ten days will likely result in at least ten 

occurrences. 

The team is taught how to fill out the charts and behavior data are collected for ten days. 

The following ten pages are the results of ten days of data collection. This data will be 

analyzed to form a behavioral intervention plan. 

24

Strengths: 

Scout is comfortable talking in front of the class. 

Scout is good at drawing pictures. 

Scout has a great supportive family. 

Reinforcers: 

Scout likes to have conversations with adults. 

Scout loves to do word searches. 

These are very important conversations to have: 

1. What is a strength for the child? 

2. What floats this child’s boat? 

25

SCOUT’S DATA 

COLLECTED OVER TEN DAYS 

26

Student: ____Scout_____ Circle One: Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Page _____1____ 

Full day Absent Partial day: In _____ Out ______ Date: ____5/1/03_ 

Time Context/Activity Antecedent/ Setting 

Events 

Begin & 

End 

The student’s environmental 

surroundings (people, places, 

events) 

Describe exactly what 

occurred in the 

environment just before 

targeted behavior was 

exhibited. 



List types of behaviors 

displayed during incident 

Consequence/Outc 

ome 

What happened in the 


after behavior was 

exhibited? 

Student Reaction Staff 

Initials 

How did the student react 

immediately following the 

initial consequence being 

delivered 

8:30-8:59 A A B B B LR 

9:20- 

9:22 

C E C I A TP 

12:15- 

12:17 

I H A C A LR 

3:05-3:30 A A B B B TP 

A.Group Time A. Transition 

KEY 

A. Throwing objects A. Choice given A. Stopped 

B. Individual Time B. Choice Given B. Disruptive outburst B. Redirection B. Continued 

C. Reading C. Redirection C. Physical Aggression C. Discussion of Beh. C. Intensified 

D. Math D. Instruction/Directive D. Personal space given D. Slept 

E. Spelling E. New Task E. Changed Activity E. Yelled 

F. Social Studies F. Routine Task F. Peer Attention F. Cried 

G. Science G. Physical Prompts G. Verbal reprimand G. Other behavior 

H. Free Choice H. Teacher attention to 

H. Physical Prompt H. Moved away 

others 

I. Lunch I. told “NO” I. Time Out I. Self-stimulation 

J. Outside J. Close proximity J. J. 

58/420 minutes= 14% 

27

Student: ____Scout______ Circle One: Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Page __1________ 



Events 

Begin & 

End 



events) 





exhibited. 






ome 




exhibited? 


Initials 




delivered 

8:32-8:34 A A B B A LR 

9:10-9:11 C D C I A LR 

12:12- 

12:17 

I H A F B TP 

3:00-3:35 A A B C C LR 


KEY 









others 



28

Student: ____Scout______ Circle One: Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Page _1_______ 



Events 

Begin & 

End 



events) 





exhibited. 






ome 




exhibited? 


Initials 




delivered 

8:40-8:56 A A B E B LR 

9:17-9:40 C E C I C TP 

12:30- 

12:32 

I H B A A LR 

1:15-1:17 D E B A A LR 

3:08-3:30 A A B C B TP 


KEY 









others 



65 out of 420 MIN = 15% 

29

Student: ____Scout______ Circle One: Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Page _____1____ 

Full day Absent Partial day: In _____ Out ______ Date: __5/6/03___ 


Events 

Begin & 

End 



events) 





exhibited. 






ome 




exhibited? 


Initials 




delivered 

8:30-8:42 A A B E B LR 

3:10-3:12 A A B B A TP 


KEY 









others 




30

Student: ____Scout______ Circle One: Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Page _____1____ 



Events 

Begin & 

End 

12:15- 

12:30 



events) 





exhibited. 






ome 




exhibited? 


Initials 




delivered 

I H B B B LR 


KEY 









others 




31

Student: ____Scout______ Circle One: Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Page __1_______ 

Full day Absent Partial day: In _____ Out ______ Date: _5/8/03____ 


Events 

Begin & 

End 



events) 





exhibited. 






ome 




exhibited? 


Initials 




delivered 

9:15-9:48 C E C I C LR 

3:15-3:17 A A B A A TP 


KEY 










others 



32

Student: ____Scout______ Circle One: Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Page _1_______ 



Events 

Begin & 

End 



events) 


occurred in the environment 

just before targeted behavior 







ome 



after behavior was exhibited? 


Initials 




delivered 

8:30-8:32 A A B C A LR 

12:10- 

12:12 

I H B A A TP 

1:15-1:32 D E C I B LR 

2:20-2:45 E D C I B LR 

3:01-3:30 A A B B B TP 


KEY 









others 




33

Student: ____Scout_____ Circle One: Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Page _____1___ 

Full day Absent Partial day: In _____ Out ______ Date: __5/12/03__ 


Events 

Begin & End 



events) 


occurred in the environment 

just before targeted behavior 






Consequence/Outco 

me 



after behavior was exhibited? 


Initials 




delivered 

8:30-8:42 A A B A B LR 

9:15-9:17 C E C I A TP 

10:15-10:17 D H B B A LR 

12:07-12:22 I H B F B TP 

1:15-1:17 D E C I A LR 

3:10-3:30 A A B B B LR 

KEY 

A.Group Time A. Transition A. Throwing objects A. Choice given A. Stopped 








others 



34

Student: ____Scout_____ Circle One: Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Page ____1_____ 

Full day Absent Partial day: In _____ Out ______ Date: __5/13/03_ 


Events 

Begin & 

End 



events) 





exhibited. 






ome 




exhibited? 


Initials 




delivered 

9:17-9:19 C D C I A TP 


KEY 










others 



35

Student: ____Scout______ Circle One: Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Page ___1______ 

Full day Absent Partial day: In _____ Out ______ Date: ___5/14/03 

Time Context/Activity Antecedent/ Setting Identified Target Consequence/Outc Student Reaction Staff 

Events 

Behaviors ome 

Initials 

Begin & The student’s environmental Describe exactly what List types of behaviors What happened in the How did the student react 

End surroundings (people, places, occurred in the 

displayed during incident environment immediately immediately following the 

events) 


after behavior was initial consequence being 


exhibited. 

exhibited? 

delivered 

1:15-1:32 D E C I B TP 

3:15-3:17 A A B A A LR 


KEY 









others 




36

Notes: 

37

Data Analysis: 

Student: Scout Radley 

Team Members: ___________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

Date: ________________________________ 

Days of Data: _____________________________ 

(count the total number of days that data were collected) 

Total Number of Incidents: ________________________ 

(count the total number of incidents during the data collection) 

Average number of incidents daily: ____________________________ 

(count the total number of incidents and divide by the number of days data were 

collected) 

Average length of time engaged in each behavior: 

_________________________ 

(add total amount of time engaged in behavior divided by total number of 

incidents) 379/32= 11.843 so behaviors are lasting approximately 12 minutes 

each. 

Baseline: Take total minutes engaged in behavior divided by total minutes the 

child was observed for data collection during the baseline and multiply by 100) 

_________________________ 

379/4200 minutes *100 = 9.0238 or 9.02 % of the day - Baseline= 9.02% 

38

Next look at the beginning time of each incident and mark the 30-minute time frame that the 

incident began. Add up the total tallies in each time zone and divide by the number of total 

behaviors over the ten day period. This will give a percentage of how often the target behavior 

occurs in that time zone. You would fill in the schedule for your own student <strong>based</strong> on that 

student’s schedule) 

TIME OF DAY Tally Ratio % 

INVOLVED 

Your schedule would 

be <strong>based</strong> on the child’s 

day 

8:30-8:59 

9:00-9:29 

9:30-9:59 

10:00-10:29 

10:30-10:59 

11:00-11:29 

11:30-11:59 

12:00-12:29 

12:30-12:59 

1:00-1:29 

1:30-1:59 

2:00-2:29 

2:30-2:59 

3:00-3:30 

IIII I Total tallies/total 

incidents example: 

15/32 

15/32 x 100 

Next you would tally the number of incidents on each day of the week to determine if there is a 

pattern to the behaviors <strong>based</strong> on day of the week: (If you have two Mondays you would divide 

the total tallies by two, if you have three Mondays of data you would divide the total tallies by 

three) 

DAY OF WEEK Tally AVERAGE 

INCIDENTS PER 

DAY 

MONDAY □ 

TUESDAY □ 

WEDNESDAY □ 

THURSDAY □ 

FRIDAY □ 

39

Next you want to look at the context to determine if there is a pattern there: 

(Tally and divide just like you did for the time of day) 

CONTEXT Letter Tally Ratio % Involved 

Group Time a 

Individual 

Time 

b 

Reading c 

Math d 

Spelling e 

Social 

Studies 

f 

Science g 

Home 

Room 

h 

Lunch i 

Outside j 

Tally the behaviors that occurred. Are there any that we do not have 

enough information on to make a hypothesis? (Tally and divide just like 

you did for the time of day) 

BEHAVIORS Tally Ratio % 

INVOLVED 

Throwing Objects A 

Disruptive Outbursts 

Physical Aggression 

B 

C 

40

Then the team would look at the Antecedents to see if they were maintaining the behaviors: (Tally 

and divide just like you did for the time of day) 

ANTECEDENTS Letter Tally Ratio % 

INVOLVED 

Transition A 

Choice Given B 

Redirection C 

Instruction/Dir 

ective 

D 

New Task E 

Routine Task F 

Physical G 

Prompts 

Teacher H 

Attention to 

others 

Told “NO” I 

Close 

J 

Proximity 

Interaction K 

It might be interesting to see if certain behaviors are paired with certain antecedents: (You will 

graph this like you are working for an x and y axis. You would look at the antecedent paired with 

the behavior and determine where to put the tally. For example: if you had a C antecedent and 

Scout had a B behavior you would tally it in the B column in the C row.) 

Letter A B C 

ANTECEDENTS Throwing Disruptive Physical 

Objects Outbursts Aggression 

Transition A 



Instruction/ 

Directive 

D 

New Task E 


Physical 

Prompts 

G 

Diverted 


H 


Close Proximity J 


41

It might also be interesting to see if certain behaviors are paired with certain consequences: 

(Tally this in the same manner that you did previously- only you will read it backwards- 

Consequence to Behavior since consequence comes after behavior on the data collection 

sheets) 

Letter A B C 

Consequences Throwing Disruptive 

Physical 

Objects Outbursts 

Aggression 

Choice Given A 

Redirection B 

Discussion C 

Personal Space 

Given 

D 

Changed Activity E 

Peer Attention F 

Verbal Reprimand G 

Physical Prompt H 

Time Out I 

We want to see if certain consequences stop the behavior effectively. 

Unless the answer is “A” (stopped) the behavior is considered to have 

continued. 

CONSEQUENCE Letter Tally STUDENT REACTION % Effective 

Stopped Continued 

Choice Given A 

Redirection B 

Discussion C 


Given 

D 

Changed Activity E 

Peer Attention F 

Verbal 

G 

Reprimand 


Time Out I 

After you tally the number of consequences and the number of times the 

behavior stopped or continued in each column do the following: 

Add up the total tallies beside each consequence. Add up the number of stops and the 

number of continues in each row. Divide the total stopped by the total number of tallies 

in each row and that is the percent of effectiveness during this behavioral observation. It 

is just an interesting way to look at how consequences may or may not be maintaining the 

behaviors. 

Behaviors are most likely to occur during: 

42

• Behaviors are most likely to stop when: 

• What do you think is the function of Scout’s behavior during group 

time? 

• What do you think is the function of Scout’s behavior during reading 

time? 

• What do you think is the function of Scout’s behavior during lunchtime? 

• What day of the week are behaviors most likely to occur? 

• Why do you suppose Monday’s and Friday’s are most difficult for Scout? 

Now you can take the information that you learned from analyzing the behavior and fill 

out a competing pathway chart to brainstorm the best possible solutions to make the 

target behavior unnecessary. For every function of the behavior that you determined; you 

will need to fill out a competing pathway chart. Since Scout had two functions; we will 

have two charts. 




• When Scout has ____ (a transition) ______ 



• She has a disruptive outburst 



• To __________ (gain adult attention during transition times) ______ 




• When Scout has ______ (a new task) ______________ 



• She has a shows physical aggression 



• To _____________ (avoid the work) _______________________ 

43

Think Pair Share 

• Team up with someone and discuss positive ways that you could intervene to 

make Scout’s day more pleasant for everyone by using the competing 

pathways chart. 

Be ready to share your answers with the whole group in 7 minutes. 

The Competing Pathway Charts on the following pages were originally 

developed by O’Neill et.al. (see reference). 

Adapted from the following book: O'Neill, R. E., Horner, R. H., Albin, R. W., Sprague, J. 

R., Storey, K., & Newton, J. S. (1997). Functional assessment and program development 

for problem behavior: A practical handbook (2nd ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. 

44

Competing Pathway Chart: 

What event or setting 

takes place prior to the 

target behavior? 

(Antecedent) 

What settings/contexts/antecedents can you 

modify to make proactive changes in the 

environment to make the target behavior 

unnecessary? 

What is the goal 

behavior? 

What behavior are you 

targeting to change? 

(Behavior) 

What new behaviors might you teach to the 

student to replace the current target 

behaviors? 

What adult or peer behaviors will 

“feed” this goal behavior? 

What adult or peer behaviors are 

reinforcing this behavior? (negative or 

positive reinforcement) (Consequences) 

How might you change the 

adult behavior regarding the 

original target behavior and 

the new replacement 

behaviors? 

45





(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 


behavior? 






behaviors? 










behaviors? 

46





(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 


behavior? 






behaviors? 










behaviors? 

47

FBA Data Collection Tool: 

Open FBA Data Collection Tool 

Click Enable Macros (you may have to change your security settings) 

Type in student name 

Click arrows in Context, antecedent, consequence, and student reaction to 

choose those you selected for your student. If your choice is not there you 

can type it in. 

Type in up to three behaviors that are being measured for this child. 

Save file as the student’s name and date so you don’t overwrite your blank 

file. 

Go to Window at the top bar and click on it 

o Click- unfreeze panes 

o This lets you scroll down and enter the rest of the information 

Look at your data collection sheets 

Type in the first observation date in this format: 06/03/05 

o The computer will automatically configure the day of the week so it’s 

very important to make sure the date is correct. 

Click the pink box beside attendance and click the down arrow to select 

whether the student was there: full day, partial day, or absent 

Enter beginning and ending time of behavior in this format: 

o 8:32 am in the top box 

o 8:34 am in the bottom box 

In the white boxes type the letter from your data collection sheets that match 

for context, antecedent, behavior, consequence, student reaction, and staff 

initials. 

Go to the next line for each behavior that occurred for that day. 

Go to the next page for each new day that you add and finish typing in all the 

data that you have collected. 

When you have entered all your data, click on the tab at the bottom that says 

“graphs and reports.” Your data are now in a graphed report that you can cut 

and paste into any Word Document report. This information will now be able to 

be printed out so the team can fill out a competing pathways chart. You can 

change the type of graph by double clicking which will take you straight to Excel. 

48

Scout’s Data from the FBA Data Collection Tool 

Functional Behavior Observation Data for 

Reporting Period Extends across 05/01/03 to 05/14/03 

Summarized values are 'first best' and do not reflect potentially equal result in a 2nd set of interactions 

Avg Duration of 32 events averaged a duration of: 0:11:86 

Events: h:m:s 

03:00 PM is an active time of day for behavior at 

Time of Day: 25.% 

Monday is an active behavior day at an average of 5.5 

10 days recorded as: 

Day of Week: events per day. 

Group - small ( I ) is a high CONTEXT 

Context: frequency. 

' B ' at 62.5% is a frequent 

Target Behavior: behavior. 

' A ' at 43.8% is a strong 

10 Full Days 

Antecedent: antecedent 0 Part Days 

Antecedent/Behavior: Antecedent A with Behavior B Has 14 interactions 0 Day(s) Absent 

Consequence/Behavi Consequence I with Behavior C has 10 

or: interactions 

Consequence/Reactio Consequence A has been 83.3% effective at stopping 

n: behaviors 

See Samples on Next Page 

49

0.3 

0.25 

0.2 

0.15 

0.1 

0.05 

0 

7:00 AM 

7:30 AM 

6 

5 

4 

3 

2 

1 

0 

8:00 AM 

5.5 

8:30 AM 

9:00 AM 

Behavior Frequency by time of day 

9:30 Am 

10:00 AM 

10:30 AM 

11:00 AM 

11:30 AM 

The Average Day 

1.5 1.5 

12:00 PM 

12:30 PM 

3.0 

1:00 PM 

1:30 PM 

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 

4.5 

2:00 PM 

2:30 PM 

3:00 PM 

50

BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT FORM: COMMON ENTRIES 

Context Antecedent Behaviors Consequences/Outcome Student Reaction 

Assembly *Transition (List identified Choice given Stopped (set criteria) 

Academics *Denied Access target behaviors) Redirection Continued (set criteria) 

Art *Instruction/Directive Discussion of behavior by staff Intensified (set criteria) 

Bathroom *New Task LIMIT NUMBER Personal space given Slept 

Break *Teacher attention to others OF BEHAVIORS Changed/delayed/stopped activity Apologized 

Bus Area *Told ‘No’ TO 3 Natural consequence Cried 

CBI *Waiting Ignored Other behavior 

Centers Corrective Feedback Peer attention Moved away/left room 

Choice Routine Task Verbal reprimand Self-stimulation 

Computer Lab Choice Given Physical prompt 

Gym/P.E Physical Prompt Withholding Reinforcer 

Group (large, small, whole) Redirection Removal of materials 

Hallway Attempt to communicate Sent home 

Home Living Down time Office Referral 

Individual Work Close physical proximity Time-out 

Leisure Non-demand Interaction w/others Physical Restraint 

Library/media Non-participation Mechanical Restraint 

Lunchroom/Cafeteria Environmental Changes 

Music Physical Symptoms 

Outside/Playground Vocal Distress 

Pre/voc. Previous Incident 

Rest Displays non-targeted behavior/s 

Snack Challenge/teasing from other student 

Speech Cursing/inappropriate language 

Story 

* Required in assessment key 

51

BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT FORM: HOME COMMON ENTRIES 

Context Antecedent Behaviors Consequences/Outcome Student Reaction 

Living Room *Transition (List identified 

target behaviors) 

Offered a choice *stopped 

Dining Room *Denied Access Limit number of 

behaviors to 3 

Redirection *continued 

Kitchen *Instruction/Directive Discussion of behavior by parent *intensified 

Bedroom *New Task Discussion of behavior by caregiver Slept 

Bathroom *Parent Attention to others Changed/delayed/stopped activity Apologized 

Family Room *Told No Natural consequences Cried 

Backyard *Waiting Ignored Other behavior 

Hallway Corrective Feedback Sibling attention Moved away/left room 

Discount Store Routine Task Verbal reprimand Self-stimulation 

Relative’s Home Choice Given Physical prompt 

Day Care Physical Prompt Withholding reinforcer 

Automobile Redirection Removal of materials 

Grocery Store Attempt to communicate Sent to room 

Down Time Sent to time out 

Close Physical Proximity Physical restraint 

Non-demand Interaction with others 

Non-participation 

Environmental Changes 

Physical Symptoms 

Vocal Distress 

Previous Incident 

Displays non-targeted behavior/s 

Challenge teasing from sibling 

Personal space given 

Cursing inappropriate language 

Company visiting 

*Must be used for assessment website FBA Data Tool 

52

Functional Assessment vs. Functional Analysis 

A Functional Behavior Assessment is when data are gathered from the natural 

environment under typical conditions. Occasionally, the function of the child’s 

behavior can not be discerned from this method and a Functional Analysis must 

be completed. The difference between an assessment and an analysis is in the 

environment. In an Analysis the environment is manipulated to elicit the 

behaviors. The following pages are examples of a real Assessment and a real 

Analysis. The names have been changed but the data are real. 

The report on the following pages are for a fictional student named Billie Bobbie 

Thornton. The first report is the analysis of the data. This data would be taken to 

the Behavior Support Team and discussed to determine an intervention plan with 

everyone present. 

53

Event Duration 

0:00:00 0:01:26 0:02:53 0:04:19 0:05:46 0:07:12 0:08:38 0:10:05 0:11:31 0:12:58 0:14:24 

A 

B 

C 

Overall 

Functional Behavior Assessment for Billie Bobbie Thornton 

Data Analysis: 

Student: Billie Bobbie Thornton 

Team Members: Mary Poppins, Teacher; Sergeant Carter, Principal, Rumor 

Thornton, Parent; Biff Henderson, PE teacher; Chatty Cathy, SLP; Carrie Case, 

Resource Teacher 

Date: May 13, 2003 

Days of Data: Ten Days of FBA Data were collected using the Antecedent, 

Behavior, Consequence Data Sheet 

Total Number of Incidents: 32 incidents occurred in ten days 

Average number of incidents daily: 32/10 = 3.2 average incidents per day 

Average length of time engaged in each behavior: 379 minutes divided by 

32 incidents = 11.84 Just under 12 minutes per incident. 

Baseline: 379/4200 minutes *100 = 9.0238 or 9.02 % of the day 

Baseline= 9.02% 

0:03:30 

0:09:26 

0:12:24 

0:12:24 

54

0.3 

0.25 

0.2 

0.15 

0.1 

0.05 

0 

7:00 AM 

TIME OF DAY Tally Ratio % INVOLVED 

Your schedule would 

be <strong>based</strong> on the child’s 

7:30 AM 

day 

8:00 AM 

8:30 AM 

9:00 AM 


9:30 Am 

IIII I Total tallies/total 

10:00 AM 

10:30 AM 

11:00 AM 

incidents example: 

11:30 AM 

15/32 

12:00 PM 

12:30 PM 

1:00 PM 

15/32 x 100 

8:30-8:59 6 6/32 19% 

9:00-9:29 6 6/32 19% 

9:30-9:59 

10:00-10:29 1 1/32 3% 

10:30-10:59 

11:00-11:29 

11:30-11:59 

12:00-12:29 5 5/32 16% 

12:30-12:59 1 1/32 3% 

1:00-1:29 4 4/32 13% 

1:30-1:59 

2:00-2:29 

2:30-2:59 1 1/32 3% 

3:00-3:30 8 8/32 25% 

1:30 PM 

2:00 PM 

Based on the data from the FBA Data Collection, it appears that Billie 

Bobbie had difficulty with the first hour of the morning and the last half 

hour of the day. It would be prudent to look at these times of day and 

determine if antecedent modifications can be implemented to assure a 

smooth transition from home to school and school to home. 

2:30 PM 

55 

3:00 PM

DAY OF WEEK Tally AVERAGE 

INCIDENTS PER 

DAY 

MONDAY (2 ) 11 5.5 

TUESDAY ( 2 ) 3 1.5 

WEDNESDAY ( 2 ) 3 1.5 

THURSDAY ( 2 ) 6 3.0 

FRIDAY ( 2 ) 9 4.5 

6 

5 

4 

3 

2 

1 

0 

5.5 


1.5 1.5 


Based on the data collected for the FBA, it would appear that Mondays and 

Fridays are most problematic for Billie Bobbie. Once again these are transition 

days from home to school and school to home. The team will consider 

antecedent modifications to ensure a smooth transition between these two areas 

in Billie Bobbie’s life. 

3.0 

4.5 

56

CONTEXT Letter Tally Ratio % Involved 

Group Time a 14 14/32 44% 

Individual 

Time 

b 

Reading c 6 6/32 19% 

Math d 5 5/32 16% 

Spelling e 1 1/32 3% 

Social 

Studies 

f 

Science g 

Home 

Room 

h 

Lunch i 6 6/32 19% 

Outside j 

0.5 

0.45 

0.4 

0.35 

0.3 

0.25 

0.2 

0.15 

0.1 

0.05 

0 

0.44 

0.00 

0.19 

Context for <strong>Behavioral</strong> Event 

0.16 

0.03 

0.00 0.00 0.00 

A B C D E F G H I 

Based on the data collected during the FBA process it appears that group time is most 

problematic for Billie Bobbie with 44% of the target behaviors occurring during this time 

frame. Upon closer inspection, the two areas of the day where teacher attention is 

perceived to be on others (Group Time and Lunchroom) 63% of the target behaviors 

occur during this time. This would lead the team to hypothesize that 63% of the 

behaviors are occurring for attention from the teacher. Likewise, 38% of the behaviors 

are occurring during academic times (Reading, Math, and Spelling) therefore the team 

may hypothesize that 38% of the behaviors occur to escape work activities. 

0.19 

57

BEHAVIORS Tally Ratio % INVOLVED 

Throwing Objects A 2 2/32 6% 

Disruptive Outbursts B 20 20/32 63% 

Physical Aggression C 10 10/32 31% 

A 

B 

C 

0.0625 

Target Behaviors 

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 

0.3125 

Based on the data gathered during the FBA process, Billie Bobbie had 20 incidents of 

disruptive outbursts which were 63% of his behaviors and 10 incidents of physical 

aggression which were 31% of his behaviors. There were two incidents of throwing 

objects; however, research dictates that it takes 10 incidents to determine the function of 

a behavior; therefore no hypothesis will be formed concerning the throwing incidents at 

this time. 

0.625 

58

0.5 

0.45 

0.4 

0.35 

0.3 

0.25 

0.2 

0.15 

0.1 

0.05 

0 

0.44 

ANTECEDENTS Letter Tally Ratio % INVOLVED 

Transition A 15 15/32 47% 



Instruction/Directiv D 3 3/32 9% 

e 

New Task E 8 8/32 25% 


Physical Prompts G 

Teacher Attention H 6 6/32 19% 

to others 




0.00 0.00 

Antecedent Event 

0.09 

0.25 

0.00 0.00 


Based on the data gathered during the FBA process, it would appear that 47% of 

the time the antecedent to a behavior is a transition. Considering again that 

transitions are times when the teacher attention is focused on many areas of the 

classroom, it would appear that 66% of the time the antecedent occurred during 

times when Billie Bobbie perceived the teacher attention to be focused on others. 

Also, 34% of the time the behaviors occurred during academic times with 9% 

occurring during an instruction or directive and 25% occurring during a new task 

being requested of Billie Bobbie. 

0.22 

0.00 

59

Letter A B C 

ANTECEDENTS Throwing Disruptive Physical 


Transition A 14 



Instruction/Directi 

ve 

D 3 

New Task E 1 7 


Physical Prompts G 

Diverted 


H 2 5 




16 

14 

12 

10 

8 

6 

4 

2 

0 

Antecedent / Behavior Interaction 

A, 14 

D, 3 

H, 2 

A, 0 B, 0 C, 0 D, 0 E, 0F, 

0.0G, 0 I, 0 B, 0 C, 0 D, 0 

E, 1 

F, 0.0G, 0 I, 0 A, 0 B, 0 C, 0 F, 0.0G, 

0 H, 0 I, 0 

A B C 

Ten out of ten times (100%) when the antecedent was an instruction directive or 

a new task, the following behavior was physical aggression. Nineteen out of 

twenty-two times, when the activity was something where Billie Bobbie perceived 

the teacher’s attention to be elsewhere, the target behavior was a disruptive 

outburst. 

H, 5 

E, 7 

60

Letter A B C 

Consequences Throwing Disruptive 

Physical 


Choice Given A 6 

Redirection B 8 

Discussion C 1 3 

Personal Space Given D 

Changed Activity E 2 

Peer Attention F 1 



Time Out I 10 

12 

10 

8 

6 

4 

2 

0 

A, 0 B, 0 

C, 1.0 

Consequence / Behavior Interaction 

A, 6 

B, 8 

C, 3.0 

E, 2 

F, 1 F, 1 

D, 0 E, 0 G, 0 H, 0 I, 0 D, 0 G, 0 H, 0 I, 0 A, 0 B, 0C, 

0.0D, 

0 E, 0 F, 0 G, 0 H, 0 

A B C 

Six times when Billie Bobbie had a disruptive outburst the teacher came over and gave 

her a choice. 

Eight times when Billie Bobbie had a disruptive outburst the teacher came over and gave 

her a redirection. 

Three times when Billie Bobbie had a disruptive outburst the teacher came over and gave 

her a discussion about his behavior. 

Two times when Billie Bobbie had a disruptive outburst the teacher came over and gave 

her a change of activity. 

Upon closer inspection of the consequences, it would appear that Billie Bobbie uses 

disruptive outbursts for teacher attention during times that he perceives teacher attention 

to be on others. 

Ten times when Billie Bobbie used physical aggression, the teacher sent her to time out. 

This was 100% of the time. Therefore, the data suggest that Billie Bobbie uses physical 

aggression to obtain escape from academic tasks. 

I, 10 

61

CONSEQUENCE Letter Tally STUDENT 

REACTION 

Stopped Continued 

% Effective 

Choice Given A 5 4 1 80% 

Redirection B 8 3 5 38% 

Discussion C 4 2 3 50% 

Personal Space Given D 

Changed Activity E 2 0 2 0% 

Peer Attention F 2 0 2 0% 



Time Out I 8 4 4 50% 

0.90 

0.80 

0.70 

0.60 

0.50 

0.40 

0.30 

0.20 

0.10 

0.00 

0.8 

0.4 

Student Reaction to Consequence 

0.5 

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 


Although, a consequence may prove to be effective 100% of the time, it is not 

automatic that the team will decide to use the consequence if it is maintaining an 

inappropriate behavior. One interesting note came from this particular data 

observation. Billie Bobbie appears to respond to choices. This might be a 

consequence manipulation that the team puts into place during the intervention 

phase. 

0.5 

62

Behavior Support Team Meeting on Billie Bobbie Thornton’s FBA Data Analysis 

Meeting: 

Members present: 



Resource Teacher; Poppy Montgomery, Assistant Principal. 

Date of meeting: 

May 13, 2003 

Notes from the Meeting: 

Behaviors are most likely to occur during transitions: 

• Behaviors are most likely to stop when choices are offered: 

• What do you think is the function of Billie Bobbie’s behavior during 

group time? To gain teacher attention. 

• What do you think is the function of Billie Bobbie’s behavior during 

reading time? To escape from academic activities. 

• What do you think is the function of Billie Bobbie’s behavior during lunchtime? 

Most likely to gain attention from the teacher. 

• Mondays and Fridays are the days of the week that appear to be most 

problematic for Billie Bobbie. 

• The BST hypothesizes that Monday’s and Friday’s are most difficult for Billie 

Bobbie? Mom shared with the team during the initial meeting that Mondays 

were very hectic because Dad was flying out and Mom was usually running 

late for work. Mom also shared that Billie Bobbie had a hard time getting out 

the door on Monday morning with shoes, backpack, etc. 

63

After filling out a competing pathways form on both functions the team intends to 

employ the following interventions: 

Replacement Behaviors 

The alternative behaviors chosen are more conducive to the learning environment and 

will enable Billie Bobbie to make friends by giving her skills to solicit attention in more 

appropriate methods. 

The team determined that Billie Bobbie’s disruptive outburst behavior stemmed from 

transition difficulties and her desire to gain attention during these troubling times. 

Therefore, these are the replacement behaviors that were employed: 

Billie Bobbie will be the “Vanna White” of the class schedule. This will: 

o Give her attention from her teacher and peers 

o Give her a prompt that things are changing 

Billie Bobbie will keep a journal of what she does at home 

o She will bring this in the morning and go directly to the Speech 

Pathologists’ office to discuss her previous evening or weekend activities. 

This will give her attention and give her an opportunity to discuss 

upcoming activities for the day. 

o Billie Bobbie will return to the SLP’s office at the end of the day to 

discuss her day, discuss what she plans to do that evening at home, and 

receive her new journal for that evening. 

At any time during the day, that Billie Bobbie appears overwhelmed she will be 

given an envelope to take to the office. 

o The secretary will know that the smiley face inside the envelope indicates 

that Billie Bobbie just needs a few minutes away from class and she will 

engage her in a conversation. 

The team further determined that Billie Bobbie’s physically aggressive behaviors 

were for the function of escape during new activities. The team determined the 

following replacement behaviors would be employed: 

Billie Bobbie will have a Garfield stuffed animal in her desk. At any time during 

the day that she feels unable to do the work presented, she will remove the 

Garfield and place him on her desk. She will then take out a word puzzle; which 

is something she loves, and work on that until the teacher is able to come give her 

one on one attention. 

o Billie Bobbie will be rewarded with a token in her token economy for 

exhibiting this behavior. 

o Billie Bobbie will earn computer time when she has earned 5 tokens. This 

will be faded later. 

Billie Bobbie will receive pre-training on new topics prior to their introduction in 

the class. The resource teacher will be given advance notice of lesson plans so 

preparations can be made for Billie Bobbie’s learning. 

These behaviors will allow Billie Bobbie to transition during the day. Billie Bobbie will 

also have better skills to signal her need for help. Physical aggression will be blocked 

64

and ignored and Billie Bobbie will no longer be sent to time out as this was an escape 

outlet for her previously. Billie Bobbie will be rewarded for following appropriate 

avenues for attention during transitions and new tasks. 

Billie Bobbie Thornton’s Functional Behavior Assessment Follow-Up 

Date: May 26, 2003 

Members Present: 



Resource Teacher; Poppy Montgomery, Assistant Principal. 

Student and Objective 

Billie Bobbie is a sixth grade student with learning disabilities. Her target 

behaviors were throwing objects, disruptive outbursts, and physical aggression. 

Billie Bobbie’s disruptive behaviors as listed below were impeding her learning 

and that of others in the classroom. The behavior support team decided to 

create an intervention plan that would make these behaviors unnecessary by 

teaching replacement skills and making antecedent modifications as necessary. 

Billie Bobbie’s Behavior Definitions 

Throwing objects 

o A physical object leaves Billie Bobbie’s hands and lands with 

purpose more than six inches from her body. 

Disruptive Outbursts 

o Loud noises emitted from Billie Bobbie that disrupt the learning 

environment. 

Physical Aggression 

o One part of Billie Bobbie’s body comes in contact with another 

person with intention and force. 

Replacement Behaviors 

The alternative behaviors chosen are more conducive to the learning 

environment and will enable Billie Bobbie to make friends by giving her skills to 

solicit attention in more appropriate methods. 

The team determined that Billie Bobbie’s disruptive outburst behavior stemmed 

from transition difficulties and her desire to gain attention during these troubling 

times. Therefore, these are the replacement behaviors that were employed: 

Billie Bobbie will be the “Vanna White” of the class schedule. This will: 

65

o Give her attention from her teacher and peers 

o Give her a prompt that things are changing 

Billie Bobbie will keep a journal of what she does at home 

o She will bring this in the morning and go directly to the Speech 

Pathologists’ office to discuss her previous evening or weekend 

activities. This will give her attention and give her an opportunity to 

discuss upcoming activities for the day. 

o Billie Bobbie will return to the SLP’s office at the end of the day to 

discuss her day, discuss what she plans to do that evening at 

home, and receive her new journal for that evening. 

At any time during the day, that Billie Bobbie appears overwhelmed she 

will be given an envelope to take to the office. 

o The secretary will know that the smiley face inside the envelope 

indicates that Billie Bobbie just needs a few minutes away from 

class and she will engage her in a conversation. 

The team further determined that Billie Bobbie’s physically aggressive 

behaviors were for the function of escape during new activities. The team 

determined the following replacement behaviors would be employed: 

Billie Bobbie will have a Garfield stuffed animal in her desk. At any time 

during the day that she feels unable to do the work presented, she will 

remove the Garfield and place him on her desk. She will then take out a 

word puzzle; which is something she loves, and work on that until the 

teacher is able to come give her one on one attention. 

o Billie Bobbie will be rewarded with a token in her token economy for 

exhibiting this behavior. 

o Billie Bobbie will earn computer time when she has earned 5 

tokens. This will be faded later. 

Billie Bobbie will receive pre-training on new topics prior to their 

introduction in the class. The resource teacher will be given advance 

notice of lesson plans so preparations can be made for Billie Bobbie’s 

learning. 

These behaviors will allow Billie Bobbie to transition during the day. Billie Bobbie 

will also have better skills to signal her need for help. Physical aggression will be 

blocked and ignored and Billie Bobbie will no longer be sent to time out as this 

was an escape outlet for her previously. Billie Bobbie will be rewarded for 

following appropriate avenues for attention during transitions and new tasks. 

Baseline 

Billie Bobbie is a sixth grade student with learning disabilities being served in an 

inclusion model in a middle school. Collections of data were conducted using the 

Antecedent, Behavior, and Consequence (ABC) charts for ten days. Data were 

collected by staffs that were present at the time of the target behaviors. Baseline 

data were collected and determined to be approximately 10 percent of the day. 

The mean for her target behavior was 41 minutes. The range was 10 minutes to 

66

66 minutes. The trends indicated that Mondays and Fridays were most 

problematic for Billie Bobbie. 

Number of Incidents 

7 

6 

5 

4 

3 

2 

1 

0 

5/1/2004 

5/2/2004 

Taylor's Behaviors 

5/3/2004 

5/4/2004 

5/5/2004 

5/6/2004 

5/7/2004 

5/8/2004 

Dates 

5/9/2004 

5/10/2004 

5/11/2004 

5/12/2004 

5/13/2004 

5/14/2004 

<strong>Intervention</strong> Phase 

During the intervention phase; which began on May 13, 2003, Billie Bobbie was 

introduced to the replacement behaviors and schedule changes. The 

intervention phase lasted for ten days at which time there were three days of 

baseline <strong>Intervention</strong> 

67

zero behaviors for zero minutes. The mean for the intervention phase was six 

minutes. The range was zero minutes to 12 minutes. The trend appeared to be 

a downward trend from the immediate introduction of the intervention. 

Discussion 

The intervention appeared to be successful for Billie Bobbie due to the decrease 

from baseline which was a decrease from 41 minutes to six minutes. This 

indicates an 87% decrease in target behaviors. Billie Bobbie appeared to 

respond very well to the visual class schedule and her responsibilities in turning 

the schedule for the class. This gave her focus and direction during transition 

times. The important factor will be consistency and in sharing this intervention 

with her future teachers. It will be important to follow-up in August since this is 

the end of the year and Billie Bobbie will be away from school for almost three 

months. 

68

Functional Analysis for Josh McKinley 

Date of Report: 1/2/2003 

Date of Birth: July 9, 1992 

General History: 

Josh is currently enrolled in the <strong>Behavioral</strong> <strong>Intervention</strong> Program (<strong>BIP</strong>), which he has 

attended since November 18, 2002. He had previously been placed in the Little Red 

Schoolhouse. Josh has a history of behavioral difficulties that mainly manifest in 

tantrums. However, he does engage in self-injurious and aggressive behaviors. 

Josh attends respite at Any City Respite and Developmental Services (ACRDS) on 

Tuesday and Friday after school and occasionally on the weekend. 

Background Information: 

Josh was originally diagnosed with autism when he was three-years-old. At the beginning 

of the 2002-2003 school year, Josh’s mother hospitalized him due to uncontrollable 

behaviors. At an IEP meeting, the <strong>Behavioral</strong> <strong>Intervention</strong> Program (<strong>BIP</strong>) was selected 

to work with Josh. A teacher and paraprofessional were hired to work two on one with 

Josh under the supervision of Dr. Laura Riffel, Behavior Specialist/<strong>BIP</strong>. These staff will 

be Josh’s primary therapists while he is in the <strong>BIP</strong>. Rather than hospitalizing Josh again, 

then sending him back to his home school, the <strong>BIP</strong> team will assist Josh to transition to 

an alternative placement with his trained staff upon completion of his evaluation and 

training at the <strong>BIP</strong> center. Once this transition is successful, peers will be integrated into 

the classroom until he is one of several in his new class at his new school. While with the 

<strong>BIP</strong>, his teacher and paraprofessional will be trained in communication systems, positive 

behavior support methods, and other research validated procedures and practices. 

Vineland: 

A new Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale was completed on November 4, 2002. In 

Communication, Josh’s raw score yielded a standard score of

Medication: 

Currently, Josh takes Ritalin three times per day and Risperdol once per day. 

Description of Inappropriate Behavior(s): 

Josh had an intense tantrum that endangered his mother’s ability to maintain control of 

the car. It occurred while his mother was driving the car and he attacked her. During a 

tantrum, Josh has been known to bite himself and others, scratch himself and others, and 

hit himself and others. Josh’s tantrums have lasted anywhere from 15 minutes to several 

hours. 

Academic Progress: 

Josh’s academic progress has been sporadic. See Table 1. Although he has made 

progress in the areas of communication, toileting, and feeding he still requires assistance 

to complete most activities. It is the goal of this intervention to decrease the number of 

tantrum behaviors and increase the number of gains in academic achievement and 

independent living skills for Josh. 

Hypotheses 

Physical: 

Josh needs an opportunity to voice his physical wants and needs. 

Emotional: 

Josh needs an avenue to voice his emotional wants and needs. 

Environmental: 

Josh needs opportunities to control some portion of his environment. 

<strong>Behavioral</strong>: 

Josh needs replacement behaviors for inappropriate ones and guidance to follow what 

expectations that are held for him. 

Analysis for Function of Behavior 

Dr. Riffel, Behavior Specialist with the Behavior <strong>Intervention</strong> Program, conducted the 

functional analysis by supervising ten, ten-minute sessions of each of Dr. Brian Iwata’s 

four primary conditions of behavior: 1) social disapproval, 2) academic demand, 3) 

unstructured play, and 4) alone for functional analysis of behavior. The functional 

analysis comprised 40 sessions equaling 100 minutes of analog data. Target behaviors 

were gathered from interviews with mother, observations, and previous staff members. 

Target behaviors are defined as follows: 

biting self ( teeth in contact with his own arm) 

biting therapist (teeth in contact with any body part of another person) 

scratching self (fingernails in contact, raking skin of self) 

70

scratching therapist (fingernails in contact, raking skin of another person) 

hitting self (open or closed fist in contact with body part of self) 

hitting therapist (open or closed fist in contact with body part of another person) 

The therapists were trained on the four conditions through modeling and written 

description. Data collection occurred from November 19, 2002 through December 4, 

2002. Sessions were staggered to eliminate the possibility that time of day contributed to 

the outcome of the sessions. 

The guidelines for the four conditions are as follows: 

To test for Academic Demand: 

1. Activities: rings on a peg, stacking wooden blocks, placing items in a bucket, 

putting pieces in a puzzle, threading large plastic beads on a string, grasping and 

holding small objects, and touching various body parts on command. 

2. Therapist and student are seated at a table. If student does not remain at the table, 

present tasks to student wherever he/he is in the assessment room. 

3. At the 30-second auditory cue, the therapist initially gives verbal instruction and 

allows the student 5 seconds to initiate a response. 

4. If after 5 seconds, the student fails to initiate an appropriate response, the therapist 

repeats the instruction, models the correct response, saying “Do it like this or I’ll 

have to help you.” And waits 5 seconds. 

5. If after 5 seconds, the student does not respond, the therapist repeats the 

instruction and physically guides the student through the response, using the least 

amount of contact necessary to complete it. 

6. Therapist presents the next task at the auditory cue. 

7. Social praise is delivered upon the completion of the response, regardless of 

whether or not modeling or physical guidance was required. 

8. Contingent upon the occurrence of a target behavior at any time during the 

session, the therapist immediately terminates the trial and turns away from the 

student, for 30 seconds, with an additional 30 second change-over delay for 

repeated target behavior. 

9. Therapist ignores auditory cues to present tasks when turned away from student. 

Note: The data collection program’s auditory cue is set at 30 second intervals for 

therapist to present task. 

To test Social Disapproval: 

1. Direct the student to “play with toys” while the therapist “does some work”. 

2. If the student has lower receptive language or poor hearing, place the student in 

physical contact with the toys. 

3. Therapist sits in a chair across the room and reads a book or magazine. 

4. Attention is given to the student contingent on target behaviors 

71

a. Verbal statements of concern and disapproval (Don’t do that, you’re going 

to hurt yourself, look at your hand, don’t hit yourself). Paired with; 

b. Brief physical contact of a non-punitive nature (hand on shoulder). 

5. All other responses exhibited by the student were ignored. 

To test for Unstructured Play: 

1. A variety of toys are available within the students’ reach. 

2. Throughout the session, the therapist maintains close proximity to the student and 

allows the student to engage in spontaneous isolate or cooperative play or to move 

freely about the room. The therapist can periodically present toys to the student 

without making any demands. 

3. The therapist delivers social praise and brief physical contact contingent upon 

appropriate behaviors, and absence of target behaviors, at least once every 30 

seconds. 

4. Target behaviors are ignored, until severity reaches the point where the session 

needs to be terminated. 

Note: The data collection program’s auditory cue is set at 30-second intervals for 

therapist to give verbal/physical praise. 

Alone: 

1. The student is placed in the session room alone, without access to toys or any 

other materials that might serve as external sources of stimulation. 

Graphs of Josh’s Sessions: 

See PowerPoint for graphs of Josh’s Sessions. 

Discussion of Results: 

(percent configured on x/10 sessions) 

Alone Social Academic Unstructured 

Disapproval Demand Play 

Bit self 0% 0% 0% 0% 

Bit therapist 0% 0% 10% 0% 

Scratched self 0% 0% 10% 20% 

Scratched 0% 0% 20% 10% 

therapist 

Hit self 0% 0% 10% 0% 

Hit therapist 0% 0% 10% 0% 

Amount of Time Engaged in Target Behaviors During Session: 

72



Bit self 0/6000 sec. 0/6000 sec. 0/6000 sec. 0/6000 sec. 

Bit therapist 0/6000 sec. 0/6000 sec. 5/6000 sec. 0/6000 sec. 

Scratched self 0/6000 sec. 0/6000 sec. 5/6000 sec. 3/6000 sec. 

Scratched 0/6000 sec. 0/6000 sec. 9/6000 sec. 45/6000 sec. 

therapist 

Hit self 0/6000 sec. 0/6000 sec. 5/6000 sec. 0/6000 sec. 

Hit therapist 0/6000 sec. 0/6000 sec. 5/6000 sec. 0/6000 sec. 

Percentage of Time Engaged in Target Behaviors During Session: 



Bit self 0% 0% 0% 0% 

Bit therapist 0% 0% .0008% 0% 

Scratched self 0% 0% .0008% .0005% 

Scratched 0% 0% .0015% .0075% 

therapist 

Hit self 0% 0% .0008% 0% 

Hit therapist 0% 0% .0008% 0% 

Alone: 

To determine if Josh was receiving sensory stimulation from looking in the two-way 

mirror during the alone sessions, a session with the mirror covered up was performed, 

also resulting in no behaviors. The Alone sessions were designed to test evidence that 

tantrums might be motivated through self-produced reinforcement of a sensory nature. 

Social Disapproval: 

The Social Disapproval sessions were designed to determine if statements of concern and 

social disapproval paired with physical contact were maintaining targeted tantrum 

behavior via the inadvertent delivery of positive reinforcement. 

Academic Demand: 

99.97 % of the time in the Academic Demand sessions Josh exhibited no target 

behaviors. These sessions were designed to assess whether or not tantrums were 

maintained through negative reinforcement as a result of escaping or avoiding demand 

situations. 

Unstructured Play: 

99.98% of the session time, Josh was engaged in no target behaviors during Unstructured 

Play. These sessions were designed to be the control procedure for the presence of an 

73

experimenter, the availability of potentially stimulating materials, the absence of 

demands, the delivery of social approval for appropriate behavior, and the lack of 

approval for tantrums. It was additionally designed to serve the function of an enriched 

environment in which relatively few tantrums might be expected to occur. 

Time of 

Day 

Occurrence of Target Behaviors in Session by Time of Day: 

Alone Social 

Disapproval 

Academic 

Demand 

9:15-9:45 

9:45-10:05 

10:05-10:35 1Ss 

10:35-10:50 

10:50-11:20 1St 

11:20-11:45 1Ss 

11:45-12:15 

12:15-12:45 

12:45-1:00 

1:00-1:30 

1:30-1:50 

1:50-2:10 

1Hs,1Ss, 

1Bt,1Ht,1St 

2:10-2:30 1St 

2:30-2:45 

2:45-3:00 

Key: 

St- Scratching therapist 

Ss- Scratching self 

Ht- Hitting therapist 

Hs- Hitting self 

Bt- Biting therapist 

Bs- Biting self 

Unstructured 

Play 

Looking at the time of day for sessions proved to be inconclusive behaviors only 

occurred on two days during the same time blocks. Data collected from environmental 

observations is more conclusive concerning time of day with behavioral incidents. 

74

Summary: 

Josh exhibited the most target behaviors during academic demand. He had two sessions 

with no behaviors and consistently one or two behaviors during the other sessions. This 

would indicate that some of Josh’s behavior serves as a function of escape. 

On four sessions of unstructured play, Josh exhibited no behaviors and the other sessions 

he exhibited 4 or fewer behaviors. This would indicate that some of Josh’s behavior does 

function for attention. 

Informal Assessment 

Daily logs of Antecedent, Behavior, and Consequence (ABC) for target behaviors were 

collected. The results are more indicative of daily life and possibly give more insight into 

the functions of Josh’s behaviors than the formal sessions. In plotting the time of day that 

Josh’s target behaviors occur, the following data are graphed for time of day: 

Total Length of Time 

150 

100 

50 

0 

9:15-9:45 

Time of Day for Target Behaviors 

10:05-10:35 

10:50-11:20 

11:45-12:15 

12:45-1:00 

Time 

1:30-1:50 

2:10-2:30 

2:45-3:00 

Data were collected from November 18, 2002 through December 17, 2002 for the 

purposes of this report. Josh was absent one day during this time frame, which gives him 

a total time in school of 6,210 minutes. 

75

To break this down in percentages, behaviors occurred: 

Time of 

Day 

Activity Total 

Minutes 

Total 

Number 

of 

Tantrums 

Ratio 

(in minutes) 

9:15-9:45 Arrival/Breakfast 

PECS training/oral 

40 2 40/540 7% 

9:45-10:05 

motor 

<strong>Intervention</strong>/Massage 

23 2 23/360 6% 

10:05-10:35 

Therapy 

25 1 25/540 5% 

10:35-10:50 Restroom Break 0 0 0/270 0% 

10:50-11:20 Sensory room 

Expressive 

25 2 25/540 5% 

11:20-11:45 

Arts/Music 

0 0 0/450 0% 

11:45-12:15 Lunch 

Video/Social 

120 5 120/540 22% 

12:15-12:45 

Learning/oral motor 

30 1 30/540 6% 

12:45-1:00 Restroom Break 

<strong>Intervention</strong>/Massage 

0 0 0/270 0% 

1:00-1:30 

Therapy 

Outside Play/Free 

45 3 45/540 8% 

1:30-1:50 

Play 

Music 

Time/relaxation 

25 2 25/360 7% 

1:50-2:10 

therapy 

35 2 35/360 10% 

2:10-2:30 PECS training 22 2 22/360 6% 

2:30-2:45 Snack 0 0 0/270 0% 

2:45-3:00 Restroom/Clean-up 0 0 0/270 0% 

Discussion of Time of Day: 

Percentage 

The highest percentage for target behaviors occurred during the 11:45-12:15 time frame, 

which coincides with lunch. Delving into a division of what pre-empted the target 

behaviors during lunch, it was discovered that there were 8 tantrums around food issues 

in 18 days: 

Tantrums around food issues 

o 4 of these were denial of desired food (example: wanted dessert first) 

o 1 stuffed nose- unable to breathe and eat at the same time 

o 1 time lunch was late due to delays in the kitchen 

o 1 time he was hungry before it was lunch time 

o 1 time he was still hungry after lunch was complete- he was given more 

food 

76

In summary, the target behaviors that were recorded in this data sample are at similar 

levels in all activities across the day with the exception of the three restroom breaks, 

snack, and preparation for home. Antecedents will be discussed in a following section. 

Conclusion of Time of Day: 

A communication system for Josh to express and identify his wants and needs should be 

the first intervention employed to replace target behaviors during meal and snack times. 

Day of the Week: 

In considering environmental variables, the team evaluated the day of the week in which 

target behaviors occurred to discern if any patterns developed. A study of available data 

revealed the following: 

Day of the Week Number of 

Tantrums 

per day of 

week 

Number of 

Total Minutes 

Number of Days 

of the Week 

Present 

Monday 3 70 5 Mondays = 

1725 minutes 

Tuesday 4 73 4 Tuesdays= 

1380 minutes 

Wednesday 5 52 3 Wednesdays = 

1035 minutes 

Thursday 5 47 3 Thursdays = 

1035 minutes 

Friday 5 130 3 Fridays= 1035 

minutes 

Conclusion of Day of the Week: 

4% 

5% 

5% 

3% 

Percentage 

10% 

With the exception of a Friday tantrum that lasted for one hour and fifteen minutes, all 

behaviors occurred evenly across this data sample for days of the week. The Friday 

tantrum is considered an outlier as it was the only one of its kind. Data collection will 

continue to determine if there is any pattern for this factor. 

Antecedents 

77

Number of Occurrences 

Discussion of Antecedents: 

In looking at antecedents for target behaviors, the two highest areas were restroom issues 

and food issues. Further examination of the restroom issues indicate there is no set 

pattern for when toileting issues have occurred in this data sample session. There were 6 

target behaviors that occurred when Josh had a wet pull-up. There were 4 target 

behaviors when he exhibited flatulence at the same time as the target behavior. Staff has 

observed rigid muscle tension, holding his stomach area, facial distortion, and crying 

while passing gas, prior to and during exhibition of target behaviors. 

Conclusion of Antecedents: 

7 

6 

5 

4 

3 

2 

1 

0 

Josh needs a daily routine for toileting that includes specific communication 

opportunities, concise expectations, consistent practices, and praise for completion of 

activities. Data will continue to be collected. 

Discussion and Conclusion of Location: 

Know n Antecedents to Target Behavior 

gas w et transition demand food 

issues 

Antecedents 

Location 

Since Josh currently spends the majority of his day in the classroom, this data does not 

substantiate a primary location for the occurrence of target behaviors at this time. Data 

will continue to be collected. 

Observed Behaviors 

denied 

food 

78

Josh exhibited 22 tantrums during an 18-day observation. Several new behaviors were 

observed during informal observations of tantrum behaviors that were not identified by 

previous interviews, nor during the formal sessions. Therefore, a new definition of 

tantrums was established as consisting of three or more of the following behaviors 

presented at one time: 

biting self 

biting therapist 

scratching self 

scratching therapist 

hitting self 

hitting therapist 

crying 

dropping on the floor 

pacing 

jumping up and down 

clapping in a fast, angry manner 

Discussion of Observed Behaviors: 

Prior to a tantrum, Josh sometimes exhibits pouting behavior or begins rocking back and 

forth; which is not considered a tantrum behavior. Many times a tantrum can be averted 

when the staff notices this preview behavior and assists Josh to communicate what is 

upsetting him. If tantrum behavior subsides for a period of ten minutes then that tantrum 

is considered over. 

Conclusion of Observed Behaviors: 

Staff needs to be aware of Josh’s preview behaviors and attempt to facilitate 

communication with him for identifying his wants and needs. Assisting Josh in 

identifying feelings such as mad, pain, happy, and hungry will help him in his ability to 

communicate. 


More than one consequence can occur for each target behavior, for instance Josh could be 

talked to calmly and the therapists could block aggressive attempts. Therefore the 

numbers of consequences total more than the 22 tantrums reported. 

Discussion and Conclusion of Consequences: 

It is imperative that anyone who works with Josh not take any attempts at aggression 

personally. It is very important that all tantrums are dealt with in the same manner. 

Voices should always remain calm and low, attempts to bite; scratch, kick, or hit should 

be blocked using validated methods that minimize any chance of anyone getting hurt. 

Staff uses Systematic Handling Techniques when physical intervention is required. 

79

Discussion: 

Informal Assessment Summary 

It is more important for the team to develop at least one valid intervention for each 

function of the behavior, rather than for each target behavior. Once the target behavior is 

changed through intervention, the behavioral goals of a behavior intervention plan will be 

achieved without symptom substitution as is frequently seen in interventions that are 

exclusively behavioral. The goals are merely for measuring the effectiveness of an 

intervention on a function. It is the function of the behavior, not its structure that leads to 

intervention selection. 

The behavior support plan will be <strong>based</strong> on this functional analysis, consistent with the 

fundamental principles of behavior and fit the context of Josh’s life. If only the proximal 

escape or acquisition functions of behavior are examined errors could be made in not 

identifying the function of the behavior. The ultimate goal of the functional analysis is to 

determine why the child behaves the way they do. Care needs to be taken not to replace 

Josh’s current behaviors with counter-control situations that will develop in later stages 

of development as Josh learns how to manipulate his environment using the skills taught 

to him, if only escape and acquisition are considered in the realm of behavior 

modification. 

For this reason, a multimodal functional behavior assessment will continue that identifies 

the functions of Josh’s behavior. Escape and acquisition are intermediary descriptions of 

behavior in terms of assessment or intervention. Emotional functions of his behavior 

must be considered. Why does Josh need to escape or acquire items? The interventions 

for these issues require more than collecting data. Josh’s deficits need to be addressed 

including skill and performance deficit information. 

In most cases there is more than one cause of behavioral problems. After working with 

Josh, this team has come to the conclusion that Josh has four variables feeding his 

problem behavior: 1) inability to communicate his wants and needs, 2) chronic sinus 

infections, 3) few successes in his environment, and 4) frustration with knowing more 

than he is capable of reporting. Regardless of the misbehavior that Josh presents, there 

are different causes for the same type of behavior. Using the causes of the behavior and 

the topographical information gained in the functional analysis a plan can be designed to 

shape his behavior through appropriate interventions and monitoring. 

Recommended IEP Objectives: 

80

The IEP goals and objectives will be developed during the upcoming IEP meeting <strong>based</strong> 

on the discussions contributed by all team members. The following topics will be 

included in those discussions as well as others generated by the team. 

Oral stimulation 

Feeding 

Sensory diet 

Recreational therapy 

Expressive therapy 

Sensory room 

Self-help skills 

Academic skills 

Computer skills 

Current Accomplishments: 

Josh has the same music therapist as he did at his previous school. He noted that he is 

showing improvement. He stated that he is much more attentive, focused, and verbal 

than previously. 

Teachers who worked with Josh at summer school have commented on his change in 

demeanor. They have noticed his response to demands, his calm appearance, and his 

general happiness. 

Josh has the same speech therapist as he did at his previous school. He is very happy 

with the progress that Josh is making with oral therapy, verbalizations, and attentiveness 

during therapy sessions. Josh is attempting to imitate vocalizations, sounds, and gestures. 

He can blow on his food by pursing his lips, he can cluck his tongue, and is attempting to 

use some sign language along with his PECS system. 

Josh has the same occupational therapist as he did at his previous school. He is very 

happy with the progress that Josh is making with feeding (using a piercing method with 

his fork and holding his dish with his other hand). Josh is also making much progress in 

self-help skills in toileting. 

Team Based Decisions 

The behavior intervention plan (<strong>BIP</strong>) was determined through a team-<strong>based</strong> decision 

using the data derived above. The beanbag procedure and multi-element behavior 

intervention plan follow: 

Figure 1: Bean Bag Chair Procedure 

81

When Josh begins to show signs of beginning a tantrum instruct Josh to go to his 

beanbag chair to calm down. 

Use a calm voice 

Show him the PECS picture of a mad person 

Identify that Josh is feeling mad 

Praise Josh for sitting in his bean bag to calm down when he is mad 

Keep pointing out that he is mad and that he is calming down in his bean bag 

If Josh gets up from the bean bag before he has calmed down he will be asked to 

sit back down until he is calm 

If Josh does not sit back down give him a touch cue (hand on shoulder) to remind 

him to sit down 

Keep praising Josh for calming down while sitting on his beanbag chair. 

Josh can use his beanbag chair anytime during the day or night. It is not meant to 

be a punishment, but rather a comfortable place to sit and think. 

Anytime Josh goes to the bean bag when he appears to be upset about the loss of a 

privilege, item, or food he should be praised for choosing to go there on his own 

to calm down. 

When it appears that Josh has calmed down, tell him in a calm voice that he can 

come back to the previous area when he feels like he’s ready. 

In the event that Josh still has aggressive behavior from the beanbag chair: 

Block Josh’s aggressive behavior from himself or others but keep him in the bean 

bag (blocking means using your body to keep him away from others but not 

touching him unless he is severely hurting himself- then use as light a touch as 

possible to keep him from hurting himself- never restrain him unless he is in 

imminent danger) 

Keep talking to Josh in a calm voice 

Identify to Josh that he is mad. If someone else is near, have them show Josh the 

picture of the mad person from the PECS system 

As soon as Josh’s body relaxes, tell him you are going to move away and that he 

needs to stay in his bean bag until he is calm 

Be sure to praise him for relaxing his body and for staying in his bean bag to calm 

down 

When Josh is completely calm and has come back to the previous area 

compliment him for calming down by sitting in his bean bag chair (no matter how 

long it took him to calm down) 

82

Behavior <strong>Intervention</strong> Plan: 

The intervention plan for Josh was <strong>based</strong> on a Functional Analysis and a Functional 

Assessment of his targeted behaviors. In order to reduce problem behaviors the team 

must discern the reason for the behaviors. Based on the findings of the functional 

behavior analysis the following multi-element plan has been developed. The team will 

discuss this plan and add to it at the IEP meeting. The results of the formal and informal 

analyses are discussed in a later section. 

Element One: Calming Abilities (Alternative Behavior and Crisis Management) 

It is this examiner’s opinion that Josh’s cognitive functioning is higher than his 

expressive functioning. When he becomes frustrated he is even less likely to be able to 

communicate his wants and needs. First we need to give Josh a way to calm down before 

his behavior escalates into a tantrum. 

By providing Josh with a calming exercise we are able to help him use his cognitive 

abilities to communicate his wants and needs with us. 

The team has designed a method for calming Josh during the beginning stages of a 

tantrum. Josh is prompted to sit in his beanbag chair (a safe environment). See beanbag 

directions (figure 1). By giving Josh the ability to calm down the team is able to help 

Josh with the second element of his behavior plan. 

Beginning trials for this calming activity indicate that this is localizing his behavior to the 

area of the bean bag rather than jumping and pacing, which have been observed to 

escalate his behavior. When placed in the beanbag, Josh rocks which seems to be a selfcalming 

activity. If Josh attempts to move from the beanbag he can be easily redirected 

to return. 

Element Two: Communication (Antecedent Modification and Alternative Behavior) 

While Josh has shown signs of communicating verbally, it is still not at a functional level 

nor consistent for him. While building on his current vocalizations, the team will pair an 

alternative communication system. The team has adopted the Picture Exchange 

Communication System (PECS) to use with Josh. See figure 2 for further explanation of 

the PECS system. Once Josh is calm, he will be able to use the PECS system to 

communicate his wants and needs more effectively to the staff and his family. 

Outside of the training sessions, Josh has begun to retrieve pictures that are posted on the 

wall to indicate his wants and needs to staff such as juice, restroom, and crackers. He 

also has demonstrated an understanding of needing to trade something to obtain the 

desired item. He tried to trade a washcloth for some Oreo cookies on two occasions, 

which indicates he is beginning to understand the reciprocal nature of communication. 

Josh is currently in phase two of the PECS training. 

Element Three: Labeling (Consequence) 

83

Josh exhibits many positive behaviors. In a typical classroom setting there may not be 

time or staff to observe correct behavior in order to give him feedback on a consistent 

basis. In Josh’s current setting, the team is able to consistently label those behaviors that 

Josh exhibits correctly; such as, walking down the hallway calmly, sitting up straight, 

looking at an adult who is speaking. These behavior labels will help Josh connect what is 

expected of him with the verbalized descriptors. This also gives him reinforcing attention 

in a most socially acceptable manner. 

Element Four: Visual Schedule (Antecedent Modification) 

Josh has demonstrated an understanding of the computerized visuals for PECS therefore, 

using these same visuals to represent Josh’s daily schedule will offer him increased 

predictability and decreased anxiety about what is occurring in his environment. These 

pictures will be substituted with actual photographs as he learns to understand the 

function of the visual schedule. 

Element Five: PowerPoint Relationship narrative (Antecedent Modification) 

Josh will be presented with relationship narratives using digital pictures, technology, 

sounds, and high rate repetition in order for him to learn changes in routine, skill steps, 

and social expectations with adults and peers. This program can be modified quickly 

should the need arise. 

Element Six: Palm Pilot with Visual Assistant Program (Antecedent Modification) 

Josh will use a Palm Pilot loaded with the Visual Assistant Program from AbleLink 

Technologies (Denver, Colorado) to learn tasks performed in a sequence. This unit 

enables the programmer to load actual visual and auditory prompts in a sequence for the 

user. The user can direct the pace with which they attempt the task, listen to directions 

repeatedly, and view a picture of the completed task. This will enable Josh to selfmonitor 

his progress and assist him in being independent at a given task. 

Element Seven: Home Training 

Dr. Mary Pooler is the behavior specialist providing home training. She has 

visited Josh at the <strong>BIP</strong> Center and met with Josh’s mother and the <strong>BIP</strong> team. She 

has participated in the interventions and activities designed for home use. Dr. 

Pooler will be meeting with Josh’s mother on January 8 th in the home. 

An identical beanbag chair has been provided for home use to assist with calming 

activities. First reports from Mrs. McKinley indicate that this has been useful in 

dissipating the escalation of most tantrums. 

A PECS training video, and a PECS notebook with laminated and Velcro pictures 

were given to Mrs. McKinley along with a short training and observation so that 

she can begin to use PECS at home. 

84

Josh’s mother was given a CD of Josh’s favorite music that he likes to listen to 

when he’s calming down and having music therapy. 

It was suggested at the joint meeting with <strong>BIP</strong> staff and Dr. Mary Pooler that 

Josh’s mother use the McDonald’s or Burger King play land as a sensory area for 

Josh especially during winter vacation. It is very similar to the sensory room. 

Dr. Pooler is going to assist Mrs. McKinley to set up the visual schedule for 

home. The <strong>BIP</strong> team sent home a nylon pocket chart for Mrs. McKinley to use. 

Dr. Pooler will take pictures and help Mrs. McKinley get the chart set up. 

Dr. Riffel will create PowerPoint relationship narratives for home using the 

pictures provided by Dr. Pooler’s visit. She will train Mrs. McKinley how to 

change the sequence and pictures then provide her with a PowerPoint program for 

her home computer. 

Mrs. McKinley is collecting data in the home and community environments on 

Josh’s tantrum behavior. Dr. Riffel will use this information to work with Dr. 

Pooler on the success and adaptability of home interventions. 

85

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88

Crone & Horner 2003 






Who will be Involved in the 

Behavior Support Team? 

Referral process for individual students 

Core Team Members 

•Administrator 

•Person with behavioral competence 

•Representative sample of school staff 






Members of School Staff and Community 

•Teachers 

•Parents 

•Probation Officers 

•Social Workers 

•Mental Health Workers 






90

STUDENT INFORMATION 

Name: DOB: Current Age: 

Eligibility for special education : 

Communication (check all that apply): 

Verbal____ Visuals_____ Non-verbal_____ Device_____ Sign/Gesture_____ PECS _____ Other_____ 

Current Medication(s): 

Mode of Transportation to and from School: 

Parent/Guardian Name: 

Address: 

Phone: 

Email: 

REFERRING SCHOOL SYSTEM INFORMATION 

Special Education Director: Primary Contact Person: 

(This person will be responsible for coordinating attendance at meetings) 

e-mail Address: 

email: 

phone: 

School Student Attends: 

Address: Teacher’s Name: 

School Address: 

Phone: School Phone: 

FAX: School FAX: 

91

BEHAVIOR SUPPORT TEAM (BST)- (The people who will meet to discuss the student) 

Name(s) Position(s) Phone number Email 

Parent(s): 

Student Strengths: 

Special Education 

Director or Designee 

Social Academic 

92

Student Needs: 

Behaviors team wishes to target: 

Target Behavior Definition 

93

Is a crisis plan needed? Yes No 

Describe situations when and/or where the behaviors are most and least likely to occur. 

Behaviors are Most Likely to Occur When…. Behaviors are Least Likely to Occur When… 

What strategies have been implemented to remediate the student’s behavior problems? What were 

the results of these strategies? 

Strategies Implemented: Results : 

Hypothesis of Function: 

Positive Reinforcement 

Negative Reinforcement 

94

Data collection tools to be used: 

_____ Anecdotal Notes 

Indirect Direct 

_____ Functional Analysis Screening Tool 

_____ Motivational Assessment Scale 

_____ Problem Behavior Questionnaire 

_____ other 

_____ Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence 

_____ Frequency 

_____ Duration 

_____ Scatter Plot 

_____ other 

Who will be responsible for collecting data? ____________________________________ 

Data collection to begin: ________________________ end:_______________________ 

Will data collection occur in the home? Yes No 

Who will be responsible for collecting data? ____________________________________ 

Data collection to begin: ______________________ end: _________________________ 

Who will analyze the data? _________________________________________________ 

Next team meeting to discuss results: _________________________________________ 

95

Enhancement Activity: Focus Individual 

Profile 

96

Provide a summary of the current status discussed for your focus individual. 

CURRENT STATUS 

(background, activity, relationships, preferences) 

Compass Point: Where are you headed? 

(vision, plan) 

Support Team Members 

97

Identify who will participate on the team, what functions they 

will perform and the contributions they may be able to make in 

the assessment and intervention process. Consider the 

involvement of core and extended members. 

Core (daily, direct involvement) 

Name of 

Person 

Relationship to 

Individual 

Extended (participates in aspects of support) 

Roles and Responsibilities 

Name of Person Relationship to Individual Role and Responsibilities 

GOALS 

98

Effective behavior support creates positive lifestyle changes for an individual as well as addressing the 

needs of the support providers. Identify goals for your focus individual (e.g., increasing participation in 

activities, changing behavior in desired directions) and goals for the team members (e.g., how will 

assessment and intervention benefit support providers?). Based on the needs of the individual and the 

support providers, develop goals for the team. 

Goals/Needs of the 

Individual 

Goals of the <strong>Behavioral</strong> Support Team 

Goals/Needs of the Support 

Providers 

99

Record Review Form 

Summarize historical information, data from evaluations, and intervention methods that 

may be relevant in interpreting the individual’s behavior. 

Name of Individual: ______________________________ Date: ________________ 

Name of Reviewer: _______________________________ Date: ________________ 

General History 

Medical Issues/Treatment 

Educational Programs/Related Services 

Social Histories 

<strong>Intervention</strong> History 

Other 

100

Target Behavior Definitions 

Work with team members to select target behaviors (three or less) for your focus individual. 

When selecting behaviors consider the factors of frequency, duration, intensity and latency to include in 

the definition. 

Each definition should include observable terms. 

Target Behaviors and Definitions 

101

Functional Behavior Assessment 

Functional assessment involves a process of information gathering and hypothesis development. Team 

members should now begin the process of working together to establish a plan for completing a functional 

assessment and performing preliminary information gathering. This extension activity will require 

obtaining the following information: 

During this session develop an action plan for conducting a functional assessment, identifying 

objectives and activities, time lines, and people responsible for aspects for the assessment. 

Preview the data collection tools and instruments included in Module 4. 

Each team member should conduct a brief (15 minute) informal observation of your focus individual. 

Complete a record review of your focus individuals files, an indirect and direct functional behavior 

assessment, and an environmental checklist. 

Refer to the Guidelines for Data Collection and Selecting the Right Data System to assist in the 

completion of this activity. 

NOTES 

102

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES 

(Record Review, Indirect Assessment, direct 

assessment, environmental checklist) 

Action Plan #1/Functional Assessment 

TIME LINES 

TEAM MEMBER RESPONSIBLE 

104

Data Analysis 

The behavior is most likely to occur when (describe specific times, activities, antecedents) : 

The behavior is less likely to occur when (describe specific 

times, activities, antecedents): 

* The behavior is maintained/reinforced by access to (attention: from whom? what type?, specific 

types of activities, tangible items, or sensory stimulation: what type?): 

AND/OR 

* The behavior is reinforced/maintained by escaping or 

avoiding (describe particular circumstances) : 

The behavior is related to (describe broad setting events or 

ecological variables associated with the behavior, e.g., 

medical, social, environmental, personal/historical, 

curricular) : 

105

Hypothesis Statement 

106

Teaching Replacement Behaviors and Communication Skills 

Communicative functions (e.g., requesting or protesting) may be fulfilled through a 

variety of verbal and non-verbal means including verbalizations, gestures, signs, and 

pictorial and object systems. In building functional alternatives, it is important to 

identify options that are functionally-equivalent to the problem behavior, appropriate 

given the individual’s capabilities, and more “efficient” than the current form used by 

the person to express their needs. This extension activity may require obtaining the 

following information: 

Complete the ‘Communication Alternatives Worksheet to include the variety of 

different models that your focus individual currently has for expressing their 

needs. The dictionary will include the person’s communicative behavior, what it 

appears to mean, and how people respond. 

Identify appropriate adaptive skills that would meet the same communicative 

functions as the focus individual’s problem in more positive ways. 

Complete this section on the behavior intervention plan 

NOTES 

107

Communicative Alternatives 

Problem 


Communicative 

Message of Behavior 

Communicative 

Alternative 

Strategies for Promoting Communicative 

Alternatives 

108

Antecedent & Setting Event Manipulations 

Antecedent and setting event manipulations include changing aspects of a person’s 

social and physical environment or daily routines to promote positive behavior and 

reduce the likelihood of problem behavior. Through systematic identification of 

antecedent and setting events that could be affecting your focus individual’s behavior, 

it will be possible to expand the environmental modifications included in your 

behavioral support plan. 

Brainstorm possible antecedents and setting events that are reflected on the Data 

Analysis Worksheet that could be affecting your focus individual’s behavior. Refine 

your hypotheses as appropriate. 


NOTES 

109

Extension Activity: Consequences for Replacement and Target 


Consequences determine the probability of behaviors continuing to occur. <strong>Behavioral</strong> 

support plans include strategies to reinforce positive behaviors and those that 

intervene effectively with problem behavior. 

Complete a reinforcer survey. Based on the survey and a review of the data collected, 

identify additional consequences that could be maintaining your focus individual’s 

behavior and/or could encourage positive alternatives. Refine your hypotheses as 

appropriate. 

Insure that strategies for motivation and intervention at the consequence level are 

appropriate for learning replacement behaviors and/or communication skills. 


NOTES 

110

Monitoring and Evaluating <strong>Behavioral</strong> Support <strong>Plans</strong> 

Hypothesis statements provide the foundation for the 

development of the behavioral support plan. In order 

to assess the outcomes of the interventions, a plan for 

monitoring the behavior of the focus individual will 

be necessary. This extension activity will require 

obtaining the following information: 

Within your team, develop a monitoring plan for tracking the behavior of your focus 

person so that it will be possible to assess the outcomes of the interventions 

developed and determine the need for modifications to the behavior support plan. 

Assess current crisis management strategies for addressing or diffusing emergency 

situations. If necessary, revisit these procedures prior to the next session. 

Hypothesis Statement 

NOTES 

Extension Activity: 

14 

Behavior Support Plan Elements 

111

Replacement Behaviors and Communication Skills to be 

Taught 

Antecedent/Setting Event Manipulations: 

Consequences for Replacement and Target Behaviors 

Crisis Management Plan: 

112

Extension Activity: Behavior <strong>Intervention</strong> Plan 

113

Objectives and Activities 

Teaching replacement behaviors communication skills, 

and antecedent modifications (use info from pg. 10, 12, 

13, 14) 

Action Plan #2 / Support Plan Implementation 

Materials needed 

Time 

Lines 

Team Member 

Responsible 

115

Monitoring <strong>Intervention</strong> Plan for Outcomes 

Types of 

Outcomes 

(what will the team 

measure?) 

Decreases in problem 

behavior: 

Increases in alternative 

skills: 

Other (e.g., lifestyle 

changes) 

Methods 

(How will it be 

measured?) 

Time Lines 

(When and how often 

will it be measured?) 

116

Action Plan #3 / Ongoing Monitoring and Support 

Objectives and activities 

Materials needed 

Timelines 

Team Member 


117

1. Student Profile (Record Review) 

2. Vision for Student 

3. Core and Extended Team Members 

4. Target behaviors and definitions 

PBIS Team Focus Individual Presentation Format 

5. Methods of FBA, analysis results, hypothesis statements 

6. Additional information needed, communication assessment, reinforcer 

assessment 

7. Review Behavior Plan (antecedent modifications, alternative behaviors, 

consequences) and crisis plan 

8. Methods of monitoring BST and results 

9. Broad lifestyle changes 

118

119

Duration Recording Data Sheet 

Individual: _______________________________ Observer: __________________________________ 

Behavior: ____________________________________________________________________________ 

Initiation: _______________________________ Termination: _________________________________ 

Date 

Activity 

(start) 

TIME FRAME 

(stop) 

Duration of 

Comments 

120

Event Recording Data Sheet 

Individual: _______________________________ Observer: __________________________________ 

Behavior: 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 

Date 

Activity 

TIME FRAME 

How many 

(start) (stop) occurrences 

happened 

during this 

time frame? 

Total 

Comments 

121

Mini- FBA 

Date:___________________________ Target Behavior _________________________ 

Time 

Setting What did the staff or 

students do in 

relation to the 

behavior? 

What did the 

student do as a 

result of what the 

adult or peers did in 

relation to the 

behavior? 

Notes about what 

happened 

122

Student: 

Target Behavior: 

Date 

8:00- 

8:30 

8:31- 

9:00 

9:01- 

9:30 

9:31- 

10:00 

10:01- 

10:30 

10:31- 

11:00 

11:01- 

11:30 

11:31- 

12:00 

12:01- 

12:30 

12:31- 

1:00 

1:01- 

1:30 

1:31- 

2:00 

2:01- 

2:30 

2:31- 

3:00 

<strong>Behavioral</strong> Data Sheet: Scatter Plot Assessment 

None 1-5 5 + 

123

Antecedent, Behavior, and Consequence Form 

Student: __________ ______ Circle One: Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Page _______ 

Full day Absent Partial day: In _____ Out ______ Date: _________ 

Time 

(Begin- 

End) 

Context/Activity Antecedent/ Setting 

Events 



Consequence/ 

Outcome 

KEY 

A. A. Transition A. A. A. Stopped 

B. B. Denied Access B. B. B. Continued 

C. C. Instruction/Directive C. C. C. Intensified 

D. D. New Task D. D. 

E. E. Teacher Attention to 

E. E. 

others 

F. F. Told “NO” F. F. 

G. G. Waiting G. G. 

H. H. H. H. 

I. I. I. I. 

J. J. J. J. 

K. K. K. K. 


Initials 

124

BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT FORM 

PAGE _________________ 

STUDENT:________________________________________ DATE:__________________ 

Circle One: Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri 

CONTEXT/ 

ACTIVITY 


surroundings 

(people, places, events) 

ANTECEDENT/ 

SETTING EVENTS 





exhibited. 

Verbal 

ADULT 

INTERACTION 

Pictorial 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Physical/ 

Gesture 

Full day Absent Partial day: In_____ Out_____ 

IDENTIFIED TARGET 

BEHAVIORS 

List type/s of behavior 

displayed during incident. 

CONSEQUENCE/ 

OUTCOME 


environment immediately after 

behavior was exhibited? 

 

KEY: A. KEY: A. KEY: A. KEY: A. KEY: A. 

B. B. B. B. B. 

C. C. C. C. C. 

D. D. D. D. D. 

E. E. E. E. E. 

F. F. F. F. F. 

G. G. G. G. G. 

H. H. H. H. H. 

I. I. I. I. I. 

J. J. J. J. J. 

K. K. K. K. K. 

STUDENT REACTION 


immediately following the initial 

consequence being delivered? 

125

Student Name: 

126

___________ Observer: ______________________ Date:______________________ 

7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00 3:30 

7:31 8:01 8:31 9:01 9:31 10:01 10:31 11:01 11:31 12:01 12:31 1:01 1:31 2:01 2:31 3:01 3:31 

7:32 8:02 8:32 9:02 9:32 10:02 10:32 11:02 11:32 12:02 12:32 1:02 1:32 2:02 2:32 3:02 3:32 

7:33 8:03 8:33 9:03 9:33 10:03 10:33 11:03 11:33 12:03 12:33 1:03 1:33 2:03 2:33 3:03 3:33 

7:34 8:04 8:34 9:04 9:34 10:04 10:34 11:04 11:34 12:04 12:34 1:04 1:34 2:04 2:34 3:04 3:34 

7:35 8:05 8:35 9:05 9:35 10:05 10:35 11:05 11:35 12:05 12:35 1:05 1:35 2:05 2:35 3:05 3:35 

7:36 8:06 8:36 9:06 9:36 10:06 10:36 11:06 11:36 12:06 12:36 1:06 1:36 2:06 2:36 3:06 3:36 

7:37 8:07 8:37 9:07 9:37 10:07 10:37 11:07 11:37 12:07 12:37 1:07 1:37 2:07 2:37 3:07 3:37 

7:38 8:08 8:38 9:08 9:38 10:08 10:38 11:08 11:38 12:08 12:38 1:08 1:38 2:08 2:38 3:08 3:38 

7:39 8:09 8:39 9:09 9:39 10:09 10:39 11:09 11:39 12:09 12:39 1:09 1:39 2:09 2:39 3:09 3:39 

7:40 8:10 8:40 9:10 9:40 10:10 10:40 11:10 11:40 12:10 12:40 1:10 1:40 2:10 2:40 3:10 3:40 

7:41 8:11 8:41 9:11 9:41 10:11 10:41 11:11 11:41 12:11 12:41 1:11 1:41 2:11 2:41 3:11 3:41 

7:42 8:12 8:42 9:12 9:42 10:12 10:42 11:12 11:42 12:12 12:42 1:12 1:42 2:12 2:42 3:12 3:42 

7:43 8:13 8:43 9:13 9:43 10:13 10:43 11:13 11:43 12:13 12:43 1:13 1:43 2:13 2:43 3:13 3:43 

7:44 8:14 8:44 9:14 9:44 10:14 10:44 11:14 11:44 12:14 12:44 1:14 1:44 2:14 2:44 3:14 3:44 

7:45 8:15 8:45 9:15 9:45 10:15 10:45 11:15 11:45 12:15 12:45 1:15 1:45 2:15 2:45 3:15 3:45 

7:46 8:16 8:46 9:16 9:46 10:16 10:46 11:16 11:46 12:16 12:46 1:16 1:46 2:16 2:46 3:16 3:46 

7:47 8:17 8:47 9:17 9:47 10:17 10:47 11:17 11:47 12:17 12:47 1:17 1:47 2:17 2:47 3:17 3:47 

7:48 8:18 8:48 9:18 9:48 10:18 10:48 11:18 11:48 12:18 12:48 1:18 1:48 2:18 2:48 3:18 3:48 

7:49 8:19 8:49 9:19 9:49 10:19 10:49 11:19 11:49 12:19 12:49 1:19 1:49 2:19 2:49 3:19 3:49 

7:50 8:20 8:50 9:20 9:50 10:20 10:50 11:20 11:50 12:20 12:50 1:20 1:50 2:20 2:50 3:20 3:50 

7:51 8:21 8:51 9:21 9:51 10:21 10:51 11:21 11:51 12:21 12:51 1:21 1:51 2:21 2:51 3:21 3:51 

7:52 8:22 8:52 9:22 9:52 10:22 10:52 11:22 11:52 12:22 12:52 1:22 1:52 2:22 2:52 3:22 3:52 

7:53 8:23 8:53 9:23 9:53 10:23 10:53 11:23 11:53 12:23 12:53 1:23 1:53 2:23 2:53 3:23 3:53 

7:54 8:24 8:54 9:24 9:54 10:24 10:54 11:24 11:54 12:24 12:54 1:24 1:54 2:24 2:54 3:24 3:54 

7:55 8:25 8:55 9:25 9:55 10:25 10:55 11:25 11:55 12:25 12:55 1:25 1:55 2:25 2:55 3:25 3:55 

7:56 8:26 8:56 9:26 9:56 10:26 10:56 11:26 11:56 12:26 12:56 1:26 1:56 2:26 2:56 3:26 3:56 

7:57 8:27 8:57 9:27 9:57 10:27 10:57 11:27 11:57 12:27 12:57 1:27 1:57 2:27 2:57 3:27 3:57 

7:58 8:28 8:58 9:28 9:58 10:28 10:58 11:28 11:58 12:28 12:58 1:28 1:58 2:28 2:58 3:28 3:58 

7:59 8:29 8:59 9:29 9:59 10:29 10:59 11:29 11:59 12:29 12:59 1:29 1:59 2:29 2:59 3:29 3:59 

Target Behavior: ( ):___________________ ( ):____________________________ ( ): _______________________________ 

127

Duration Data AM TO PM 

Student Name: ___________ Observer: ______________________ Date:______________________ 

8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00 3:30 

8:01 8:31 9:01 9:31 10:01 10:31 11:01 11:31 12:01 12:31 1:01 1:31 2:01 2:31 3:01 3:31 

8:02 8:32 9:02 9:32 10:02 10:32 11:02 11:32 12:02 12:32 1:02 1:32 2:02 2:32 3:02 3:32 

8:03 8:33 9:03 9:33 10:03 10:33 11:03 11:33 12:03 12:33 1:03 1:33 2:03 2:33 3:03 3:33 

8:04 8:34 9:04 9:34 10:04 10:34 11:04 11:34 12:04 12:34 1:04 1:34 2:04 2:34 3:04 3:34 

8:05 8:35 9:05 9:35 10:05 10:35 11:05 11:35 12:05 12:35 1:05 1:35 2:05 2:35 3:05 3:35 

8:06 8:36 9:06 9:36 10:06 10:36 11:06 11:36 12:06 12:36 1:06 1:36 2:06 2:36 3:06 3:36 

8:07 8:37 9:07 9:37 10:07 10:37 11:07 11:37 12:07 12:37 1:07 1:37 2:07 2:37 3:07 3:37 

8:08 8:38 9:08 9:38 10:08 10:38 11:08 11:38 12:08 12:38 1:08 1:38 2:08 2:38 3:08 3:38 

8:09 8:39 9:09 9:39 10:09 10:39 11:09 11:39 12:09 12:39 1:09 1:39 2:09 2:39 3:09 3:39 

8:10 8:40 9:10 9:40 10:10 10:40 11:10 11:40 12:10 12:40 1:10 1:40 2:10 2:40 3:10 3:40 

8:11 8:41 9:11 9:41 10:11 10:41 11:11 11:41 12:11 12:41 1:11 1:41 2:11 2:41 3:11 3:41 

8:12 8:42 9:12 9:42 10:12 10:42 11:12 11:42 12:12 12:42 1:12 1:42 2:12 2:42 3:12 3:42 

8:13 8:43 9:13 9:43 10:13 10:43 11:13 11:43 12:13 12:43 1:13 1:43 2:13 2:43 3:13 3:43 

8:14 8:44 9:14 9:44 10:14 10:44 11:14 11:44 12:14 12:44 1:14 1:44 2:14 2:44 3:14 3:44 

8:15 8:45 9:15 9:45 10:15 10:45 11:15 11:45 12:15 12:45 1:15 1:45 2:15 2:45 3:15 3:45 

8:16 8:46 9:16 9:46 10:16 10:46 11:16 11:46 12:16 12:46 1:16 1:46 2:16 2:46 3:16 3:46 

8:17 8:47 9:17 9:47 10:17 10:47 11:17 11:47 12:17 12:47 1:17 1:47 2:17 2:47 3:17 3:47 

8:18 8:48 9:18 9:48 10:18 10:48 11:18 11:48 12:18 12:48 1:18 1:48 2:18 2:48 3:18 3:48 

8:19 8:49 9:19 9:49 10:19 10:49 11:19 11:49 12:19 12:49 1:19 1:49 2:19 2:49 3:19 3:49 

8:20 8:50 9:20 9:50 10:20 10:50 11:20 11:50 12:20 12:50 1:20 1:50 2:20 2:50 3:20 3:50 

8:21 8:51 9:21 9:51 10:21 10:51 11:21 11:51 12:21 12:51 1:21 1:51 2:21 2:51 3:21 3:51 

8:22 8:52 9:22 9:52 10:22 10:52 11:22 11:52 12:22 12:52 1:22 1:52 2:22 2:52 3:22 3:52 

8:23 8:53 9:23 9:53 10:23 10:53 11:23 11:53 12:23 12:53 1:23 1:53 2:23 2:53 3:23 3:53 

8:24 8:54 9:24 9:54 10:24 10:54 11:24 11:54 12:24 12:54 1:24 1:54 2:24 2:54 3:24 3:54 

8:25 8:55 9:25 9:55 10:25 10:55 11:25 11:55 12:25 12:55 1:25 1:55 2:25 2:55 3:25 3:55 

8:26 8:56 9:26 9:56 10:26 10:56 11:26 11:56 12:26 12:56 1:26 1:56 2:26 2:56 3:26 3:56 

8:27 8:57 9:27 9:57 10:27 10:57 11:27 11:57 12:27 12:57 1:27 1:57 2:27 2:57 3:27 3:57 

8:28 8:58 9:28 9:58 10:28 10:58 11:28 11:58 12:28 12:58 1:28 1:58 2:28 2:58 3:28 3:58 

8:29 8:59 9:29 9:59 10:29 10:59 11:29 11:59 12:29 12:59 1:29 1:59 2:29 2:59 3:29 3:59 

Duration Data PM to AM 


128

Student Name: ___________ Observer: ______________________ Date:______________________ 

8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00 3:30 4:00 4:30 5:00 5:30 6:00 6:30 7:00 7:30 

8:01 8:31 9:01 9:31 10:01 10:31 11:01 11:31 12:01 12:31 1:01 1:31 2:01 2:31 3:01 3:31 4:01 4:31 5:01 5:31 6:01 6:31 7:01 7:31 

8:02 8:32 9:02 9:32 10:02 10:32 11:02 11:32 12:02 12:32 1:02 1:32 2:02 2:32 3:02 3:32 4:02 4:32 5:02 5:32 6:02 6:32 7:02 7:32 

8:03 8:33 9:03 9:33 10:03 10:33 11:03 11:33 12:03 12:33 1:03 1:33 2:03 2:33 3:03 3:33 4:03 4:33 5:03 5:33 6:03 6:33 7:03 7:33 

8:04 8:34 9:04 9:34 10:04 10:34 11:04 11:34 12:04 12:34 1:04 1:34 2:04 2:34 3:04 3:34 4:04 4:34 5:04 5:34 6:04 6:34 7:04 7:34 

8:05 8:35 9:05 9:35 10:05 10:35 11:05 11:35 12:05 12:35 1:05 1:35 2:05 2:35 3:05 3:35 4:05 4:35 5:05 5:35 6:05 6:35 7:05 7:35 

8:06 8:36 9:06 9:36 10:06 10:36 11:06 11:36 12:06 12:36 1:06 1:36 2:06 2:36 3:06 3:36 4:06 4:36 5:06 5:36 6:06 6:36 7:06 7:36 

8:07 8:37 9:07 9:37 10:07 10:37 11:07 11:37 12:07 12:37 1:07 1:37 2:07 2:37 3:07 3:37 4:07 4:37 5:07 5:37 6:07 6:37 7:07 7:37 

8:08 8:38 9:08 9:38 10:08 10:38 11:08 11:38 12:08 12:38 1:08 1:38 2:08 2:38 3:08 3:38 4:08 4:38 5:08 5:38 6:08 6:38 7:08 7:38 

8:09 8:39 9:09 9:39 10:09 10:39 11:09 11:39 12:09 12:39 1:09 1:39 2:09 2:39 3:09 3:39 4:09 4:39 5:09 5:39 6:09 6:39 7:09 7:39 

8:10 8:40 9:10 9:40 10:10 10:40 11:10 11:40 12:10 12:40 1:10 1:40 2:10 2:40 3:10 3:40 4:10 4:40 5:10 5:40 6:10 6:40 7:10 7:40 

8:11 8:41 9:11 9:41 10:11 10:41 11:11 11:41 12:11 12:41 1:11 1:41 2:11 2:41 3:11 3:41 4:11 4:41 5:11 5:41 6:11 6:41 7:11 7:41 

8:12 8:42 9:12 9:42 10:12 10:42 11:12 11:42 12:12 12:42 1:12 1:42 2:12 2:42 3:12 3:42 4:12 4:42 5:12 5:42 6:12 6:42 7:12 7:42 

8:13 8:43 9:13 9:43 10:13 10:43 11:13 11:43 12:13 12:43 1:13 1:43 2:13 2:43 3:13 3:43 4:13 4:43 5:13 5:43 6:13 6:43 7:13 7:43 

8:14 8:44 9:14 9:44 10:14 10:44 11:14 11:44 12:14 12:44 1:14 1:44 2:14 2:44 3:14 3:44 4:14 4:44 5:14 5:44 6:14 6:44 7:14 7:44 

8:15 8:45 9:15 9:45 10:15 10:45 11:15 11:45 12:15 12:45 1:15 1:45 2:15 2:45 3:15 3:45 4:15 4:45 5:15 5:45 6:15 6:45 7:15 7:45 

8:16 8:46 9:16 9:46 10:16 10:46 11:16 11:46 12:16 12:46 1:16 1:46 2:16 2:46 3:16 3:46 4:16 4:46 5:16 5:46 6:16 6:46 7:16 7:46 

8:17 8:47 9:17 9:47 10:17 10:47 11:17 11:47 12:17 12:47 1:17 1:47 2:17 2:47 3:17 3:47 4:17 4:47 5:17 5:47 6:17 6:47 7:17 7:47 

8:18 8:48 9:18 9:48 10:18 10:48 11:18 11:48 12:18 12:48 1:18 1:48 2:18 2:48 3:18 3:48 4:18 4:48 5:18 5:48 6:18 6:48 7:18 7:48 

8:19 8:49 9:19 9:49 10:19 10:49 11:19 11:49 12:19 12:49 1:19 1:49 2:19 2:49 3:19 3:49 4:19 4:49 5:19 5:49 6:19 6:49 7:19 7:49 

8:20 8:50 9:20 9:50 10:20 10:50 11:20 11:50 12:20 12:50 1:20 1:50 2:20 2:50 3:20 3:50 4:20 4:50 5:20 5:50 6:20 6:50 7:20 7:50 

8:21 8:51 9:21 9:51 10:21 10:51 11:21 11:51 12:21 12:51 1:21 1:51 2:21 2:51 3:21 3:51 4:21 4:51 5:21 5:51 6:21 6:51 7:21 7:51 

8:22 8:52 9:22 9:52 10:22 10:52 11:22 11:52 12:22 12:52 1:22 1:52 2:22 2:52 3:22 3:52 4:22 4:52 5:22 5:52 6:22 6:52 7:22 7:52 

8:23 8:53 9:23 9:53 10:23 10:53 11:23 11:53 12:23 12:53 1:23 1:53 2:23 2:53 3:23 3:53 4:23 4:53 5:23 5:53 6:23 6:53 7:23 7:53 

8:24 8:54 9:24 9:54 10:24 10:54 11:24 11:54 12:24 12:54 1:24 1:54 2:24 2:54 3:24 3:54 4:24 4:54 5:24 5:54 6:24 6:54 7:24 7:54 

8:25 8:55 9:25 9:55 10:25 10:55 11:25 11:55 12:25 12:55 1:25 1:55 2:25 2:55 3:25 3:55 4:25 4:55 5:25 5:55 6:25 6:55 7:25 7:55 

8:26 8:56 9:26 9:56 10:26 10:56 11:26 11:56 12:26 12:56 1:26 1:56 2:26 2:56 3:26 3:56 4:26 4:56 5:26 5:56 6:26 6:56 7:26 7:56 

8:27 8:57 9:27 9:57 10:27 10:57 11:27 11:57 12:27 12:57 1:27 1:57 2:27 2:57 3:27 3:57 4:27 4:57 5:27 5:57 6:27 6:57 7:27 7:57 

8:28 8:58 9:28 9:58 10:28 10:58 11:28 11:58 12:28 12:58 1:28 1:58 2:28 2:58 3:28 3:58 4:28 4:58 5:28 5:58 6:28 6:58 7:28 7:58 

8:29 8:59 9:29 9:59 10:29 10:59 11:29 11:59 12:29 12:59 1:29 1:59 2:29 2:59 3:29 3:59 4:29 4:59 5:29 5:59 6:29 6:59 7:29 7:59 


129

Student: _______ 

DATE OBS. 

20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 100 

19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 95 

18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 90 

17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 85 

16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 80 

15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 75 

14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 70 

13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 65 

12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 60 

11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 55 

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 50 

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 45 

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 40 

7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 35 

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 30 

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 25 

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 20 

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 15 

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 10 

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 

SESSION 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 % 

Target 

Behavior/Skill 

Criterion 

Materials 

130

133

Student Info Target Behaviors Data Collection Tool to 

Use 

A Preschool student 

Hitting others 

What would you use? 

1/20 in class 

approximately 10 times We need a correlation 

 

 

 

autistic like behaviors (No 

diagnosis) 

supportive parents 

supportive teacher- but limited 

skills in data collection 

per day 

between the hitting and 

what was going on in the 

environment; however, 

this teacher is all alone 

and has 20 students. 

How can we get what we 

need from her without 

causing too much stress? 

B Elementary aged student 

Self-contained EBD classroom 

2/10 in class 

non-supportive parents 

teacher is ready to quit 

C Middle school aged student 

Inclusive setting 

7 classes (6 different teachers) 

ADHD- non-medicated 

Semi-supportive parents 

Teacher is focusing on wanting 

medication for the child 

Child reads at least two grade 

levels below peers. 

Cussing frequently 

o About 10 cuss 

words per day. 

Non-compliance issues 

Tantrums (turns desks 

upside down and 

throws things in room) 

about once a week. 

o About one 

tantrum per 

week. 

Frequently out of seat- 

seems to hover over 

chair 

Impulsive behaviors 

like: 

o Walking out of 

class with no 

warning 

o Wadding up 

work once it’s 

completed 

o Talking out 

without raising 

hand 

o At least 20 

impulsive acts 

per day. 

How can we measure 

non-compliance? 

What do we need to 

know about the cussing? 


know about the tantrums? 

What data do we need to 

know before we put some 

interventions in place? 

What can we tell the 

teacher to help her collect 

data and quit focusing on 

medication issues? 


know about the impulsive 

behaviors? 

134

Student Info Target Behaviors Data Collection Tool 

to Use 

D High School student (18 years Self-injurious behavior What information do 

old) 

o Head banging we need to know? 

Autism/Intellectual Disability 

o Put head through 

 

 

 

 

Self-contained classroom 

2/10 ratio in class 

Parents are supportive but 

worried about future 

Teacher is putting in time till 

retirement 

glass window once 

this year 

o Biting own arm 

o Approximately 10 or 

less SIBs per day. 

What can we do to get 

teacher to collect the 

data for us? What tool 

should we use? 

E Middle School student 

Oppositional Defiant Disorder 

Inclusive Setting 

7 classes- 7 teachers 

Parents are not supportive 

Teachers want the child sent to 

the psycho-educational center 

Non-compliance issues 

Physical aggression 

o Toward peers 

o Approximately 5 

physical aggressive 

acts per day. 

What should we rule 

out? 

What information do 

we need to know? 

How can we help this 

student by collecting 

data? 

What can we do to 

help the school 

understand that this 

child is staying “put”? 

135


to Use 

F Middle school student 

Disruptions 

What data tool can we 

Intellectually disabled 

o All day long use to document the 

Inclusive teachers – 4 teachers /7 

classes 

o At least 30 disruptions 

per hour. 

disruptions? 

Supportive parents 

Teachers are supportive and 

willing to do whatever it takes 

G Elementary school student 

No label for disabilities 

Served in Regular Education 

Classroom setting 1/22 ratio 

Semi-supportive parents 

Teacher is supportive- but 

patience is wearing thin. 

Doesn’t complete work 

o Does about half of 

assignment 

Whines and complains 

frequently 

Throws rocks at other kids on 

the playground at least once a 

day 

Tells other kids they are 

“stupid” 

What else do we need 

to know? 

What information 

would be good to 

know? 

This child isn’t in 

special education- do 

we still need to collect 

data? 

How can we get the 

teacher to help us 

gather the information 

we need? 

How could mom and 

dad help us at home? 

136


to Use 

H Pre-school student with Down non-compliance 

What needs to be dealt 

Syndrome 

sticking out tongue when with first? 

Self-contained classroom for upset 

 

Moderate Intellectual Disabilities 

3/10 ratio (one is a one on one 

for a medically fragile student) 

fleeing behavior 

o without regard to 

safety 

Do we need to collect 

data on that? 

supportive parents 

aggressive behaviors 

supportive teacher 

 

 

hugging people 

inappropriate touching 

What other two 

behaviors do we need 

to collect data on? 

I preschool student 

inclusive setting (2/20 ratio) 

visually impaired 100% nonvisual 

(no services being offered 

at this time) 

the school identifies the parents 

as “pushy” parents- want the best 

for their child 

o adamant that this child 

will be taught in the 

regular education setting 

in his or her home school 

the school thinks the child should 

go to the state school for the 

Blind and does not want the 

child at the school 

Principal said, “Do what it takes 

to get this kid out of here.” 

Plopping on the floor and 

refusing to move 

Cries frequently 

What data collection 

tool should we use? 

What is the first thing 

we need to ask this 

team? 

What data needs to be 

collected? 

What else needs to be 

done immediately? 

137

Proactive Planning Sheet for Students 

This is all purely imaginary (however, these behavior examples all come from real children that we have 

worked with in t he past). Read the behavior of the student were assigned. (It’s limited information; 

however, I know you all have a good imagination.) As a group decide an antecedent, a behavior to target, 

and a consequence to determine the function of a child’s behavior. Then devise a plan that you will use to 

change this behavior. Be ready to share your decisions in 45 minutes with the whole group. 

Our student was Student __________________ 

What do you think this child’s strengths are? 

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________ 

What do you think this child’s needs are? 

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________ 

What data collection tool(s) would you use? ____________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________Why?________ 

___________________________________________________________ 

What’s your plan of action? 

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________ 

What antecedent appeared to be the highest frequency for the 

behaviors?____________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________ 

What behavior did you choose to target? (Some examples had more than one behavior) 

What, <strong>based</strong> on the supposed adult/peer actions in the room did you determine the function of the 

behavior to be? _____________________________________________ 

138

Now Plan a Course of Action using the Competing Pathway Chart: 

antecedent behavior consequence 

What antecedent or setting 

event changes can you put in 

place? 

What new behavior 

could you teach? 

What changes in adult 

behavior can you 

suggest? 

139

140

Frequency Data Collection: 

You are going to watch a video of a young man we’ll call “M”. He is the one with dark hair. He has the 

“bowl” haircut. 

Behaviors we will count: 

Behaviors Number of times you see it during observation 

Hitting with object 

Hitting with fist 

Poking 

How many did you get for each behavior? 

141

142

<strong>Behavioral</strong> <strong>Intervention</strong> Program 

Communication Checklist 

Student: ________________________ 

Date: __________________________ 

Code: + = Uses consistently (> 80%) 

/ = Uses sometimes (50-79%) 

Blank indicates not at all 

Forms of Language /Communication 

Speech a. One word 

b. Two-three words 

c. Complex utterance 

Sign d. One word 

e. Two-three words 

f. Complex utterance 

Combined g. One word 

h. Two-three words 

i. Complex utterance 

Echolalia j. Immediate :exact 

k. Immediate: part of 

l. Delayed 

Non verbal m. Picture 

n. Gesture/point 

o. Manipulation of other 

p. Vocalizations 

q. Initiates 

r. Cries 

s. Self-stim 

t. Ritualistic behaviors 

u. Hyperactivity 

v. Gaze 

w. Proximity: closer 

x. Proximity: away 

y. Facial expression 

z. Head nod 

aa. Eye blink 

bb. Bodily contact 

dd. Action (grab, reach) 

ee. Self-injurious (SIB) 

ff. Aggressive 

gg Disruptive 

1. Likes 

2. Dislikes 

Feelings Requesting 

3.Happy 

4.Hungry 

5.Pain 

6.Afraid 

7 Attention 

8. more (food) 

9. continue (with activity) 

10. stop 

11. play 

143 

12. To be tickled

hh. Tantrum 

ii. Other: 



Student: ________________________ 

Date: __________________________ 
















l. Delayed 





q. Initiates 

r. Cries 

s. Self-stim 



v. Gaze 




z. Head nod 

aa. Eye blink 





13. Help 

14. Eat/Drink 

Requesting (con’t) 

15. To do something 

16. Go to bathroom 

17. Gain attention/praise 

18. Choose object 

19.Choose reinforcers 

20. Choose activity 

21. clarity 

22. information 

23. A break 

144 

24. To be left alone

gg Disruptive 

hh. Tantrum 

ii. Other: 



Student: ________________________ 

Date: __________________________ 
















l. Delayed 





q. Initiates 

r. Cries 

s. Self-stim 



v. Gaze 




z. Head nod 

aa. Eye blink 





25. Activity 

26. Object/food 

Protesting Respond/Acknowledge 

27. Restricted access 

28. Removal of object 

29. Change 

30. Transition 

31. Directions 

32. WH questions 

33. Yes/No questions 

34. Greeting others 

35. Others greeting 

145 

36.. Take turns

gg Disruptive 

hh. Tantrum 

ii. Other: 



Student: ________________________ 

Date: __________________________ 
















l. Delayed 





q. Initiates 

r. Cries 

s. Self-stim 



v. Gaze 




z. Head nod 

aa. Eye blink 




37. On self 

38. About others 

Commenting 

39. About objects/activities 

40. Present happenings 

41. Past/Future 

146


gg. Disruptive 

hh. Tantrum 

ii. Other: 

1. What is the student's vocabulary (compared to age)? Small _____ Medium _____ Large_____ 

2. Does the student follow step directions? Typically, how many? ______ 

3. Does the student show evidence of listening when others speak? Yes _____ No _____ 

4. Does the student show evidence of understanding directions when spoken language is paired with 

another means of communication? If yes, what means? ________ 

147

Environmental Inventory 

PHYSICAL SETTING YES NO 

Is the physical setting clean, well lighted and odor free? 

Is temperature regulation in the setting adequate? 

Is the physical setting visually pleasant and appealing? 

Does the room/desk arrangement promote student engagement? 

Is the student seated in the best position for his/her learning? 

Is the class size appropriate for the student? 

Is the classroom noise level acceptable? 

Is there adequate space for student movement and storage of materials? 

Does the setting promote instructional grouping? 

Are the instructional groups an appropriate size? 

Is the student in a class with peers that he/she likes? 

Do the peers communicate acceptance of the student? 

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES 

Are assigned tasks matched to the student's skill level? 

Are classroom expectations modified to meet the student's needs? 

Are the learning objectives appropriate for the student? 

Does the student have a clear understanding of the instructional task? 

Are the assignments relevant/interesting to the student? 

Does the type of activity match the student's preferences? 

Does the student feel successful in the tasks? 

Is the right amount of time allowed for completion of the activity? 

Can the student get assistance as needed? 

Does the student efficiently use classroom space, materials and 

equipment? 

DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTION 

Are sufficient demonstration/explanations given for the student? 

Are the task directions explicit? 

Is the student's understanding of the lesson content checked? 

Is the student's attention directed to salient ideas and relevant attributes? 

Is the length of lesson presentation appropriate? 

148

Check the instructional tasks and materials that result in the highest levels of student 

engagement: 

_____ Cooperative learning 

_____ Highly structured Independent 

_____ Seatwork Creative paper-pencil 

_____ Reading 

_____ Verbal discussion 

_____ Worksheets requiring recall (e.g., fill in the blank) 

_____ Worksheets requiring recognition (e.g., multiple choice, true/false) 

_____ Tasks reinforcing one skill 

_____ Tasks reinforcing multiple skills 

_____ Simple cognitive demands (e.g., locating facts, matching) 

_____ Complex cognitive demands (e.g., drawing conclusions) 

_____ Peer-assisted 

_____ Workbooks 

_____ Manipulatives 

_____ Computer-assisted instruction 

_____ Project work 

Comments: 

Adapted from Ysseldyke, J. & Christenson, S. (1993-1994). TIES II: The instructional 

environment system-II. Longmont, CO: Sopris West. 

149


Preferred Reinforcer Checklist 

Directions: Mark an "x" next to each reinforcer, specifying in which environment the reinforcer is 

observed to be preferred. Note: examples are given but the form can be expanded to individualize for the 

student. 

Activities 

Vending Machine 

Radio 

Computer 

Video 

Listening to music 

Movies 

Community 

Social 

Hugs 

Visit with others 

Working with peer 

Choice of seating 

Game with peer 

Classroom Community Home 

150

Sensory 

Massager 

Toy 

Self-stim 

Water play 

Swimming 

Swinging 

Edibles 

Ice Cream 

Doughnuts 

Edibles 

Chips 

Cookies 

Pizza 

Drinks 

Water 

Soda 

Juice 

Kool-aide 

Classroom Community Home 

151

Stimulus Choice Assessment 

SCA Instructions 

The SCA is a predictive, direct assessment which identifies preferred reinforcers for 

students who may be nonverbal, have had limited exposure to a variety of stimulus items, and/or 

who have been traditionally difficult to reinforce. The SCA is directly administered to the student 

by offering him/her random pairs of items (e.g. food, toy, activity, etc) and recording the 

student’s choice. The preferred reinforcers identified by the SCA can be instrumental in the 

development of a successful behavior support plan for students with severe problem behaviors. 

Both teachers and parents in both the students' school and community setting should 

gather a list of possible items to be included in the SCA from observation. These items should 

represent the following areas: visual, auditory, gustatory, olfactory, tactile, vestibular, social, and 

thermal. From the complied list, each item will be presented and paired with every other item on 

the list. For example, if there are 16 items to be tested there will be a total of 120 pairs 

presented to the student. Depending on the student and the number of items selected, the SCA 

should be planned over a period of time. The SCA should be periodically re-administered with a 

few new items to substitute for 

“worn out” reinforcers. 

Administration Instructions: 

1) Choose a distraction free space in which to conduct the assessment. For students who 

do not easily stay seated in a chair, conduct the assessment in an area where the student 

is comfortable, either in a bean bag or on the floor. Plan at least two 15-30 minute 

periods daily for the SCA. If you will be using food as an item, schedule sessions when 

the student is likely to be hungry and /or thirsty. Prepare SCA data sheet by listing the 

items in the lettered spaces. 

2) Prepare for the assessment by randomly choosing from 6-10 item pairs and gather the 

materials necessary. During the assessment, store choice items away from the student, 

but easily have them accessible to the examiner. 

3) To begin the assessment, the examiner takes the first item pair and allows the student to 

explore/taste each item individually for a few seconds (in order to assure he knows what 

the items are that will be presented). After the exploration, the examiner regains control 

of the items and presents both to the student saying, “What do you want?” The examiner 

will need to hold the items if the student is on the floor. If the student is seated at a table, 

the items can be placed on the table. 

4) Some students will be able to make choices, others may not. In this case, several 

assessment sessions will pass until the student “catches on” to choice making. If, after 

many sessions, the student is unable to make a choice between two items, you may need 

to temporarily stop collecting data on the assessment and teach choice making to the 

student. In either case, it is important that the student chooses an item of his/her own 

volition. 

152

5) When presenting item pairs, allow a reasonable amount of time for the student to make a 

selection. The time allowed needs to be predetermined <strong>based</strong> on the examiner's 

knowledge of the student. For example, if the student does not make the selection or 

choice within 10 seconds, move to the next pair. 

6) When the student selects an item, record that selection on the SCA Data Sheet. On the 

data sheet, a letter designates each item. For example, the items pair presented to the 

student are “juice” (K) and “fan” (N). The student chooses "juice" so the examiner 

records a “K” in the blank cell on the data sheet where the row (horizontal) and the 

column (vertical) for “K” and “N” meet. (See example) 

7) When all of the items have been presented and the student's choices have been 

recorded, total the number of times each item was chosen and record the total number on 

the bottom of the data sheet that corresponds to the letter. (see example) 

8) Items or preferred reinforcers can then be ranked from high to low (most number of times 

chosen to the least number of times chosen). Items selected should be compared to 

each other to determine each student's preferred choices. 

153

STUDENT: 

DATE: 

RATER: 

STIMULUS 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

G 

H 

I 

J 

K 

L 

M 

N 

O 

P 

TOTALS 

A 

B 

C 

STIMULUS CHOICE ASSESSMENT 

SCA DATA SHEET 

D 

E 

F 

G 

H 

I 

J 

K 

L 

M 

N 

O 

P 

154

STIMULUS 

A LIGHT 

B MIRROR 

C MUSIC 

D BEEP 

E SWIVEL 

F ROCK 

G HEAT 

H COOL 

I COFFEE 

J FLOWER 

K JUICE 

L CRACKER 

M MASSAGER 

N FAN 

O CLAP 

P HUG 

TOTALS 

A 

A 

C 

A 

E 

B 

C 

STIMULUS CHOICE ASSESSMENT 

SCA DATA SHEET 

ENTERING STUDENT CHOICES 

D 

E 

A B E G 

A 

I H 

J G J J 

F 

G 

H 

I 

K K 

L L C L 

M M K L 

N N C N K L 

O O M 

P P K L P P 

J 

K 

L 

M 

N 

O 

P 

155

EXAMPLE 

SCA Results 

Ranking Order of Preference 

Rank Stimulus Item 

(maximum = 15) 

1 

Music (15) 

2 Cracker (14) 

3 Juice (13) 

4 Hug (12) 

5 Swivel (11) 

6 Massager (10) 

7 Clap (9) 

8 Fan (8) 

9 Mirror (6) 

10 Light (5) 

11 Flower (5) 

12 Cool (4) 

13 Coffee (4) 

14 Heat (3) 

15 Rock (1) 

16 Beep (0) 

156

The following three examples of functional behavior assessments are purposely missing some key 

information. The reason for this is for you to see how hard it is to determine a proactive plan when you 

are missing key elements. This is not done to frustrate you …okay, it is done to frustrate you only 

because frustration is an excellent teacher. 

Figure out what elements are missing from the one you were assigned and pretend you have that 

information. Tell the group what that information is and then as a group decide what you want those 

157

answers to be so you can plan a proactive intervention for this child. You will be able to determine the 

function of the behavior from the data so go from that as well. 

How can you involve EVERYONE (this is a hint about what’s missing) in this person’s proactive plan? 

158

Student: Samuel Pennington 

School/County: Fiddlesticks Middle School 

Date of Meeting: 9/23/05 

Date of Birth: 8/24/92 

Functional Behavior Assessment Sample #1 for 

Samuel Pennington 

Confidential Report for Sample County School District 

Behavior Support Team: 

Ima Georgia Sample, SpEd Teacher 

Ben Singleton, Special Education Consultant 

Mary Contrary, Regular Education Teacher 

Fern Green, Para-professional 

Angela Pennington, Parent 

General History: 

Background Information: Samuel is a twelve-year-old male who has an eligibility of Autism Spectrum 

Disorder. 

. 

Previous Testing: The BST has not received a copy of Samuel’s psychological report; therefore, we 

cannot report on previous testing. 

Medication: Samuel is currently taking no medications. 

School Setting: 

A review of the school setting finds the following: 

Physical Setting: 

Is clean, comfortable, well lighted and odor free. 

Is visually pleasant and appealing. 

The room arrangement promotes student engagement. 

The classroom noise level is acceptable. 

There is adequate space for student movement and storage of materials. 

Instructional Objectives: 

Assigned activities/tasks are matched to the student’s skill level. 

The assigned activities/tasks are functional. 

The classroom activities/tasks are adapted to meet individual student needs. 

Samuel feels successful in the activities. 

There is an appropriate length of time given for completion of activities. 

The student can get help if needed. 

159

Samuel can efficiently use classroom space, materials, and equipment. 

Delivery of Instruction: 

The directions are explained clearly and demonstrated as appropriate. 

The student’s understanding of the directions is checked. 

The length/amount of the activity is appropriate. 

Samuel is given feedback. 

He has a way to make choices. 

The student has a way to tell you he is finished. 

The visual setting of the room is conducive to learning. 

A routine of delivery and process is used. 

Communication: 

Samuel can seek and gain adult attention. 

Preferred Reinforcers: 

Disney characters 

Books 

Coloring 

Videos (Barney) 

Spiderman 

Computers 

Music 

Description of Inappropriate Behavior: 

Samuel has some behaviors that are impeding his learning and that of others. Currently, he is exhibiting 

the following behaviors: hitting, non-compliance, and sleeping in class. 

Analysis for Function of Behavior 

Ten days of data were collected by those who work with Samuel. They used an antecedent, behavior, 

consequence data collection form provided by the BST. The target behaviors are as follows: hitting, noncompliance, 

and sleeping in class. 

Data collection occurred from August 30, 2005 through September 13, 2005. Data were collected by 

those who work with Samuel. 

Tables of Samuel’s Sessions: 

The following tables depict the results of the data collected: 

160

Data for Time of Day: 

Time of Day Number of Incidents % of occurrence 

7:31-8:00 

8:01-8:30 20/107 19% 

8:31-9:00 19/107 18% 

9:01-9:30 4/107 4% 

9:31-10:00 2/107 2% 

10:01-10:30 4/107 4% 

10:31-11:00 5/107 5% 

11:01-11:30 7/107 7% 

11:31-12:00 2/107 2% 

12:01-12:30 4/107 4% 

12:31-1:00 5/107 5% 

1:01-1:30 6/107 6% 

1:31-2:00 2/107 2% 

2:01-2:30 9/107 8% 

2:31-3:00 15/107 14% 

3:01-3:30 3/107 3% 

3:31-4:00 

Days of the Week: 

In considering environmental variables, the days of the week are evaluated to discern if a pattern can be 

determined. A study of available data revealed the information found below. 

Day of Week # of occurrences Average 

Occurrences 

Monday 3/1 3 

Tuesday 23/3 7.7 

Wednesday 37/2 18.5 

Thursday 29/2 14.5 

Friday 15/2 7.5 

. 

161

Antecedents: 

When analyzing data, it is important to look at factors that may or may not contribute to the behavior’s 

occurrence. Looking at antecedents helps the behavior support team determine the possible function of 

the behavior. 

Antecedent Code Number of 

occurrences 

Transition A 6 

Denied Access B 6 

Instruction/Directive C 43 

New Task D 12 

Teacher attention to E 3 

others 

Told “no” F 2 

Waiting G 1 

Redirection H 

Attempt to I 

communicate 

Verbal prompt J 6 

AC 1 

BC 2 

BI 1 

BC 1 

BJ 1 

CH 1 

CD 8 

CJ 9 

CI 3 

DJ 1 

Percentage of 

occurrences 

Antecedent and Behavior Relationships: 

In looking at antecedents, it is possible to pair the antecedent with a particular behavior and see if there is 

a relationship to how Samuel relates to each antecedent with his behaviors. The following data were 

collected: 

Antecedent Behaviors Totals 

A B C AB BC ABC 

Hitting Noncompliance 

Sleeping 

Transition A 4 1 1 6 

Denied Access B 1 2 3 6 

Instruction/Directive C 9 14 3 14 2 43 

New Task D 6 5 12 

Teacher Attention to 

others 

E 2 1 3 

Told “no” F 1 1 2 

162

Waiting G 1 1 

Redirection H 

Attempt to 

communicate 

I 

Verbal Prompt J 2 4 6 

AC 1 1 

BC 3 3 

BI 1 1 

CH 1 1 

CD 1 1 6 8 

CJ 1 4 3 1 9 

BJ 1 1 

CI 1 2 3 

DJ 1 1 

TOTALS: 16 28 5 39 16 3 107 

shows where Samuel was when target behaviors occurred during the data collection period. 

Context/Activity Code # of occurrences % of occurrences 

Classroom-table A 11/107 10% 

Classroom-rocking 

B 8/107 7% 

chair 

Bathroom C 11/107 10% 

Computer D 48/107 45% 

Kitchen-lunch E 3/107 3% 

Hallway F 

Bus G 

Bus area H 

On floor I 23/107 21% 

Outside J 3/107 3% 

PE K 

The 

followin 

g table 

Observed Behaviors 

The following chart represents how often the target behaviors occurred and percentage of occurrences. 

Target Behavior Code # of occurrences % of occurrence 

Hitting A 16/107 15% 

Non-compliance B 28/107 26% 

Sleeping C 5/107 5% 

Hitting/Sleeping AC 

Hitting/Non-compliance AB 39/107 36% 

Non-compliance/Sleeping BC 16/107 15% 

Hitting/Noncompliance/Sleeping 

ABC 3/107 3% 

Duration of Target Behaviors: Samuel was engaged in target behaviors for a total of 1888 minutes 

during the data collection period. He was in school for a total of 4500 minutes. This establishes Samuel’s 

baseline of 42%. He was engaged in an average of 10.7 behaviors per day. 

163


Consequences paired with behaviors: 

A consequence can be a positive or negative response to a behavior. It is important to note which 

consequence is given after a specific behavior because a student may elicit the behavior in order to receive 

a particular consequence. 

Consequence Bxs Tota 

A B C AB BC A 

Hitting Non- Sleeping 

B 

compliance 

C 

Personal space 

given 

A 

Discussion of Bx B 

Ignored C 

Verbal Prompt D 

AB 

AD 

BD 

CD 

CE 

AC 

2 3 5 

11 2 17 1 31 

6 1 1 2 1 11 

1 1 3 5 

1 4 8 1 14 

1 1 1 1 4 

3 6 7 1 17 

1 1 8 10 

2 2 

3 1 2 6 

BC 2 2 

164

Consequences paired with student reaction: 

The following chart indicates which consequences were most effective in stopping the behavior: 

Consequence Code # of Student Reaction Percent 

times 

Effective 

used Stopped Continued 


given 

A 5 5 0 

Discussion of 

Bx 

B 31 5/31 26 16% 

Ignored C 11 11 0 

Verbal Prompt D 5 1 4 25% 

AB 14 14 0 

AD 4 1 3 25% 

BD 17 4 13 24% 

CD 10 10 0 

CE 2 2 0 

AC 6 6 0 

BC 2 2 0 

Perceived Function: 

Samuel’s perceived function is ____________________________. 

165

Competing Pathway Chart 




(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 

2 

4 


behavior? 

1 






behaviors? 




6 7 8 

5 



3 





behaviors? 

166

Functional <strong>Behavioral</strong> Assessment Sample #2 

Student: Aaron Wade Guardian Contact: Lisa Wade 

Date of Report: 9-30-05 Address: 482 Peppermint Stick Lane, Sample, GA 

DOB: 2-14-92 Phone Number: 555-555-5555 

Age: 13 School: Sample County Elementary School 

Date of Referral: 7-01-05 FBA Data Collected by: L. Higgins & C. Stern 

The goal of this Functional Behavior Analysis (FBA) is to provide Aaron’s Behavior Support 

Team (BST) with interventions to consider as they develop a plan to reduce target behaviors 

which are interfering with the learning environment. The interventions recommended by the BST 

will include positive behavior supports which are <strong>based</strong> on understanding why Aaron behaves in 

a certain way; and then replacing the target behaviors with more suitable ones which will serve 

the same function. 

The intervention process begins by looking beyond the misbehavior and uncovering the 

underlying “causes” of the target behaviors. The functional assessment focuses on two 

principles. First, behavior is communication which serves a purpose: it allows students to “get” 

something desirable or “escape” something undesirable. Second, behavior occurs within a 

particular context such as certain settings, under certain conditions, or during different types of 

activities. Because of these two things, students will change the inappropriate behavior only 

when it is clear to them that a different response will more effectively and efficiently accomplish 

the same thing. The BST requested for Aaron’s BST to collect five days of Antecedent, Behavior 

Consequence (A-B-C-) data to identify what Aaron is attempting to communicate through the 

use of his target behaviors. The BST can then use this information to develop effective 

strategies to address those behaviors that interfere with learning. 

The BST would like to stress the role that teamwork will play in addressing Aaron’s behavioral 

problems. Consistency and structure will be extremely important during this process. Research 

confirms that it will take a month of intervention for every year an inappropriate behavior has 

been in place. Therefore, the BST needs to develop a long-term plan which can be successfully 

implemented across environments. Parent participation will be essential to a successful 

outcome. 

Background Information 

-Previous testing/evaluations (April 2005) 

K-TEA 

Math Application 3.6 

Math Computation 2.6 

Math Composite 2.9 

167

Woodcock Johnson 

Reading 5.9 

-Placement 

SEBD 20 hours/week 

EBD Resource 10 hours/week 

-Eligibility 

Emotional <strong>Behavioral</strong> Disability 

Aaron also has a diagnosis of Asperger’s Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity 

Disorder from Dr. Doc I Am, Consulting Psychiatrist, Behavior Health Services 

-History 

Aaron has a low tolerance for frustration. This is especially evident when he 

makes mistakes or receives a reprimand for his behavior. In previous school years Aaron 

often became physically aggressive with both peers and adults. Teachers described these 

behaviors as hitting, kicking, and throwing items within the classroom. They said that the 

aggression was most likely to occur after a request to do something that he did not want to 

do. Additional behaviors displayed by Aaron in the recent past include cursing, ignoring the 

teacher, moving around the room without permission, refusing to do school work, and 

verbally threatening to harm students, faculty, and his parents. 

-Related services 

Aaron is not currently receiving any related services. 

Medical Information 

-Physical 

Aaron also has diagnoses of Asperger’s Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 

from Dr. Doc I Am, Consulting Psychiatrist, Behavior Health Services 

Dr. Doc I Am, Consulting Psychiatrist, Behavior Health Services. 

Aaron has total hearing loss in his right ear and partial hearing loss in his left 

ear. He does not use hearing aids or other assistive devices. He is said to 

read lips well when looking directly at the speaker. 

-Medication 

Geodon 

Strattera 

Communication 

168

According to Aaron’s current IEP, he does not have communication needs which interfere 

with the learning environment at this time. 

Ecological Information 

-Physical setting / -Classroom arrangement 

The physical setting is clean, comfortable, well lighted & odor free. 

The physical setting is visually pleasant & appealing. 

The room/desk arrangement promotes student engagement. 

The student is seated in the best position for his learning. 

The classroom noise level is acceptable. 


Identified Reinforcers 

Computer 

Being responsible for / helping younger students 

PE 

Snacks 

Chatting with adults 

Back Ground Information on Asperger Syndrome 


Students with Asperger Syndrome experience a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety. 

In any situation the nervous system responds to protect the body if the brain perceives danger. 

To an observer, the student with Asperger Syndrome’s reaction may seem extreme, but the 

brain’s first priority is to protect the body. Therefore, a real threat or a perceived threat 

(<strong>based</strong> on present or past experience) is handled in the same way. A perceived threat is real to 

the perceiver, and it needs to be honored as their truth. In Aaron’s situation, his brain may 

perceive the risk of academic failure, teacher disapproval, or peer ridicule as danger. This 

causes the brain to send messages to the autonomic nervous system to prepare his body to go 

into flight, fright, or fight for protection. A flight response could be when he refuses to stay in his 

assigned area. A fright response could be when he starts immediately overreacting about how 

he can’t or won’t do an assignment. A fight response could be when he demonstrates either 

verbal or physical aggression. Prevention is the best way the head off the anger or other 

outburst if an adult sees the warning signs coming. Once Aaron becomes angry, please avoid 

additional verbal interaction with him. If you must provide him with instructions, use simple 

commands in a calm, quiet voice. Allow Aaron time to “cool-off” and then help him 

problem-solve after the situation has calmed down. 

169

Social: 

Asperger Syndrome is often referred to as an invisible disability because individuals with it 

lack the social skills to blend in with their peers, but they also lack the visible disability that 

may signal a need for understanding. Often the adults working with these students anticipate 

a match between the cognitive ability and the social aptitude. When the discrepancy is 

frequently displayed due to the constant social transgressions, it is easy to perceive the child as 

rude: “He is smart enough to know better.” 

The BST recommends both direct instruction and social interpretation in social skills. 

Provide direct instruction in social skills. Possible curriculums the county may want to 

consider using are Skillstreaming which accompanies the SAMS program or Navigating the Social 

World: by Jeannette McAfee. 

Even with intense instruction in social skills, Aaron may encounter social situations that he 

does not fully understand. He will require someone who can interpret the situation for him. 

One possible format is Cartooning using Comic Book Conversations by Carol Gray. 

– A graphical means of analyzing a social situation 

– Helps the individual grasp the thoughts/feelings of a conversational partner 

– Word and thought bubbles used 

– Colors used to show emotions: 

• Green--happy, good ideas 

• Red--sad 

• Purple--proud 

• Yellow--frightened 

• Black--facts, things we know 

• Orange--questions 

Another possible format for helping interpret social skill situations are Social Autopsies 

170

– Developed by Lavoie (cited in Bieber, 1994) 

• Used to ‘dissect’ social situations where there is a social mistake 

• Supportive and constructive problem- solving strategy 

• solution oriented 

• immediately after social error 

• facilitated by adult 

• process for understanding 

Social Autopsies Worksheet 

• What happened? 

_______________________________________________________ 

• What was the social error? _______________________________________________ 

• Who was hurt by the social error? _________________________________________ 

• What should be done to correct the error? 

___________________________________ 

• What could be done next time? ___________________________________________ 

Transitions 

Data demonstrate that Aaron’s difficulty with transition occur during in-class activities rather 

than transitioning to and from the SEBD and general education setting. Individuals with 

Asperger Syndrome prefer routine and structure. Since Aaron’s schedule transitioning to and 

from SEBD and General Education remains consistent, he may be thriving on these clear 

expectations. However, in the SEBD classroom the schedule may have less rigid time frames 

thereby making it difficult for Aaron to anticipate how long he will be involved in different 

lessons or activities. In addition, Aaron has total hearing loss in his right ear and partial 

hearing loss in his left ear. He does not use hearing aids or other assistive devices, but is said 

to read lips well when looking directly at the speaker. 

The BST recommends for class schedules and time frames to be displayed visually. Due to 

Aaron’s hearing loss, the BST recommends for an adult to approach Aaron, gain his attention, 

speak to him clearly so that he can read the adult’s lips, and provide him with a 5 minute 

notice for transition. A timer could be incorporated so that Aaron could earn SAMS points if 

he were in the correct location and ready to learn before the timer sounded. 

Academics 

The data collected show that academic work in both individual and group settings serve as an 

antecedent for target behavior. However, without additional information on Aaron’s 

educational performance and learning styles it is difficult to make specific recommendations at 

this time. The BST has attached Instructional Method / Delivery Accommodations for students with 

171

Autism Spectrum Disorders recommended by the GA Department of Education. Mrs. 

Holloway, Aaron’s SEBD teacher is currently working with Aaron with on-grade level 

materials in the small group setting for math, science, and social studies. With support, Aaron 

attends the general education 7 th grade setting for reading, character education, PE, and lunch. 

Analysis Information 

DATES OF DATA: 08/10/05 to 08/16/05 

TOTAL NUMBER OF INCIDENTS: 21 events 

AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAILY INCIDENTS: 4.2 

DURATION OF INCIDENTS: Average 31 minutes and 31 seconds 

BASELINE: An average of 22% of Aaron’s school day is spent engaged in target behaviors. 

Five days of data were collected by the ESEP Team who work with Aaron. They used an 

antecedent, behavior, consequence data collection form provided by the BST. The target 

behaviors are defined as follows: 

Non-compliance / the failure to obey or refusal to act in accordance with another's 

command, request, rule, directive, or instruction. 

Sleeping / A state of inactivity in which the eyes usually close and consciousness is 

completely or partially lost, so that there is a decrease in bodily movement and 

responsiveness to external stimuli. 

Disruptive/ characterized by unrest or disorder or insubordination which leads to an 

interruption or impedes the progress, movement, or procedure of the class. 

A 

B 

C 

0.095238095 



0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 

0.380952381 

0.523809524 

172

BEHAVIORS % INVOLVED 

Non-compliance 52.38 % 

Sleeping 9.52 % 

Disruptive 38.10 % 

Discussion of Days of Target Behaviors: 

When examining the data related directly to the incidents of target behavior, it appears that 

Aaron’s primary way of communicating his discomfort in a situation is by refusing to follow 

the adult’s directive. 

0.2 

0.18 

0.16 

0.14 

0.12 

0.1 

0.08 

0.06 

0.04 

0.02 

0 

7:00 AM 

7:30 AM 

8:00 AM 

8:30 AM 

9:00 AM 

Time of Day 


9:30 Am 

10:00 AM 

10:30 AM 

TIME OF DAY % INVOLVED 

8:30 AM 19.05% 

9:30 AM 19.05% 

10:00 AM 9.52 % 

11:30 AM 9.52 % 

12:30 PM 14.29 % 

1:00 PM 9.52 % 


11:00 AM 

When looking at the time of day broken down into equal 30 minute segments, it appears as if 

Aaron’s behaviors occur fairly consistently throughout the day with a majority of the incidents 

occurring during the first two hours of the school day. He experiences his second highest 

spike between 12:15 and 12:45. 

Days of the Week 

11:30 AM 

12:00 PM 

12:30 PM 

1:00 PM 

1:30 PM 

2:00 PM 

2:30 PM 

3:00 PM 

173

6 

5 

4 

3 

2 

1 

0 

3.0 

2.0 


DAY OF WEEK INCIDENTS 

MONDAY (1) 3 

TUESDAY (1) 2 

WEDNESDAY (1) 5 

THURSDAY (1) 6 

FRIDAY (1) 5 

Discussion of Days of the Week: 


Aaron displays target behaviors on an average of 4.2 per day. It appears from the data that 

Tuesdays are a better day than the rest. However, without more than one occurrence of each 

day to determine a trend, the BST is unable to confirm this. 

5.0 

Event Duration 

0:00:00 0:07:12 0:14:24 0:21:36 0:28:48 0:36:00 0:43:12 0:50:24 0:57:36 1:04:48 

A 

B 

C 

Overall 

0:19:11 

0:15:23 

0:31:31 

1:00:00 

6.0 

5.0 

174


Duration 

(h:m:s) 

Non-compliance 0:19:11 

Sleeping 1:00:00 

Disruptive 0:15:23 

Overall 0:31:31 

Discussion of Days of Duration of Behavior: 

The data collected show that Aaron engaged in 12 incidents of non-compliant behavior. He 

spent the duration of 3 hours and 41 minutes or 11% of his school day engaged in this target 

behavior. Aaron only displayed 2 incidents of sleeping, but he slept for an hour both times 

which totaled 6% of his school day. Aaron engaged in 7 incidents of disruptive behavior. 

The duration of these 7 incidents totaled 1 hour and 53 minutes or 5% of his school day. 

0.35 

0.3 

0.25 

0.2 

0.15 

0.1 

0.05 

0 

0.00 

0.14 

0.19 


Context for <strong>Behavioral</strong> Event 

0.33 

0.10 

0.19 

0.05 

0.00 0.00 


CONTEXT % INVOLVED 

Lunchroom/Cafeteria 0.00% 

1:1 14.29% 

Group - small 19.05% 

Individual Work 33.33% 

Outside/Playground 9.52% 

Academics-Math 19.05% 

175

Computer 4.76% 

Choice 0.00% 

Hallway 0.00% 

Discussion of Location / Context: 

When examining the locations or activities which are most likely to produce the target 

behaviors, the data clearly demonstrates that the requirement of academic work in both 

individual and group settings are most likely to lead to the display of the target behaviors. 

0.45 

0.4 

0.35 

0.3 

0.25 

0.2 

0.15 

0.1 

0.05 

0 

0.24 

0.00 

0.43 

Antecedents 


0.19 

0.10 

0.00 

0.05 

0.00 0.00 


ANTECEDENTS % INVOLVED 

Transition 23.81 % 

Denied Access 0.00 % 

Instruction/Directive 42.86 % 

New Task 19.05 % 

Teacher Attention to Others 9.52 % 

Told NO 0.00 % 

Corrective Feedback 0.00 % 

Redirection 4.56 % 

176

7 

6 

5 

4 

3 

2 

1 

0 

A, 4 

C, 3 

D, 2 

E, 1 

G, 1 


A, 1 

B, 0 F, 0.0 H, 0 I, 0 B, 0 C, 0 E, 0F, 

0.0G, 0 H, 0 I, 0 A, 0 B, 0 

F, 0.0G, 

0 H, 0 I, 0 

C, 6 

D, 1 D, 1 E, 1 

A B C 

ANTECEDENTS Noncompliance 

Sleeping Disruptive 

Transition 

Denied Access 

4 1 

Instruction/Directive 3 6 

New Task 2 1 1 

Teacher Attention to Others 

Told NO 

1 1 

Corrective Feedback 

Redirection 

1 


When examining the specific immediate antecedent events which are most likely to produce 

the target behaviors, the data clearly demonstrate that the behavior is most likely to occur 

following an instruction or directive. 43% of the time when an instruction or directive was 

given to Aaron, he displayed disruptive behaviors 6 times and non-compliant behaviors 3 

times. Occurring at a rate of 24%, the second most likely time for target behaviors to occur is 

during transitions. Following a transition, Aaron displayed non-compliance 4 times and went 

to sleep 1 time. 

177

8 

7 

6 

5 

4 

3 

2 

1 

0 

1.20 

1.00 

0.80 

0.60 

0.40 

0.20 

0.00 

A, 7 

B, 1 

D, 2 

F, 1 



A, 1 D, 1 A, 1 D, 1 

C, 0.0 E, 0 G, 0 H, 0 I, 0 B, 0C, 0.0 E, 0 F, 0 G, 0 H, 0 I, 0 B, 0C, 

0.0 E, 0 G, 0 I, 0 

A B C 

CONSEQUENCES Noncompliance 

Sleeping Disruptive 

Redirection 7 1 1 

Discussion of Behavior 1 

Ignored 1 

Verbal reprimand 

Physical prompt 

2 1 

SAMS Points 

Proximity Control 

1 5 

Wait Time 1 

0.3 

0.0 0.0 


0.8 

0.0 


1.0 

0.0 

1.0 

F, 5 

H, 1 

0.0 

178

CONSEQUENCES TIME’S 

USED 

% EFFECTIVE 

Redirection 9 33.33% 

Discussion of Behavior 1 0% 

Ignored 0 0% 

Verbal reprimand 4 75% 

Physical prompt 0 0% 

SAMS Points 6 100% 

Proximity Control 0 0% 

Wait Time 1 100% 

Ice Cold Paper Towel 

Discussion of Consequences: 

When examining the specific immediate consequences which are most likely to reduce the 

target behaviors, the data clearly demonstrate that the behavior is most likely to decrease by 

consistently implementing SAMS points across all educational staff and environments. The 

data appear to show that redirection of behavior is an ineffective method of working with 

Aaron. 

Did you notice the very bad example of an ice cold paper towel? Even though they 

didn’t use it- it means they considered it. This is an example of the very kind of 

aversive interventions that bore fruit to Positive Behavior Support being invented. 

Other examples of aversive interventions that should be considered: 

Spraying in the face with water 

Hot sauce on fingers or in mouth 

Tying to chair 

Tying hands to belt 

Ice cube on skin 

Using force to move 

Secluding in a closet or other area away from view of an adult 

Biting back, pinching back, hitting back 

What is the Function of the Target Behavior? 

179

180





(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 

2 

4 


behavior? 

1 






behaviors? 




6 7 8 

3 





behaviors? 

181

Functional <strong>Behavioral</strong> Assessment Sample # 3 

Student: Mysty Raine Guardian Contact: Presley Paine/Renee Russell 

Date of Report: 09/30/05 Address: P.O. Box 261 Ellaville, GA 31806 

DOB: 04/11/92 Phone Number: 555-555-5555 

Age: 13 School: Happy Clown Big Foot Middle School 

Date of Referral: 07/01/05 FBA Data Collected by: Cheri Berrie 

Background Information 

-Previous testing/evaluations 

The BST did not receive a copy of Mysty’s IEP and is currently unable to report on 

previous testing or evaluations. 

-Placement 

Mysty is placed in a self-contained SID/PID classroom at her neighborhood high 

school. She attends school daily from 7:30 – 11:30 AM. 

-Eligibility 

Mysty is eligible for Special Education services under the category of SID/PID. 

-Related services receiving 

Mysty currently receives both physical and occupational therapies at school. 

Medical Information 

-Physical 

Mysty exhibits severe developmental discrepancies in motor/mobility, self-help skills, 

communication, cognition, and social/emotional development. 

Mysty also has a history of seizures. During the BST’s first observation, Mysty 

experienced seizure activity which lasted approximately 8 minutes as timed by the BST 

observer. 

-Medication 

Keppra, Topamax, Lazaspan, Depacote, 

Mysty’s teacher, Patty Miller, also reported that Mysty has been placed on suppositories 

for seizures which last >5 minutes. 

-History 

There is a history of medical conditions in the student’s family. Mysty’s grandmother 

has custody of both Mysty and Mysty’s mother. 

182

Communication 

-Functional 

Currently, Mysty does not display any functional use of communication skills. She is 

non-verbal, but utilizes high volume vocalizations consistently throughout the day. 

Ecological Information 

-Physical setting / -Classroom arrangement 

The physical setting is clean, comfortable, well lighted & odor free. 

The physical setting is visually pleasant & appealing. 

The room arrangement promotes student engagement. 

The student is seated in the best position for her learning. 

Excluding Mysty’s vocal outbursts, the classroom noise level is 

acceptable. 


The setting promotes instructional groups for life skills, pre-vocational, 

academic, and gross-motor skills. 

The instructional groups are an appropriate size with a very small 

student to adult ratio. 

Identified Reinforcers 

Mysty enjoys being held by her caregivers. 

Analysis Information 

DATES OF DATA: 08/09/05-08/22/05 

TOTAL NUMBER OF INCIDENTS: 32 

AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAILY INCIDENTS: 4 

DURATION OF INCIDENTS: Average duration 14 minutes 

BASELINE DATA: 23% of Mysty’s school day is spent engaged in target behavior. 

183

Eight days of data were collected by the ESEP Team who work with Mysty. They used an 

antecedent, behavior, consequence data collection form. The target behaviors are defined as 

follows: 


Verbal Outburst without Tears/the use of uttered sounds in an unrestrained expression of 

emotion which is characterized by high volume and intensity. 

Verbal Outburst with Tears/ the use of uttered sounds in an unrestrained expression of 

emotion which is characterized by high volume and intensity and accompanied by liquid 

spilling from the eyes and wetting the cheeks 


A 

B 

C 

0 

BEHAVIORS % INVOLVED 

Verbal Outburst without Tears 93.75% 

Verbal Outburst with Tears 6.25% 

0.0625 


0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 

Discussion of Days of Target Behaviors: 

When developing pre-language skills, children react to their environment through either 

voluntary behaviors such as crying or involuntary behaviors such as reflexes. These 

behaviors force the child’s caregivers to attend to them. Initially, the child does not plan 

for this “crying out” behavior to lead to the miraculous appearance of their preferred adult, 

but as the incidents consistently occur, the child’s intentions become more purposeful. By 

examining the data, it appears that Mysty continues to communicate in a reactive stage of 

communication development. 

0.9375 

184

0.18 

0.16 

0.14 

0.12 

0.1 

0.08 

0.06 

0.04 

0.02 

0 

7:00 AM 

7:30 AM 

8:00 AM 

8:30 AM 

9:00 AM 

Time of Day 


9:30 Am 

10:00 AM 

10:30 AM 

TIME OF DAY % INVOLVED 

7:30 15.63% 

8:00 12.50% 

8:30 15.63% 

9:00 12.50% 

9:30 12.50% 

10:00 15.63% 

10:30 .03% 

11:00 12.50% 


When looking at the time of day, it appears as if Mysty’s behaviors occur fairly consistently 

during the school day with a considerable decrease at 10:30. 

11:00 AM 

11:30 AM 

Days of the Week 

12:00 PM 

12:30 PM 

1:00 PM 

1:30 PM 

2:00 PM 

2:30 PM 

3:00 PM 

185

6 

5 

4 

3 

2 

1 

0 

3.5 


2.0 2.0 


DAY OF WEEK AVERAGE 

INCIDENTS PER 

DAY 

MONDAY (1) 7.0 

TUESDAY (2) 2.0 

WEDNESDAY (1) 4.0 

THURSDAY (2) 3.0 

FRIDAY (2) 5.5 

Discussion of Days of the Week: 

Mysty displays target behaviors on an average of 4 per day. 


CONTEXT % INVOLVED 

Feeding Time 

34.38% 

Hygiene 

9.38% 

Daily Living—Circle 31.25% 

Gross Motor 3.13% 

Vocational 

3.13% 

Work Stations 

3.13% 

Restroom 

6.25% 

Gym / PE 

0.00% 

Classroom 

9.38% 

Discussion of Location: 

When examining the locations or activities which are most likely to produce the target 

behaviors, the data clearly demonstrate that the requirement of feeding time or circle time 

(daily living skills) is most likely to lead to the display of the target behaviors. 

Antecedents 

3.0 

5.5 

186

14 

12 

10 

0.5 

0.45 

0.4 

0.35 

0.3 

0.25 

0.2 

0.15 

0.1 

0.05 

8 

6 

4 

2 

0 

0 

0.00 0.00 

0.28 


0.06 

0.44 


ANTECEDENTS % INVOLVED 


Denied Access 

Instruction / 

Directive 

New Task 

Teacher Attention 

to Other 

Told “No” 

Waiting 

Physical: Seizures 

Environmental 

Change 

C, 9 

D, 2 

E, 12 

G, 4 

0.00%% 

0.00%% 

28.13%% 

6.25%% 

43.75%% 

3.13% 

12.50% 

0.00% 

6.25% 

0.03 

0.13 


I, 2 

E, 2 

F, 1.0 

A, 0 B, 0 H, 0 A, 0 B, 0 C, 0 D, 0 F, 0.0G, 0 H, 0 I, 0 A, 0 B, 0 C, 0 D, 0 E, 0F, 

0.0G, 

0 H, 0 I, 0 

A B C 

0.00 

0.06 

187

ANTECEDENTS Verbal Outburst without 

Tears 


Denied Access 

Instruction / Directive 9 

New Task 

Teacher Attention to 

Other 

2 

Told “No” 1 

Waiting 4 

Physical: Seizures 0 

Environmental Change 2 


Verbal Outburst 

with Tears 

12 2 

When examining the specific immediate antecedent events which are most likely to produce 

the target behaviors, the data clearly demonstrate that the behavior is most likely to occur 

when the teacher’s attention is directed to another student in the room. The next most likely 

antecedent to lead to target behavior is when an instruction or directive is given to Mysty. 

0.70 

0.60 

0.50 

0.40 

0.30 

0.20 

0.10 

0.00 

0.6 



0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

0.5 

0.0 0.0 0.0 


Consequence/Reaction 

UTILIZED % 

EFFECTIVE 

1:1 12 58.33% 

Redirection 7 0.00% 

188

12 

10 

8 

6 

4 

2 

0 

Choice Given 1 0.00% 


Given 

0 0.00% 

Ignored 6 0.00% 

Verbal Reprimand 2 50.00% 

Physical Prompt 4 0.00% 

A, 10 

B, 7 

C, 1.0 

E, 6 

F, 2 

G, 4 

Consequence/Behavior 

Interaction 


A, 2 

D, 0 H, 0 I, 0 B, 0C, 0.0D, 0 E, 0 F, 0 G, 0 H, 0 I, 0 A, 0 B, 0C, 

0.0D, 

0 E, 0 F, 0 G, 0 H, 0 I, 0 

A B C 

Verbal 

Outburst 

without 

Tears 

Verbal 

Outburst 

with Tears 

1:1 10 2 

Redirection 7 

Choice Given 1 


Given 

Ignored 6 

Verbal Reprimand 2 

Physical Prompt 4 

Discussion of Consequences: 

These data do not validate that any one consequence was effective. However, both 

consequences which were at least 50% successful involved providing Mysty with attention. 

Specifically, they involved verbal interaction with her. Physical prompts, ignoring, and 

redirecting were all tried, but unsuccessful at stopping Mysty’s verbal outburst. 

Perceived Function of the Target Behavior 

189

190


. 




(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 

2 

4 


5 

behavior? What adult or peer behaviors will 


1 






behaviors? 




6 7 8 

3 





behaviors? 

191

192

- 193 -

Communication is so important to success in any intervention 

Here are a few examples from my past: 

Charlie 

I was called in to do an intervention on a student with autism because a child 

advocate was involved and the behaviors were disrupting the “learning” of others. 

(I use that term loosely.) 

o When I arrived at the school; before I ever met the student, the special 

education director told me that they wanted me to tell them that the child 

was too bad to come to school any longer. 

o When I observed in the class (high school), I found that the students were 

being asked to take a nap after lunch. I also found that the students were 

left for the most part to entertain themselves most of the day. 

o The child was non-verbal and had a tantrum every day at lunch time. 

(hmmmm) 

o It was very obvious by the way the adults in the room dealt with the child 

that they were done with him (They didn’t want him around any longer.) 

I told them I would try to help them with their problem (I had an ulterior motive.) 

o I told them that in order to talk to the parent and the child advocate I 

needed some positive comments to share with them about their son. 

o I asked them to write down 3 things the child did well each day for ten 

days and then fax them to me before our next meeting. 

The team faxed me 30 things that the child did well. 

When I arrived at the meeting with the parent and the child advocate they were so 

busy bragging about all the “neat” things the child did that it was obvious their 

attitude toward the child had changed. 

Once they decided the child was a “keeper” we could start on interventions. 

o I asked them if they had a visual schedule for the child: 

They said “yes” and pointed to a sign on the wall. I went over to 

the sign (8x11) and found the schedule typed 8:00-8:30 breakfast, 

8:30-9:00 restroom etc. 

I said, “Oh, I didn’t know the child could read.” They 

corrected me- of course he didn’t. 

I showed them a visual schedule that might work for the child. I 

helped the paraprofessionals make it up so he would always know 

what was coming next and we could use it to give him some 

choices in his life. 

My next step was to stop the “napping” after lunch. 

o I asked them if other high school students napped after lunch 

I suggested (nicely) that he wasn’t a napper. 

Some of us are and some of us aren’t. 

I then introduced some things he could do quietly while the 

medically fragile students rested for a short time. 

- 194 -

The team came up with the idea that he could go help the 

coach fill the water bottles for the practice that evening. 

(Surprise – surprise) 

That was a start. We eventually worked in some academic tasks and gave him some 

communication devices. Phew. 

Andrew 

I was called in to meet a young man (9 years old) who was autistic and was tearing up a 

classroom. I asked them if I could see the previous interventions they had tried. They 

handed me a huge folder (about 2 inches thick). As I was flipping through the folder, I 

read things like 3 licks, 5 licks, 2 licks. I was trying to figure out….were they giving him 

a sucker and taking it away after 3 licks…stickers…I couldn’t figure it out…I finally got 

about a third of the way through the stack and found the term “swats”. I know what 

swats are. I flipped through the whole folder. Their entire intervention consisted of 

paddling the daylights out of this child with autism. No amount of pain induced will 

create a connection in the frontal cortex for this child with: bad behavior=pain for me. 

He just thinks the adults are awfully mean. 

My point in putting this in communication is this: 

If I had gone in to the meeting and said, “You all are idiots.” I would not have 

gotten very far. Instead, I went in and asked them about all their interventions. Once 

they told me what they were doing, I asked, “How has that worked for you?” They of 

course said it didn’t seem to be helping. I asked them “Would you like to hear what 

some other schools are doing?” Once you ask that question it opens the door for you to 

offer suggestions. 

On a sadder note, we once received a referral on a student and their reason for referring 

him was “He has too high a threshold for pain. Paddling isn’t working.” …….Duh. 

Talking to Parents 

So often parents start to dread hearing the words “This is Mrs. Jones from ABC 

Elementary…” when they answer the phone. How often do we call parents to tell them 

something good the child has done? Here’s a better phrase for contacting parents about a 

situation: 

“Mrs. Philips, this is Mrs. Jones from ABC Elementary. How are you today? (They are 

waiting for the shoe to drop after that question.) Well, I’ve got a situation here at school 

with little Susie and I don’t want it to become a problem for you at home. Here’s how 

you can help me.” Be sure to give some way in which the parent can support you at 

home; whether it is not watching television until homework is finished or serving time 

- 195 -

after school to catch up on learning missed. It’s all in the art of wording. I have a 

situation and I don’t want it to become a problem for you. Here’s how you can help me. 

What parent could resist those words? 

Melissa 

During one of my very first IEP meetings in 1978, I was sitting around a table and the 

school psychologist had just tested a little girl whose IQ was 34. Imagine this poor 

mother, sitting at a table with 13 strangers and hearing what we were saying about her 

skills. We all went around the table and talked in general terms about things like “low 

functioning”, vocational, leisure, and life skills. Everyone was very careful to not say 

anything that sounded like a terminal illness. The mother was near tears the entire time. 

After about thirty minutes of the team talking, it was time for the school psychologist to 

“butt” in (and I use that term literally). He said, “What all these people are pussy footing 

around is that your daughter is retarded. She’s always going to be retarded and nothing 

you do is going to change that.” The mother burst into tears and ran out of the room. 

Good example of what not to do. For this reason, the “R” word has never been allowed 

in my home. My children would warn their friends, “You can probably get away with 

saying the “D” word around my mom, but if she catches you using the “R” word; you 

will never be invited over again.” They knew how to spell the word because they knew I 

had extra sonic hearing when it came to that word being uttered in my presence. 

How should you break news like that to a parent? Percentile ranks mean nothing to 

parents. It’s not that they are not brilliant people. It’s that you are talking about their 

most precious child. It is best to talk about things they can expect. You can tell them 

about success stories and there are plenty to find. If you are interested in a place to find 

success stories here are some places to go: 

www.beachcenter.org or read Families, Professionals and Exceptionality : Positive 

Outcomes Through Partnership and Trust (5th Edition) (Paperback) by Ann 

Turnbull, Rud Turnbull, Elizabeth J. Erwin, Leslie C. Soodak 

Behavior Specialist talking to Teacher 

Relate, relate, relate. I always tell my specialists how important it is for them to see 

themselves in the shoes of the teacher. If teachers are doing a good job, then they have 

three balls in the air in their juggling act and you are about to throw a shoe into the mix. 

Make sure the things you ask them to do are not impossible. Use terms that they can 

relate to; but don’t talk down to them. (That’s a fine line.) 

- 196 -

- 197 -

Dear Grandma: 

Self Correction 

Date: _____________________ 

I am a Great Kid! Today during Reading Hour: 

Put an X in the box next to all the things you did during Reading Hour. 

1. I said my words. 

2. I read quietly. 

3. I did my work by myself. 

4. I answered Ms. B’s questions. 

5. I did not sing out loud with out asking. 

6. I did not talk out loud with out asking. 

7. I did not hit anyone. 

8. I did not tickle anyone. 

9. I started my work when Ms. B. told me to. 

10. I stayed in my seat. 

 

The total number of things I did is ________________________. 

_________________________ 

George’s signature 

- 198 -

Self-Monitoring 

 

Name: __________________________ 

Teacher: _________________ 

Activity:____________ 

Behavior: _______________________________________ 

Observation Intervals 

(circle) 

20 25 30 

Behavior Defined: 

(minutes) 

1. 

2. 

3. 

5 10 15 

Was I on task? Record Get back to work 

for yes O for no 

- 199 -

Date: Time Observed: ______________ to 

______________ 


______________ 


______________ 

- 200 -

Self-Reinforcement 

Name: __________________________________________ Date:___________________ 

INSTRUCTIONS: Each time you use any of these skills (or skill combinations), write 

down when and how well you did. 

SKILLS: 

________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________ 

When? How well did you do? 

(excellent, good, fair, poor) 

1. ______________________________________ _________________________ 

______________________________________ 

What happened as a result of your skill use? 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

When? How well did you do? 

(excellent, good, fair, poor) 

2. ________________________________ _________________________ 

________________________________ 

What happened as a result of your skill use? 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

- 201 -

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Positive <strong>Intervention</strong>s and Effective 

Strategies: 

PIES III 

How to Turn Lemons into Lemon Meringue Pie 

By 



caughtyoubeinggood@gmail.com 

Permission to copy with the caveat that no changes are made and 

original authors are cited 

- 209 -

Preface: 

Many teachers indicate classroom disruptions as their number one concern in 

classroom management. This book is dedicated to assisting teachers with 

proven strategies on three levels: 1) primary level (whole class), 2) secondary 

(targeted groups), and 3) tertiary (intensive individual). 

The information in this book is <strong>based</strong> on personal experiences including over 

30 years in educational settings (regular and special education). The author 

served as a statewide coordinator for a program serving all children in the 

state with behaviors impeding their learning or that of others. Many of the 

interventions suggested were successful with the children in this statewide 

program. 

This book is setup as a workbook format in some instances to help plan for 

implementation. 

You cannot change what you will not confront. We must look for 

proactive strategies to change behavior rather than reactive impulses. 

In real estate the motto is 

“Location, location, location.” 

In behavior management the motto is 

“Consistency, consistency, consistency.” 

- 210 -

Most of us were not trained to identify the function 

behind behavior, unless we specialized in a special 

needs field. There is function to most behavior and 

there are some rules about that behavior that we 

should have been taught at the pre-service level. 

Rules You Need to Know: 

1. Behavior is learned and serves a specific purpose. 

Research indicates a 9 week old infant knows to fake a cough to gain adult 

attention. If they know that at 9 weeks of age, imagine what they know by 

the time they get to school! 

This is true for children and it is true for us as well. There is not a single 

person reading this who could not tell a stranger where not to speed in 

their city. Some of us learned this the hard way and some of us learned 

from others’ mistakes. 

2. Behavior is related to the context within which it occurs. 

This is why parents and teachers do not see the same behaviors. 

True for children and true for adults: 

o Not a single person reading this would walk into their place of 

worship and make ugly faces at people, say unkind words, or use 

single digit sign language. However, when the same people are 

driving on a highway and some thoughtless driver cuts them off or 

drives to slow….. 

3. Children comply with the rules (What number do you think?) *______% of the 

time. 

Guess how often they are complimented for appropriate behavior? 

(What percentage do you think?) *__________ % 

We can increase appropriate behavior by 80% just by recognizing and 

rewarding appropriate behavior. 

*answers on last page of book 

- 211 -

The following pages are just some basic thoughts about 

classroom management: 

The Magic Wand 

All too often when we visit parents or classrooms, they tell us about the problematic 

behaviors of the child. Then they expect us to give them a magic pill or wave our magic 

wand and the behavior will magically appear. Very often, we give up on a good intervention 

because we expected faster results. 

Here’s a rule of thumb: 

For every year that a behavior has been in place it takes one month of consistent 

intervention to see a major decrease in the behaviors. 

If the intervention is not implemented consistently, the intervention will take longer 

to work. 

Let’s say that a child is engaging in physical aggression to escape work because they are 

getting to go to time out every time they hit. The team decides to stop sending the child to 

time out and they employ another intervention. Suppose that things were going well and the 

behaviors were decreasing; however, after about a month, the student hit another child and 

the teacher resorted to sending the child to time out. The child didn’t have to do their 

work in time out. 

Now they have had an intermittent reinforcement of their behavior. The child will employ 

that behavior again the next time they don’t want to do work. The intervention will take 

longer because the child will think…”hmmm, I had to hit someone 18 different times before 

- 212 -

I got to go to time out so now I have to hit 18 more people to get to time out again.” (Okay, 

it’s not that concrete…but they do make a connection.) 

This doesn’t mean we will allow the child to get away with hitting- it means we will have the 

child still be responsible for their work despite the punishment doled out for the crime. 

The Rule: 

For every year that a behavior has been in place, it takes approximately one month of 

intensive intervention to see a change. 

a. If a behavior has been in place for four years, it could be four months of 

intervention before you see a change* 

*I always tell audiences about the one month for every year rule 

and I started thinking one day…You know I say this all the time but 

I don’t live it. Every January 1 st I start a diet and I expect some 

magic wand to appear and to be thin by February and it never 

happens so I quit my diet. I have to be willing to put in the time and 

energy into sticking with the diet one month for every year that it 

has been in place. Hmmmm. 

All too often when we have a behavior we want to change in children or ourselves, we expect 

some magic wand to appear and it never does. We need a mindset change instead. 

- 213 -

The Real Magic of Changing Behavior 

Some researchers went into classrooms across a region of the United States 

and studied student and teacher behavior. They discovered children comply 

with the rules 80% of the time. Sadly, when the researchers tabulated data 

for compliments on appropriate behavior they discovered that children were 

“caught being good” less than two percent of the time. Why is this? Sadly, 

adults expect children to know what they mean when they say words like: 

“behave”, “straighten up”, or “cut that out”. We need to look at this from the 

child’s point of view. Sometimes they have learned a misrule. To make this point I’d like to 

tell a story about my son, Brandon. 

When Brandon was three years old I took him shopping with me. Since we lived in a small 

town with no shopping mall, we had driven three hours to the nearest mall. I was so proud of 

the fact that he was behaving appropriately. We were looking for shoes for my father’s 

birthday with special soles that reduce slipping on the deck of a boat. Unfortunately, my 

father wears the most popular size of men’s shoes. I went from store to store asking for 

10 ¹ boat deck shoes and time after time the clerk came back with the sad news that he 

had a size 10 or a size 11. As we approached the final store in the mall, I was still in awe at 

how well my three year old son was taking this shopping excursion. As the clerk came back 

to tell me the news that he had a 10 and an 11; my darling, three year old looked up at him 

and said, “Well, damn.” I apologized and we left the store. 

I learned three years earlier not to overreact when a child said a word that I didn’t like. I 

had taken my daughter to see the Fox and the Hound when she was two and half. Her verbal 

skills were still developing and the word Fox sounded very much like a very bad hound dog. 

She went around the house pointing to pictures and saying “f…ing hound”, “f….ing hound.” 

Since I was studying speech and language pathology at the time, I would respond, “Yes, 

honey that’s the fox and the hound,” enunciating each syllable of fox and hound. My 

husband was not as calm and he had a freak fest every time he heard her say it. She quickly 

learned that daddy turned a lovely shade of red every time she said those words, so we 

heard them frequently. We didn’t go to church for a month or so, in fear that she would talk 

about that bad hound. 

Back to the mall….I took my darling, three year old son who had just embarrassed me 

beyond words to the food court where I purchased a sprite and cookie. I said, “Honey, you 

used a new word today. Damn is a new word. Can you tell mommy why you used that word?” 

He said, “Isn’t that what you say when you can’t find your shoes? That’s what the babysitter 

says when she can’t find her shoes?” 

My son had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to use his new skill. He had learned a 

misrule. We had a discussion about another choice of words and why that one wasn’t 

appropriate. Our new word was “holy cow”; which, were words we heard frequently for quite 

awhile. I never heard “well damn” come out of us mouth until he was a teenager…but that’s 

another story. 

- 214 -

Our students have learned many misrules and it’s our job to teach them the appropriate 

rules. We have to teach behavior the same way we teach reading, math, and science. WE 

Teach it, Imprint it by modeling, Practice it with the children and then Praise it when we 

see it. TIPP it in our direction. 

- 215 -

Deportment: The Hybrid Cross of Mary Poppins and Sergeant Carter 

A good teacher finds a happy niche somewhere between being sweet and being a task 

master. I call that the hybrid-cross of Mary Poppins and Sergeant Carter. We want the 

children to “love” us in a way that they would attempt any academic task we require of them; 

despite the difficulty level. We also want them to understand that when we have 

expectations in place, we expect them to be followed, without having to come across as a 

drill sergeant. 

How does a teacher get this kind of deportment going in his or her classroom? There are 

two key factors that will be repeated throughout this book. You’ve heard one already: 

consistency. If it’s not okay to chew gum on Tuesday then it better not be okay to chew 

gum on Thursday. If Johnny can not throw paper basketballs into the trash then Sammy 

better not be allowed to throw paper basketballs either. 

The second factor is reciprocal respect and admiration. 

Think about it this way. 

We will do anything for anyone we care about. It is why my husband will follow me for three 

hours at the mall while I shop for a new purse. He has even learned the criteria for which I 

am shopping. “This one feels buttery. This one has a pocket for your phone.” In March, I 

will fill out a bracket for basketball. I know nothing about basketball, but I fill it out 

because I care about him and he cares about me. WE will do anything for anyone we care 

about. How do we know they care about us? They respect and admire us and we respect 

and admire them. 

How do we show respect and admiration to children? We tell them what they are doing 

when they are doing the right things; instead of only pointing out the things they are doing 

incorrect. “I love the way you were so helpful bringing in the recess equipment.” “I love the 

way you are paying attention.” This works at home as well. Think about it. Would you 

rather hear the things you did wrong or the things you did right? We have to teach 

children the behaviors we want and then reward them with specific praise. 

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Whole Classroom <strong>Intervention</strong>s 

- 217 -

Primary Classroom Management- Strategies for the Whole Class 

Classroom structure is the single most important factor in creating a quality climate for 

yourself and the students in the room. If this is in place and delivered with consistency 

then there will be fewer problems. 

The ideas in this section are to help you consider your 3-5 behavioral expectations. If your 

school has school-wide PBIS in place then you can use those rules and apply them to your 

classroom. If your school hasn’t adopted School-Wide PBIS yet, you can adopt your own 

expectations. 

However, just writing the rules on the wall doesn’t set you free to begin teaching. As a 

matter of fact, if you write “Don’t yell” on your rule poster you will have given the students 

the key for “how to push your buttons”. You just told them what “sets you off.” If you 

write “Be Respectful” on your rule poster, you have told the students what you expect when 

they enter your room if you teach them what “Be Respectful” means. 

The first few weeks of the year must be dedicated to teaching and modeling these rules 

and expectations. Once you have taught and modeled them and given non-examples and 

exemplars then you must give the students an opportunity to practice what these look like in 

a wide variety of school settings. Once you have done these three things, you need to catch 

students exhibiting these behaviors and compliment them for exhibiting excellent behavior. 

It’s important that the praise is specific. 

“Good job,” doesn’t cut it for praise. You need to say things like, “Thank you for holding the 

door open for Mary while her hands were full, and that was very respectful of others.” This 

lets the students know exactly what they did that exhibited the behavior and how they can 

get your attention in a positive way in the future. 

I once worked in a school where a first grade teacher was absent and none of us realized it 

until lunch time when the students brought themselves down sans teacher, each carrying 

their lunch cards and lunch boxes as they would any other day. Her classroom was so well 

set up that the students knew what to do from the minute they walked in the door. Someone 

took roll call. Someone else took the roll and lunch count to the office. Another child had 

the job of passing out the morning work. Other children had the jobs of watching for 

recess, picking up the playground equipment, and so on. They knew exactly what to do and 

when to do it. Now you might think that this was some remote classroom and that’s why no 

one noticed the teacher was missing. It was a pod of three classrooms with no doors on the 

class. The students had to be well behaved for no one to notice that there wasn’t an adult 

overseeing their actions. 

I’m not condoning children teaching themselves, but imagine how much teaching time exists 

in a day when the children can manage themselves in this manner. This would not have been 

possible if the teacher didn’t have her routines and expectations clearly taught. She taught 

behaviors the same way she taught reading. She taught it, modeled it, practiced it, and 

- 218 -

caught the students portraying the appropriate behavior and gave them incentives for 

“doing it right.” 

If children know what is expected in the home and at school they will rise to the occasion. 

If your school is part of a school-wide positive behavior support effort then the school has 

identified three to five behavioral expectations. If your school is not one of the SW-PBIS 

Schools, then you can devise your own for the classroom or if you are a parent you can 

devise them for your home. You’ll read more about this when you get to the behavioral 

matrix. 

<strong>Behavioral</strong> Matrix: 

So how do we teach these behaviors? Children need to be taught behaviors the same way 

they are taught reading and arithmetic. Behaviors need to be taught, modeled, practiced, 

and correct attempts rewarded. A great way to do this is to develop 3-5 behavioral 

expectations for your class. These need to be positively stated. Then the students need 

non-examples and exemplars of what each behavior looks like in different settings. You can 

do this by making a <strong>Behavioral</strong> Matrix for your room. Have the students generate the 

examples. Here’s what one would look like: 

<strong>Behavioral</strong> 

Expectations 

Be Respectful 

of Self 

Be Respectful 

of Others 

Be Respectful 

of 

Surroundings 

Classroom Hallway Restroom Playground Lunch 

room 

Get plenty 

of sleep the 

night 

before. 

Raise hand 

to speak. 

Pick up 

litter on 

the floor. 

Walk 

straight and 

tall. 

Walk quietly 

when passing 

classes. 

Report 

water on the 

floor. 

Give yourself 

plenty of 

time to get 

to the 

restroom. 

Flush toilet 

when you are 

finished. 

Throw away 

paper towels 

in trash can. 

Get plenty of 

exercise. 

Wait your 

turn when 

playing games. 

Return balls 

and equipment 

to proper 

receptacle. 

Eat 

healthy 

foods. 

Talk 

with a 

six inch 

voice. 

Throw 

tray 

away. 

Due to space in this book there is only one example for each. You will need two to three 

positively stated examples in each category. On the next page are some examples with 

pictures for younger children. 

- 219 -

Respect 

Others 

Self 

Environment 

Example for non-readers 

Location Respect Self Respect Others Respect Property 

hallway 

restroom 

playground 

- 220 -

lunchroom 

- 221 -

Sample Lesson Plan on Teaching Respect: 

1) Focus: 

Middle School Level- easily modified for any level 

SKIT for Whole School Assembly or Grade Level Assembly 

Play Aretha Franklin’s “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” recording. 

Have several teachers in costume dressed as Aretha with microphones like they are singing to the 

audience: (Gowns and gloves and handbags- if you have a male teacher willing that would be funny for 

the students) Here are the words: 

What you want, baby, I got. (Hold up books) 

What you need, you know I got it. (Point to your heads for knowledge) 

All I askin' is for a little respect (Have one teacher take another’s hand like they are helping them 

across the street) 

when you come home, baby. (ring an old fashioned school bell) 

When you come home, 

respect. 

I ain't gonna do you wrong while you gone, (Wag fingers at students) 

I ain't gonna do you wrong 'cause I don't wanna. 

All I askin' is for a little respect (Hold up a sign that looks like a road sign that says “Two-Way 

Street on one side and R-E-S-P-E-C-T” on the other) 

when you come home, baby. (Ring old fashioned school bell) 

When you come home, 

respect. 

I'm out to give you all my money (open up pocket books that are empty and hold up school supplies 

that you bought with your money) 

but all I'm askin in return, honey, 

is to give me my proper respect (One teacher drops books and another picks them up) 

when you get home, yeah baby, 

when you get home. 

Ooh, your kisses sweeter than honey (blow kisses at the students) 

but guess what, so here's my money. 

All I want you to do for me is give me some here (motion for the students to blow kisses back) 

when you get home, yeah baby, 

when you get home. 

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, (Everybody sing it) (You can put the words up on an overhead for all to see and 

have everyone chant along) 

find out what it means to me. 

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, 

Hey Boy, T-C-B. 

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A little respect... 

2) Objective: 

Note: (The more you make this a fun experience, the more the students will “buy in”. If this comes 

across as a fire and brimstone command they will not be as quick to catch the message). 

Tell the audience that the school has a new discipline policy. Give the students the 3-5 behavioral 

expectations that your school has adopted. Tell them that today you are focusing on Be Respectful. 

Tell them you are going to help them see what respect looks like in all areas of the school. Explain the 

matrix to them by showing it on a large screen projection. 

At this time, have a teacher come in dressed like a spy (trench coat, hat, sunglasses) carrying a 

briefcase. They will say: “My mission and I choose to accept it, is to catch you….being good.” All of 

the staff at _______________ middle school have accepted this mission. We will be out in the halls 

looking for students who are exhibiting the appropriate behaviors. If we catch you, you will get a 

___________ (whatever your school is using). These can be redeemed for: ______________ 

(whatever your school has chosen as rewards- drawings, etc.) Tell them “There are spies everywhere.” 

(At this point have all staff take out a pair of sunglasses and put them on and point at someone 

who is sitting nicely.) 

3) Input 

Show on the large screen the part of the matrix for Be Respectful. Go over what it looks like in each 

of the areas that you have on your matrix. 

4) Modeling 

Show a movie that you made which is a skit of teachers being respectful in all of the areas on your 

matrix. Have the teachers who perform in the movie dress like students. Here’s a movie example: 

Dick and Jane are running down the hall, pushing each other, and hollering. From out of 

nowhere appears fairy godmother (a male teacher dressed as a fairy godmother- preferably 

one who is hair challenged with a braid of yarn taped to his head, a pair of wings, and maybe a 

tee shirt and shorts with a tutu over the top and a magic wand.) and the fairy godmother says: 

“Time freeze: (Dick and Jane freeze in a funny position) Dick and Jane you are heading down 

the wrong path. You will never get anywhere in life if you don’t show respect. I’m going to 

sprinkle you with respect from a role model adult. (sprinkles glitter on Dick and Jane). Now, I 

know you’ll both grow up to be respected members of society.” (Fairy Godmother disappears 

shouting “Time unfreeze” as he goes). Dick and Jane walk side by side down the hallway, using 

a ten inch voice. Jane bends down and picks up litter that is on the floor and puts it in a trash 

can and Dick holds open the door for her going into class. From nowhere a beautiful teacher 

steps out in the hall with an angel halo and wings and hands Dick and Jane a “gotcha being good” 

pass and tells them to take it to the office for the daily drawing for a trip to the Bahamas. - 

Teacher turns to camera: “And that boys and girls is how you show respect in the hallway. 

- 223 -

You can do skits like this for all the areas you have on your matrix. Show the good, the bad, 

and the ugly- Don’t forget the bus. I’m sure the bus drivers would be willing to come over 

with a bus and let you film because they certainly want better behavior. 

5) Guided Practice 

Call several students out of the audience to show respect. Have them show it the wrong way and then 

the right way. You can give them scenarios (You are in the bathroom and you see that one of your 

friends is getting ready to write a joke on the bathroom stall. What could you do? A) find him a 

bigger pen, B) get him a dictionary so he spells the words correctly, or C) ask him not to do it out of 

respect for the building. As the students perform the correct task or give the correct answer give 

them one of the first “gotcha being good” passes in front of the student body. 

6) Checking For Understanding 

Make a PowerPoint Quiz to show the students: Ask them questions about what respect looks like in 

different areas: Example: Is it respectful to throw litter on the school grounds? Etc. When you are 

finished tell them that they did so well on the test that everyone’s home-room teacher will be giving 

them a “gotcha pass for the day” Make sure this first day that you make a really big deal out of the 

passes and have the drawing at the end of the day - Make the prize really special, like a pizza lunch 

with the principal at a special table in the cafeteria and they get to choose one friend to eat with 

them…or something like that. 

7) Independent Practice 

The key to this is to make sure every staff member is out there catching students being good. Make 

sure in the beginning to tell them exactly how they are showing respect. 

8) Closure – 

This can be a variety of activities, but one I would love to see is some artwork that can be put up 

around the school on what respect looks like, or poems, songs, stories etc. Let them be creative. It will 

be time well spent because the displays will be constant reminders. 

Here are some other ideas: 

PowerPoints developed by the students on what respect looks like. These can be shown on the school 

website 

Skits to be performed during morning announcements 

A school song written by a student, sung by one of your students with vocal talent 

Interview community members about what respect would look like in different community areas. 

Report that the manager at JC Penney’s saw two ___________ middle school students picking up some 

clothing that had fallen on the floor and he wanted to compliment the school on their respect for his 

store. Things like that. 

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Once a week, it would be fun to play Aretha Franklin’s song as the students are coming into school or 

leaving school. 

Follow up Classroom Lesson 

1) Focus: Ask the students why people take off their hats at ball games when the star spangled 

banner is played. Hopefully, you will elicit the response that it is out of respect for the flag. 

You can go into a short discussion about why we choose to show respect for the American flag. 

2) Objective: The objective of this lesson is to further identify what respect means at your 

school and in your classroom. 

3) Input: Give each student a copy of the matrix. (Some schools are printing it in the agenda 

books) Go over the matrix with the students for the respectful section- not the whole matrix. 

4) Modeling: Give examples of how you (the teacher) show respect at home, in the teacher’s 

lounge, at the grocery store, in church, etc. Make this personal so they can see that adults use 

respect. Then ask the students how they think you respect them. Talk to them about you 

respect them by spending your summers planning lessons, shopping for items to make the room 

pretty, taking time to grade their papers, etc. Ask one of them to be the teacher for a 

moment. Ask them to teach something that you know they will be able to teach the class. 

While they are teaching, you will take a seat as a student and then “be obnoxious”. (raise your 

hand but blurt out the answers without waiting to be called on, run up to the board and write 

the answer on the board etc.- or choose the one thing that drives you crazy that students do in 

the classroom) Then stop the class and ask them if they’ve ever been in a class where someone 

acted like that. Ask them to model the correct behavior. Choose another student to be the 

teacher and then have another student model the correct way to answer the questions etc. 

5) Guided Practice: 

a. Take your class out in the hallway and ask two students to show you non-respect and 

respect in the hallway. 

b. Take your class to the bathroom and (don’t go in) but have two students give scenarios 

of not showing respect in the bathroom and showing respect in the bathroom. (always 

give the positive last so it is fresh in their mind) 

c. Take your class to the lunchroom, office, nurse’s office etc. discuss all of the places on 

your matrix with non-examples and proper examples. 

6) Checking for Understanding: Give your class a quick quiz (oral) on the right and wrong way to 

show respect. You can ask them to show you thumb up, thumbs down when you give scenarios 

etc. 

7) Independent Practice: Make a contest in your class (everyone will be doing it) Tell them that 

you are having a contest to see how many “Gotchas” each class can get. The class with the 

most “Gotchas” for showing respect at the end of the week will get a (whatever you choose) 

(ice cream break, music break, go outside and read on the lawn break- anything you think will be 

rewarding) 

8) Closure: Have them write down a short paragraph about what they learned and how they will 

carry that over to home and community. 

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- 226 -

Routines: 

Ideas from other teachers on how they handle the following routines: 

Passing in the Hallway 

One square away from the wall 

Hands off the wall at all times 

Hands at side, in back (one even had them put them in their pockets- however, that could 

lead to smashed noses if the children fall) 

Stop at the corners 

Teacher walks in the middle so he or she can scan entire group- 

This teacher made a two-way sign so the students could read the directions from behind 

the line leader: 

Pencil Sharpening 

Have every student bring a box of pencils at the beginning of the year. Let a couple of 

students sharpen them all and put them in a large coffee can. When the students’ pencils 

break, they put their broken pencil in another coffee can and take a good one. This 

eliminates children asking to sharpen pencils during class. At the middle and high school 

level, each teacher could ask for a box of pencils and keep them in each class. 

Restroom Breaks 

Secret signals: For some students who have overactive bladders they can signal to you by 

using sign language that they need to use the restroom. 

Some teachers use a key system hanging on the wall and only one student at a time is 

allowed to be out of the classroom. 

Water Fountain 

Water bottles under desks with two fill times during the day 

Secret signal to go get a drink- student uses sign language to ask to go get a drink and teacher 

nods “yes” or “no” 

Reward students with trip to the coldest water fountain in the school for good behavior during 

passing period etc. 

- 227 -

Group Contingencies: 

Compliments The teacher writes the word 

“Compliments” on the board. (Where it 

won’t get erased.) The children are 

told that when another teacher 

compliments them on their behavior 

they will receive a tally mark under the 

word “Compliments”. If the principal 

compliments them they earn five tally 

marks. They are told that if anyone 

asks for a compliment it cannot be 

given. The group sets a goal of 25 or 

more compliments for the week and a 

pre-determined prize is earned. See 

reinforcers that are free or nearly 

free for ideas. 

Links Plastic links from the ceiling- Hang links 

from the ceiling to the point where 

there is about 4 feet left. Tell the 

class that they are so good they get to 

start each week with this many links. 

Then tell them every time they get a 

compliment you will add a link to the 

chain. When the chain hits the floor 

they will earn a reward. 

Marbles, Pennies, 

gumballs, rocks, 

marshmallows, 

Lego’s, Halloween 

candy, etc. 

Apple Tree, 

Flower bush etc. 

Using a mason jar (not too big) tell the 

class that you will put the tangible in 

the jar every time they get a 

compliment from another teacher. 

When the jar is full, they will earn a 

reward. 

Design a tree or bush on the bulletin 

board and every time a child is caught 

behaving in an exemplary way, add an 

apple. Once the tree or bush is full 

celebrate with 5 minutes of extra 

recess. 

Compliments 

IIII IIII IIII 

IIII 

Way to go class! 

- 228 -

Individual Contingency/Group Consequence 

Secret Soldier or Secret Student 

Tell the class that every day you will put the name of one person in an envelope. You will be watching 

that one person and if they are: Respectful of Self, Respectful of Others, and Respectful of Property 

(or whatever expectations you choose to focus on) the class will earn a reward. There are two 

important things to note here: 1) if the secret student does not follow the rules it is important not to 

turn the class against them by stating who it was. Just say, —I‘m sorry the secret student didn‘t meet 

expectations today, we‘ll try again tomorrow.“ 2) If the secret student had a great day then you can 

tell the class who the secret student was that day. This will help the class identify with the behavior 

of that student and boost the ego of that particular student on that day. 

Ego Booster 

Have a child who really needs an ego boost? Pass out double the amount of problems you want the 

students to do. Tell the class that —Johnny “was caught exhibiting excellent behavior in the hallway 

by a secret spy and because of that he gets to pick whether they do the odd or the even problems.” 

The students will never know that the secret spy is you. They will be constantly looking out for any 

adult to make sure they look good in front of that adult so they can get picked the next time you do 

this activity. 

Want an idea about how to pick a student fairly? Put all the names of your 

students on separate popsicle sticks and then put them all in a can. Draw one out in the morning and 

you’ll know who to pick. 

- 229 -

Classroom Tootles: 

Slips of paper are available in a convenient location where students can grab one 

and write up a “tootle” complimenting a classmate on something well done. 

I’d like to give a Tootle to: __________________________________________ 

for : 

Way to Go!!!! 

Marriage Counselors and Ministers who counsel couples know a secret weapon. Many times when 

couples go to marriage counseling they are at the point where each party can not even stand 

the way the other breathes, let alone cohabitate with them. The counselor asks the couples 

to go home and for the next two weeks write down 10 things they appreciate about each 

other. When they come back in two weeks the counselor makes a similar assignment for the 

next two weeks. Oddly enough, usually within a month or two the couple is focusing on the 

positive and not the negative and are on the road to a happier marriage. 

Focusing on the positive has a way of helping everyone to see the positive in everything. Pointing out 

what someone is doing right helps to ensure that the behavior that earned the compliment is repeated. 

This same philosophy works in a classroom, a workplace, or even at home. 

Try it….you’ll like it! 

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How Do You Compliment High School Students? 

Some students are not particularly fond of public displays toward their appropriate behavior. One way 

to circumvent this is to send private post cards to the students’ homes. The post card would just say 

something like, “Thank you for your respectful attitude toward others. I appreciate the way you held 

the door open for me when my hands were full. Best Regards, Mrs. Jones.” 

A high school in Georgia wanted to implement this program. They asked the teachers to choose ten 

students each nine week period and send them a post card. The school said they would supply the post 

cards and pay for the postage. At Winter-Break they realized they had only sent out 20 post cards 

total. The principal and assistant principal sat down and wrote a post card to each teacher and told 

each one of them something specific that they appreciated about their contributions to the school. 

When the teachers returned after Winter-Break they were abuzz about the cards. The principal 

asked them how it made them feel to receive the post card. All responses were positive. The principal 

said, “Well, that’s how your students will fell when you send them one.” Post cards immediately started 

going out. The teachers reported noticing marked improvement in the attitudes of all the students 

who were hoping to garner enough attention to warrant their own post card. 

How Do You Win Over Parents? 

Parents rarely get phone calls or correspondence about the good things their children do. For some 

parents, they actually cringe every time the caller ID shows the school number because they are 

thinking; “What did he do now?” 

Start sending letters to parents telling them something like this: 

March 31, 2005 

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Jones, 

Your daughter Star was caught red handed exhibiting excellent behavior. We would like to 

compliment your daughter on her showing respect to herself and others by never being tardy 

for a nine week period. 

We know that parents play an important role in instilling respect for school. We would like 

to thank you for sending your daughter to us every day ready to learn. Our friends at Pizza 

Hut would like to present your family with this coupon for $5 off a large family size pizza in 

recognition of Star’s great work. 

Sincerely, 

Your fourth grade teacher 

Many businesses are happy to provide schools with discount coupons for things 

like movie rentals, fast food, delivery food, oil changes, etc. It’s great public 

relations for them and a great way for you to reward parents. Imagine the 

public rating score of a school that sends out letters like this. 

- 231 -

Getting Behavior in Shape at Home- (Letter to share with parents) This letter to parents 

was written by Laura A. Riffel, Ph.D. and Ann Turnbull, Ed.D. 

Positive behavior support, often called PBIS, is not just for schools. Parents can use the same ideas to 

create a better environment for the entire family. First, let’s look at what PBIS is: 

1. Deciding what behavior you want to change 

2. Deciding how you want that behavior to change 

3. Using behavior science to change that behavior 

a. Develop a theory about why you think the behavior is occurring 

b. Test your theory 

4. Using supports that have been tested and proven to work 

a. Teach new skills to get the same results 

b. Change environments and daily routines 

c. Reward positive behaviors 

Positive behavior support does not mean changing the child; rather, it means creating a new 

environment that supports the positive behavior you want to achieve. It means creating a plan that 

determines who will help and what you will do differently. So how do you do this? 

Younger children: 

Let’s take a hypothetical child: Let’s call the child Taylor. 

Taylor refuses to eat dinner almost every night. 

Let’s think about what behavior we want: 

We want Taylor to eat a healthy, balanced dinner. 

Let’s brainstorm reasons that Taylor may be refusing to eat: 

Taylor doesn’t like the food. 

Taylor fills up on other things before dinner. 

Parents give lots of attention when dinner is refused. 

· Let’s test the reasons that Taylor won’t eat dinner: 

Ask Taylor to help plan the menu with favorite foods. 

Limit Taylor on any snacks prior to dinner 

Give Taylor lots of attention by helping cook dinner, set the table, etc. 

· As each reason is tested, note which one causes Taylor to eat more dinner. 

· Praise positive results 

· Let’s assume that more is eaten when Taylor plans the menu. 

- 232 -

For the first few times, you may have to fix macaroni and cheese and peanut butter and jelly 

sandwiches with jellybeans; however, Taylor eats the entire meal. 

Praise Taylor for eating the entire meal. 

·After several successful meals, as Taylor is planning the meal tell Taylor that you are going to fix 3 

things. Taylor gets to choose all three but they must be from the choices you present. 

Give Taylor five choices and have Taylor choose three 

o Macaroni and cheese 

o Peanut butter and jelly 

o Hamburgers shaped like hearts 

o Celery filled with peanut butter and raisin ants (call them “ants on a log”) 

o Pears decorated to look like a funny animal 

·Notice how two of the choices were the things that Taylor has already proven likelihood of eating. Tell 

Taylor that if the plate is clean, it will be Taylor’s choice the next evening. 

· As Taylor eats more and more, give increasing praise for eating dinner and for doing a good job of 

planning a good meal. 

· Keep changing the choices to healthy choices until you are actually replacing the macaroni and cheese 

and peanut butter and jelly with more healthy choices. 

Eventually, Taylor will be willing to try new things as taste buds evolve. 

Taylor feels powerful because there was choice in the meals and now has acceptance of varied 

foods. 

· We changed the environment, and it produced more positive results than demanding that Taylor eat 

dinner. How many of us remember sitting at the table until it was bedtime because we refused to eat 

our vegetables? I doubt it really made us want to eat them again the next time. 

In the interest of peace and harmony, does it matter if we altered the child’s environment to get what 

we want or do we want him or her to do it because we say so? Most of us do the things we do because 

there is a payoff. Would you go to work every day if you did not get paid? We do not have to pay our 

children to be good, but we do have to alter the environment so there is a payoff for good behavior. 

Usually the pay off is more attention from parents or a friend. 

Most of the time our children misbehave because they want attention and the only way they can think 

of to get it is to misbehave. How many times have you been in the grocery store behind a mother who 

is asking her child the following questions? 

Do you want a spanking? 

Do you want me to take you out to the car? 

Do you want me to tell your father when we get home? 

Children cry, grab, scream and beg because they want to communicate something to you. The only way 

to change this habit is to teach them what we call “replacement behaviors”. These are new behaviors 

that are socially acceptable. The only way to teach these behaviors is to model and practice them. 

- 233 -

Have your child switch roles with you. Tell him or her ahead of time that you are going to practice 

asking for things and learning the difference between yes and no. Tell your child this is going to be fun 

because s/he gets to be the parent for an hour. Don’t worry about what people will think of you in the 

store. Think about what they think of you when your child is screaming “I want…” 

Walk through the cereal aisle at the store and do the following: 

· Pick up a box of cereal that has a toy in that you want 

· Walk over to your child and say, “I’d really like to have this cereal this week because it has a CD game 

of Monopoly in the box.” 

· I promise I will eat this cereal even if it tastes horrible, because I want the game. 

Tell your child ahead of time to tell you “No” to whatever you ask for. 

· When your child tells you “no,” ask him or her for a reason. 

· Accept his or her reason and put the cereal on the shelf. 

Then have your child do the same thing back to you 

· Have him or her choose a box of cereal that has a toy in it wants 

· Have him or her tell you they would like the cereal because of the toy 

· Have him or her promise he or she will eat the cereal no matter what 

Tell him or her no 

· Have him or her ask you for a reason and then give one 

· When they accept your reason praise him or her for following directions 

· Practice this several times and then practice it several more time during subsequent trips to various 

stores with various items. 

On the same days that you practice saying “no,” also practice saying “yes.” Have him or her model 

saying “thank you” and then compliment him or her on his or her manners. You will need to model this 

the same way you did for the “no” model. 

It isn’t a miracle, and it isn’t going to happen over night. But soon, you will start to see a difference 

when you tell your child “no.” It is fair for him or her to understand why you said, “no,” so explaining 

your reason is reasonable. Your children will respect you for not using the “I’m the mommy that’s why,” 

and you will respect him or her for using good manners by accepting your reason. Be honest in your 

reason. “It’s too expensive.” “It’s not good for you.” “I don’t have the money this week,” are all good 

responses. 

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The most important lesson is to practice, practice, and practice the new behavior. You have to be 

consistent. If you say “no” and give a reason, then don’t give in and purchase the item if further 

begging ensues. This only tells the child that you have a breaking point and to keep trying. If you’ve 

said “no” and given a reason, then you should not say “no” again nor give another reason. When your 

child accepts your answer and your reason, then it is very important for you to compliment him or her 

on this good behavior. It is also very important that both parents and/or caregivers are consistent. 

What can you do if the above does not work? The truth is every child is different, even children in the 

same family. What works for some children doesn’t work for all. Here are some other ideas: 

· When you enter a store remind your child that you have “X” dollars to spend and that anything they 

want to add will go over the limit which might take away from something else they want (going to the 

movies). 

· Give your child $5 or whatever limit you want to set. Tell your child he or she may ask for something 

but he or she will have to be able to purchase it with the money that you have set aside for extras. If 

your child wants a certain cereal, then he or she will have to pay for it. Suddenly, your child will likely 

become very choosy about what he or she purchases. 

Tips for older children: 

This is a personal experience that worked well for my own children: 

We quickly became indebted to fast food restaurants, video stores, and the popular teen clothing 

establishments. We investigated the reason for this loss of money and determined: 1) we let it happen 

because we kept giving our children more money, and 2) our children didn’t understand the concept of 

budgeting. We decided to remedy this by creating a budget box. We bought a plastic recipe box and 

put in envelopes and labeled them: 

Pizza 

Movies 

Videos 

Fast food 

Gas money 

Gifts for friends 

New clothing 

Each month we put in a certain amount of money in each envelope. If our children wanted to order 

pizza, they had to check the budget box and pay for it from the appropriate envelope. Suddenly, 

coupons were very important to them when coupons were a dirty word when mom and dad footed the 

bill. Suddenly, those extra cokes at the drive through were not quite as important. They considered 

every purchase and weighed the options. If we had to drive our children somewhere, each child had to 

pay us one dollar out of the budget box. We wanted our children to understand that when they had 

their own cars, they would need to budget trips instead of driving all over town wasting gas. 

We did not have to say “no” when asked about purchases. All we had to say was “check your envelope.” 

We allowed no trading from one “account” to the other. The children were responsible for their own 

box. They quickly realized that decisions regarding the whole month were more important than living 

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for the moment. This created an environment where everyone was happy. Our children learned to think 

before they acted, and it was good practice for when they became independent young adults. 

This method was far superior to ranting and raving about money which was an abstract idea to them. 

They saw that we had a checkbook, credit cards, and cash and did not understand that we would not 

have those items if we spent money every time we saw something we wanted. If they wanted 

something, our children learned to save from one month to next to make major purchases. We did not 

give them extra money; when we said “no” we meant “no,” and our reason was our budget. 

We praised our children: 

when we checked their boxes at the end of the month 

when they paid for their own purchases 

when they saved up for something big 

In the world of PBIS, we changed the environment (basically we changed our behavior, we didn’t dole 

out money any longer). We taught our children a new skill, and we provided positive feedback when they 

performed their new skills. Our hypothesis was that our children didn’t understand the concept of 

budgeting. We proved that hypothesis when they learned to budget for themselves. 

Post Script: I recently visited one of my children and had to hang up an outfit in the closet. 

There on the closet shelf was a box labeled with “gas, groceries, clothes, etc.”, written in my 

grown child’s own handwriting. My own child as an adult was using the system. I can only 

imagine that my grandchildren will be brought up using the same system. 

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Free or Inexpensive Rewards for Your Class: 

Extra Recess Pajama Day- Wear pajamas, 

bring pillows and all learning 

takes place on the floor with the 

desks pushed out of the way. 

National Silence Day- No one in 

the room is allowed to use spoken 

words. They must use: sign 

language, drawings, written 

notes, pantomimes etc. to convey 

their thoughts. This means the 

teacher too. It’s a lot of fun for 

1 day. 

Picnic Lunch- All students bring a 

sack lunch from home (or ask the 

cafeteria to provide) – bring 

large quilts and go out on the 

school lawn-or in the middle of 

your classroom if the weather is 

bad and have lunch on a quilt. 

Popcorn during reading time- 

Popcorn is a “cheap” treat and if 

you really want to make it special 

you can drizzle butter over it 

with cinnamon sugar. Children 

love it and think you really did 

something special. 

Visit this website: 

http://www.sunkist.com/takeast 

and/ then set up the lemonade 

stand in your school with preadvertising. 

Your students will 

learn a lot of business skills in 

running a business, and learn 

about contributing to a charity. 

This could be tied into Showing 

Respect for Others if that is one 

of your behavioral expectations. 

Home baked cookies-Surprise 

the class by bringing in home 

baked cookies telling them it’s 

because they have been 

so…whatever behavioral 

expectation you have been 

working on. 

DEAR- “Drop Everything and 

Read” - Walk over to the board 

and say “Everyone is working so 

well that you have 15 minutes to 

do this…”Write DEAR on the 

board. The students get 15 

minutes to read leisure 

materials. 

Popcorn on a blanket. Have the 

students form a large circle 

away from the center. Put a 

popcorn popper in the center of 

the circle without the lid. The 

students can watch the popcorn 

pop out of the popper all over 

the blanket. Once the popper is 

off they can eat. 

Visit this website: 

http://www.bestfreestuffonline. 

com/kidstuff.htm and have the 

students choose one to write to 

for a free item. (This will help 

them learn proper letter writing 

etiquette) then have all the 

items delivered to your 

classroom. Once they have all 

arrived- wait for a great day of 

behavior and pass them out. 

Teacher Day- Divide the class 

into teams and each team is 

responsible for teaching one 

section of the day. This takes 

planning but gives students an 

appreciation of how hard it is to 

prepare for a lesson from the 

teacher’s viewpoint. 

Music day- Play “approved” CD’s 

while the students are working 

at their desks for a reward. 

DEAD- “Drop Everything and 

Draw” Walk over to the board 

and say “Everyone is working so 

well that you have 15 minutes to 

do this…” Write DEAD on the 

board. The students get 15 

minutes to draw. 

Soda Pop day- Send home a note 

the night before and tell the 

parents that their child has 

earned a reward and tomorrow 

they can bring a soda pop from 

home to drink after lunch. 

Slipper day- Variation on Pajama 

day (especially if you have older 

students). 

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Class Meetings: 

Class meetings are a great way to end your week. Here’s what you need: 

A class 

A circle for them to sit in (chairs or no chairs- doesn’t matter) 

An item that you can toss (Koosh Balls work great) 

A problem box for students to turn in problems on slips of paper 

All class meetings start out the same: 

Rules: You can only talk if you are holding the Koosh Ball. You must try to toss the Koosh Ball so that 

the other person can catch it. All tossing of the Koosh Ball is underhand. 

Compliments: The teacher starts by modeling the incorrect and correct way to give a compliment. By 

being careful not to compliment things like Susie’s shoes, but choosing observable behaviors that are 

preferred the teacher can guide the kind of compliments that the students choose to give. Each 

person can only receive one compliment. The ball has to keep going until everyone has had a compliment. 

Students begin to be on the look-out all week for different people to compliment so they are ready 

when the Koosh ball comes to them. 

Class Meeting: The teacher leads the class meeting after that and brings up things that will be 

happening the next week so the students have something to look forward to on Monday. You can 

discuss new units, field trips, visitors, and books you will be reading aloud. Whatever is of interest to 

the class and will keep them interested in upcoming events. It can be as simple or complex as you want. 

The students can ask questions by raising their hands and you toss the Koosh ball to them so they can 

talk. 

Problem Box: All week the students have either written or dictated to you a problem that they would 

like discussed at the class meeting. Anonymously, you will describe a problem and have the students 

come up with solutions to the problem. After discussing two or three possible solutions, the class 

votes on the solution they would like to try and then everyone agrees that this is how they are going to 

handle the problem the following week to give it a try and see if that will work for them. If not, it goes 

back into the problem box for further discussion. 

Problems: Follow up on problems that were discussed the week before are brought up the next week to 

see how the solutions worked. The class votes on whether they will continue to use the solutions they 

tried during the week or try something new. This gives them control over handling their own problems 

and they serve as reminders to each other about how to handle particular problems. 

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Learning from others’ misteaks mistakes 

SKIPPING SCHOOL 

I was called in one time as a consultant to help a school that had the highest out of school suspension 

rate in the state. I asked them to talk to me about what offenses could result in an out of school 

suspension. It seems the number one thing that was happening in the school was that when a student 

skipped school they got an automatic out of school suspension for two days. (Yes, you read that right.) 

Being as tactful as possible, I asked them what they thought the function of skipping school might be 

for a child. They knew the right answer; the child wanted to escape school. However, the light bulb 

didn’t go on when they heard themselves say that. I had to say “…and you give them two more escape 

days when they skip?” “Why?” To which they replied, “That’s what we’ve always done.” 

Mark Twain said it best when he said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over 

again and expecting different results. Which always floors me when I hear “We’ve always done it this 

way” given as an excuse for anything. 

It actually took me a year to convince them to change and assign Saturday school for children who 

skipped. Incredulously their out of school suspension rate dropped and so did their attendance 

problem. It seems children don’t like to come to school on Saturday. 

There is a proverb which says, “If you’ve told a child 1000 times to do something and they don’t 

do it…it isn’t the child that is a slow learner.” 

Dress Code Violations 

I have to confess that I was once expelled from school for a day for dress code violation. I wore pants 

to school. This gives you an idea about how old I am, in that this was a mortal sin. I walked about a mile 

to school. This was my choice because I didn’t like the noise on the bus and I was way too cool to ride 

the bus anyway. I wore pants in the winter time because it was cold in Kansas. I carried my skirt in a 

bag. When I got to school I went to the restroom and changed. One day when I arrived at school the 

bag was missing. I lost it somewhere between home and school. I had to decide, did I want to face my 

mother and tell her I lost a brand new skirt or did I want to take a chance getting caught with pants 

on in school? 

I decided I could sneak around the halls and no one would notice that I had pants on. I didn’t make it 

more than 15 minutes before Mrs. Sedorwitcz caught me and sent me to the office. I was sent home 

for the day. Now when you hear this story you are thinking that’s a silly thing to have cost me losing a 

day of education. However, it’s still happening. Children are getting sent home for bagging pants, 

piercings, jell-o hair, and shirts with beer slogans. It’s not worth missing a day of education for these 

things. The best defense is a good offense. 

- 239 -

UPDATE: We have found a cure that has worked in three different states: 

Have all staff members stand out in the hallway during passing period passing out slips of paper that 

say, “Thanks for dressing for success”. Have the staff members tell the students to hang on to them 

till the end of the week. Let the excitement build. On Friday, announce that any student who has 10 

slips for dressing for success will be able to have free entrance to the school game or school dance 

that night. Tell the students to keep watching you will be doing this again. The schools that have done 

this can’t believe the difference it has made. Boys actually have started wearing ties and button down 

shirts in one school because the girls complimented them on looking nice. You just have to change the 

prize from time to time. 

In a school in Alabama, the administrators stand on the sidewalk as the students exit the buses and 

car rides. If they are dressed appropriately, they get to go inside the school right away and walk 

around the halls with their friends (social time). IF they are dressed inappropriately, they must stand 

beside the administrator until everyone has arrived and then after the administrator determines what 

needs to happen they get to go to their locker. The students are very motivated by peer attention. 

Love Notes 

I used to carry a packet of post-it notes in my pocket every day when I taught. Before the day began, 

I would write the name of each student on the pages of the post-it note pad. As the day went along I 

would notice something that each student did and write it down on the post-it note accompanying their 

name. It looked like this: 

Dustin, I love the way you picked up Krystal‘s crayons for her when they fell on the floor. Love, Mrs. R. 

When the students went home they would not leave until they got their love note. They loved it and 

their parents loved it. 

Half-way through the year I got a new student, Casey. I gave Casey love notes along with everyone 

else. After several weeks, Casey’s mom came up to me and said, “I thought I had a really wonderful 

son until I realized you gave those out to everyone.” How sad, that she didn’t realize she had a 

wonderful son whether I gave those out to everyone or not. 

Whenever I tell this story, I always have someone say, “I don’t have time to do that.” Now I’m going to 

tell you that I did this when I taught Kindergarten. When I taught Kindergarten I was half a day and 

we had two groups per day. Not only did I do it everyday, I did it twice a day, all year long. You can do 

it too. It only takes a second to notice something good. 

Sometimes, I bought the special shaped pads and pre-wrote things on them like: 

Frog Shape…..Danny, I’m so “hoppy” that you…….Love, Mrs. R Duck Shape… Susie, It was so “ducky” 

when you…..Love, Mrs. R. Bee Shape…Paul, It was bee-u-ti-ful when you…..Love, Mrs. R. Bear 

Shape…Pamela, It was bear-y nice of you to…..Love, Mrs. R. 

Targeted Group <strong>Intervention</strong>s 

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- 241 -

Targeted groups are those little groups that can sometimes take up a lot of your 

time. In the younger grades they might be the tattle tales. Back in the early 1970’s 

when I first started teaching it was a common practice by some of the seasoned 

teachers to put a little yarn braided tail on students who tattled. Almost as bad as 

putting a “dunce” cap on a student. Thankfully, I never bought into that philosophy. 

This group includes children with impulsivity disorders who need the little booster 

shots from the primary interventions more frequently than the rest of the class. 

They might need a secret signal to remind them where to keep their hands in line etc. 

There are the whiners, complainers, and Chicken Littles in every group. (True in the 

adult world as well.) The following strategies will help you deal with these children. 

These students have master’s degrees in how to bait adults into a power struggle. 

These are the children who say things like: 

I don’t need this stinking class 

o “Stinking” may be substituted with a less desirable word, the older 

the student gets 

This is irrelevant 

This sucks 

You’re mean 

I hate you 

These are also the students who are good at letting you 

enable them to be dependent on you for work, friends, and 

excuses. 

- 242 -

Whining 

I did a search on the Internet looking to see what others did with classroom whiners and couldn’t 

believe the negative things I found. One teacher actually made a “Whiner’s Trophy” which consisted 

of a cup with Kleenex; which, she placed on her student’s desks when they whined. Most of the 

suggestions focused on giving the class tokens and then taking them away when they whined. This is 

response cost and research supports the fact that this doesn’t work. 

Here’s response cost and how I see it used in classrooms: 

Red, Yellow, and Green cards in library pockets with each child’s name on a pocket 

Money system where students are given amount and totals subtracted for misdeeds 

Stars crossed out when misdeeds occur 

Whatever the system… it’s all response cost. What happens when the card is on red, or the money is 

gone? You have just given the child permission to be as “bad” as they want because they have nothing 

left to lose. 

I teach a University class called “Applied Behavior Analysis” to first year teachers. Every year, I have 

a young teacher come up to me and tell me it’s working for her in her classroom. I always say, “Okay, 

keep using it as long as it’s working but come tell me when it stops working.” They always come in 

before the end of the semester with their heads down and tell me it stopped working. It doesn’t 

matter how cute you make it- it isn’t a good idea to post who’s good and who’s bad. 

It works so much better to give the students nothing to start with and then apply tokens to them 

when they are caught exhibiting excellent behavior. This is called a token economy and it can be set 

up for every student in the class or 3-5 students in the class. Let’s suppose you have three students in 

your class who whine about every little assignment. You could have a small group meeting with them 

and discuss tone of voice. Teach the correct tone of voice, model it, give the students opportunity to 

practice it and then use the token economy to reward that behavior. After awhile you will be able to 

fade the tokens. 

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The Monday Gang 

I used to set up a plastic backyard table in my classroom- the kind you get at Wal-Mart for $39.99 

with four plastic chairs and a beach umbrella. I used this for those children who needed a little extra 

pre-correction for the week. On Monday morning we ate breakfast at the table together. We went 

over the calendar for the week. We talked about what they did over the weekend. We then talked 

about the typical rules that got broken and how we could avoid them. In essence, I was doing 

relationship narratives with them. Sometimes I had pictures, cues to remind them, or secret signals 

we would give each other when we needed to remind each other of things. If the students needed a 

break we had a secret signal for that-they moved their name tag from one side of the desk to the 

other. This let me know they needed to take a break. We had our “I need a break folders” ready to go 

with word games in them that they could do until I got to them. We talked about what to say if they 

needed to go for a walk. They knew there was always a book on my desk that needed to be returned to 

the library (this was a code that my librarian and I had worked out. If a particular book came to the 

library she knew it meant that student needed to go for a walk to get the wiggles out. She talked to 

them, sent another book to me through them and they were on their way.) They knew this privilege 

would be revoked if they used it too much. We were able to talk about these things in my Monday 

Morning Get-Togethers. We talked about anything that might be bothering them. It was a great way 

to head problems off at the pass, be proactive, and start the week out on a good note for all the 

students in the group. I usually only had 4 students at a time who needed this type of pre-correction 

for the week. 

The ADHD Gang (More ADHD ideas in the back section of the book) 

One of the years that I taught inclusion classes I had a wonderful class of 17 students. Five of these 

students were identified ADHD. I had to come up with some solutions to meet their needs. I took 

data for a few weeks and noticed how much they seemed to need to move. I realized first that I was 

not giving them enough time to move around during the day to meet their needs. My first intervention 

was to set up 3 extra desks in the room. These were free desks for my 5 students to move to when 

they felt the need to move. They knew that at any time during the day if they needed to move, they 

could take what they were working on and move to one of these desks to work. As long as they did not 

create a problem for anyone else in the room, they could have this privilege. This helped a lot, but still 

I needed more. I discovered a really wonderful tool from School Specialty: 

Wiggle Seats 

Special education catalogs sell these air filled disks for almost 40.00. You can purchase one at Wal- 

Mart either online or from the sporting goods department. Here’s the link to order them online for 

$13.87 http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10270007 

We also walked the track first thing in the morning several mornings a week to alleviate the wiggle 

factor. Once I put all of these interventions into place, I had a much calmer classroom. Being 

proactive helped alleviate a lot of their impulsivity. 

- 244 -

Social Skill Groups 

Some children don’t pick up on the non-verbal cues that others do. We have to teach them what it 

means to “pay attention”, “be quiet”, and “behave.” There is a wonderful line in the book The Curious 

Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon. The main character, Christopher, who has 

Asperger Syndrome basically said “I didn’t like it when my teacher told me to be quiet because she 

didn’t say for how long I had to be quiet. I didn’t know if it was for five minutes or the rest of the 

day.” Many of our children are this way. I remember once going up and asking my teacher if it was okay 

to swallow my saliva when she asked us to be quiet; because, in my own head that sounded very loud and 

I assumed she might be able to hear it if I swallowed. 

As a behavior specialist, I am privileged to hear all the complaints of teachers. I frequently hear 

things like: 1) “Kids should just behave”, 2) “They know better”, 3) “I shouldn’t have to tell them to be 

good”, and 4) “I’m not going to reward them for something they should be doing anyway.” 

So let me ask you this: How many of you drove today? How many of you possibly went over the speed 

limit at some point either intentionally or unintentionally? Personally, there have been many times that 

I have been running late and it was worth the risk of a $75 ticket for me to go over the speed limit. 

However, if the police worked it different and at any moment a police officer could pull behind me, 

clock my speed, and pull me over and give me a check for $75 for going the correct speed limit; I can 

guarantee you that I would rarely speed. I would be much more inclined to follow the posted speed 

limit if I were rewarded for doing so. 

Children need to be taught what it means to pay attention, be respectful, be polite, be responsible and 

so on. They need opportunities to practice these skills and we need to catch them doing it and reward 

them for it. If you don’t believe this then you might want to make a career move because you are going 

to be miserable and think that children were born to be bad. Children weren’t born to be bad; they 

were born, not knowing what you expect of them. 

Role playing and videos are the best ways to teach these skills to students. They need to see what you 

mean when you tell them what you want. I used to spend a week teaching my little first graders what I 

wanted when we walked down the hallway. We would go out in the hallway and practice it over and over 

again. I gave booster shots of practice from time to time. When my cohorts were scolding their 

students in May for pushing and shoving down the hallway, my students were appropriately walking 

down the hall because I had taken the time to teach what I expected. I bragged to them consistently 

about how well they were carrying out the rules of walking down the hall. 

- 245 -

Books on Teaching Social Skills: 

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel; here are some books on Social Skills found in a quick search on 

the Internet. You might find them in your school library. 

104 Activities That Build: Selfesteem, 

Teamwork, Communication, 

Anger Management, Self-discovery, 

and Coping Skills 

Basic Social Skills for Youth: A 

Handbook from Boys Town 

Hot Stuff to Help Kids Chill Out: The 

Anger Management Book 

Reaching Out, Joining In: Teaching 

Social Skills to Young Children with 

Autism 

Ready-To-Use Social Skills Lessons & 

Activities for Grades 7 - 12 (J-B Ed: 

Ready-to-Use Activities) 

Six Steps to an Emotionally Intelligent 

Teenager: Teaching Social Skills to 

Your Teen 

Social Skills Activities : for 

Secondary Students with Special 

Needs 

by Alanna Jones "Teamwork activities are fun to 

lead, exciting to participate in, challenging, and 

almost always the favorite type of therapeutic 

games to play..." 

by Boys Town Press, Father Flanagan's Boys' Home, 

Val J. Peter (Designer) 

by Jerry Wilde 

Expert clinicians introduce social skills programs 

for preschool & kindergarten children with autism, 

with a focus on play, rules, empathy, & inclusion. 

by: Harris, Sandra L. 

Publisher: Woodbine House 

Publication Date: July 2001 

Number of pages: 150 

by Ruth Weltmann Begun "<strong>Behavioral</strong> Objectives: 

The student will exhibit good listening and 

concentration skills that are appropriate for 

classroom learning and everyday life..." (more) 

by: Windell, James 

Publisher: Wiley 

Publication Date: August 1999 

Number of pages: 213 

by Darlene Mannix "Rationale: Being able to listen 

to others is probably one of the most important 

social skills that an individual can acquire..." 

The following pages on Student Teacher Rating Sheets have been very effective for many teachers. 

It is not enough to tell children to “be respectful”, we must teach them what that looks like, sounds 

like, and feels like. 

- 246 -

Just as an 87% on a paper does not teach a child what they did correctly and what they did 

incorrectly; telling a child to flip a card to another color does not teach them to see their behavior 

the same way the adult sees their behavior. 

The following pages are a self-management tool for teachers to use with children who are having a 

difficult time with typical classroom management techniques. 

The teacher grades their behavior on a few positively stated expectations every hour using a scale of 

3-2-1 (3 means everything went extremely well that hour, 2 means things went well but could have 

been a little better , and 1 means things could have been better). I do not believe in using a zero or a 

sad face with a child because children equate this with “I’m a zero. I’m not worth anything.” (As 

soon as a child believes this about themselves they will begin to act as if they are a zero or not 

worth anything and that is not where we want any child’s self-worth to rest.) 

I actually was doing a training once and a lady raised her hand and said, “Get real. Some 

children are zeros.” I sincerely hope this woman has found work in another industry, 

because if you believe that children are not worth anything, you should not be in charge of 

their education. 

The child grades their behavior on the same scale of 3-2-1. They can do this on the sheet of paper 

provided on the next pages or on a separate piece of paper. The child should not be able to see what 

the teacher wrote and the teacher should not be able to see what the child wrote. When they put 

their two papers together, if they match the child gets that number of points. 3+3= 3 points, 2+2= 2 

points and 1+1= 1 point. If the teacher marks the child a 3 and the child marks their behavior a 2 

then no points are earned. This helps the child learn to see their behavior the same way the adult 

sees their behavior. 

Most children really buy into this program because it is competition and they love competition. My 

favorite way to “pay off” on this program is to have the child choose a menu of point accumulation 

and the reward occurs at home. For example, if a child had six hours with 9 points possible for each 

hour their top point accumulation would be 54 points. The menu might look like this: 

1-25 points= 5 extra minutes of computer game at home 

26-35 points = 10 extra minutes of computer game at home 

36-40 points = getting to choose what the family eats for dinner that night 

41-50 points = getting to help parent cook the dinner that the family eats for dinner 

51-54 points = getting to choose the family movie to watch that night 

- 247 -

This is the new student teacher rating scale that helps students see their behavior the same way the adults see their behavior: 

STUDENT TEACHER RATING SHEET FOR ____________________________ DATE: 

S 

O 

A 

R 

TOTAL 

POINTS 

Breakfast Calendar Reading Math Lunch Specials Connections Packets Science/ Social 

Studies 

I DID 

EXACTLY 

THE RIGHT 

THINGS. 

I DID PRETTY 

GOOD. 

For young children use smiley faces: A big smiley face – if both agree big smiley face is worth 3 points. A medium smiley face- if both agree 

medium smiley face is worth 2 points. A straight face – if both agree straight face is worth one point 

- 248 - 

I COULD HAVE 

DONE BETTER.

For older students substitute smiley faces with the numbers 3-2-1. Students must earn the number of points they were given. If they only earn one 

point for matching, the child will quickly figure out that if they have tons of targeted behaviors the teacher will mark them a “one” and then the 

student can mark a “one” and they will match. Smart kids! (I learned this lesson the hard way.) 

The teacher marks the score for each section where the student cannot see what the teacher is writing. The student marks the score for each section 

where the teacher cannot see what the student is writing. The student and teacher then get together and everywhere they match the student earns 

points. 

In the sample above the student could earn up to 108 points per day. This was for a four year old in a preschool. The teacher added up all the points 

and then helped the child figure out what menu choices they had. 

100 points or better and he/she gets to pick what the family eats for dinner that night and help grandma cook it…. and he/she can choose a prize at 

school – like getting to play basketball one on one with a preferred adult. You will have to figure out what will “float his boat.” 

80-100 points and he/she gets to help grandma cook dinner- but doesn’t get to choose what it is…and he/she can choose a prize at school- like getting 

10 extra minutes of computer time. 

You’ll have to come up with the menu <strong>based</strong> on his/her “float the boaters” 

The following page has a sheet filled out. 

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Date: 

Student-Teacher Rating Form 

Student Hour One Hour Two Hour Three Hour Four Hour Five Hour Six 

Be 

Respectful 

Be 


Be 

Resourceful 

Total 

Points 

This child earned 28 out of 54 points. They would have a menu of rewards and 28 points would earn them a medium level pay off. 

- 250 -

Date: 



Total 

Points 

This is a blank form for you to use. 

- 251 -

Family Sample for Home Use- Could use with whole family and person with most points wins. See 100 free ways to reward children for ideas on 

menu choices. 

My child 

Day of the week 

Total Points 

R O C K S 

Respects Others Community Knowledge Self 

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Free or Inexpensive Rewards for Parents to Use with Their Children 

Young Children 

1. Assist the parent with a household chore 

2. Send an email to a relative telling them what a good job they had done on a project at 

school. In other words, email Aunt Linda and tell her about the “A” you got on your 

spelling test. 

3. Get to decorate paper placemats for the dining room table for dinner that evening 

4. Get to choose what is fixed for dinner that night- example: “You get to choose, I can make 

tacos or meatloaf. Which do you want me to fix?” 

5. Get to help parent fix dinner- shell peas, peel potatoes, make art out of vegetables, make ants 

on a log etc. 

6. Get to be the first person to share 3 stars and a wish at the dinner table (3 good things that 

happened that day and one thing they wish had gone better.) 

7. Get to create a family night activity- roller skating, hiking in the park, picnic dinner on the 

living room floor or under the dining room table with blankets over the top. 

8. Camp out in the backyard with a parent. 

9. Get a car ride to or from school instead of the bus 

10. Get to have a picture framed for mom or dad’s office 

11. Get to choose the game the family plays together that night 

12. Get to choose the story the family reads out loud together (read the classics) 

13. Get to go with a parent to volunteer at a retirement home (the children will get tons of 

attention) 

14. Get to gather old toys and take to a shelter for children who have nothing 

15. Get to ask friends to bring dog and cat food to their birthday party instead of toys that will 

break. Take the food to a shelter the day after as a reward. They will get a ton of attention 

from the staff. 

16. Bury treasures in a sandbox for the child to find. Put letters in plastic Easter eggs and they 

have to put the letters together that spell treat the child will receive. (ideas: a walk with 

grandma, bike riding at the park, etc.) 

17. Make special mud pies in the backyard with mom or dad or have a family contest to see who 

can make the best mud pie. 

18. Dig shapes in the sandbox and then decorate with items found around the house. Pour 

inexpensive plaster of paris into the shape and wait to dry. When it’s pulled out it will be a 

sandy relief that can be hung on the wall (if you remember to put a paper clip in the plaster 

of paris on the top before it dries ) 

19. Get to go shopping with a parent as an only child. Give them a special task to look for 

something that you are seeking. For example: “Here’s a picture of a blue blouse that I’m 

trying to find. Help me look for something that looks like this.” 

20. Take all the children to grandma and grandpa’s except one and let that child stay home with 

mom and dad and be “only child” for the weekend. The other children will get spoiled with 

lots of attention by grandma and grandpa and the “only child” will get lots of attention from 

mom and dad. (If you don’t have grandma and grandpa nearby- trade with another family 

taking turns to keep each other’s children.) 

21. Download a fun recipe and let your child help you make that recipe as a surprise for the rest 

of the family that evening. (put up signs that say “Secret Cooking in Progress”. Must have 

special pass to enter the kitchen. 

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22. Surprise your child with a scavenger hunt around the house. If they read, give them written 

clues hinting as to where the next card is hiding. At the end have them find a note that tells 

them their big prize. (If your child can’t read, you can use pictures.) 

23. Make a story on the computer with your child using Microsoft’s PowerPoint program. Let 

your child be the star of the story. 

24. Let your child take the digital camera out in the back yard and then come back in and turn 

those pictures into a story on the computer. Help them print off their book for a distant 

family member. 

25. Go outside and collect cool leaves and flowers. Come inside and put those leaves and 

flowers between two sheets of wax paper. The parent will iron these two sheets together and 

create placemats for everyone in the family for the evening. 

26. Start a family story at the dinner table and each person in the family has to tell a part of the 

story. The child being rewarded gets to start and end the story. 

27. Let your child earn 5 minutes of either staying up later or sleeping in the morning. Use that 

time to read together if they stay up later. 

28. Play secretary and let your child dictate a story to you. Type up the story and send it out to 

some relatives who will call them and tell them how much they liked the story. 

29. Write a story for your child where the child or their personal hero is a character in the story. 

30. Change the screen saver on your computer to say “My child is the greatest.” …or something 

that would make them feel good about themselves. Do this at your office and then take a 

picture of it or take your child to your office on the weekend and let them see it. 

31. Let your child help you do the laundry and then pay them with a special dessert for dinner. 

Be sure to say, “Since you helped me save time by helping me fold the laundry, I have time 

to make this special dessert for dinner.” 

32. Help your child organize their room giving them a mnemonic to help them remember where 

things go- for instance teach them the color order of the rainbow and then teach them to 

hang up their clothes in color groups matching the order of the rainbow (ROYGBIV). Later 

on when you catch them hanging up their clothes in the correct place draw a “rainbow” 

award for their good work and put it on their door as a surprise when they come home. 

33. Have the bedroom fairy come while they are at school and choose the bedroom that is the 

neatest. Hang a fairy from the doorway of the room that is the neatest and that person gets 

to sit in “Dad’s chair” to read that night. (or something that would be appropriate at your 

house). 

34. Mystery grab bag. Take an old pillow case and put slips of paper inside listing some of the 

prizes on this page and let the child draw out the prize they are going to get for their 

behavior reward. 

35. Let your child dictate where you drive on the way home from a location. In other words, 

they have to tell you turn left here…turn right here. If they happen to steer you into a 

Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Parlor, it wouldn’t be a horrible thing to stop and have a family 

treat together. 

36. Give your child a special piece of jewelry that belongs to you to keep and wear for the day. 

(Nothing that costs a lot of money- but something that looks like it is special to you.) The 

child will feel special all day long. 

37. Take your children to the library one at a time and give them special one on one time at the 

library checking out books or listening to stories. 

38. Sign your child up for acting lessons (they have to have earned this privilege). Many 

universities offer free acting classes on the weekend for children. 

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39. Take your child to an art gallery and then have them draw a picture of their favorite painting 

or statue. Possibly stage a mini art gallery tour of the child’s work for relatives who are 

coming to visit. Serve cheese and grape juice. 

40. Take your child to the university astronomy lab. (It is usually free). Help them place stars 

on the ceiling of their room in their favorite constellation. If possible they could paint the 

stars with “glow in the dark” paint. 

41. Take your child on a nature walk and collect rocks. Bring the rocks back home and have a 

contest painting the rocks to look like animals. 

42. Have your child collect some toys they have outgrown. Clean up the toys and take them to a 

local hospital children’s ward and donate the toys to the ward. The child will get lots of 

attention and feel good. 

43. Go to your local appliance store and ask them to save a refrigerator box for you. The next 

time your child earns a reward, give them the box and help them plan and decorate the box 

to turn it into anything their imagination desires. 

44. Make Papier-mâché Halloween masks by taking punch ball balloons and spreading the 

paper strips over the balloon shape. Make noses, horns, tongues whatever they desire and 

then paint when dry. You will have a unique and free Halloween costume and you will have 

given your child tons of attention. 

45. Find an old fashioned popcorn popper (not an air popper). Spread an old sheet out on the 

living room floor, put a little oil in the popper and then have your children sit outside the 

perimeter of the sheet. Put a few kernels of popcorn in the popper and watch them fly up in 

the air. The children will love watching this. For a special treat pour cinnamon sugar on the 

popcorn after it pops. 

46. Find some light balsa wood and create a boat powered by a rubber band and paper clip 

paddle wheel. Make a unique sail and take the boat to a creek or lake nearby and help your 

child launch their boat. Be sure to take a butterfly net to retrieve the boat when it goes 

downstream. (Proactively, you could put an eye hook on the front of the boat and attach 

some fishing line to it so it can be brought back to shore. 

47. Take your child fishing. It’s a great place to have some really in depth conversations. 

48. Take your child for a ride looking for items that start with each letter of the alphabet. Take 

the child’s picture in front of each item that starts with that letter and then put it together as 

an ABC Book. For example: “This is Johnny in front of Applebees.” “This is Johnny in 

front of BlockBuster.” And so on…. 

49. Check with your local humane society and see if they allow children under 18 to volunteer 

to feed and water the animals. (Some shelters only allow adults over 18). Let your child 

earn the privilege of going to the shelter to feed and water the animals. Perhaps they can 

walk a small dog or pet a cat. 

50. Take your child to the local fire department. As long as they are not busy, they will be glad 

to show the child around and give them some great attention. Most children have seen a 

fire truck, but few have actually gone to the fire department to see what it looks like. 

51. Play the “Gatekeeper Game” with your child. A description of this game is available on 

www.behaviordoctor.org (under books- Stork Manual page 60.) 

52. Tell your children you have a surprise performance for them. Get a stocking cap and lay on 

a sturdy table with your head hanging chin up in the air. Cover all of your face with the 

stocking cap except your chin and mouth. Draw two eyeballs on your chin and then lip sync 

to a silly song. It looks really funny, like a little headed person with a big mouth singing. 

Then let your child put on a performance for you. 

53. Play hide and go seek in your house in the dark. Turn out all the lights and have everyone 

hide. One person is “it” and they have to go around the house and find the people who are 

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hiding. It’s really a great way to help your children not be afraid of the dark. You can limit 

it to one or two rooms if your children are young. 

54. Ask your children if they’d rather have a dollar a day for thirty days or a penny a day that 

doubles each day for 30 days. In other words on day one 1 cent, day two 2 more cents, day 

three 4 cents and so on. Once they decide then help them figure out which one would have 

been the better deal. $10,737,418.23 at the end of 30 days with the double the pennies 

per day. 

55. Give your child a nice piece of manila paper and some wax crayons. Have them color a 

design on every inch of the paper- could be stripes or wavy lines- whatever they desire. 

Then have them cover the entire page with black crayon. They color over the entire page. 

Then give them a paper clip and have them open one end and scratch a cool design into the 

black crayon. The colors underneath will show through. Do an art gallery tour and have tea 

and cookies after looking at the different pictures. 

56. Teach your child how to throw a football, shoot a basket, kick a field goal, hit a baseball, or 

putt a golf ball. Then for fun, switch hands and try to do all of those things with the 

opposite side of the body. 

57. Find an old croquet set- probably on EBay. Set up croquet in your yard and challenge your 

child to a game of croquet. The winning child gets to choose what the family eats for 

dinner. 

58. Turn your dining room table into a cave by covering it with blankets, quilts and sheets that 

cover the top and sides down to the floor. Lie inside the cave and draw picture by flashlight 

to hang on the wall of the cave- just like the caveman drawings. You can safety pin the 

pictures to the “cave walls”. 

59. Have a talent night for the family. Have everyone keep it a secret what they are doing and 

then perform for each other. 

60. Teach your child how to darn a sock and then turn it into a magical sock puppet. Put on 

puppet shows for each other. 

61. Take a tension curtain rod and put it in the door frame with some old curtains attached. Let 

your child put on a talent show for you as they enter through the curtain. 

62. Attach cork panels to a wall in the kitchen or put in a large picture frame and put a special 

piece of art, poetry, or an exceptional paper on the board and have the entire family view 

and comment at dinner on the highlighted piece. 

63. Let your child design thank you cards, birthday cards, or holiday cards and use them to send 

to friends and relatives. Make sure they sign their work. 

64. Buy your child an inexpensive digital camera and have them take pictures and then gather 

the family with popcorn and watch the video on your television by hooking the camera to 

the television or upload to the computer and attach the computer to the television. Have 

everyone choose a favorite photo and talk about it. 

65. Have a date night with your child as an only child. Take your child out to dinner and a play 

or a movie. 

Teenagers 

1. A gallon of paint is inexpensive. Let the child choose the color and help them paint their 

room. You can also buy mistake paint (colors that didn’t work out for others) and let the 

child paint a mural on their bedroom wall. 

2. Teenagers need extra-curricular activities; however, these activities are expensive. Work 

out a deal with the karate teacher, horse stable, art teacher, sport coach etc. Offer to provide 

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transportation, house cleaning duties once a month, or precooked meals to get a discount on 

these classes for your teenager. 

3. Teenagers have a difficult time with their emotions. Download yoga lessons from online 

and do yoga breathing exercises together as a family. Talk to your child about using these 

techniques when they feel tense at school. 

4. Make a deal. If your child maintains the grades you agree upon, does not have any 

unnecessary absences, and has been agreeable, allow them to take a mental health day and 

stay home on a day you are home as well. Go window shopping together, fishing, go-kart 

riding, or whatever would float your child’s boat. My mother did this with us when we were 

children and I still remember these days fondly. 

5. Let your teenager play their music during dinner and talk to you about why they like each 

song that plays. 

6. Watch an old black and white classic movie together and talk about how movies have 

changed. My children loved “Harvey” with Jimmy Stewart when they were teenagers. 

7. Write half a story or poem and let your teenager write the other half. Submit the story for 

publication. 

8. Scan your teenager’s papers or art work and have them bound in a book (www.lulu.com has 

inexpensive binding available). Present the book to your teenager at a special dinner. 

9. Make a scrap book of your teenager and their friends with ticket stubs and pictures and 

present at a surprise party. 

10. Save your change for a year. Let your teenager choose what to do with that money. One 

family that I know saved enough to take a family of six to Disneyland. 

11. One of the greatest gifts you can give to a teenager is to teach them charity. Sign up to work 

in a soup kitchen, nursing home, or other similar area and work with them once a month. 

12. Organize a neighborhood football or basketball game “oldies” vs “youngsters” or “men” vs. 

“women” and then have a block barbecue afterwards. 

13. Let them drive the “good” car for a special occasion. 

14. Surprise them with their favorite dessert for no special reason. 

15. Write a story about the 20 things you love about them. Include fun pictures. 

16. Choose a family member of the month and make a poster of them. Let them choose Friday 

night dinners for the month. 

17. Teach your children how to play a game like Spoons, Canasta, Poker, etc. and have a family 

game night. 

18. Turn out all the lights in the house and play hide and go seek in the dark. The person that 

can stay hidden the longest gets to choose the movie the family watches on Saturday night. 

19. Hire your child to be an interior decorator and using only items available in the house, redo 

a room in the house. 

20. Do your own Trading Spaces. Parents redecorate the teen’s bedroom and the teen 

redecorates the parent’s bedroom. 

21. Use plastic Easter eggs and put dollar amounts in the eggs on slips of paper and number the 

eggs with a permanent marker. Play Deal or No Deal with one of the parents playing the 

banker. 

22. Help your teenager study for a test by downloading a free Who Wants to be a Millionaire 

PowerPoint game and put the answers to your teenagers’ test into the game and then play to 

help them study. 

23. Tape record your student’s study questions onto a tape recorder for them so they can listen 

to them while they are going to sleep. 

24. Make flash cards for your student’s exams to help them study for a big exam. 

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25. Help your teenager organize their notebook using color coded folders for each subject and 

pocket folders for study cards. 

26. Hide positive messages all over your teenager’s room, in their books they use at home (you 

don’t want them to get embarrassed at school), on their bathroom mirror, etc. 

27. Watch Jeopardy and give each family member a pad of post it notes or index cards. Have 

everyone write down what they think the answer is and keep points. The person who wins 

gets to pick what the family does as an activity that weekend. 

28. Do some research for your teenager. For example, if your teen is studying Greek Mythology 

go to the library and check out all the books on Greek Mythology for them or download 

some appropriate materials from the Internet (be careful of the Internet as some information 

is not correct). 

29. Take your teen to a museum, on a nature walk, to a sporting event, whatever would float 

their boat. It’s the time you spend with them that is important and there are many free 

events you can attend. 

30. Make a special mix CD for your teen of their favorite songs. You can upload i-tunes and 

then copy their own CD’s into the program and mix and match their favorite songs onto one 

CD so they don’t have to flip through CD’s to listen to their favorite songs. 

31. Have a contest to see who can find something that no one in the family can guess what it is. 

For example, a shirt stay, or the inside spring to a toy, things that might not be recognizable 

away from their use. 

32. Have everyone come to the table with a quote and then a contest to see who can guess who 

made the quote famous. 

33. Surprise your teen with a scavenger hunt all over the house when they get home from 

school. Make the clues hard to figure out. I always had a little prize at the end like baseball 

cards. 

34. Let your teen host the training of a guide dog. This will teach them responsibility and give 

them a sense of pride. 

35. Help your teen become a big brother to a child who needs a mentor. There is no greater gift 

you can give yourself than that of service to someone in need. 

100 Free or Inexpensive Rewards for Individual Students 

Elementary Level 

1. Assist the custodian 

2. Assist with morning announcements over the PA system 

3. Be a helper in another classroom 

4. Be featured on a photo recognition board 

5. Be recognized during announcements 

6. Be the first one in the lunch line 

7. Be the leader of a class game 

8. Be the line leader or the caboose 

9. Be the scout (Person who goes ahead of class to tell the special teacher they are on the way) 

10. Be the teacher's helper for the day 

11. Borrow the principal’s chair for the day 

12. Buzz cut a design in an agreeable male’s head 

13. Choose a book for the teacher to read aloud to the class 

14. Choose any class job for the week 

15. Choose music for the class to hear 

16. Choose the game during physical education 

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17. Choose which homework problem the teacher will give the answer to for a freebie 

18. Cut the principal’s tie off and have your picture featured on a bulletin board with the neck 

part of the tie as the frame. Keep the tip for a souvenir. 

19. Dance to favorite music in the classroom 

20. Design a class/school bulletin board 

21. Design and make a bulletin board 

22. Do half of an assignment 

23. Draw on the chalkboard 

24. Draw on a small white board at desk 

25. Draw pictures on the chalkboard while the teacher reads to the class (illustrating the story 

being read) 

26. Duct tape the principal to the wall during lunch or an assembly 

27. Earn a free pass to a school event or game 

28. Earn a gift certificate to the school store or book fair 

29. Earn a pass to the zoo, aquarium, or museum 

30. Earn a trophy, plaque, ribbon or certificate 

31. Earn an item such as a Frisbee, hula hoop, jump rope, paddleball or sidewalk chalk, which 

promote physical activity 

32. Earn extra computer time 

33. Earn extra credit 

34. Earn free tutoring time from the teacher (spelling secrets, math secrets, writing secrets) 

35. Earn play money to be used for privileges 

36. Earn points for good behavior to “buy” unique rewards (e.g. Autographed items with special 

meaning or lunch with the teacher) 

37. Earn the privilege of emailing a parent at work telling of accomplishments 

38. Eat lunch outdoors with the class 

39. Eat lunch with a teacher or principal 

40. Eat lunch with an invited adult (grandparent, aunt, uncle) 

41. Eat with a friend in the classroom (with the teacher) 

42. Enjoy a positive visit with the principal 

43. Enjoy class outdoors for the whole class 

44. Enter a drawing for donated prizes among students who meet certain grade standards 

45. Get “free choice” time at the end of the day 

46. Get a “no homework” pass 

47. Get a drink from the cold water fountain (There is always one fountain that is better) 

48. Get a flash cards set printed from a computer 

49. Get a video store or movie theatre coupon 

50. Get extra art time 

51. Go on a walking field trip (earn privilege for whole class) 

52. Go to the library to select a book to read 

53. Have a drawing lesson 

54. Have a free serving of milk 

55. Have a teacher read a special book to the entire class 

56. Have an extra recess 

57. Have teacher share a special skill (e.g. Sing) 

58. Have the teacher make a positive phone call home 

59. Help in a lower level class 

60. Keep a stuffed animal at desk 

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61. Learn how to do something special on the computer- like graphics or adding sound 

62. Learn how to draw something that looks hard, but with help is easy 

63. Listen to music while working 

64. Listen with a headset to a book on audiotape 

65. Make deliveries to the office 

66. Name put on scrolling marquee with a specific message “Emily Jones says smile and eat 

your veggies.” 

67. Operate the remote for a PowerPoint lesson 

68. Pick a game at recess that everyone plays including the teacher 

69. Play a computer game 

70. Play a favorite game or puzzle 

71. Read a book to the class 

72. Read morning announcements 

73. Read outdoors 

74. Read to a younger class 

75. Receive a “mystery pack” (gift-wrapped items such as a notepad, folder, puzzle, sports 

cards, etc.) 

76. Receive a 5-minute chat break at the end of the class or at the end of the day 

77. Receive a note of recognition from the teacher or principal 

78. Receive a plant, seeds and a pot for growing 

79. Receive art supplies, coloring books, glitter, bookmarks, rulers, stencils, stamps, pens, 

pencils, erasers and other school supplies 

80. Receive verbal praise 

81. Select a paper back book to take home to read from the teacher’s personal library 

82. Sit at the teacher's desk for the day or a set amount of time 

83. Sit next to the teacher during story time 

84. Sit with a friend at lunch, assembly, etc. 

85. Take a free homework pass 

86. Take a trip to the treasure box (non-food items such as water bottles, stickers, key chains, 

temporary tattoos, yo-yo’s, bubbles, spider rings, charms and pencil toppers) 

87. Take care of the class animal 

88. Take class animal home for school vacation time 

89. Take home a class game for a night 

90. Teach the class a favorite game 

91. Teach the class a math lesson 

92. Use colored chalk 

93. Use the teacher's chair 

94. Walk with a teacher during lunch 

95. Watch a video instead of recess 

96. Work as the Principal apprentice for 20 minutes 

97. Work in the lunchroom 

98. Write with a marker for the day 

99. Write with a special pen for the day 

100. Write with a special pencil for the day 

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60 Free or Inexpensive Rewards for Individual Students 

Secondary Level 

1. Adult volunteers to write a job recommendation for the student 

2. All school party on the weekend with different venues for all interests: (students with zero 

ODR’s get to come) Have parents sponsor and chaperone: 

a. Dance area 

b. Basketball area 

c. Game board area 

d. Conversation pit 

e. Graffiti wall (piece of sheetrock painted white with sharpies of various colors) 

f. Karaoke area 

g. Computer animation area 

3. Assisting Coach for any sport 

4. Assisting PTO to develop ways to reward teachers who go out of their way to help students 

5. Chance to go to grade school and teach students about a topic of interest 

6. Choosing to do a PowerPoint for the class on a particular subject of interest 

7. Choosing what assignment the class does for homework 

8. Designing theme for school dance, ice cream social, game night 

9. Dress as the school mascot during a game 

10. Earning the chance to be the water/towel person at a sporting event 

11. Earning the chance to do stagecraft for any school performance (lights, stage design, props) 

12. Earning the chance to scoreboard assist at a game 

13. Eating lunch with a preferred adult 

14. Free entrance to a dance 

15. Free entrance to a football, basketball, etc. game 

16. Free library pass to research a topic of interest 

17. Getting a postcard in the mail telling parents what teachers admire most about their child 

18. Getting to apprentice at one of the business partners with the school (grocery store, bank, etc.) 

on the weekend. 

19. Getting to buzz cut a design in the principal’s hair (custodian’s hair) 

20. Getting to cut the principal’s tie off (use loop to frame student’s face on a bulletin board of 

fame) 

21. Getting to duct tape the principal to the wall 

22. Getting to scoop food at the cafeteria for a lunch period (social opportunity) 

23. Getting to shoot a video about the school’s expectations to show on CC TV 

24. Hall pass to leave class 5 minutes early and go by the coldest water fountain 

25. Help from an adult of choice on a class they are struggling with (Free tutoring) 

26. Homework free night 

27. Learning how to do something of interest on the computer (animation, graphics, CAD) 

28. Learning how to play chess 

29. Learning how to play sports even if they didn’t make the team 

30. Learning how to run the light board or sound booth for a school performance 

31. Let student make a bulletin board in the front hall highlighting an event of choice 

32. Make the morning announcements 

33. Office aid for a period 

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34. Opportunity to be part of a brainstorming adult team at the school 

35. Opportunity to eat lunch outdoors at a special table 

36. Opportunity to eat lunch with a parent or grandparent at a special table 

37. Opportunity to introduce the players over the PA during a home game 

38. Opportunity to shadow business owner for a day- credit for writing about the experience 

39. Opportunity to shadow the principal for an hour or the day 

40. Opportunity to take care of lab animals in Science class 

41. Opportunity to wear jeans instead of school uniform for a day 

42. Principal grills hotdogs for students who have 0 tardies in the month & this student helps 

43. Privilege of leaving book in class overnight instead of having to lug to locker 

44. Privilege of seeing embarrassing photo of adult that no one else sees (Senior Portrait) 

45. Reserved seating at a school play for student and five friends 

46. Send home a postcard about positive things the student has done this week 

47. Serve as a student ambassador if visitors come to the school 

48. Serving as a “page” for a local politician for the day 

49. Serving as a door greeter for a parent night at school with a badge of honor to wear 

50. Singing karaoke during lunch (approved songs) 

51. Sit at score table in basketball game 

52. Sit in score box at a football game 

53. Sitting in the teacher’s chair for the period 

54. Special parking preference for a day 

55. Special recognition at any school event- Guest DJ one song at dance etc. 

56. Special seating at lunch table with friends 

57. Student gets to pick which problem the teacher will make a freebie answer on homework 

58. Student plans spirit week activity for one of the days (hat day, sunglasses etc.) 

59. Teacher aid for special needs classroom 

60. Teaching special needs student how to play a game 

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35 Free or Inexpensive Rewards for Adults in the Building 

1. Adult gets to pick what the topic for a faculty meeting is going to be 

2. Adult gets to rent the principal’s chair for the day 

3. At Family Math Night all the adults are highlighted in a video montage 

4. Bulletin board highlighting staff of the day showing treasures provided by their family 

(surprise) If you have about 90 staff members one every other day would work 

5. Dim the lights in the staff lounge and get a volunteer masseuse to come provide 5 minute 

neck rubs during planning periods- Play restful music 

6. Donut day- These donuts are in honor of Peggy’s contribution to the PTO 

7. During morning announcements highlight something that an adult in the building did and 

tell why 

8. Duty free lunch period 

9. Find a beauty school and get someone to volunteer to come in and do 5 minute manicures 

10. Flowers on the desk from someone’s garden (with permission) 

11. Get a donation of a shopping cart to keep at the school for adults bringing in huge loads of 

supplies 

12. Golden plunger award from custodian for classroom that was the cleanest 

13. Golden spatula award from cafeteria staff for most polite class of the week 

14. GOOSE- Get Out Of School Early- No staying for the 30 after 

15. Have the principal make up a rap song about being cool in school and perform it on the 

CCTV for the school- Staff of the Day get to be background dancers 

16. Limo ride to school and home for staff of the day- This sounds weird but funeral parlors will 

sometimes provide this service for free if they aren’t using the cars that day- Don’t Tell rule 

applies 

17. Mini-fridge for a week in the adults’ office area filled with his or her favorite drink 

18. Once a month host an ice cream social with a “sister”- “brother” school. Alternate schools 

each month and let teachers tour getting ideas from each other on lesson plans, bulletin 

boards, etc. I Spy something great I’d like to duplicate 

19. Permission to leave the building at lunch time for lunch off campus 

20. Plan a big faculty meeting or inservice at someone’s house – with a pool and a grill instead 

of sitting on the little dot seats in the cafeteria 

21. Principal and staff member trade jobs for a day 

22. Postcard sent home detailing something admired in the adult 

23. Preferred parking space 

24. Principal institutes a pineapple upside down day- Everyone comes in and is assigned a 

different job for half a day- Everyone has to have their job description or lesson plans 

written down step by step 

25. Principal kidnaps a class after PE or recess and take them somewhere else. Send a 

messenger to the teacher telling him or her to put their feet up for 20 minutes. Teach a 

lesson to the class on something of interest to you- American History- Art etc. 

26. Principal leaves love notes on adults’ desks – not the 6:00 news kind- the kudos kind 

27. Principal takes over morning or afternoon duty for an adult in the building 

28. Principal writes lesson plans for teacher for one period 

29. PTO designs 4 strokes for every poke lanyard for all adults in the building 

30. PTO takes turns baking a casserole once a week for an adult “gotcha” receiver 

31. Scrape ice off windshield of Staff of the Day’s car 

32. Sneak into the school over the weekend and write a note on each classroom white board 

telling them to “Have a Great Week” 

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33. Special table outdoors for teachers to enjoy sunshine during lunch 

34. Surprise an adult in the building by letting two or three students wash their car- be careful on 

this one though- There are also services that come on sight and wash cars for a fee- possibly 

PTO could sponsor 

35. Valet parking for a day 

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Intensive Individual <strong>Intervention</strong>s: 

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Intensive <strong>Intervention</strong>s 

Children in the intensive intervention zone need more than the primary and secondary interventions. 

Approximately five percent of the class will need interventions like this if everything else is in place. 

This means that in a class of 20, most likely only one student would need this level of intervention at 

any given time. The interventions listed on the following pages are not just for children on an IEP. 

These interventions work for children who have intensive behavioral needs. The most important thing 

is to first complete a functional behavior assessment (FBA) and figure out the “function” or the reason 

behind the behavior. To learn more about functional behavior assessments visit 

www.behaviordoctor.org and check out FBA Workbook in the form section. This is a workbook that 

takes you through one way to collect data on behavior to determine the function. 

80% of behavior can be changed just by pointing out what someone is doing right. Here’s a typical 

scenario that I play out when I’m visiting schools. One day I was in an elementary school. A third 

grade class was lined up in the hallway and the teacher had stepped into the restroom leaving them 

unattended. As I walked toward the restroom, I noticed the line leader turned backwards with her 

fists up in the air. A boy standing in the fifth place in line had his hands up and was ready to “duke it 

out” with her. I walked by them and said to the third child in line, “I love the way you are standing 

there so straight and tall. I know your teacher will really appreciate that. May I have your name so I 

can tell her who I caught doing such a good job?” The child told me her name and I told the teacher 

her name in front of the class and what I saw her doing. I never mentioned the two that were 

fighting, who by the way, were now standing straight and tall looking like angels. I disrupted the 

moment. 

I was once in a Dillard’s store at the mall checking out the suit racks. There was a little boy about 

eight year’s old standing there beside his mother and here’s how it sounded: 

Mom: “That’s it. You have six chores to do when we get home. I told you to cut it out.” 

Me: (I never saw or heard the child do a thing that even looked out of place) 

Child: nothing 

Mom: “You now have seven chores to do when we get home.” 

Child: nothing 

Mom: “I have had it with you. I told you to cut it out. You have eight chores to do when we get 

home.” 

Child: absolutely nothing 

Me: (Incredulously, I moved closer so I could discern possible heavy breathing or rolling of eyes of the 

child. Nothing was noted.) 

Mom: By this time, she was slamming suit hangers around the rack as she blasts, “Your father is going 

to hear about this, I have had it with you. You have nine chores to do when we get home.” 

By the time they left the suit department the young man had 11 chores to do at home. Not once did I 

hear her tell him what it was that he was doing wrong, nor did I see or hear him do anything that would 

cause him to earn chores. However, I did want to turn the mother around to a mirror and have her 

take a good hard look at herself and ask her what was bugging her. Whatever was yanking her chain 

could have been solved by her telling her son what he was doing that was correct instead of assigning 

chores for some unseen sins against the mother. 

I get a lot of my information when shopping in malls and grocery stores. If you see me you might want to walk to 

the other way if you are feeling particularly cranky toward your children because you might hear about yourself in 

one of my future seminars. 

266

For more information on functional behavior assessments go to www.behaviordoctor.org under forms 

and download the FBA workbook. 

Function of Behavior: 

Remember children have target behaviors for two reasons: 

Think about the child you are working with that you worry about 

the most. What do you think is the function behind their 

behavior? 

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If the Function is “To Gain Attention” from Adults or Peers: 

The reinforcer for the intervention should be attention from either peers or adults depending on the 

target behavior’s function. If the target behavior was to gain attention from peers then the 

reinforcer should be giving the student attention from peers in a more appropriate manner. Here are 

some examples: 

<strong>Intervention</strong> that may be 

paired with behavior 

teaching 

Function Reinforcer Examples 

Token Economy Peer Attention Ten Tickets = time to teach 

class a mini lesson. 

Class Messenger Adult Attention Takes messages to office, 

other teachers etc. All 

adults who receive this 

message will know to give 

student some extra 

attention at the time of 

delivery. 

Class Leader Peer Attention Student is in charge of visual 

schedule in the classroom. 

Student guides others into 

the next activity by turning 

the schedule over and 

announcing the next activity. 

Diary Adult Attention Student earns 5 minutes of 

one-on-one time with an 

adult first thing in the 

morning to go over diary of 

what they did the night 

before at home. They come 

in at the end of the day to 

get a new diary and to 

discuss how the day at 

school went. 

Lunch Bunch Peer Attention The student earns privilege 

of eating at a special table in 

the lunch room with peers of 

his or her choosing. The 

table can be decorated with 

a tablecloth etc. 

Lunch with Dignitary Adult Attention Student earns lunch 

privileges with a special 

adult. This could be a 

principal, grandparents, SRO, 

Governor, Mayor, Business 

partner etc. 

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If the Function is “To Gain Access to Materials” or Preferred Items: 

There are two ways to handle access to materials. One is to set up a token economy where the student 

earns some time with the preferred materials. The second is to use the “How to give problems back to 

children so they aren’t yours” method listed in the targeted group section. It will depend on the level 

of the student. The lower the functioning level the more likely you will have to use the preferred item 

intermittently with non-preferred items and a token economy is a great way to do this. 

The reinforcer for the intervention should be the preferred reinforcer. Each child has different 

items that “float their boat” and they may change from day to day or week to week. We always say 

that once the adults figure out the answers the children change the test. Here are some examples of 

things that other children have earned. These can be paired with a token economy, a now-then 

schedule, or any other system you choose. 

Sometimes you have to do an interest inventory to determine the preferred items; this is especially 

true if the child is non-verbal or has intellectual disabilities in the moderate range. These are some of 

the things we have found to be reinforcing to other students. 

Art Supplies Electronic Games Sport Cards (Baseball, etc.) 

Beading Food Items Stickers 

Board Games Favorite Books 

Comic Books Favorite Toys 

Computer Time Music 

Coupon Clipping Puzzles 

Deck of Playing Cards Sensory Toys 

The Gumball Machine 

Word Searches 

What parent has not dreaded walking by the gumball machine when their children were 

small? Here’s how you set that up so it’s not a problem. First, I’ll tell you that I tried to 

tell my daughter that what was in those machines was “yucky” and that she wouldn’t like 

what was in there. For two years this worked great. We’d walk by and she’d point and say 

“yucky” and I would reward her with praise and a goldfish cracker that I thought was 

more appropriate. Unfortunately, one day her grandpa took her to the store and she 

discovered that I had been lying all those years. I don’t suggest going down that road. 

Set up a token economy. Tell your child they have to earn 10 tokens. I like jelly bracelets 

because they are easy to hang on to and keep in your pocket. The child slips them on their wrist and 

when they are young, little boys don’t care that they are for “girls”. Tell them how they are going to 

earn their jelly bracelets. “You can earn a bracelet for helping mommy or daddy find these items (cut 

out pictures of items you will be getting.” You can earn two bracelets for staying in the cart. You can 

earn a bracelet for using a 6 inch voice.” (Only people within six inches could hear you.) “You can earn 

four bracelets for not asking for anything all the way around the store. I will allow you to have two 

reminders on this.” Then tell them you will give them bracelets throughout the store when you see 

them doing these things. However, they can’t ask for a bracelet. They have to be so good you will 

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notice it on your own. This eliminates a lot of problems that I see parents having with their children in 

grocery stores and it’s a relatively cheap investment (unless they are prone to cavities). 

The Cereal Aisle 

I do a lot of research while I’m shopping in grocery stores and at the mall. I 

used to avoid the cereal aisle because there was usually some child having a 

tantrum about what kind of cereal they want. Now I stand around in the aisle 

researching what the problem seems to be for parents and children. 

There are two factors here: 1) health and 2) prizes in the box. As a former 

teacher, I can tell you that it is obvious from the front of the classroom on who had a sugary cereal 

for breakfast, who had a good healthy breakfast, and who had no breakfast. From a parent 

perspective, I also know that some days you are just happy you got your kids out the door with clothes 

that “sort of “ matched and the fact that they combed their own hair isn’t too apparent. So I’m looking 

at this from both sides and I think I have a compromise. I suggest purchasing two boxes of cereal if 

your child eats cereal. This takes preplanning and a family meeting. If you go online to the following 

websites you can get pictures of available cereals. 

This website shows them all: 

http://theimaginaryworld.com/cbarch.html 

These are some of the major brands: 

http://www.kelloggs.com/us/ 

http://www.kraftfoods.com/postcereals/cereal_1.html 

http://www.generalmills.com/corporate/brands/index.aspx 

Before you go into the grocery store have your child choose the two cereals you are going to purchase. 

One is going to be healthy and one is going to be for fun. Then make a deal with them. They can eat 

the healthy cereal on even days of the week and the fun cereal on odd days of the week. The 23rd 

would be fun cereal and the 24th would be healthy cereal. Or you could choose to have them eat 

healthy all week and have the fun cereal on the weekends. Or they could eat healthy for breakfast and 

have the fun cereal for afternoon and evening snacks. Whatever fits your belief system. You will have 

to tie this to some form of reward for following the rules. Example: “If you follow the cereal plan we 

have agreed on you get to choose a movie at Blockbuster for family TV night or you get to choose what 

I cook for dinner on Saturday evening.” You choose a reward that you can live with and one that doesn’t 

stretch your budget. You were probably going to rent movies from Blockbuster anyway or you were 

probably going to cook on Saturday night. You just let the child have some control over something that 

doesn’t really matter to you anyway. 

The last point is that when you go to the store; take the pictures of the cereal with you. Have an 

agreement which is ironclad like a contract. Turn it into a contest. Who can go down the cereal aisle 

and find the cereal the quickest without making anyone notice them in the aisle? (In other words 

it’s not the million dollar one-minute shopping spree; where everyone runs crazily down the aisle.) If 

you have more than one child and you don’t want to purchase three or four boxes of cereal then you 

can let them take turns choosing the fun cereal. You could also use this opportunity to let your children 

learn the art of negotiation and give them all the pictures, put them in a room and tell them to come 

out once they have agreed upon two cereals; one healthy and one fun. 

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If the function is to “access preferred sensory input”: 

The team first needs to determine the preferred sensory input and the best person to assist with this 

is the occupational therapist. 

Typically, students who need access to sensory input are those with special needs. However, we all 

have stereotypy behaviors that are calming to us. Some people chew their nails. Some twirl their hair. 

It’s important to understand that this is a need, not a want in some cases and if the team doesn’t 

provide for this need, it can create behavioral outbursts. If it’s a need please read the section on 

sensory input further along in this book. If it’s just a preferred reinforcer then here are some ideas: 

There are two ways a student could earn preferred sensory input if it’s just a “want” item for the 

child. 

Schedule: 

You can put it into the child’s visual schedule sandwiched between hard activities. This gives the child 

an incentive to do the work if the reward of the work is time to do a preferred activity for a few 

minutes. 

Token Economy 

The child has to earn so many tokens per period of time to earn sensory time. For example, if you 

were using pot holder loop bracelets as your token and every time you caught them working 

appropriately you gave them one of those to slip on their arm. The student would then be able to trade 

5 of those in for 5 minutes in the ball pit or 5 minutes swinging on the swing. 

5= 

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If the function of the behavior is to escape work: 

For younger students or those with disabilities: 

NOW/THEN schedule 

The student does a required task with the 

promotion of a desired task to be gained once the 

required task is done. This can be paired with a 

token economy if the student is resistant to 

quitting once the break time is over. 

Many times we hear that this is bribery. This is not 

bribery for one good reason and that is the 

definition of bribery is to get someone to do 

something illegal or immoral. Since doing a work 

task at school is neither of those; then offering a 

reinforcing activity is not an offense. 

This is teaching children how to make good use of time. Good college students study before they 

party, do homework before they play, or do the hardest task first. This is teaching good work habits. 

Token Economy earning small prizes for completing work that can be traded in for larger prizes. 

For all children: 

Tokens are used to help the child switch from the preferred activity back to a work activity. They 

earn a token if they immediately put their things away when the timer goes off. They are one token 

closer to earning a break. 

Timer- Set the timer for 15 minutes for work and then 10 minutes for break using a 

preferred reinforcer for the break activity. 

Use what they love. For example: Teenagers love listening to music. They sneak 

their CD players, IPODS to school all the time. Let them bring CD players etc. from 

home. Put them on a token economy to earn the right to listen to music while they do 

seat work, or give them a 5 minute break. So many schools take away these items 

and don’t use it to their advantage. You can use these things as preferred 

reinforcers instead of making it a “Because I said so” war. 

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If the function is to Escape from Adults: 

Student can earn time to visit another classroom 

Student can earn time to visit a preferred adult 

Student can earn alone time in the library 

Get Yourself a Q-TIP 

Quit Taking It Personally (Just don’t take it personally if 100% of the students aren’t 

in love with you. You may remind them of someone in their family that treats them unkind. As long 

as they don’t all hate you- you’ve got it.) 

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If the Function is to Escape “Sensory Overload” 

For some students, especially students with autism spectrum disorders there are many sensory issues 

that can affect their behavior. Here are some examples that have been discussed in literature: 

Sensory Stimulus Most Simple Solution 

Another student crying for long periods of time Earphones listening to music or an 

interactive computer game that has 

music. 

Bright lights Sunglasses, visor, or baseball cap 

Also, see later in this section about 

creating a light therapy room where the 

lights are off and black lights and 

colorful Christmas type lights are used 

for sensory input on a calming level. 

Buzzing lights (fluorescent) Halogen lamps or floor lamps with regular 

bulbs. 

Chairs scooting on the tile floor Tennis balls cut and inserted over tips of 

chairs. 

Doors opening and closing Hinges that stop doors from slamming 

Fire Alarms Advance warning from administration so 

a relationship narrative can be read prior 

to the actual bell. Also, the earphones 

used by airport personnel do a good job 

of blocking out loud noises. 

Lunchroom noise Relationship narrative prior to visiting, 

music with headphones gradually fading 

the volume, sitting off to one end of the 

cafeteria so not in the middle of the 

noise. 

Coming in toward the end of a lunch 

period so that the majority of the 

student’s lunch time is during the next 

period’s beginning time while most 

children are still eating and not talking 

yet. 

Obnoxious smells (like tire smell in Sam’s Club) Essential oils on cotton ball and put in 

shirt pocket 

People talking near the room 

Reminders of Quiet Zone outside 

classroom. 

Sometimes it takes more than a sign on 

the wall. 

One school found that lowering the lights 

was a good signal to let students know 

this was a Quiet Zone. 

Another school color coded the ceiling 

tiles to alert to students to Quiet Zones. 

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<strong>Intervention</strong>s: 

The following pages are in alphabetical order <strong>based</strong> on the intervention. Rather than pointing out 

which ones are applicable to children with autism, or learning disabilities, or emotional behavior 

disorders they are just listed <strong>based</strong> on the needs of the child. 

Good classroom management looks at the need of the child and develops a plan <strong>based</strong> on the need. Not 

all children with autism need a sensory diet and not all children with attention deficit disorder need a 

special air filled disk on which to sit. 

The behavior support team is the key to determining a good behavioral intervention. If this team 

includes all the key people in the life of the child then a quality plan can be formed and shaped 

throughout the child’s life. Remember it’s a dynamic process. 

Sometimes behaviors occur because the child is either not challenged or being asked to do repetitive 

tasks. An example of this is sorting bears. As a statewide presenter who visits numerous classrooms 

it is sad to see a kindergarten MID child sorting red, yellow, and blue bears and then go across town to 

the high school and see a 17 year old MID student sorting red, yellow, and blue bears. For this reason, 

this book has some teaching techniques to help teach some higher level thinking skills to students in 

the MOID, MID, Learning Disabilities, and Autistic learning range. 

275

Academic <strong>Intervention</strong>s: 

(Sometimes behaviors occur because children would rather be sent to the office 

than be asked to perform in front of their peers. They would rather be 

known as the class clown or bully than the kid in class who doesn’t know how to 

read or do math. For this reason, I am including just a few great academic 

interventions that I learned to use with children struggling with academic 

issues.) 

276

Categories (Teaching Classification Skills) 

Even children with lower cognitive abilities can look for similarities and differences. I had students 

with severe intellectual disabilities who could put things in the proper place in a Venn diagram. Here’s 

how I taught the concept of a Venn diagram: 

Hula Hoops: 

I would start with something simple like dark socks and white socks. Then I would move the hula hoops 

closer together so it looked like this: 

And we would sort them again. Then I would add socks with light and dark patterns on them into the 

pile of socks. I would then move the hula hoops so they looked like this: 

I would model that the patterned socks went in the middle because they were white and dark both. 

Once the students understood this concept I moved on to more complex differences and similarities. 

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Categories (Teaching Classification Skills) continued: 

Here are some examples of things you can put into categories with hula hoops apart: 

1. Plastic animals 

a. Animals with two legs - Animals with four legs 

b. Animals that fly - Animals that walk 

c. Animals that walk - Animals that swing through trees 

2. Vehicles 

a. Vehicles with two wheels - Vehicles with four wheels 

b. Water vehicles – land vehicles 

c. Vehicles that fly - vehicles that go on the road 

3. Dollhouse people 

a. Men - Women 

b. Girls - Boys 

c. Adults- Children 

Red and white socks Red, white, and blue socks Blue and white socks 

Brown animals Brown and white animals White animals 

Animals in the circus Animals in circus and Animals in 

a farm (both) 

Farm Animals 

Food from McDonalds Food that you find at both 

McDonalds and Dairy Queen 

Food you find at Dairy Queen 

Gatekeeper- For Higher Functioning Students 

Take sentence strips and write animals on them with a coordinating picture. 

Give each child a card. 

Stand with your arms straight out to the sides. 

The children line up and approach you- you either tell them to pass or tell them to go sit down. 

You only let children with certain characteristics through: (example: only animals with four 

legs) 

The students have to look at who got through the gatekeeper and see what the classification 

was that you were looking for in your entry criteria. 

This is a game that could be played with inclusion buddies who pair up one on one with the students. 

278

Criterion Reference Competency Test (CRCT and High School Students) 

Most students with special needs are required to take the criterion reference tests developed by each 

state. The rote drill and memorization required for these tests are difficult for them. Although, they 

need to practice taking the tests in the same format that they will be taking them (i.e. bubble sheets) 

for the memorization practice it is good to put large motor skills paired with the memorization. Here 

are ideas for how to put large motor movement paired with the questions: 

Have a Ball 

Write the questions on 9 inch diameter balls with a Sharpie pen and toss the ball around the room 

having the students answer the question that their right thumb lands on. Caution: You have to set up 

rules about how to throw the ball prior to beginning. Once that is done it is not usually a problem. 

Ladies and Gentlemen…”In this corner” 

Label the four corners of the room with cards hanging from the ceiling marked “A”, “B”, “C”, and “D”. 

Then read a question and have the students go to the corner corresponding to the answer they think is 

the correct answer. This helps them first learn to listen to all the possible answers before they 

choose. It helps them think about associating the answer with letter choices. Caution: It’s important 

to set this up so that if one person goes to the wrong corner it’s okay because there is more than one 

way to think about answers to questions. Then you can have discussions about why one answer is better 

than another. Start with some really easy questions first. 

Then…. (shape the learning toward the test) 

Flash Cards 

Teach the students a good study skill. Have them make flash cards for questions like they will see on 

the test. Then have them pair up and ask each other the questions. Peer mentors work really well in 

this situation. 

Practice, Practice, Practice Turn everything into a bubble test. Have them bubble in their name, 

address, what they want for lunch etc. Have them write their own tests. 

Practice Tests 

As much as possible, give the child practice tests in the format they will be using during the CRCT. 

You can start with fun pages like dot to dot pictures, replacing the dots with bubbles to be filled in 

before connecting the dots. Give them their spelling tests in a multiple choice format with fill in the 

bubble format and so on. This will make it less anxiety ridden when they take the real test because it 

will look like all the things they have been doing in the classroom. 

279

Math Skills 

Children with autism need to have one to one correspondence to understand that one means one object 

and two means two objects. Here are some ideas to teach that concept: 

Games to play: 

1. Magnetic numbers with toothpicks in baggies 

a. put a magnetic number in a baggie with 10 blunt end toothpicks. Have the child 

match the number of toothpicks to the number by picking only that amount out of the 

ten. 

b. Same as above but use pennies, tiny shells, plastic toys etc. 

2. Lay out circles on the floor 

a. tell the child to step forward on three dots, then two more, then one more by 

spinning a large spinner showing the number you tell them to move 

3. Hide items in the filtering boxes and show the student a number and ask them to find that 

many coins, shells, etc. that are hidden in the filtering boxes. 

4. Put items in the water therapy tubs and show the student numbers and have them pick up 

that many items. 

5. Give the children some tongs and some fuzzy pom-pom balls and have them use the tongs to 

pick up a certain number of pom-poms <strong>based</strong> on the number you show them. They could even 

have to put the pom-poms into divided sections in an egg carton. This does two things- small 

motor skills and one to one correspondence of numbers with objects. 

Math Ball 

This actually works for any subject. Take a rubber ball- the 8 or 9 inch diameter kind that you find at 

discount stores and a sharpie pen. Write math facts all over the ball by dividing it into 2 inch grids. 

The game is played by tossing the ball back and forth. The receiver must recite the math fact and the 

answer <strong>based</strong> on where their right thumb is touching. I always put in a few “free” spaces for fun. 

Students like this because it adds a total body movement for those kinesthetic learners and it makes 

rote drill fun. When I taught middle school grades I had balls with practice questions for every end of 

chapter test that we had. The balls can be geared towards any level from very easy to very difficult. 

Michenbaum’s 5-Step Cognitive Learning Theory and Spelling 

280

When I taught an inclusion class every single student made an “A” on their Friday spelling test because I 

applied Michenbaum’s Learning Theory to learning their spelling words. The first thing I did was brainstorm 

which words they might have trouble with and made up a mnemonic to help them. Here are just a couple of 

those mnemonics: 

muscles M-U-S-C-L-E-S, muscles make the very best….biceps (sung 

to the tune of Nestlé’s Chocolate) 

there We go here and there. It’s a place. 

their Prince Charles is their heir to the throne. It belongs to 

him. 

friend I have a friend to the end. 

sheriff She is riff and she is the sheriff (playing on my last name) 

So after mnemonics are made the students are taught in this manner <strong>based</strong> on Michenbaum’s 5-step 

Cognitive Learning Theory: 

Day of the Week Step Procedure Example: 

Monday One The teacher models the way to 

write and spell the word at the 

board with the students 

watching. The teacher tells 

what she’s thinking to herself 

out loud so the students can 

hear what she’s thinking. 

Tuesday Two The teacher models the way to 

write and spell the word at the 

board; while the students 

imitate the process at their 

seats using paper or small dry 

erase boards. 

Wednesday Three The students model by saying 

and writing the steps to write 

the spelling word while the 

teacher watches. 

Thursday Four The students model by 

whispering and writing the 

steps to write the spelling 

word while the teacher 

watches. 

Friday- final test Five Students think the process 

while they write the word 

Singing M-U-S-C-L-E-S 

while writing it. (see 

above) 

Students and Teacher 

sing the song together 

while they both write 

the word : Muscles 

Students sing the song 

while writing the word. 

Students whisper the 

song while writing the 

word. 

Students think the song 

while writing the word. 

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Reading 

Open Court 

I love the old Open Court series. It teaches the student a visual to the sounds that letters make. 

Here are some of the examples that I can remember off the top of my head: 

M is the ice cream sound. What do you say when you eat ice cream? “mmmmm” it is paired on one side 

with a picture of a girl eating ice cream and the other side just has the letter so you can fade the 

visual prompt. S is the flat tire sound. How does a tire sound when it goes flat? “ssssss” it is paired 

with a picture of a tire going flat just like the ice cream sound. F is the scared cat sound. What does a 

cat say when it’s scared? “fffff” Picture of cat with arched back etc. 

The nice thing is that the system is careful not to put a vowel sound with any of the initial consonant 

sounds because this is a mistake that many adults make when teaching consonants in isolation to 

students. My friend, Jay Turnbull, an adult with autism learned to read the names of the people he 

worked with by looking at the first letter of their name. I used the Open Court cards to teach him the 

sounds. He cued in to the thoughts behind the sounds. He would see the letter “M” and say, that’s the 

ice cream sound and he would say “Mmmm, Michael” when he saw an “M” on an envelope. 

You can order information from Open Court which is now part of SRA from this website: 

http://www.sraonline.com/index.php/home/curriculumsolutions/reading/ocphonicskit/1318 

Spelling 

Children with Autism can learn to spell words, even children with autism who are non-verbal. Start with 

something they recognize and put a picture of that and the matching magnetic plastic letters in a 

baggie. Have them pull the letters out and put them in the right order to match the picture. Example: 

ball- put a picture of their ball in a baggie and the letters b-a-l-l. At first you will have to teach that 

ball says ball and then you can shape the behavior from you doing it to them actually doing it all on 

their own. Teach it in this order: 

Teacher models by saying “b-a-l-l” as she moves the letters in to place under the picture in the 

baggie. 

Teacher models by saying “b” and handing the “b” to the student, then “a” and handing the 

letter to the student. 

Teacher models by telling the student to pick up the “b” and put it in the correct place and so 

on until the word is spelled. 

Teacher models by showing the picture and handing the letters to the student in random order. 

Teacher hands the baggie to the student and they take the letters out and spell the words. 

282

Sorting 

It’s sad to see children with autism sorting the same thing day after day. Sometimes 18 year olds are 

still sorting the same red, yellow, and blue bears they were sorting when they were four years old. 

If you want them to sort here are some ideas of other things to sort: 

socks 

laundry by colors (start a laundry business in the school and sort, wash, and fold laundry for 

donations that you spend on class treats) 

clothespins 

samples of shampoo, conditioner, and lotion from hotels 

silverware 

canned goods 

hair bows 

hot wheel cars 

books- small books vs. big books 

pencils vs. pens 

balls- (ping pong, tennis, koosh, racquetball) 

Go down to the supply closet and see if there are markers or other supplies that the secretary 

would like sorted-there will be a social pay off when the job is finished. 

For sorting activities you can use the following containers: 

muffin tins 

egg cartons 

divided plates 

laundry baskets 

small plastic baskets 

butter tubs 

swimming pools (the blow up kind you can get at the Dollar Store) 

283

<strong>Writing</strong> Strategy 

For children with learning disabilities the thought of stringing a group of sentences together to form a 

paragraph is much too much an abstract thought. So here’s a great mnemonic to help. 

3-2-8 paragraph 

The first sentence has three ideas in it. 

For my summer vacation I went to Paris, London, and Madrid. That is the ‘3’. 

The next phase is writing two sentences about each of the three ideas in the first sentence. 

For my summer vacation I went to Paris, London, and Madrid. (1) In Paris, I saw the Eiffel Tower. (2) 

We ate lunch at the leaning tower of Pizza. (1) We then went to London where I saw the Buckingham 

Palace. (2) The guards really don’t smile when you talk to them. (1) When we went to Madrid we saw a 

bull fight. (2) The matador wore a red cape. That is the ‘2’. 

The eighth sentence ties everything together by restating the first sentence: 

For my summer vacation I went to Paris, London, and Madrid. In Paris, I saw the Eiffel Tower. We ate 

lunch at the leaning tower of Pizza. We then went to London where I saw the Buckingham Palace. The 

guards really don’t smile when you talk to them. When we went to Madrid we saw a bull fight. The 

matador wore a red cape. I had such a wonderful vacation in Paris, London, and Madrid. That is the ‘8’. 

Once the paragraphs are written you can teach the students to “make it interesting” by adding fancy 

words written on index cards. 

For my fabulous summer vacation, I went to Paris, London, and Madrid. In Paris, I saw the gorgeous 

Eiffel Tower. We ate lunch at the quaint leaning tower of Pizza. We then went to scenic London where 

I saw Buckingham Palace. The stoic guards really don’t smile when you talk to them. When we went to 

steamy Madrid we saw a bull fight. The brave matador wore a red cape. I had such a wonderful summer 

vacation in Paris, London, and Madrid. 

284

Workbook for: 

Positive <strong>Intervention</strong>s 

And 

Effective Strategies 

Workbook Only 

When kids give you lemons: 

make lemon meringue pie 


©2009 

Permission to copy with no changes 

285

Workbook Page One: 

What will be your 3-5 <strong>Behavioral</strong> Expectations for your Class? 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

Make sure they are positively stated and have an action verb…. 

“Polite” is not a behavioral expectation but “BEE POLITE” is 

Be ready to share with your neighbor in 7 minutes. 

286

Workbook Page Three: 

Expectations 

Locations 

Classroom 

Hallway 

Restroom 

Cafeteria 

Bus 

287

Workbook Page Three 

• Public Relations 

• Proficiency 

• Power 

• Philanthropy 

Describe behaviors you want to target for change: 

Public Relations: What skills can you give 

this child to help them relate better to others 

socially? 

Power: Use social autopsy sheets to help 

student see where situations went wrong. 

Child with low self-esteem 

Proficiency: What skills do they need to beef 

up academically? 

Philanthropy: Help this child do something for 

others. A way to raise self-esteem is to help 

others less fortunate. 

288

289

Here’s what was going 

on: 

Here’s what I did that 

caused a social error: 

Here’s what happened 

when I did that: 

Here’s what I should 

do to make things 

right: 

Based on Rick Lavoie’s social autopsy information 1994- the child can draw, write, or dictate each step. 

Here’s what I’ll do next 

time to keep it alive: 

290

Workbook Page Four: 

Date: 



Total 

Points 

This is a blank form for you to use. 

291

292

Workbook Page Five: 


293




(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 

Adapted from O’Neil & Horner, 2005; Scott, 2006 


behavior? 






behaviors? 










behaviors? 

294

Workbook Page Six: 

TIPP: Teach-Imprint-Practice-Praise 

What’s a problem in my class as a whole with the majority of the students? 

What behavior would I like to replace that with? 

What do I think is the function of that behavior? 

To get: attention (adult- peer), access to materials, sensory input 

To escape: work, people (adult-peer), sensory overload, pain (emotional-physical) 

How will I teach the new behavior? 

How will I imprint the new behavior? 

How will I practice the new behavior? 

How will I praise the new behavior? 

295

Workbook Page Seven: 

Token Economy 

Token Economies have received a bad rap. If you think about it…you work for a 

token economy. We are all waiting for the big pay off at the end. So why did 

they get a bum rap? Too many people tied token economies with M&M’s and 

toys. The payoff should be what the child is trying to get or escape. In other 

words, if the child is having behavior to get attention then they should earn 

points, tickets, tokens that will pay off with an attention getting activity. An 

example of this would be a child who earns ten tickets and gets to eat lunch in 

the counselor’s office, listening to music and having a one on one conversation 

with that adult. If the function of the child’s behavior is to escape, then the 

tokens should pay off with a “get out of homework free card” or fifteen minutes 

of free time on the computer. This is a really fun one: Let’s say Johnny is 

earning tokens for not disrupting the class. Previously, it was discovered that 

Johnny was disrupting the class in the hopes that the teacher would stop 

teaching, lecture him, and eventually send him to the office. Thus the function 

of his behavior was escape. Let’s say now we put this token economy in place 

when Johnny is quiet and when he gets five tokens the teacher gives away an 

answer to the class homework assignment. Is it worth giving away one answer? 

I hope you know the right answer to that question. 

Time to work: 

____________________________________child who has behaviors that might 

be improved with a token economy. 

_______________________________ perceived function of the behavior. 

_______________________________ item you are going to use for tokens. 

______________________ goal number of tokens the child has to earn for a 

reward. 

______________________________--what will the reward be? (Be creative) 

296

Conference 

(3 Bs) 

Workbook Page Eight: 

Hierarchy of <strong>Behavioral</strong> Responses 

Ignoring 

Differential 

Reinforcement 

Heflin: Georgia State University 2004 

Proximity 

Contracts 

Bx Reduction: 

EXT, RC, OC, TO 

Aversives 

Signal 

control 

297

Here’s my plan: 

Universal Level: For all students 

298

ary Level: For targeted groups of students 

299

Level: For a few students who need intensive 

support 

300

Final Thoughts 

It’s not fair 

Frequently, I hear things like: It’s not fair to put one kid in my class on a token economy because not everyone is getting 

tokens for being good. I have two things to say to that: 1) put everyone on a token economy. It’s easy, and 2) Fair is what 

everyone needs, not everyone getting the same thing. To drive this last point home let me tell give you a scenario. 

You and I are having a discussion about boating and we are enjoying our conversation. However, you are just getting over 

a cold and you are sucking on a cough drop. Suddenly, you choke on this cough drop and you are turning blue. You can feel 

the air getting harder and harder to pull in. I look around the room and see the 40 other people in the room and I tell 

you, “I’m sorry. I don’t have time to give the Heimlich to those other 40 people in the room, so it wouldn’t be fair if I only 

gave it to you. I’m so sorry.” 

I know this is a silly comparison but it’s the same analogy. If you function on the “it’s not fair” rule, you are functioning on 

the same emotional level of a seven year old. Children understand if things are explained to them; that, each of us needs 

different things in life. 

One year I had five students on token economies and the students looked out for each other. The students would come 

back and say, “Ms. Riffel, Ms. Riffel. Samuel didn’t throw his shoe at the music teacher. You need to give him a ticket.” 

If you explain things to them in the beginning; they don’t function on the “it’s not fair” rule. 

301

Remember…………………………………. 

If a child is pushing your buttons 

…………….You are delivering goods. 

302

Resources: 

Alberto, P., & Troutman, A. (2003). Applied behavior analysis for teachers (6th ed.). Upper Saddle 

River, NJ: Merrill Prentice-Hall. 

Ormrod, J. (1999). Human learning (3rd ed.).Upper 

Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice-Hall. 

Richards, S., Taylor, R., Ramasamy, R., & Richards, R. (1999). Single subject research: Applications 

in educational and clinical settings. San Diego: Singular Publishing Group, Inc. 

Websites of Interest 

http://www.ablenetinc.com/productLo Order able net boxes and Big Mac Switches 

cation.asp?page=/products.asp 

http://www.bestfreestuffonline. Free things for students to order 

com/kidstuff.htm 

http://www.garylamb.com/ Sixty Beats Per Minute Music 

http://www.irlen.com/index_autism.ht 

ml 

http://www.kelloggs.com/us/ 

http://www.kraftfoods.com/postcerea 

ls/cereal_1.html 

http://www.generalmills.com/corporat 

e/brands/index.aspx 

http://www.ku-crl.org/iei/index.html 

Irlen Reading Website for children who are distracted by lights 

Icons of favorite cereal choices 

This is the University of Kansas Center for Research on 

Learning. The Strategic Instruction techniques are helpful for 

all students. 

http://www.pecs.com/page5.html Picture Exchange Communication System 

http://www.sensorysmarts.com/diet.h Information on Sensory Diet 

tml 

http://www.sraonline.com/index.php/h Open Court Reading Series 

ome/curriculumsolutions/reading/ocph 

onicskit/1318 

http://www.sunkist.com/takeast and/ Lemonade Stand information 

http://www.timetimer.com/products.h 

tm 

http://www.tsbvi.edu/Education/early 

-childhood/object-calendar.htm 

https://www.schoolspecialty.com/orde 

ring/ECommerce;jsessionid=E1D18FED 

41551E183FB4 7F820460F008 

Visual Timer 

Object Calendar 

To order the air filled disk for children who need to move 

303

www.ablelinktech.com Visual Assistant- Hand Held Personal Digital Assistant for 

verbal and auditory prompting system 

www.amazon.com Book website- type in any title topic 

www.aPBIS.org Association for Positive Behavior Support 

www.discoverytoolsandworkshops.com 

Hemi-sync products 

www.pbis.org National Technical Assistance Center for Positive <strong>Behavioral</strong> 

<strong>Intervention</strong>s and Supports sponsored by the Office of Special 

Education Programs 

www.behaviordoctor.org Site <strong>based</strong> on the tertiary level of Positive Behavior Support 

http://www.vistaprint.com/frf?frf=69138469 

7124 

Website where you can order business cards and they only 

charge you for the shipping. “Caught you Being Good Cards” 

www.ustoys.com Online ordering of inexpensive incentives 

The 

304

following booklet is filled with research <strong>based</strong> interventions and examples of modifications. Some of the examples are 

appropriate for each level K-12. After each introduction and examples, the reader will find a review of literature <strong>based</strong> on a 

search through Education Resources Information Center (ERIC; www.eric.ed.gov) . Whenever possible, peer reviewed resources 

were chosen. If this book is downloaded electronically from www.behaviordoctor.org , the reader will find direct links to the 

ERIC articles for further study. 

Meta-analysis of Academic <strong>Intervention</strong>s by Kavale & Forness (1999) 

<strong>Intervention</strong> Description Effect 

Direct instruction Direct Instruction (DI) is a model for teaching that 

emphasizes well-developed and carefully planned lessons 

designed around small learning increments and clearly 

defined and prescribed teaching tasks. It is <strong>based</strong> on the 

theory that clear instruction eliminating misinterpretations 

Explicit reading 

comprehension 

strategies 

can greatly improve and accelerate learning. 

Using pre-reading strategies such as: 1) making predictions 

2) establishing prior knowledge 3) understanding 

vocabulary and 4) asking questions. 

Mnemonic strategies Mnemonic strategies can be described as transformational 

strategies (see Transformational Strategy Teacher Tool). 

Transform means to change. A student uses a 

transformational strategy when he/she converts difficult or 

unfamiliar information into more manageable information. 

The simpler or more familiar information is learned 

efficiently. 

1.62 

Modality instruction Modality instruction means teaching to the child’s strength 

in auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learning. 

.15 

Perceptual training Teaching predicting strategies .08 

Psycholinguistic Focusing on how the brain processes and understands 

.39 

training 

sounds using morphology, syntax, semantics and 

pragmatics. 

The reader should note the research from Cohen (1988) stating : an average effect size of .20 is small, .50 is average, and .80 is 

large; therefore, mnemonic strategies have the highest effect size following by explicit comprehension strategies and direct 

instruction. 

<strong>Intervention</strong> Who Function Research 

Advanced Organizers- 

summarize the various 

order of the lesson 

Examples: 

ADHD, learning 

disabilities, autism, 

asperger and other’s 

To guide attention toward the 

goal 

Size 

.84 

1.13 

U.S. Department of 

Education (2006) 

Concept Maps 

A concept map is used in showing relationships between two or more objects. Drawing a concept map allows 

children to visualize how articles are related. 

Stomach 

wall 

305

Gastric 

glands 

Gastric 

juice 

Hydrochlor 

ic Acid 

Medium 

Acidic 

Concept maps may be adjusted for any age level. 

muscles 

Peristaltic 

Movement 

Food 

proteases 

Sun 

Tiny 

pieces of 

food 

proteins 

Earth 

306

A Student-Centered Approach: Assessing the Changes in Prospective Science Teachers' Conceptual 

Understanding by Concept Mapping in a General Chemistry Laboratory 

Author(s): Kaya, Osman Nafiz 

Pub Date: 2008-01-00 

Source: Research in Science Education, v38 n1 p91-110 Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Research 

Jan 2008 

Peer-Reviewed: Yes 

Effectiveness of Concept Maps in Economics: Evidence from Australia and USA (EJ782933) 

Author(s): Marangos, John; Alley, Sean 

Source: Learning and Individual Differences, v17 n2 

p193-199 2007 

Applications of Concept Mapping (EJ773383) 

Author(s): De Simone, Christina 

Source: College Teaching, v55 n1 p33-36 Win 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-00-00 

Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative 


Pub Date: 2007-00-00 

Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive 


The Effects of Concept Mapping on Students' Achievements in Language Teaching (ED500143) 

Author(s): Tumen, Secil; Taspinar, Mehmet 

Source: Online Submission, Paper presented at the 

International Educational Technology (IETC) 

Conference (7th, Nicosia, Turkish Republic of 

Northern Cyprus, May 3-5, 2007) 

Pub Date: 2007-05-00 

Pub Type(s): Reports - Descriptive; 

Speeches/Meeting Papers 

Peer-Reviewed: N/A 

Concept Mapping as a Follow-Up Strategy to Learning from Texts: What Characterizes Good and Poor 

Mappers? (EJ786800) 

Author(s): Hilbert, Tatjana S.; Renkl, Alexander 

Pub Date: 2008-01-00 

Source: Instructional Science: An International Journal Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative 

of the Learning Sciences, v36 n1 p53-73 Jan 

2008 


KWL Charts: 

Using a poster or a bulletin board ask the “K&W” questions before beginning a lesson. Use the information to 

develop your lesson plans. After the unit is complete, solicit answers to the “L” section. Here are just a few of the 

items that would be written for a unit on the state of Kansas. 

K= what do we already 

know? 

(answers solicited from children) 

Capital is Topeka. 

Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz is 

from Kansas. 

Kansas is flat. 

Kansas is shaped like a 

rectangle. 

(with a bite out of the corner) 

Kansas 

W= what do we want to 

know? 

(answers solicited from children) 

More about cowboys in 

Kansas. 

What is the state flower, bird, 

mammal, and insect? 

What is a Jayhawk? 

What is the tallest spot in 

Kansas? 

L= what did we learn? 

(after teaching- solicit answers 

from children) 

Dodge City is the town where 

“boot hill” is and where Wyatt 

Earp is buried. 

Wheat is a major crop. 

Kansas produced a record 

492.2 million bushels of 

307

There are lots of cows in 

Kansas. 

There is a cowboy town there 

where Wyatt Earp is buried. 

Farmers grow crops in 

Kansas. 

What do farmers grow in 

Kansas? 

What kind of cows do they 

have in Kansas? 

What is Kansas famous for? 

Improving Student Achievement through Alternative Assessments. (ED435659) 

Author(s): Durning, Jermaine; Matyasec, Maryann 

Source: N/A 

Graphic Organizers: Outlets for Your Thoughts. (EJ555889) 

Author(s): Ekhaml, Leticia 

Source: School Library Media Activities Monthly, v14 

n5 p29-33 Jan 1998 

wheat in 1997, enough to 

make 35.9 billion loaves of 

bread. 

Pizza Huts started in Kansas 

The highest spot in Kansas is 

on the campus of the 

University of Kansas in 

Lawrence. 

Pub Date: 1999-05-00 

Pub Type(s): Dissertations/Theses 


Pub Date: 1998-00-00 

Pub Type(s): Guides - Non-Classroom; Journal 

Articles 


Creating Success in the Classroom! Visual Organizers and How To Use Them. (ED403235) 

Author(s): Tarquin, Patti; Walker, Sharon 

Source: N/A 

Pub Date: 1997-00-00 

Pub Type(s): Books; Guides - Classroom - Teacher 


Venn Diagrams 

Even children with lower cognitive abilities can look for similarities and differences. For young children as well, 

starting with something concrete like hula hoops will assist with visualization of the concept. 

Hula Hoops: 

Start with something simple like dark socks and white socks. Then move the hula hoops closer together so it looks 

like this: 

Sort the socks again. Then add socks with light and dark patterns on them into the pile of socks. Move the hula 

hoops so they look like this: 

308

Model patterned socks in the middle explaining they are both dark and white. Once students understand this 

concept, move on to more complex differences and similarities. 

Here are some examples of things you can put into categories with hula hoops apart: 

1. Plastic animals 

a. Animals with two legs - Animals with four legs 

b. Animals that fly - Animals that walk 

c. Animals that walk - Animals that swing through trees 

2. Vehicles 

a. Vehicles with two wheels - Vehicles with four wheels 

b. Water vehicles – land vehicles 

c. Vehicles that fly - vehicles that go on the road 

3. Dollhouse people 

a. Men - Women 

b. Girls - Boys 

c. Adults- Children 

Red and white socks Red, white, and blue socks Blue and white socks 

Brown animals Brown and white animals White animals 

Animals in the circus Animals in circus and Animals in a farm 

(both) 

Farm Animals 

Food from McDonalds Food that you find at both McDonalds Food you find at Dairy 

and Dairy Queen 

Queen 

Visually position a clear and consistent daily schedule (Volmer, 1995). It is 

widely known that children on the autism spectrum disorder desire structure and 

predictability; however, children of typical development benefit quite well from having a 

daily schedule. It is important to use the schedule to note when something new will be 

arising during the day. This will be a visual cue to those students to expect the 

unexpected. The schedules should match the skill level of each child. Some children will 

require pictures and some will need objects. 

In the Loop (EJ740842) 

Author(s): Naylor, Michael 

Source: Teaching Pre K-8, v36 n7 p36-37 Apr 2006 

Pub Date: 2006-04-00 

Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Opinion Papers; 

Reports - Descriptive 

Peer-Reviewed: No 

The Art of Sorting: Using Venn Diagrams To Learn Science Process Skills. (EJ663589) 

Author(s): Moore, Jan E. 

Source: Science Activities, v39 n4 p17-21 Win 2003 

Pub Date: 2003-00-00 

Pub Type(s): Guides - Classroom - Teacher; Journal 

Articles 


309

The Two-By-Two Array: An Aid in Conceptualization and Problem Solving (EJ720450) 

Author(s): Eberhart, James 

Pub Date: 2004-00-00 

Source: Mathematics and Computer Education, v38 n1 Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive 

p92-96 Win 2004 


ROOTing Out Meaning: More Morphemic Analysis for Primary Pupils (EJ684444) 

Author(s): Mountain, Lee 

Pub Date: 2005-05-00 

Source: Reading Teacher, v58 n8 p742-749 May 2005 Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - General 


Classify and Capture: Using Venn Diagrams and Tangrams To Develop Abilities in Mathematical Reasoning 

and Proof. (EJ668729) 

Author(s): Moyer, Patricia S.; Bolyard, Johnna J. 

Source: Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, v8 

n6 p325-30 Feb 2003 

Pub Date: 2003-00-00 

Gatekeeper 

Take sentence strips and write animals on them with a coordinating picture. 

Give each child a card. 

Stand with arms straight out to the sides. 

The children line up and approach -either tell them to pass or tell them 

to go sit down. 

Only let children with certain characteristics through: (example: only 

animals with four legs) 

The students have to look at who got through the gatekeeper and 

determine the classification that allowed entry. 

This is a game that could be played with inclusion buddies who pair up one on 

one with the students. Once students get the idea of animals, the teacher can 

make up sentence strip cards for any number of concepts: 

Multiples of “X” (any number ) 


Articles 


o Give students random numbers and then allow 4, 16, 8, 24, 12, 40 through to the other side and 

don’t allow the numbers 15, 3, 6, 23, 22, 17, 21, 19, etc. The students will have to look at the 

numbers that made it through the “gate” and the numbers that did not and determine what the 

“factor” that allowed the gatekeeper to let them through. 

Capitals of states and regular cities 

Animals that have detachable defensive mechanisms and animals that do not: 

o Porcupines, bees, wasps, scorpions etc. 

Dairy cows vs. beef cows 

Open circuits and closed circuits 

Endangered animals vs. non-endangered animals 

Reptiles vs. amphibians 

Prime numbers vs. non prime numbers 

What's behind Different Kinds of Kinds: Effects of Statistical Density on Learning and Representation of 

Categories (EJ784786) 

Author(s): Kloos, Heidi; Sloutsky, Vladimir M. 

Source: Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 

v137 n1 p52-72 Feb 2008 

Labels Can Override Perceptual Categories in Early Infancy (EJ781844) 

Pub Date: 2008-02-00 

Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Research 


310

Author(s): Plunkett, Kim; Hu, Jon-Fan; Cohen, Leslie B. 

Source: Cognition, v106 n2 p665-681 Feb 2008 

Pub Date: 2008-02-00 



Making Sense of Epistemic Categories: Analysing Students' Use of Categories of Progressive Inquiry in 

Computer Mediated Collaborative Activities (EJ774871) 

Author(s): Arnseth, H. C.; Saljo, R. 

Pub Date: 2007-10-00 

Source: Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, v23 n5 Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative 

p425-439 Oct 2007 


Congruence Effect in Semantic Categorization with Masked Primes with Narrow and Broad Categories 

(EJ785557) 

Author(s): Quinn, Wendy Maree; Kinoshita, Sachiko 

Source: Journal of Memory and Language, v58 n2 

p286-306 Feb 2008 

Pub Date: 2008-02-00 




Analogies All Students Analogies help children see how 

things that appear different are 

actually similar. This helps with 

generalization of skills. 

(Marzano, Pickering, & 

Pollock, 2001) 

This technique can be used with very young children and as most people know, it is part of the entrance test for graduate school. 

Examples: 

Dark is to light as Thick is to _________. 

Tall is to short as High is to __________. 

Illiterate is to read as sightless is to ______________. 

Hovel is to poverty as hut is to _______________. 

Lime is to citrus as wheat is to ______________. 

Key is to lock as pick is to _____________. 

Green is to go as Red is to ____________. 

Pipe is to wrench as screwdriver is to ___________. 

For students with significant difficulties with a task such as this, have all the answers on 

flash cards and have the student manipulate the flash cards into the correct sentence. 

(Use post it note size flash cards). 

Other analogies that help students visualize and connect learning to life: 

Comparing DNA to a ladder 

Body Circulation to plumbing 

Older students can even listen to modern music and write about the analogies. 

Elton John describes Marilyn Monroe as a “candle in the wind”, to what is he referring and comparing? 

Superman by Five for Fighting lyrics: “I can’t stand to fly. I’m not that naïve. Men weren’t meant to ride 

with clouds between their knees. I’m only a man in a silly red sheet, digging for kryptonite on this one 

way street. Only a man in a funny red sheet, looking for special things inside of me. It’s not easy to be 

me.” 

Locks and Keys: An Analysis of Biochemistry Students' Use of Analogies (EJ769592) 

Author(s): Orgill, MaryKay; Bodner, George 

Source: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, v35 

n4 p244-254 Jul 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-07-00 



311

Effects of Prior Assistance in Using Analogies on Young Children's Unprompted Analogical Problem Solving over Time: A 

Microgenetic Study (EJ757588) 

Author(s): Tunteler, Erika; Resing, Wilma C. M. 

Source: British Journal of Educational Psychology, v77 n1 

p43-68 Mar 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-03-00 



The Effects of Peer Mediation with Young Children (PMYC) on Children's Cognitive Modifiability (EJ757593) 

Author(s): Tzuriel, David; Shamir, Adina 


p143-165 Mar 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-03-00 



Teaching Models in the Use of Analogies as a Resource in the Science Classroom (EJ753857) 

Author(s): Oliva, Jose M.; Azcarate, P.; Navarrete, A. 

Source: International Journal of Science Education, v29 n1 

p45-66 Jan 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-01-15 



The Teaching-with-Analogies Model: Build Conceptual Bridges with Mental Models (EJ766563) 

Author(s): Glynn, Shawn 

Source: Science and Children, v44 n8 p52-55 Apr 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-04-00 




Back-up Books for Home- ADHD, LD, ASD, 

Emotional Behavior 

Disorders, and others 

for whom 

remembering to bring 

a text book home 

would be an issue 

Removes the excuse of not having books. U.S. Department of 


Provide text books that stay at home. This alleviates the excuse of “I forgot my book.” This is 

proactive thinking, not enabling the child to escape work by forgetting the text. Along with this, 

post the assignment on-line so parents have access to the homework assignment. This is proactive 

in that many children profess to not remember what the assignment was. 

*On a personal note: 

Pencils: 

As a national presenter, this researcher is frequently asked what to do with 

children who do not bring pencils to class. When this researcher 

inquire as to their current interventions they usually reply, “I send the child to 

the office.” This researcher’s internal thought is, “Well, that is working well for 

the child. They probably did not want to do the work and showing up sans pencil earns them the long trek to 

the office to wait in line to tell the principal they don’t have a pencil. Bravo.” Since a national speaker can 

not say that out loud, it is best to suggest having all the children bring a pack of pencils in August (48 

pencils). Sharpen all those pencils and put them in a large coffee can. When a child does not have a pencil, 

send them to the can. 

When this researcher offered the above suggestion, one teacher replied, “I can not do that. That would be feeding the child’s 

addiction.” The temptation to laugh was so difficult. Let’s see, if the child had an addiction, the child would probably be eating 

the pencil. The child is addicted to getting out of work (that would be the real function) and the teacher has been paying off 

(causing her own pain). 

Website with information to print off for parents about homework strategies: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/202 


Board Games- All students Board games provide practice with 

targeted academic skills such as 

sight-vocabulary words or 

comprehension skills in a nonthreatening 

manner. 



312

One can use commercial boards and substitute flash cards <strong>based</strong> on subject content or build your own using an overhead 

projector and game board patterns. 

Organize a family night at your school. Provide overhead projectors, tag board, tape, markers, game board pieces, and 3 by 5 

cards for flash cards. Run off grade level appropriate questions for each grade level to assist the families in making their own 

flash cards from the 3 by 5 cards. 

Website with directions for making the game board below: 

http://www.scissorcraft.com/folding.htm 

Make Your Own Games Workshop by Craig Pearson (Author), Jaclyne Scardova (Illustrator). 

Frank Schaffer has many books with game board patterns. 

Have students create their own board game <strong>based</strong> on their favorite piece of literature. For 

example: “Horton Hears a Who”, the object of the game could be to save “Whoville”. The 

characters would be the pieces that move and there could be backward squares for things like 

“squabbles” and “forgetfulness”. 

This website also has many ways to extend learning through worksheets, games, etc. 

http://www.edhelper.com/?gclid=CMbaptuOnJICFQaOggod6hXV_A This site even has a place 

where you can create your own coordinating word searches for those students who like to find 

“Waldo”. 


Computer Games- All students Allows for interactive learning, costs 

little to develop, and makes learning 

fun for children who prefer 

computer time as a reward. 



Schedule computer time for students, making sure that the computer is used for drill and practice on subject content. 

Quiz Star- allows teachers to build a quiz and track student progress. Free trial available: 

http://quizstar.4teachers.org/ 

Teach students how to make hyperlinks in a PowerPoint. Have the students create a 

game with correct answers using questions from the class unit of study. For example: 

Question: What city name is the same in all 50 states? 

a. Eudora b. Reno c. Springfield d. Lincoln 

“A”, “B” and “D” would be linked to a slide that said “NO” and choice “C” would be 

linked to a slide that said “YES”. After the students create these games, they can save it 

to a disk and trade with each other for review sessions. 

Best information of the day: 

Check out this website: http://webquest.org/index.php - Here’s the 

information from the website: “A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in 

which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. The model was developed by Bernie Dodge at San 

Diego State University in February, 1995 with early input from SDSU/Pacific Bell Fellow Tom March, the Educational 

Technology staff at San Diego Unified School District, and waves of participants each summer at the Teach the Teachers 

Consortium. 

Since those beginning days, tens of thousands of teachers have embraced WebQuests as a way to make good use of the internet 

while engaging their students in the kinds of thinking that the 21st century requires. This is a link to a WebQuest already finished 

on “Gangs in Literature” http://questgarden.com/51/74/3/070524161336/ it starts with Romeo and Juliet. The reader will love 

this tool. 

Website for ADHD learners called Play Attention: http://www.playattention.com/attention-deficit/articles/neurofeedback-as-ateaching-tool/ 

increases ability to pay attention. 

New Media Resistance: Barriers to Implementation of Computer Video Games in the Classroom (EJ776069) 

Author(s): Rice, John W. 

Source: Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 

v16 n3 p249-261 Jul 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-07-00 



313

Computer Game Theories for Designing Motivating Educational Software: A Survey Study (EJ787223) 

Author(s): Ang, Chee Siang; Rao, G. S. V. Radha Krishna 

Source: International Journal on E-Learning, v7 n2 p181-199 

Apr 2008 

Pub Date: 2008-04-00 



Towards a Framework for Understanding Electronic Educational Gaming (EJ776073) 

Author(s): DiPietro, Meredith; Ferdig, Richard E.; Boyer, Pub Date: 2007-07-00 

Jeff; Black, Erik W. 


Source: Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, Peer-Reviewed: 

v16 n3 p225-248 Jul 2007 

Yes 

Third Generation Educational Use of Computer Games (EJ776072) 

Author(s): Egenfeldt-Nielsen, Simon 

Pub Date: 2007-07-00 

Source: Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative 

v16 n3 p263-281 Jul 2007 

Viewpoints: Teaching and Learning with Games? (EJ763737) 


Author(s): Williamson, Ben 

Pub Date: 2007-03-00 

Source: Learning, Media and Technology, v32 n1 p99-105 Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Opinion Papers; Reports - 

Mar 2007 

Descriptive 



Connect to future learning- tell 

students where they can learn 

more about each topic 


disabilities, autism, 

asperger and other’s 

To provide stimulus and the message that 

learning does not end just because a lesson 

is over 



Send home your lesson plans and help parents connect the learning. Resource teachers who work with 

students will appreciate a “heads up” about future and past learning as well. 

Connecting Kids and Computers (EJ754774) 

Author(s): Giles, Rebecca McMahon 

Source: Childhood Education, v83 n2 p108 Win 2006 

Online Collaboration: Curriculum Unbound! (EJ762486) 

Author(s): Waters, John K. 

Source: T.H.E. Journal, v34 n3 p40-48 Mar 2007 

Pub Date: 2006-00-00 



Pub Date: 2007-03-00 




Cooperative Learning All students Cooperative learning is a valuable academic 

instructional tool for the following reasons: 

Constructive interdependence 

Face to face supportive interaction 

Tertiary and group accountability 

Great websites for learning more about cooperative learning: 

http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/cooperative/front_cooperative.htm 

http://www.co-operation.org/ 

http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/cooperativelearning.htm 

(Walberg, 1999) 

(Lipsey & Wilson, 1993) 

(Scheerens & Bosker, 

1997) 

(Hall, 1989) 

(Johnson, Maruyama, 

Johnson, Nelson, & 

Skon, 1999) 


& Pollock, 2001) 

314

Many teachers have found that pairing struggling students up with students with developmental disabilities or younger age 

students, allowing the struggling student to take on the role of “mentor” allows for raised self-concepts in the student. At the 

middle and high school level, allow the struggling student to be a teacher assistant in a classroom for severe multiple disabilities. 

The teacher assistant may create PowerPoint relationship narratives, write stories, connect assistive technology devices to 

computer games, and other valuable life lessons. 

Here is an article from NSTA on how to collaborate with other teachers at the high 

school level to teach science: 

http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505%2f4%2ftst07_074_03_24 

Cooperative Learning and Team Culture in Schools: Conditions for Teachers' Professional Development (EJ782415) 

Author(s): Krecic, Marija Javornik; Grmek, Milena Ivanus 

Source: Teaching and Teacher Education: An International 

Journal of Research and Studies, v24 n1 p59-68 Jan 

2008 

Cooperative Learning: A Pedagogy to Improve Students' Generic Skills? (EJ767306) 

Author(s): Ballantine, Joan; Larres, Patricia McCourt 

Source: Education & Training, v49 n2 p126-137 2007 

Pub Date: 2008-01-00 


Peer-Reviewed: Ye 

Pub Date: 2007-00-00 



Cooperative Learning in Third Graders' Jigsaw Groups for Mathematics and Science with and without Questioning 

Training (EJ778566) 

Author(s): Souvignier, Elmar; Kronenberger, Julia 


p755-771 Dec 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-12-00 




Corrective Feedback All students The single most effective modification that 

enhances achievement is constructive 

feedback. 


& Pollock, 2001) 

(Lysakowski & Walberg 

1982) 

(Wilson, 1987) 

Several effective methods are listed below: 

Put “C’s” beside all problems or statements that are correct and leave the incorrect problems blank. This allows the 

students to go back and correct their misrules. 

3 stars and a wish: Name three things one like about the paper and 1 thing you wish had been different. To read more 

about 3 stars and wish check out this website: http://books.google.com/books?id=qcOg-4HK- 

44C&pg=PA97&lpg=PA97&dq=three+stars+and+a+wish&source=web&ots=VEnQHU0aYy&sig=guhDdGZnBHUbWkh 

4ifdK-XrL6GU&hl=en#PPA100,M1 

List strengths at the top and things to work on at the bottom. 

Stop using red ink to mark papers. Red has taken on a negative connotation and as such limits the constructiveness of 

comments written in red ink. Be the teacher they remember with fondness- not the Grouch in room 115. 

On-Line Peer Assessment and the Role of the Peer Feedback: A Study of High School Computer Course (EJ773943) 

Author(s): Tseng, Sheng-Chau; Tsai, Chin-Chung 

Source: Computers & Education, v49 n4 p1161-1174 Dec 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-12-00 



The Effect of Focused Written Corrective Feedback and Language Aptitude on ESL Learners' Acquisition of Articles 

(EJ788008) 

Author(s): Sheen, Younghee Pub Date: 2007-06-00 

315

Source: TESOL Quarterly: A Journal for Teachers of English 

to Speakers of Other Languages and of Standard 

English as a Second Dialect, v41 n2 p255-283 Jun 

2007 



The Acquisition and Generalization of Joint Attention and Symbolic Play Skills in Young Children with Autism 

(EJ775113) 

Author(s): Wong, Connie S.; Kasari, Connie; Freeman, 

Stephanny; Paparella, Tanya 

Source: Research and Practice for Persons with Severe 

Disabilities (RPSD), v32 n2 p101-109 Sum 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-00-00 




DaVinci Code ADHD, LD and 

any other students 

who struggle with 

math 

Allows the child to know a secret 

mnemonic which will help them 

with difficult math facts. 



One of the greatest programs on television in the year 2007 and 2008 is the Friday night show entitled “NUMB3RS” on CBS. 

This television show unlocks mysteries about math codes and makes learning math exciting as it uses math to solve murder 

mysteries. 

Teach children secrets like: 

9’s (18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, and 81) all the answers add up to 9 when added together. 

Factoring Nines 

Hands displayed on the desk in the above manner. If the child is factoring 9 by 3 they would hold down the finger number three 

and see that the answer is 27 because there are two fingers before the finger held down and 7 fingers after the finger held down. 

This website is a great tool for teachers when desiring more knowledge about modifying mathematics instruction: 

http://coe.jmu.edu/Mathvids2/index.html Here is the description from the website: “MathVIDS is an interactive website for 

teachers who are teaching mathematics to struggling learners made possible through funding by the Virginia Department of 

Education. The primary theme of MathVIDS is to help educators connect why struggling learners have difficulty learning 

mathematics to effective instructional practices for these students. Use the navigation menus and links at the top of the page to 

explore the MathVIDS website and find information and resources pertinent to your interests and needs or click on "site index " 

at the top right hand corner for a quick overview of the website.” 

A Follow-Up of Mathematics <strong>Intervention</strong>s for Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities (EJ756844) 

Author(s): Maccini, Paula; Mulcahy, Candace A.; Wilson, 

Michael G. 

Source: Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, v22 n1 

p58-74 Feb 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-02-00 

Pub Type(s): Information Analyses; Journal Articles 


RIDGES: A Problem-Solving Math Strategy. (EJ363512) 

Author(s): Snyder, Kathleen Pub Date: 1988-00-00 

316

Source: Academic Therapy, v23 n3 p261-63 Jan 1988 

Classroom Research by Classroom Teachers, 1992. (ED377171) 

Author(s): Tanner, Michael, Ed. 

Source: Classroom Research by Classroom Teachers, v2 1992 


Articles 


Pub Date: 1992-00-00 

Pub Type(s): Reports - Research; Collected Works - Serials 



Follow the Bouncing Ball- The 

early commercials and sing-alongs 

had the right idea. 

ADHD, LD, ASD and 

others who need visual 

paired with auditory 

Allows the student to hear the correct 

intonation, pronunciation, and lilt while 

reading. 



Ask the student to read the story silently while listening to others (recordings, other students, or the 

teacher) read the story aloud. Pair- share reading allows two children (one a strong reader) to pair up 

and take turns reading one sentence each. This allows the student who struggles with a good model and at 

the same time does not intimidate the child with only short examples to read aloud. 

Improvements in Interval Time Tracking and Effects on Reading Achievement (EJ776679) 

Author(s): Taub, Gordon E.; McGrew, Kevin S.; Keith, Timothy 

Z. 

Source: Psychology in the Schools, v44 n8 p849-863 Oct 

2007 

Pub Date: 2007-10-00 




Frequent Faux Pas Dictionary All students Most everyone has a word or two which U.S. Department of 

causes them to give pause when writing. Education (2006) 

There is a story of a great director of personnel who always opened his drawer when he was signing important papers. His 

employees believed that the drawer contained some words of wisdom that he called upon for 

inspiration. Upon his death, they opened the drawer and found this: “2n’s one l in personnel”. Give 

the students a small journal in which to write their most common misspelled words. 

This could also be accomplished by putting the words on 3x5 cards with a small 

hole punch and placed on a circular ring. The words could be alphabetized and 

new words added as they are discovered. 

Improving Reading, <strong>Writing</strong>, and Content Learning for Students in Grades 4-12 (ED495564) 

Author(s): Taylor, Rosemarye T. 

Source: Corwin Press 

Pub Date: 2006-09-14 

Pub Type(s): Books; Guides - Non-Classroom 

Peer-Reviewed: No, but research <strong>based</strong> (10 years) 

Improving Student Spelling Skills through the Use of Effective Teaching Strategies. (ED465190) 

Author(s): Chase-Lockwood, Rebekah; Masino, Misty 

Source: N/A 

Pub Date: 2002-05-00 

Pub Type(s): Dissertations/Theses 



Individual Response Boards ADHD, LD, 

Intellectual 

Allows the student to make a 

mistake without the entire class 



317

Disabilities, ASD, 

and others who 

might not respond 

verbally in front of 

peers 

hearing their mistake. 

These can be white boards, chalkboards, 3x5 cards with one side saying “True” and the reverse saying “False”, or “Yes” and “No”, 

or “” “”. 

Many teachers use “thumbs up and thumbs down”, an alternative to this would be to use specific 

numbers of fingers. “Hold up three fingers if you think the statement is true and one finger if you think 

the statement is false.” 

This technique allows the teacher to take a quick glance and see how everyone is learning. 

Another response technique when working with cooperative groups, would be to ask the groups to 

respond with a “5” means we need more time and a “2” means we are almost finished. This is a cue that 

groups should be wrapping up and allows the teacher to see which groups need some guidance. 

Qualitatively Different Ways of Experiencing Student Self-Assessment (EJ779908) 

Author(s): Tan, Kelvin H. K. 

Pub Date: 2008-03-00 

Source: Higher Education Research and Development, v27 n1 Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative 

p15-29 Mar 2008 


Assessment and Student Learning: A Fundamental Relationship and the Role of Information and Communication 

Technologies (EJ786125) 

Author(s): Kirkwood, Adrian; Price, Linda 

Source: Open Learning, v23 n1 p5-16 Feb 2008 

Pub Date: 2008-02-00 

Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Opinion Papers; Reports - 

Descriptive 


Classroom Assessment Within the Alternative Assessment Paradigm: Revisiting the Territory (EJ764051) 

Author(s): Buhagiar, Michael A. 

Source: Curriculum Journal, v18 n1 p39-56 Mar 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-03-00 




Mnemonics ADHD, LD, and 

actually all 

students who have 

difficulty with rote 

learning 

Provide mnemonics for any difficult fact. 

Examples: 

Which (there, their, they’re) do I use? 

A mnemonic is any thing that aides 

the memory. 

There has the word here in it and here is a place. Use there when you are discussing a place. 



Scruggs & 

Mastropieri, 

(2000) 

Their has the word heir in it and heir shows belonging. Prince Charles is their heir to the throne. 

Use this when showing that something belongs to someone. 

They’re has an apostrophe which is short for they are. Use this when you want to say “they are”. 

Use mnemonics for other rules as well: (I before e except after c) and (every good boy does fine) 

are all rules we use as adults that we learned as children. 

The mnemonic “Don’t Miss Susie’s Boat” can be used to help the student remember the steps to 

long division – Divide, Multiply, Subtract, and Bring Down. 

318

Here is a website with more mnemonic ideas: http://www.bucks.edu/~specpop/mnemonics.htm 

Integrated Pictorial Mnemonics and Stimulus Fading: Teaching Kindergartners Letter Sounds (EJ775600) 

Author(s): de Graaff, Saskia; Verhoeven, Ludo; Bosman, Anna 

M. T.; Hasselman, Fred 


p519-539 Sep 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-09-00 



The Effects of Mnemonic <strong>Intervention</strong>s on Academic Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities: A Systematic Review 

(EJ787372) 

Author(s): Wolgemuth, Jennifer R.; Cobb, R. Brian; Alwell, 

Morgen 

Source: Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, v23 n1 p1- 

10 Feb 2008 

Memory Palaces (EJ779336) 

Author(s): Wood, Marianne 

Source: SchoolArts: The Art Education Magazine for 

Teachers, v107 n4 p16 Dec 2007 

Pub Date: 2008-02-00 



Pub Date: 2007-12-00 




Movement Activities ADHD, LD, ASD, 

Intellectual Disabilities 

and any others who 

require movement to 

learn 

Rhythmic movements can actually help 

some students learn. 



This researcher has worked with children with autism who learned to say their ‘ABC’s’ while jumping on a trampoline. The 

children did not know them and were not interested in knowing them until they started working on the trampoline. 

Combine movements while working on lessons. Examples: 

Jump rope while spelling words 

Tossing a ball with math equations minus the answers written on them (student must answer 

where their right thumb lands) 

Room Baseball while practicing facts (set up bases around the room and players divide into teams. 

Pitching team reads questions from flash cards and batters advance around the bases until 3 strikes 

accrue.) 

An Arts-Based Approach to Teaching Fractions (EJ775457) 

Author(s): Goral, Mary Barr; Wiest, Lynda R. 

Source: Teaching Children Mathematics, v14 n2 p74-80 Sep 

2007 

Hands-On and Kinesthetic Activities for Teaching Phonological Awareness (EJ757565) 

Pub Date: 2007-09-00 



Author(s): Rule, Audrey C.; Dockstader, C. Jolene; Stewart, Pub Date: 2006-12-00 

Roger A. 


Source: Early Childhood Education Journal, v34 n3 p195-201 Peer-Reviewed: 

Dec 2006 

Yes 

Utilizing Modality Theory to Achieve Academic Success (EJ761242) 

Author(s): Lister, Dena; Ansalone, George 

Source: Educational Research Quarterly, v30 n2 p20-30 

Pub Date: 2006-00-00 



319


Note Taking Skills All students Many adults assume that children know how 

to take notes and what to do with the notes 

once they write them down. This is a skill 

that needs to be taught and needs booster 

shots. 



(Robinson, Katayama, 

Beth, Odom, Hsieh, & 

Vanderveen, 2006) 


Pollock, 2001) 

Teach children how to take notes when studying. This will be a life long skill that will 

help them in the future as well. 

Divide the paper in half by drawing a line down the middle 

vertically and outline the information from the text book on the left side 

of the paper 

On the right side of the paper, take notes from the class 

discussion or lecture and match it up to the notes from the book. 

Use Graphic Organizers to take notes. 

Venn diagrams 

Comparison Matrices 

Webs 

KWL charts 

Time Sequence Pattern Organizers 

Cause and Effect Pattern Organizers 

Episode Pattern Organizers 

Generalization Pattern Organizer 

Concept Pattern Organizer 

Pictographs 

What Predicts Skill in Lecture Note Taking? (EJ754555) 

Author(s): Peverly, Stephen T.; Ramaswamy, Vivek; Brown, 

Cindy; Sumowski, James; Alidoost, Moona; Garner, 

Joanna 

Source: Journal of Educational Psychology, v99 n1 p167-180 

Feb 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-02-00 



Increasing Text Comprehension and Graphic Note Taking Using a Partial Graphic Organizer (EJ773773) 

Author(s): Robinson, Daniel H.; Katayama, Andrew D.; Beth, 

Alicia; Odom, Susan; Hsieh, Ya-Ping; Vanderveen, 

Arthur 

Source: Journal of Educational Research, v100 n2 p103-111 

Nov-Dec 2006 

Parallel Note-Taking: A Strategy for Effective Use of Webnotes (EJ689655) 

Author(s): Pardini, Eleanor A.; Domizi, Denise P.; Forbes, 

Daniel A.; Pettis, Gretchen V. 

Source: Journal of College Reading and Learning, v35 n2 

p38-55 Spr 2005 

Pub Date: 2006-00-00 



Pub Date: 2005-00-00 




Peer Partner Pairing ADHD, LD, ASD, 

and anyone 

struggling with 

reading 

Taking turns and listening to others 

read is beneficial to gaining reading 

fluency. 



Pair the weaker reader up with a stronger reader and have them take turns reading aloud. They should read short segments to 

avoid stressing out either reader. 

Pick a Pear to Pair Pair students up to Pair Share. When the educator needs to have a private moment 

with one student, the educator should keep teaching until they are near the intended recipient of a 

320

“discussion” and then ask the students to pair up with partner and discuss a homonyms, point and counterpoint of a story, a 

math concept, or even a favorite character in history while the teacher then discusses appropriate behavior with the student of 

his or her desire. This is a good classroom management technique, however, the dividend may be students learning from each 

other. 

Stimulating Intrinsic Motivation for Problem Solving Using Goal-Oriented Contexts and Peer Group Composition 

(EJ785328) 

Author(s): Song, Hae-Deok; Grabowski, Barbara L. 

Pub Date: 2006-10-00 

Source: Educational Technology Research and Development, Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Research 

v54 n5 p445-466 Oct 2006 


Peer Mediation <strong>Intervention</strong> for Scaffolding Self-Regulated Learning among Children with Learning Disabilities 

(EJ768681) 

Author(s): Shamir, Adina; Lazerovitz, Tamar 

Pub Date: 2007-08-00 

Source: European Journal of Special Needs Education, v22 n3 Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative 

p255-273 Aug 2007 


Secondary School Pupils' Preferences for Different Types of Structured Grouping Practices (EJ739432) 

Author(s): Hallam, Susan; Ireson, Judith 

Pub Date: 2006-08-00 

Source: British Educational Research Journal, v32 n4 p583- Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Research 

599 Aug 2006 



Pink Panther Clues ADHD, LD, and 

any student who 

has a difficult time 

with math word 

problems 

Highlight the main and important 

words in reading and math. Many 

children do not know the secret 

clues that are in math fact sentences 

and reading stories. 



Teach the children what the clue words are in word problems. Teach students to highlight those words that provide the clues 

using a pink highlighter pen. Use a Pink Panther stamp on papers to show mastery of highlighting the 

correct word. Play the Pink Panther theme song each day as you warm up with a practice math word 

problem. 

Examples: 

Sum 

Total 

All together 

Any of these words would mean an addition problem. 

Cueing Metacognition to Improve Researching and Essay <strong>Writing</strong> in a Final Year High School Biology Class 

(EJ757842) 

Author(s): Conner, L. N. 

Source: Research in Science Education, v37 n1 p1-16 Mar 

2007 

Pub Date: 2007-03-00 



The Effect of Varied Cueing Strategies in Complementing Animated Visual Imagery in Facilitating Achievement of 

Different Educational Objectives (EJ749754) 

Author(s): Owens, Russ; Dwyer, Francis 

Source: International Journal of Instructional Media, v32 n4 

p373 Fall 2005 

Pub Date: 2005-00-00 



Scaffolding Beginning Readers: Micro and Macro Cues Teachers Use during Student Oral Reading (EJ738028) 

Author(s): Cole, Ardith D. 

Source: Reading Teacher, v59 n5 p450-459 Feb 2006 

Pub Date: 2006-02-00 



321


Play Post Office All students Provide students real life writing 

opportunities rather than menial 

tasks non-related to their lives. 



Provide students with opportunities to write, mail, and receive letters. Elementary students can write letters to each other, the 

teacher, administrators, custodian and others in the school. Older students should be taught to 

write to businesses. For example, suppose a student encountered the Dyson Airblade handdryer 

for the first time and thought it was a great invention. Encourage the student to write to 

Dyson Airblade and tell them about the superiority of the product. Encouraging students to 

compliment businesses is also a great skill. In this day of computer short cuts and acronym 

texting, writing letters is a skill that needs to be encouraged. Responses from businesses will be 

a positive reinforcement for their effort. 

Have the students read a fiction or non-fiction book and determine how to turn that book into a 

movie script. Have the students write to a movie producer “pitching” the movie <strong>based</strong> on their 

interpretation. 

Learning Science through <strong>Writing</strong>: Associations with Prior Conceptions of <strong>Writing</strong> and Perceptions of a <strong>Writing</strong> 

Program (EJ772734) 

Author(s): Ellis, Robert A.; Taylor, Charlotte E.; Drury, Helen Pub Date: 2007-09-00 

Source: Higher Education Research and Development, v26 n3 Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Research 

p297-311 Sep 2007 


Teaching Content with the Help of <strong>Writing</strong> across the Curriculum (EJ779054) 

Author(s): Peterson, Shelley Stagg 

Pub Date: 2007-11-00 

Source: Middle School Journal, v39 n2 p26-33 Nov 2007 Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive 


Use of Strategy Instruction to Improve the Story <strong>Writing</strong> Skills of a Student with Asperger Syndrome (EJ787120) 

Author(s): Delano, Monica E. 

Pub Date: 2007-00-00 

Source: Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative 

Disabilities, v22 n4 p252-258 2007 



Real Life Examples ADHD, LD, Young 

Children and 

anyone who has 

difficulty with 

money skills 

To link learning to life. U.S. Department of 


Use real life examples for teaching money skills. For example: 

Put real money out on the table for young children and tell the class they have to use 

the money to pay for something you are passing out. Change the amount each day. 

“Today your pencil will cost 17 cents. You may choose any way you like to give 17 

cents.” 

Set up a class store. Have the students use real money to pay for items. 

Ask parents to send in real money to pay for lunch and ask the students to calculate 

the amount they will receive as change and then check after lunch. 

Have high school students sell an item as a fundraiser and use profits to donate to a 

worthy charity. 

There are so many ways to link learning to real life. Invite one speaker a week to come in 

and talk to the students about how they use math, reading, writing, social studies, and 

science in their daily jobs. 

Instead of learning about the life cycle: grow your own: 

Butterflies - http://www.swallowtailfarms.com/pages/educationalproducts_brk.html 

322

Frogs- http://www.explorastore.com/main/product.asp?invky=886&sec=alive 

Spider web- catch a spider in a ventilated jar. Find a large 2 or 3 inch deep pan and fill with water. Take two votive 

candle holders filled with clay and place about 6 inches apart inside the baking pan. Take two 6 inch wooden skewers 

and stick down in the clay so they stick up like football goalposts. Within a day or two, the spider will have built a 

beautiful web between the two sticks. Now it’s time to release the flies. 

Teaching Third Graders about Real-Life Mathematical Problem Solving: A Randomized Controlled Study 

(EJ750499) 

Author(s): Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas; Finelli, 

Pub Date: 2006-03-00 

Robin; Courey, Susan J.; Hamlett, Carol L.; Sones, Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative 

Estelle M.; Hope, Susan K. 


Source: Elementary School Journal, v106 n4 p293-312 March 

2006 

Expanding Schema-Based Transfer Instruction to Help Third Graders Solve Real-Life Mathematical Problems 

(EJ737105) 

Author(s): Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas; Finelli, 

Robin; Courey, Susan J.; Hamlett, Carol L. 

Source: American Educational Research Journal, v41 n2 

p419-445 Sum 2004 

We’re Poppin' For Math (EJ694011) 

Author(s): Levert, Brenda 

Source: Learning and Leading with Technology, v31 n4 p20- 

23 Dec-Jan 2003-2004 

Pub Date: 2004-00-00 



Pub Date: 2004-01-00 




Recipe for Success ADHD, learning 

disabilities, 

autism, asperger 

and other’s 

To provide auditory stimulus to the 

tools of success. 



State needed materials- recipe for success: “Today you will need your ruler, a calculator, pencil and two pieces of paper”. 

It is imperative to not assume that a child knows what tools they will need for each lesson 

It would be prudent to have a bulletin board with a “Recipe for Success”. 

Have an enlarged student paper on the board indicating the proper place for name and date. 

Indicate spacing and acceptable handwriting for classroom expectations. 

Hang a pocket chart on the bulletin board and put in the necessary items for today’s lesson: 

Ruler 

Calculator 

Pencil 

Red pencil 

Eraser 

Paper 

Instructional Interactions of Students with Cognitive Disabilities: Sequential Analysis (EJ756113) 

Author(s): Kim, Ockjean; Hupp, Susan C. 

Source: American Journal on Mental Retardation, v112 n2 

p94-106 Mar 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-03-00 




Review previous lessons- ADHD, learning 

disabilities, 

Connect new learning to previous 

learning 



323


and other’s 

Madeline Hunter’s clinical teaching model is a great resource for linking new learning to previous learning. The 

anticipatory set is the crucial element to her lesson plans. 

Anchor new learning to previous learning. Illustrating on the board how the new learning links to facts the 

students are already familiar with is a well validated tool. The students could even draw a ship with an anchor 

below it, mapping out how the new learning is connected to information the students know from their past 

learning. 

Preparing for Problem Solving (EJ781041) 

Author(s): Holden, Becky 

Source: Teaching Children Mathematics, v14 n5 p290-295 

Dec 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-11-00 




Role Playing Characters in a Story All students Linking learning from a book to actions in 

real life. 



Having children take on the roles of characters in stories they have read is an excellent way to form a connection. Read the Diary 

of Anne Frank by Anne Frank and Petey by Ben Michaelsen. Have the students portray both characters meeting each other for 

the first time. 

Other ideas: 

Red Riding Hood meeting George 

Washington just after he 

crosses the Delaware River 

George W. Bush meeting George 

Washington 

Mary Poppins meeting General McArthur 

Aliens from space landing in the green zone of Iraq 

A polar bear in the Smoky Mountains 

Teaching predicates to a space alien 

Increasing Student Participation and Advocacy of Primary Students through Role Play, Teacher Modeling, and 

Direct Instruction of Communication Skills (ED498927) 

Author(s): Boyd, Sandra Lynn; Lillig, Kathleen Ann; Lyon, 

Michelle Renee 

Source: Online Submission 

Using Online Role Play to Teach Internet Safety Awareness (EJ747159) 

Author(s): Wishart, J. M.; Oades, C. E.; Morris, M. 

Source: Computers and Education, v48 n3 p460-473 Apr 

2007 

Pub Date: 2007-12-00 

Pub Type(s): Dissertations/Theses - Masters Theses; 

Tests/Questionnaires 


Pub Date: 2007-04-00 



Teacher Perception of Play: In Leaving No Child behind Are Teachers Leaving Childhood behind? (EJ772210) 

Author(s): Ranz-Smith, Deborah J. 

Source: Early Education and Development, v18 n2 p271-303 

2007 

Pub Date: 2007-00-00 



324


Rubrics All students Setting an example. U.S. Department of 


Standards for what work is worthy of high marks. 

Identify and teach the classroom standards for writing, term papers, math papers (showing 

work) etc. Even college professors set up in the syllabus what will be accepted and what will not. 

Showing examples of a good paper is always a valued teaching tool. 

One school even had a rubric for the dress code. There were two mannequins in the front of the 

school dressed in what would be considered appropriate attire and two that were dressed in what 

would not be considered appropriate attire. Those mannequins received attention from 

everyone. The statues served as cues to the parents and students about what would and would not 

be accepted in that school. For what it is worth, before the mannequins the percentage of office 

discipline referrals for dress code violations was the highest topic. After using the mannequins and 

talking directly to the students, dress code violations were no longer an issue. 

Create your own rubrics at this website: http://teach-nology.com/ 

Learning through Competing (EJ778232) 

Author(s): Tucker, Maggie 

Source: SchoolArts: The Art Education Magazine for 

Teachers, v107 n3 p38-39 Nov 2007 

Using Instructional Rubrics in Physical Education (EJ749074) 

Author(s): Wang, Jianyu; Rairigh, Richard M. 

Pub Date: 2007-11-00 



Pub Date: 2006-05-00 

Source: Teaching Elementary Physical Education, v17 n3 p37- Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative 

41 May 2006 

In Defense of Rubrics (EJ751587) 


Author(s): Spandel, Vicki 

Pub Date: 2006-09-00 

Source: English Journal, v96 n1 p19-22 Sep 2006 

Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Opinion Papers 



Secretary Students with LD, Removes the fear of penmanship so 


ADHD or others who 

struggle with the task 

of writing 

thoughts can flow freely. 


Have the student dictate their thoughts while a teacher or other student writes down the thoughts on paper. This allows the 

student to concentrate on the flow of the story and not be weighted down by the physical task of 

remembering how to hold the pencil, tune out the sound the lead makes dragging across the paper, 

and laboring over perfect penmanship or the lack thereof. 

Teaching Social Studies to High School Students with Learning Problems (EJ767653) 

Author(s): Steele, Marcee M. 

Source: Social Studies, v98 n2 p59-63 Mar-Apr 2007 

Assistive Technology in the Inclusive Science Classroom (EJ758693) 

Author(s): Watson, Sandy; Johnston, Linda 

Source: Science Teacher, v74 n3 p34-38 Mar 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-00-00 



Pub Date: 2007-03-00 



Mississippi Dyslexia Handbook: Guidelines and Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Disorders. Revised. 

(ED468018) 

Author(s): N/A Pub Date: 2002-00-00 

325

Source: N/A 

Pub Type(s): Guides - Non-Classroom; 




Set learning expectations- 

Rubrics, examples, 

demonstrations all guiding 

student toward final 

learning 


disabilities, 


and other’s 

Provide understanding of the 

intended outcome using different 

teaching methods <strong>based</strong> on 

learner’s style. 



Positive Behavior Support research indicates teaching, modeling, giving the opportunity to practice and 

praising a small set of positively stated behavioral expectations is responsible for a significant decrease in 

office discipline referrals. Since similar research indicates the same breakdown of interventions required for 

academics as behavior; it makes sense to conclude having learning expectations and personal goals for 

learning would increase success in academic achievement. 

Tiered Teaching 

Use tiered teaching, which means, all students will study the same topic; however, each student will learn the 

material in different formats. The students will be assessed using different formats. Here is an example of a 

lesson on the Civil War using tiered teaching: http://www.bsu.edu/web/jfmarron/tlpcauses.html 

Classroom Interactions: Exploring the Practices of High- and Low-Expectation Teachers (EJ766796) 

Author(s): Rubie-Davies, Christine M. 


p289-306 Jun 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-06-00 



Grade-Level Learning Expectations: A New Challenge for Elementary Mathematics Teachers (EJ771759) 

Author(s): Reys, Barbara J.; Chval, Kathryn; Dingman, 

Shannon; McNaught, Melissa; Regis, Troy 

P.; Togashi, Junko 

Source: Teaching Children Mathematics, v14 n1 p6-11 Aug 

2007 

Expecting the Best for Students: Teacher Expectations and Academic Outcomes (EJ750346) 

Author(s): Rubie-Davies, Christine; Hattie, John; Hamilton, 

Richard 


p429-444 Sep 2006 

Pub Date: 2007-08-00 



Pub Date: 2006-09-00 




Silent reading- All learners- even 

the very young 

Silent reading allows children to 

practice reading without the fear of 

reading aloud and making mistakes. 

(Manzo & Zehr, 

1998) 

(Holt & O’Tuel, 

1989) 

Establish a fixed time every single day for silent reading. Even the custodian in the school should 

model by stopping work and sitting down to read silently. 

D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read) or Sustained Silent Reading are two of the research methods 

which support this technique. 

Instead of D.E.A.R. sometimes write D.E.A.D. on the board, the teacher reads the text aloud while the 

students illustrate what is being read by drawing illustrative pictures of what they hear. 

For some students, silent reading means staring at the pages of the book, if this is true there are a 

number of programs available that will read the story to the child which aids in learning to read. Hook the student up to a 

computer with headphones, bring up the text and any of these programs could benefit that student in comprehending the story 

they are reading: 

eReader by CAST 

The CAST eReader has the capability to read subject matter from the Internet, word processing documents, text that has 

326

een scanned, and further boosts that text by providing a spoken voice, visual highlighting, document navigation, page 

navigation. There are typeface and talk capabilities. www.cast.org 

ReadPlease 2003 

This is free software and can be used as a simple word processor that reads what is typed. The user can turn files into MP3 

sound files which the student could listen to on an MP3 player. The program magnifies web pages and makes any web page 

text only if that is helpful for the student. www.readplease.com 

Read & Write v.6 

This software provides reading of text and word processing support. Special features included: speech, spell checking, 

homophones support, word prediction, dictionary, word wizard, and teacher's toolkit. http://www.texthelp.com 

Kurweil 3000 

This tool offers an assortment of reading tools to support students with reading difficulties. Tools included: dual 

highlighting, decoding tools, study skills, writing, test taking capabilities, web access and online books. The speech sounds 

natural (not robotic). http://www.kurzweiledu.com 

Making Data-Driven Decisions: Silent Reading (EJ780970) 

Author(s): Trudel, Heidi 

Source: Reading Teacher, v61 n4 p308-315 Dec 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-12-00 



Reading Comprehension: Effects of Individualized, Integrated Language Arts as a Reading Approach with Struggling 

Readers (EJ785594) 

Author(s): Thames, Dana G.; Reeves, Carolyn; Kazelskis, 

Richard; York, Kathleen; Boling, Charlotte; Newell, 

Kavatus; Wang, Ying 

Source: Reading Psychology, v29 n1 p86-115 Jan 2008 

Pub Date: 2008-01-00 



Automatic Activation of Phonology in Silent Reading Is Parallel: Evidence from Beginning and Skilled Readers 

(EJ768381) 

Author(s): Alario, F.-Xavier; De Cara, Bruno; Ziegler, Johannes 

C. 

Source: Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, v97 n3 

p205-219 Jul 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-07-00 




Space- The New Frontier Students with 

writing difficulties 

Provides a model for spacing. U.S. Department of 


Take a piece of graph paper and trace the lines with a thin line Sharpie pen. Photocopy this for any student who has difficulty 

spacing writing assignments, math problems, or other difficult writing tasks. If this piece of paper is laminated, it will last most 

of the year. Allow the student to put this beneath their writing paper and it will provide a tool for them to space their letters, 

math problems, and other difficult tasks. 

Also at www.homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/weblinks/handwriting.htm sells paper with raised lines for those children with 

sensory needs. The same technique could work taking Elmer’s glue and tracing over the dark blue lines on the writing paper. 

This will dry in about half a day to the point of being able to use it and not have gooey messes. Children who 

finish their work first could be the helpers who glue the lines each day. 


Spelling Manipulatives ADHD, LD, ASD, 

Intellectual 

Disabilities, and 

others who 

struggle with 

spelling 

Allows students to manipulate the 

letters which will help them connect 

the touch to learning. 



327

Give students letters cut out of paper, refrigerator magnet letters, or sponge shaped letters to spell words. Manipulating the 

letters will allow them to learn the proper spelling and lessen the anxiety over physically writing the words. 

Put the magnets in a baggie with a picture of the item they are to spell. The student will dump out the 

picture and letters from the baggie and arrange in the proper order. This can then be transferred on to 

paper after a quick nod from the teacher indicating the word is spelled correctly. 

Think While You Spell: A Cognitive Motivational Approach to Spelling Instruction. (EJ541069) 

Author(s): Fulk, Barbara M. 

Source: TEACHING Exceptional Children, v29 n4 p70-71 

Mar-Apr 1997 

Pub Date: 1997-00-00 

Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Guides - Non-Classroom 


Inclusion: 450 Strategies for Success--A Practical Guide for All Educators Who Teach Students with Disabilities. 

(ED387999) 

Author(s): Hammeken, Peggy A. 

Source: N/A 

Pub Date: 1995-00-00 

Pub Type(s): Guides - Classroom - Teacher; 



Spelling Instruction: Making Modifications for Students with Learning Disabilities. (EJ418335) 

Author(s): Graham, Steve; Voth, Victoria Page 

Source: Academic Therapy, v25 n4 p447-57 Mar 1990 

Pub Date: 1990-00-00 

Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Information Analyses; 

Guides - Non-Classroom 



Storyboards ADHD, LD, ASD, 

and anyone 

struggling with 

reading 

Allows student to graphically work 

on a story for planning to 

beginning, middle and end. 



Asking the child to illustrate the story using a storyboard will allow the child to connect the left brain with the right brain and 

sequence the main events of the story. This will allow the child to have better recall. 

This is a great way to teach parts of a story. (e.g., plot, main characters, setting, conflict, and 

resolution). 

Invite one of the students’ favorite authors to visit the school and bring some of their storyboards 

which they used to create the students’ favorites. 

Have the child turn a story into a cartoon sequence. Anime cartoons are very popular and could be 

a reward activity for some of the most stubborn participants. 

Getting Everybody Involved: Cooperative 

PowerPoint Creations Benefit Inclusion Students. 

(EJ597510) 

Author(s): Kelly, Rebecca 

Source: Learning and Leading with Technology, 

v27 n1 p10-14 Sep 1999 

Pub Date: 1999-00-00 

Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - 

Descriptive 


The Classroom Manager. Hands-on Multimedia. (EJ446614) 

Author(s): Kaplan, Nancy; And Others Pub Date: 1992-00-00 

328

Source: Instructor, v101 n8 p105 Apr 1992 

Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Guides - 

Classroom - Teacher 



Storytelling All children Having children retell a story they recently 

read will help them retain the information 

they learned and learn from others. 



For some children, retelling a story gives the adult great insight into where the student’s 

strengths and weaknesses exist in silent reading. Letting a student with learning disabilities 

go to a lower level classroom to perform the story aloud for them is a very safe and enjoyable 

activity. 

Start a class Oprah’s Book Club. Students could view one appropriate episode of Oprah 

and then begin their own book club. A website could be developed and students could take 

turns playing a talk show host discussing why a book was a favorite. This could be broadcast 

over the CCTV in the school. 

The Eagle Has Landed: The presidential candidates could defend their case for being the best 

president by selling the country on their favorite book. This could be set up as a class debate 

with judges (ask the custodian , a bus driver, or a cafeteria staff member to be honorary 

judges). The student who wins the debate earns the right to tell the teacher what 5 questions or 

problems they want the answers to for that night’s homework. (The whole class gets in on the reward). 

A Little-Used Art of Teaching: The Case of Storytelling (EJ756677) 

Author(s): Meel, David E.; Gyurko, Deborah; Gaspar, Michelle 

Source: Mathematics Teacher, v100 n1 p64-68 Aug 2006 

Pub Date: 2006-08-00 



Bringing Navajo Storytelling Practices into Schools: The Importance of Maintaining Cultural Integrity (EJ773843) 

Author(s): Eder, Donna J. 

Pub Date: 2007-09-00 

Source: Anthropology and Education Quarterly, v38 n3 p278- Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive 

296 Sep 2007 


A Theoretical Model of Children's Storytelling Using Physically-Oriented Technologies (SPOT) (EJ775904) 

Author(s): Guha, Mona Leigh; Druin, Allison; Montemayor, Pub Date: 2007-10-00 

Jaime; Chipman, Gene; Farber, Allison 


Source: Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, Peer-Reviewed: 

v16 n4 p389-410 Oct 2007 

Yes 


Structured Program for 

Handwriting 

ADHD, LD, and 

any other students 

who struggle with 

handwriting 

Giving students something semiconcrete 

to follow is a great tool for 

reading, writing, math, spelling, 

social studies, and science. 



Teach handwriting skills using a structured program, such as Jan Olsen’s Handwriting Without Tears Program (Olsen). 

Direct Instruction (DI) includes four major phases: (1) the teacher will explicitly show students 

how to use the skill or strategy, (2) the students will practice the skill under the teacher’s 

guidance (providing frequent corrective feedback and specific praise), (3) the students will use 

the skill independently in real academic situations, and (4) the students will generalize the 

skill in a variety of other settings 

329

Exploring the Development of Conceptual Understanding through Structured Problem-Solving in Physics 

(EJ765916) 

Author(s): Gaigher, E.; Rogan, J. M.; Braun, M. W. H. 

Source: International Journal of Science Education, v29 n9 

p1089-1110 Jul 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-07-00 



Providing Classroom-Based <strong>Intervention</strong> to At-Risk Students to Support Their Academic Engagement and 

Interactions with Peers (EJ771681) 

Author(s): Ornelles, Cecily 

Source: Preventing School Failure, v51 n4 p3-12 Sum 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-00-00 



Direct Instruction, DISTAR, and Language for Learning. What Works Clearinghouse <strong>Intervention</strong> Report 

(ED497624) 

Author(s): N/A 

Source: What Works Clearinghouse 

Pub Date: 2007-05-21 

Pub Type(s): Reports - Evaluative 



Tape Recording Students with LD, 

ADHD, or others who 

struggle with the task 

of writing 

Instead of losing the quality of the story with 

anxiety over the mechanics of writing, the 

student is free to be creative. 



Have the student dictate their thoughts into a recording device or the computer. This allows the student to concentrate on the 

flow of the story and not be weighted down by the physical task of remembering how to hold the pencil, tune out the sound the 

lead makes dragging across the paper, and laboring over perfect penmanship or the lack 

thereof. 

HER Classic: On Listening to What the Children Say (EJ768947) 

Author(s): Paley, Vivian Gussey 

Source: Harvard Educational Review, v77 n2 p152-163 Sum 

2007 

Dragon Naturally Speaking is a software program that listens to the recorded speech and 

translates it into a typed product. It takes some training for the program to recognize the 

speech patterns of each individual; however, for some students this will be the difference 

between stellar papers and lackluster attempts. 

Pub Date: 2007-00-00 

Pub Type(s): Reports - Descriptive 


Handwriting Evaluation for Developmental Dysgraphia: Process Versus Product (EJ736031) 

Author(s): Rosenblum, Sara; Weiss, Patrice L.; Parush, Shula 

Source: Reading and <strong>Writing</strong>: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 

v17 n5 p433-458 Jul 2004 

Pub Date: 2004-07-00 



Dysgraphia in Children: Lasting Psychomotor Deficiency or Transient Developmental Delay? (EJ555969) 

Author(s): Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C. M.; Van Galen, Gerard 

P. 

Source: Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, v67 n2 

p164-84 Nov 1997 

Pub Date: 1997-00-00 




The Office Students with 

ADHD, LD, ASD, 

Allowing students to choose going 

to a quiet spot allows them to 



330

and others who 

may be distracted 

by auditory 

interference 

banish auditory and visual 

distractions that my interfere with 

work. 

Allow students to go to a quiet place to do seatwork. This could be a corner in the back of the room with headphones, a teacher 

work office, a counselor’s office, or any quiet area in the school. As long as the area has no 

negative connotation to it (e.g. naughty corner) then it will be viewed as a learning strategy 

rather than a negative consequence. This is not time out. 

BOSS – “Be Out of Sensory Stimulation” Teach children to be the boss over sensory overload. 

If students understand some of the frustration they feel is due to sensory input beyond their 

comfort level and they are taught compensation, there will be less frustrated adults. This 

researcher keeps an Ipod handy for all flights to shut out the gum popping and snot sucking that 

occurs on flights. 

Attention and Short-Term Memory in Down's Syndrome. (ED287251) 

Author(s): Marcell, Michael M. 

Source: N/A 

Pub Date: 1987-04-00 

Pub Type(s): Speeches/Meeting Papers; Reports - 

Research 


The Effects of Open-Space versus Traditional, Self-Contained Classrooms on the Auditory Selective Attending Skills 

of Elementary School Children. (EJ274336) 

Author(s): Barnett, Debra Louise; And Others 

Source: Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in the 

Schools, v13 n3 p138-43 Jul 1982 

Pub Date: 1982-07-00 



Effects of Visual and Auditory Background on Reading Achievement Test Performance of Brain-Injured and Non 

Brain-Injured Children. (ED034348) 

Author(s): Carter, John L. 

Source: N/A 

Pub Date: 1969-08-00 

Pub Type(s): N/A 



Tools for Math ADHD, LD, and any 

students who struggle 

with math concepts 

Mnemonics are any tool used to aid in 

memory. The tools below assist in being 

able to carry out the operations of math. 



Provide beneficial tools that will assist the students in greater performance with math skills. Which is more important in life: 1) 

knowing rote facts about certain math sequences or 2) being able to use tools to get the answer needed? 

Examples: 

Number lines 

Manipulatives 

Graph paper 

Calculators 

Times tables 

All of the above must be taught, modeled, and practiced to ensure the students understand how 

to use them. 

Middle School Math. What Works Clearinghouse Topic Report (ED497626) 



Pub Date: 2007-07-30 


331

Peer-Reviewed: 

Elementary School Math. What Works Clearinghouse Topic Report (ED497719) 

Yes 


Pub Date: 2007-07-16 




A Follow-Up of Mathematics <strong>Intervention</strong>s for Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities (EJ756844) 

Author(s): Maccini, Paula; Mulcahy, Candace A.; Wilson, Pub Date: 2007-02-00 

Michael G. 


Source: Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, v22 n1 

p58-74 Feb 2007 



Visualization All students This technique will allow children to 

visualize themselves completing a 

task correctly, or visualize all the 

steps necessary to complete the 

task. 



Teach, model, practice and reward students for visualizing their written work. Have them visualize 

themselves solving a tough math problem, or writing a grand story. 

Show students how reading comprehension strategies cross over into word problem solving (Nideffer, 

1987). Even atheletes visualize winning the game and this has proven to be an effective training 

intervention (Foster, 2007). 

Supporting Representational Competence in High School Biology with Computer-Based Biomolecular Visualizations 

(EJ752318) 

Author(s): Wilder, Anna; Brinkerhoff, Jonathan 

Source: Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science 

Teaching, v26 n1 p5-26 2007 

The Day Math and Reading Got Hitched (EJ781038) 

Author(s): Foster, Shannon 

Source: Teaching Children Mathematics, v14 n4 p196-201 

Nov 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-00-00 



Pub Date: 2007-11-00 



Factors Predicting Recall of Mathematics Terms by Deaf Students: Implications for Teaching (EJ775077) 

Author(s): Lang, Harry; Pagliaro, Claudia 

Source: Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, v12 n4 

p449-460 Fall 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-00-00 




Word Bank or Dictionary All students Provides students with a list of U.S. Department of 

commonly misspelled words. Education (2006) 

Even adults should aim to learn one new word per day. Students should be encouraged to keep a small journal of words and 

what they mean. This will help them dress up their writing. 

For several years, this researcher and another teacher taught spelling differently. This 

researcher had blank books for all the students. When the students asked how to spell a certain word, 

this researcher would write it down in the word bank dictionary so they could copy it down. The 

other teacher told the students to guess how to spell it using their sounds. Three years later this 

researcher had the opportunity to teach a different grade level and had students from both 

spelling backgrounds. Interestingly, the students who had the word banks were better spellers 

than the ones who were to guess using their sounds. (No real research to this- just an observation.) 

Check out this downloadable paper from Chris O’Brien especially the 

concept for vocabulary words: 

http://escholarship.bc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1079&context=education/tecplus 

description of a LINK 

332

Effect of Test-Expectancy and Word Bank Availability on Test Performance (EJ777938) 

Author(s): Glass, Laura A.; Clause, Christopher B.; Kreiner, 

David S. 

Source: College Student Journal, v41 n2 p342-351 Jun 2007 

Developing Real-World Spelling Skills. (EJ466245) 

Author(s): Angeletti, Sara; Peterson, Robert 

Source: Learning, v21 n7 p34-36 Mar 1993 

All Students Can Write Poetry: World War I Poems. (EJ612752) 

Author(s): Sanchez, Rebecca 

Source: Exercise Exchange, v45 n1 p3-5 Fall 1999 

Pub Date: 2007-06-00 



Pub Date: 1993-00-00 


Articles 


Pub Date: 1999-00-00 


Articles; Reports - Descriptive 



Worksheet <strong>Intervention</strong>s ADHD, LD, ASD, 

Intellectual Disabilities 

and any students who 

feel overwhelmed 

when given a large 

amount of work to do 

Provides students with face saving 

techniques for completing work without 

having to embarrass the child by giving 

them less problems than the rest of the 

class. 



Teach students how to adapt worksheets: 

Put work in a file folder that has two horizontal cuts on the top layer. The student opens the top level 

and works the problems that appear in one third of the page. The teacher then checks that amount of 

work to ensure the student is on the right track. 

Teach the student to fold the paper to reveal one question at a time. 

Teach the student to use a blank sheet of paper to cover all the other questions and only work one at a 

time. 

Teach the child to use a ruler to find hidden words in word searches. 

Helping Students with Learning Disabilities Succeed (EJ787509) 


Source: Science Teacher, v75 n3 p38-42 Mar 2008 

Pub Date: 2008-03-00 



Inclusive High School Service Learning Programs: Methods for and Barriers to Including Students with Disabilities 

(EJ786529) 

Author(s): Dymond, Stacy K.; Renzaglia, Adelle; Chun, Eul Jung Pub Date: 2008-03-00 

Source: Education & Training in Developmental Disabilities, Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Research 

v43 n1 p20-36 Mar 2008 


Teaching Social Studies to High School Students with Learning Problems (EJ767653) 


Source: Social Studies, v98 n2 p59-63 Mar-Apr 2007 

Pub Date: 2007-00-00 




<strong>Writing</strong> Structure ADHD, LD, any child 

who has difficulty 

writing paragraphs 

To give a semi-concrete formula for writing. 

3-2-8 paragraph 

The first sentence has three ideas in it. 

For my summer vacation I went to Paris, London, and Madrid. That is the ‘3’. 

The next phase is writing two sentences about each of the three ideas in the first sentence. 

333

For my summer vacation I went to Paris, London, and Madrid. (1) In Paris, I saw the Eiffel Tower. (2) We ate lunch at the 

leaning tower of Pizza. (1) We then went to London where I saw the Buckingham Palace. (2) The guards really don’t smile 

when you talk to them. (1) When we went to Madrid we saw a bull fight. (2) The matador wore a red cape. That is the ‘2’. 

The eighth sentence ties everything together by restating the first sentence: 

For my summer vacation I went to Paris, London, and Madrid. In Paris, I saw the Eiffel Tower. We ate lunch at the leaning 

tower of Pizza. We then went to London where I saw the Buckingham Palace. The guards really don’t smile when you talk to 

them. When we went to Madrid we saw a bull fight. The matador wore a red cape. I had such a wonderful vacation in Paris, 

London, and Madrid. That is the ‘8’. 

Once the paragraphs are written, teach the students to “make it interesting” by adding fancy words 

written on index cards. 

For my fabulous summer vacation, I went to Paris, London, and Madrid. In Paris, I saw the 

gorgeous Eiffel Tower. We ate lunch at the quaint leaning tower of Pizza. We then went to scenic 

London where I saw Buckingham Palace. The stoic guards really don’t smile when you talk to 

them. When we went to steamy Madrid we saw a bull fight. The brave matador wore a red cape. I 

had such a wonderful summer vacation in Paris, London, and Madrid. 

Organization and Development Features of Grade 8 and Grade 10 Writers: A Descriptive Study of Delaware Student 

Testing Program (DSTP) Essays (EJ776472) 

Author(s): Albertson, Bonnie 

Pub Date: 2007-05-00 

Source: Research in the Teaching of English, v41 n4 p435-464 Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Reports - Research 

May 2007 


Speaking My Mind: In Defense of the Five-Paragraph Essay (EJ751577) 

Author(s): Smith, Kerri 

Source: English Journal, v95 n4 p16-17 Mar 2006 

Toppling the Idol (EJ716867) 

Author(s): Roessing, Lesley 

Source: English Journal, v94 n1 p41 Sep 2004 

<strong>Writing</strong> utensil to assist with scripting stories and other handwriting tasks: 

Stick a pen or pencil through a squishy ball 

Stick a pen or pencil through a Koosh ball 

Pub Date: 2006-03-00 

Pub Type(s): Journal Articles; Opinion Papers 


Pub Date: 2004-09-01 



Teach the student to hold the pencil between the 2 nd and 3 rd fingers resting on the thumb. This grasp takes less muscle 

movement to write and allows the pencil to flow smoothly when writing. 

Purchase any number of utensils to assist with grasp. 

o One of the most popular (requested by students) is the PenAgain 

o Available from http://www.penagain.com/ 

Also available at Wal-mart, Walgreens and 

Office Depot 

References 

334

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Duffelmeyer, F.A. (1994). Effective anticipation guide statements for learning from expository prose. Journal of Reading, 37, 452 

- 457. 

Florida Center for Reading Research (2005). Student center activities: Teacher resource guide. Retrieved August 20, 2006, from 

http://www.fcrr.org/Curriculum/pdf/TRG_Final_Part1.pdf 

Garner, R., Hare, V.C., Alexander, P., Haynes, J., & Vinograd, P. (1984). Inducing use of a text lookback strategy among 

unsuccessful readers. American Educational Research Journal, 21, 789-798. 

Gleason, M. M., Archer, A. L., & Colvin, G. (2002). <strong>Intervention</strong>s for improving study skills. In M. A. Shinn, H. M. Walker & G. 

Stoner (Eds.), <strong>Intervention</strong>s for academic and behavior problems II: Preventive and remedial approaches (pp.651-680). 

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readers. Journal of Educational Psychology, 75, 821-829. 

Haring, N.G., Lovitt, T.C., Eaton, M.D., & Hansen, C.L. (1978). The fourth R: Research in the classroom. Columbus, OH: Charles 

E. Merrill Publishing. 

Harris, Jane (1990). Text annotation and underlining as metacognitive strategies to improve comprehension and retention of 

expository text. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Reading Conference (Miami). 

Herman, P.A. (1985). The effects of repeated readings on reading rate, speech pauses, and word recognition accuracy. Reading 

Research Quarterly, 20, 553-565. 

Heward, W.L. (1996). Three low-tech strategies for increasing the frequency of active student response during group instruction. 

In R. Gardner III, D. M.Sainato, J.O.Cooper, T.E.Heron, W.L.Heward, J.W.Eshleman, & T.A.Grossi (Eds.) Behavior 

analysis in education: Focus on measurably superior instruction (pp.283-320). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. 

Jenkins, J. & Larsen, D. (1979). Evaluation of error-correction procedures for oral reading. Journal of Special Education, 13, 145- 

156. 

Kavale, Kenneth A., Forness, Steven R. (2000). History, Rhetoric, and Reality: Analysis of the Inclusion Debate. Remedial and 

Special Education 2000 21: 279-296. 

Koegel, R.L., Koegel, L.K., & Carter, C.M. (1999). Pivotal teaching interactions for children with autism. School Psychology 

Review, 28, 576-594. 

Merkley, D.J. (1996). Modified anticipation guide. Reading Teacher, 50, 365-368. 

Pressley, M., Johnson, C.J., Symons, S., McGoldrick, J.A., & Kurita, J.A. (1989). Strategies that improve children's memory and 

comprehension of text. The Elementary School Journal, 90(1), 3-32. 

Raphael, T. (1982). Question-answering strategies for children. The Reading Teacher, 36, 186-190. 

Raphael, T. (1986). Teaching question answer relationships, revisited. The Reading Teacher, 39, 516-522. 

335

Rashotte, C.A. & Torgesen, J.K. (1985). Repeated reading and reading fluency in learning disabled children. Reading Research 

Quarterly, 20, 180-188. 

Rasinski, T.V. (1990). Effects of repeated reading and listening-while-reading on reading fluency. Journal of Educational 

Research, 83(3), 147-150. 

Rose, T.L., & Sherry, L. (1984). Relative effects of two previewing procedures on LD adolescents’ oral reading performance. 

Learning Disabilities Quarterly, 7, 39-44. 

Sarkisian V., Toscano, M., Tomkins-Tinch, K., & Casey, K. (2003). Reading strategies and critical thinking. Retrieved October 15, 

2006, from http://www.academic.marist.edu/alcuin/ssk/stratthink.html 

Saskatchewan Special Education Unit. (1998). Teaching students with autism: A guide for educators. Available: 

http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/k/pecs/se/docs/autism/ 

Schunk, D.H. & Rice, J.M. (1993). Strategy fading and progress feedback: Effects on self-efficacy and comprehension among 

students receiving remedial reading services. Journal of Special Education, 27, 257-276. 

Topping, K. (1987). Paired reading: A powerful technique for parent use. Reading Teacher, 40, 608-614. 

U.S. Department oF Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2006). Teaching Children with Attention Deficit 

Hyperactivity Disorder: Instructional Strategies and Practices. 

Van Bon, W.H.J., Boksebeld, L.M., Font Freide, T.A.M., & Van den Hurk, J.M. (1991). A comparison of three methods of readingwhile-listening. 

Journal of Learning Disabilities, 24, 471-476. 

Volmer, L. (1995). Best practices in working with students with autism. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school 

psychology (3rd ed., pp. 1031-1038). New York: Wiley & Sons. 

336

Individualizing Instruction and <strong>Intervention</strong>s 

through a 

Learning Style Survey for Children 


Adapted from work by James Wakefield 

The Biological Basis of Personality / by H. J. Eysenck 

Eysenck online at http://similarminds.com/eysenck.html 

Wakefield, J. (1979). Using Personality to Individualize Instruction. San Diego: EDITS Publishers 

337

This survey is intended to give educators a few more tools for the tool-belt in teaching students <strong>based</strong> on how 

the student conducts their own behavior and acquires knowledge. This tool will also give teachers more 

information about how to discipline and encourage the student. The entire basis is on CARE (Conduct- 

Acquisition-Regulation-Encouragement) 

Step One: 

Practice filling scoring Payton’s results using a blank scoring sheet in the back of this pamphlet. Payton’s 

answers follow Payton’s survey so try not to look at the answers until you have practiced it once. 

Step Two: 

Fill out the Scoring Rubric using the Z score from the first scoring sheet. This will show you where the 

student falls in the Porpoise, Eagle, Rabbit, Truth, and Learning Style Sections. 

Step Three: 

Determine what color the student is on the color chart 

Step Four: 

Read about that color on pages 14-27 

Step Five: 

Go to http://behaviordoctor.org/behaviorexamples.htm and click on the coordinating color link for the color of 

the student. A PowerPoint with academic and behavioral interventions will pop-up and you can flip through 

the PowerPoint for ideas that will help you work with this student. Each of the recommendations on the 

PowerPoint will eventually be linked to the research behind that statement. 

Step Six: 

Keep working with the student and trying new things. Remember the rule of thumb: <strong>Intervention</strong>s should be 

tried one month for every year that a behavior has been in place. Do not try an intervention for three days and 

say “It didn’t work.” 

338

Student Style Survey 

Name _______Payton________ Age: ___11______ Sex: ___M_____ 

School: _______Sierra_______ Grade:____5____ Date:___10-2-xx__ 

Circle Yes or No for each of the items below: 

Are you full of energy? 

Are you good at explaining directions to someone? 

Are you good at spelling? 

Are you touchy about some things? 

Can you get a game going on the playground? 

Did you ever pretend you did not hear when someone was calling you? 

Did you ever take anything (even a pencil or a button) that belonged to 

someone else? 

Do other people think of you as being full of energy? 

Do teachers pick on you more than they do other students? 

0 Do you always do what you are told right away? 

1 Do you always finish your homework before you go play? 

2 Do you always say you are sorry when you have been rude? 

3 Do you always wash your hands before you eat? 

4 Do you dream in color? 

5 Do you enjoy music? 

6 Do you find it hard to get to sleep at night because you are worrying 

about things? 

7 Do you find it is hard to enjoy yourself at a fun party? 

8 Do you generally pick up papers and trash that others throw on the 

classroom floor? 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

339

9 Do you get into more trouble at school than most other students? 

0 Do you get sad when people find things wrong with you or the work you 

do? 

1 Do you get your feelings hurt easily? 

2 Do you have a lot of friends? 

3 Do you have trouble remembering someone’s name? 

4 Do you know how to have fun at a party (or on the playground)? 

5 Do you like being around other students and having conversations with 

them? 

6 Do you like going to a lot of different places? 

7 Do you like playing pranks on others? 

8 Do you like to look at charts and diagrams? 

9 Do you like to read to yourself out loud? 

0 Do you like to speak in front of the class? 

1 Do you like to talk a lot? 

2 Do you often feel like life is not very exciting? 

3 Do you often feel like you have had all you can take? 

4 Do you often feel tired for no reason? 

5 Do you often need kind friends to cheer you up? 

6 Do you seem to get into a lot of fights? 

7 Do you seem to get into more fights than other students? 

8 Do you sometimes bully and tease other students? 

9 Do you sometimes feel like life is just not worth living? 

0 Do you sometimes feel really happy and then other times you feel sad for 

no reason? 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

340

1 Do you sometimes like to tease animals? 

2 Do you throw trash on the floor if there is no waste paper basket handy? 

3 Do you worry about bad things that might happen? 

4 Do you worry for a long time if you feel you have made a fool of 

yourself? 

5 Have you ever cheated at a game? 

6 Have you ever said anything bad or mean about other people? 

7 Is it important to have good manners? 

8 Should people try not to be rude? 

9 Were you ever greedy by helping yourself to more than your fair share of 

anything? 

0 When the class says the pledge or sings a song, do you sing along or 

recite with the class? 

1 Would it bother you to see someone you like get hurt by something you 

did? 

2 Would it upset you a lot to see a dog or a cat that has just been hurt? 

3 Would you call yourself “happy-go-lucky”? 

4 Would you enjoy practical jokes that could sometimes really hurt 

people? 

5 Would you rather be alone instead of playing with other students? 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

6 Would you rather sit and watch than play along when you go to a party? YES NO 

Adapted from: Corulla, W. (1990). A revised version of the Porpoise Scale for children, Personality and Individual Differences. 11(1), 65-76.Revised by 

Laura A. Riffel (2008) for use by classroom teachers. This could be read to younger students. 

341

Scoring Payton’s Survey- follow the questions Payton answered and tally this sheet if they match. 

Porpoise Scale: 

YES Tally NO Tally 

9 47 

19 48 

27 52 

36 

37 

38 

41 

51 

54 

Males Females 

Raw Score ________ - 3.91/3.0= 

_______________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

________________= t score 

Raw Score ________ - 2.56/2.0= 

____________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

_____________= t score 

Eagle Scale: 


1 17 

5 55 

8 56 

22 

24 

25 

26 

31 

53 

Males Females 

Raw Score ________ - 9.56/2.4= 

_______________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

________________= t score 

Rabbit Scale: 

YES Tally 

4 

Raw Score ________ - 9.85/2.5= 

____________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

_____________= t score 

342

16 

20 

21 

32 

33 

34 

35 

39 

40 

43 

44 

Males Females 

Raw Score ________ - 6.69/2.9= 

_______________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

________________= t score 

Raw Score ________ - 7.47/3.0= 

____________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

_____________= t score 

Truth Scale: 


10 6 

11 7 

12 42 

13 45 

18 46 

50 49 

Males Females 

Raw Score ________ - 3.44/2.1= 

_______________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

________________= t score 

Raw Score ________ - 3.63/2.2= 

____________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

_____________= t score 

Score the next two boxes to determine if the child is most likely a visual or auditory learner: 

Visual Learner 

Yes 

3 

14 

23 

28 

343

Raw Score: ______________ 

Auditory Learner 

Yes 

2 

15 

29 

30 

Raw Score: ______________ 

Whichever score is higher determines the likelihood that the child is either a visual or auditory learner. We are still 

working on reliability scores for the visual and auditory categories. 

Scoring Payton’s Scale: Porpoise Scale Position and Tendencies 1.03 was high 

If the child’s score is between these two 

numbers score them from the right hand 

column 

How to score them <strong>based</strong> on Z score 

-.01 -.35 Close to average 

+.01 +.35 Close to average 

-.35 -.90 Somewhat Low 

+.35 +.90 Somewhat High 

-.90 -1.24 Low 

+.90 +1.24 High 

Less than or equal to -1.25 Very Low 

Greater than or equal to +1.25 Very High 

Quick Highlight of Characteristics <strong>based</strong> on Porpoise Scale 

Example Low Porpoise High Porpoise 

Explanation Sensitive Aggressive 

Method Cautious Curious 

Syndrome (only severe) depressive Anti-social 

Conduct 

Porpoise Scale: Students who are High Porpoise are often loners and viewed as lacking social skills. Such students frequently like abnormal and unusual things and have 

a marked disregard for danger (Superman syndrome). They also tend to be defiant and aggressive. Low Porpoise students are usually very sociable, friendly and seldom exhibit 

hostility or aggression. Unlike High Porpoise students, Low Porpoise students are not very susceptible to serious psychological disorders. 

Acquire Knowledge 

Porpoise Scale: Students who are High Porpoise do not learn as easily from experience as Low Porpoise students and may be characterized at times as being “hard 

headed”. High Porpoise students also have more difficulty maintaining attention and concentrating in learning situations and tend to respond impulsively. These students 

appear to be more imaginative in their thinking and may be labeled creative. When this is coupled with above average intelligence it tends to incline the student toward 

productive endeavors, while coupled with average to below average intelligence may include the student toward destructive activities. Low Porpoise students do better in 

school at all levels than High Porpoise students. Teachers find Low Porpoise students more “teachable” and less trouble than High Porpoise students even when the High 

Porpoise student is more intelligent and innovative than Low Porpoise students. 

Regulate Behavior 

Porpoise Scale: Punishment and emotional displays are often counterproductive with High Porpoise students. That is, not only may such responses fail to inhibit their 

behavior, it may actually stimulate the misbehavior. These students tend to be both disruptive and difficult to discipline. Highly structured environments employing both mild 

reward and punishments have the best chance of managing the behavior of High Porpoise students. Low Porpoise students are much easier to manage and don’t usually 

present significant discipline problems. 

Encouragement 

Porpoise Scale: High Porpoise students find intensity of stimulation enjoyable and are prone to engage in exciting and dangerous activities without regard for the potential 

consequences. Such a student may look for confrontations and even punishment simply for the stimulation value such situations hold. Students who are Low Porpoise do not 

find high levels of stimulation particularly enjoyable and therefore will tend to less stimulating kinds of activities and will have greater regard for the potential consequences of 

their behavior. 

Scoring Payton’s: Eagle Scale Position and Tendencies .6 is somewhat high 

If the child’s score is between these two How to score them <strong>based</strong> on Z score 

344


column 





-.90 -1.24 Low 

+.90 +1.24 High 



Quick Highlight of Characteristics <strong>based</strong> on Eagle Scale 

Example Low Eagle High Eagle 

Explanation Introverted Extraverted 

Method Shy Gregarious 

Syndrome (only severe) Fearful Hyperactive 


Eagle Scale: Students who are Low Eagle tend to work slowly and make few errors. Students who are High Eagle tend to work quickly and make careless errors. A 

Low Eagle student will appear to be very motivated and attentive on most tasks and will persist at them. A High Eagle student will appear under-motivated and easily 

distractible and will get easily bored with most tasks. 


Eagle Scale: High Eagle students tend to learn major points that are emphasized better than minor points, while Low Eagle students will learn both forms of material. 

High Eagle students learn best with continuous reinforcement or feedback, while Low Eagle students perform best under conditions of intermittent reinforcement or 

feedback. Recall of learned material also varies for these two types of students. High Eagle students recall material better after a short delay between learning and testing, 

while Low Eagle students recall material better immediately following learning or after a long delay. Typically, High Eagle students do better in elementary school, while 

Low Eagle students do better in high school. 


Eagle Scale: Students at both extremes on the Eagle scale respond to reward and punishment. However, Low Eagle students are more sensitive to punishment and 

threats of punishment, while High Eagle students are more sensitive to rewards and reminders about prospective rewards that are available. One should not adopt one 

strategy or the other with students who are at different ends of the Eagle scale. Rather, one should use both approaches but shift the emphasis a bit depending of the type 

of student. 

Encouragement 

Eagle Scale: Students who are Low Eagle perform less accurately under external stress, while students who are High Eagle improve their performance when under 

external stress (e.g., time limits). Arousal from stress relative to the Eagle Scale is primarily related to external stimulation, e.g., noise and cognitive challenge, e.g., 

problem-solving. The most advantageous level of arousal for these two types of students is also influenced by task difficulty. The optimal level of arousal for each goes up 

for easy tasks and down for difficult tasks. However, the relative difference will remain the same. That is, on an easy task a High Eagle student’s optimal level of arousal 

will be higher than on a difficult task but will be higher in both cases than for a Low Eagle student. 



column 

Scoring Payton’s: Rabbit Scale Position and Tendencies 1.14 was high 






-.90 -1.24 Low 

+.90 +1.24 High 



Quick Highlight of Characteristics <strong>based</strong> on Rabbit Scale 

Example Low Rabbit High Rabbit 

Explanation Rational Emotional 

Method Deliberate Spontaneous 

Syndrome (only severe) Obsessive Compulsive Anxious 

345


Rabbit Scale: Students who are Low Rabbit tend to have very mild or no reaction to emotional stimuli. They are unlikely to become upset and if they do will quickly 

recover. High Rabbit students are very sensitive to emotional stimuli, have strong reactions to them, get upset easily and are slow to calm down. High Rabbit students 

will often attempt to avoid situations that are apt to be emotionally charged. 


Rabbit Scale: Low Rabbit students tend to approach learning in an exploratory style while High Rabbit students approach learning in a more rigid and compulsive 

manner. High Rabbit students can study for long periods on a regular basis, while Low Rabbit students study best for shorter periods broken up by other activities. Low 

Rabbit students do better in elementary school and High Rabbit students in high school. 


Rabbit Scale: High Rabbit students tend to be more receptive to negative consequence and Low Rabbit students to reinforcement. Both reward and negative 

consequence should be low key for the High Rabbit student. Both need to be somewhat more intense to affect Low Rabbit students. Differential levels of both reward 

and negative consequences need to be used with students at both ends of this dimension. Failure to differentiate may lead to some students being over-controlled and some 

who are unmanageable. 

Encouragement 

Rabbit Scale: Students with High Rabbit tend to be more easily stimulated by emotional stimuli and often perform poorly on tasks because they are overly stimulated 

or motivated. On the other hand, a student who is Low Rabbit often performs poorly on tasks, as well, but for the opposite reason. That is, they are insufficiently 

stimulated or under-motivated. Students high or low on the Rabbit Scale respond to external stress in about the same way as do students high or low on the Eagle Scale. 

That is, external pressure can be used to enhance performance in Low Rabbit students, but will further erode the performance of High Rabbit students. Task difficulty 

also interacts with the Rabbit Scale. A relatively high arousal level is best for easy tasks and a relatively low arousal is best for difficult tasks. High Rabbit students are 

particularly susceptible to “test anxiety” and the importance of tests should be down played with them. 

346



column 






-.90 -1.24 Low 

+.90 +1.24 High 



Payton’s Truth Scale was low; which would indicate that Payton was telling the truth when answering these 

questions. If the score had been high there are two routes. You can ask the student to take the test again or 

answer the questions yourself <strong>based</strong> on how you think the student really feels about each answer. Our guesses are 

usually only about 30% reliable for “guessing” motives behind students’ actions, so try to get the student to 

answer the questions as reliably as possible. Tell them answers will help you determine if they learn best through 

visual or auditory learning styles. 

347

Scoring Payton’s High Porpoise, Somewhat High Eagle, and High Rabbit Combinations 

PER Combinations Descriptive Levels 

1 Low or Average Porpoise, Avg Eagle, 

Red 

Low or Avg Rabbit 

2 Low or Average Porpoise, High Eagle, 

Low or Average Rabbit 

3 Low or Average Porpoise, Low Eagle, 


4 Low or Average Porpoise , Avg Eagle, 

High Rabbit 


High Rabbit 


High Rabbit 

7 High Porpoise, Avg Eagle, Low or Avg 

Rabbit 

8 High Porpoise, High Eagle, Low or Avg 

Rabbit 

9 High Porpoise, Low Eagle, Low or Avg 

Rabbit 

Orange 

Yellow 

Green 

Light Blue 

Indigo 

Purple 

Turquoise 

Burgundy 

10 High Porpoise, Avg Eagle, High Rabbit Peach 

11 High Porpoise, High Eagle, High Rabbit Lime 

12 High Porpoise, Low Eagle, High Rabbit Hot Pink 

Payton is most likely a lime student. Since the Eagle was “somewhat high” he could have Peach tendencies. 

348

RED 

This profile represents the majority of students. Because there is a considerable amount of variability on the PER 

Scales, within the normal range, these students represent a diverse group. The closer to a deviant score on any one of the 

PER Scales or EPQ profiles an individual student is, the more appropriate the suggestions for students deviant on that scale 

or with that profile. 

These students are usually fairly well adjusted and perform up to their capacity in school. When they exhibit problem 

behaviors in school there is usually something in the home or school environment that makes these problem behaviors 

adaptive. Once the environmental influences are corrected their behavior will usually correct or respond well to corrective 

interventions. As a result, students with the typical profile, who develop behavior problems, have a good prognosis. When 

these students have average to superior intelligence, they usually perform well in school and exhibit few problems. When 

these students have below average intelligence or a specific disability, they will perform less well and are more prone to 

develop behavior problems, especially, if they are pushed beyond their ability and have a lot of failure experiences, their 

motivation or effort is questioned or their performance is ridiculed. 

Recommendations for TYPICAL students: 

The full range of discipline techniques is effective with these students. 

Social rewards are usually more effective than material rewards. Material rewards should only be used with this 

type of student when he or she comes from a deprived environment. 

The full range of instructional methods is effective with these students. 

If a student’s parents encourage good performance at school, send home examples of their best work for the 

parents to see and reward. 

Use stimulating materials for easy tasks and more subdued materials for difficult tasks. 

Motivation will be higher in these students if they are challenged by their work. This means that on new tasks 

they should experience a 20-30% error rate initially. 

Orange 

These students are usually fairly well adjusted and seldom develop emotional or behavioral problems. In fact, they may appear 

better adjusted than students with a typical profile. They do have a tendency to talk loudly and to respond impulsively. 

Recommendations for High EAGLE students: 

Give these students short study periods interspersed with different activities 

Praise work that is done well 

Direct other student’s attention to the student’s good work 

Allow the High Eagle student to participate in group work, especially when he or she can lead the group 

Use opportunities to work with other students to reward individual work 

Educators may have to restrain the High Eagle student’s impulsive responses by requiring him or her to “stop and think” 

before responding 

After a study period, allow a short break before testing or questioning the High Eagle student on the material just studied 

Use threats of negative consequences sparingly 

Use stimulating materials with High Eagle students 

Games and competition can be used to arouse the High Eagle student during school work 

Emphasize broad general principles, rather than details, as much as possible 

Placing the High Eagle students under moderate stress may facilitate their performance, especially for easy material 

Continuous feedback should be given to high Eagle students 

Teachers in the upper grade levels, especially, should concentrate on making their instruction more consistent with the 

learning styles of High Eagle students 

High Eagle boys, in particular, should be encouraged to act in a less impulsive manner 

349

Yellow 

These students are usually fairly well adjusted with few emotional or behavioral problems. They do not, however, respond 

well to being the center of attention, particularly unexpectedly or frequently. Teachers often mistake this type of student for a 

student with emotional problems. 

Recommendations for Low EAGLE Students 

Allow longer periods on a task for low Eagle students 

Educators should put less emphasis on praising low Eagle students after doing good work and more emphasis on 

reassuring them before they begin work 

Give feedback to the low Eagle student in private 

Allow the low Eagle student to work individually as much as possible 

Use opportunities to do individual tasks to reward appropriate group participation 

The low EAGLE student may have to be encouraged to be less cautious in responding to questions and giving opinions. 

Test or question the low Eagle student immediately after he or she has studied material 

Threats of negative consequences can be used effectively with low Eagle students 

Use subdued, “serious looking” materials with low Eagle students 

Avoid arousing or stimulating the low Eagle student during school work 

Putting the low Eagle student under pressure to perform well may lower performance especially with difficult material. 

Details can be emphasized with low Eagle students 

Encourage the low Eagle student to initiate interactions 

Teachers in the lower grades should concentrate on making their instruction more consistent with the learning styles of 

the low Eagle students 

Low Eagle students, especially girls, should be encouraged to act in a more outgoing manner 

Green 

These students have a high incidence of emotional problems, e.g., phobias. They seldom show 

disruptive behavior, but may have emotional outbursts in stressful or threatening situations. 

Their behavior is usually easy to control and may become over-controlled. 

Recommendations for HIGH Rabbit Students: 

Praise the work that the High Rabbit student does well. 

The threat of negative consequences is effective for High Rabbit student, but actual may be 

harmful to their performance. 

Avoid emotional experiences, especially negative ones, with High Rabbit students. 

Avoid stress to perform well, especially on difficult tasks. 

Use relaxation techniques and desensitization for specific fears. 

Discourage either extreme impulsivity or extreme caution. but do not allow the child to 

go to the opposite extreme. 

A subdued, personal approach is called for with High Rabbit students. 

De-emphasize testing and evaluation of work for highly High Rabbit students. 

Give frequent tests rather than a single final exam. 

Avoid arousing (stimulating) the High Rabbit student emotionally during school work. 

Structure the High Rabbit student's time and environment as much as possible. 

When the High Rabbit student is upset, allow him or her to postpone work until another time. 

Educators should give the highly High Rabbit student a good deal of emotional support. 

350

Elementary teachers, especially, should identify highly High Rabbit students and modify their teaching 

methods for them. 

Light Blue 

These students are outgoing and uninhibited as well as anxious and over reactive. These students 

will often be diagnoses with learning disabilities. These students' performance improves when 

stimulated by stimulating materials and activities or by stimulant drugs hut may exhibit an 

emotional over reaction. Thus, educators should stimulate these students with materials and social 

interaction rather than emotional stimulation. 

Recommendations for HIGH Eagle and HIGH Rabbit Students: 

High Eagle students should be given short study periods interspersed with different 

activities. 

Praise work that is done well. 

Direct other student's attention to the High Eagle student’s good work. 

Allow the High Eagle student to participate in group work, especially when he or she can 

lead the group. 

Use opportunities to work with other students to reward individual work. 

Educators may have to restrain the High Eagle student’s impulsive responses by requiring him 

or her to "stop and think" before responding. 

After a study period, allow a short break before testing or questioning the High Eagle student on the material just 

studied. 

Use threats of negative consequences sparingly. 

Use stimulating materials with High Eagle students. 

Games and competition can be used to arouse the High Eagle student during school work. 

With High Eagle students emphasize broad general principles, rather than details 

Placing High Eagle students under moderate stress may facilitate their performance, 

especially for easy material. 

Continuous feedback should be given to highly High Eagle students. 

Teachers in the upper grade levels, especially, should concentrate on making their instruction more consistent with the 

learning styles of High Eagle students 

High Eagle boys, in particular, should be encouraged to act in a less extraverted manner. 


The threat of negative consequences is effective for High Rabbit student, but actual punishment may be harmful to their 

performance. 




Discourage either extreme impulsivity or extreme caution, but do not allow the child to 









Elementary teachers, especially, should identify highly High Rabbit students and modify their teaching methods for 

them. 

Evidence Based Practices from the US Department of Education for children with ADHD 

http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/adhd/adhd-teaching_pg3.html ) 

Indigo 

351

These students are emotionally over reactive, but usually are quiet and extremely cautious. They 

are often too stimulated to perform well in school and anything that reduces their anxiety will 

improve their performance. They frequently try to avoid things that most children find enjoyable 

and are particularly susceptible to school phobia. Because of their quiet reserved demeanor, 

teachers often do not recognize that they need special attention. 

Recommendations for LOW Eagle and HIGH Rabbit Students: 

Allow longer periods on a task for LOW Eagle students. 

Educators should put less emphasis on praising LOW Eagle students after doing good work and 

more emphasis on reassuring them before they begin work. 

Give feedback to the LOW Eagle student in private. 

Allow the LOW Eagle student to work individually as much as possible. 

Use opportunities to do individual tasks to reward appropriate group participation. 

The LOW Eagle student may have to be encouraged to be less cautious in responding to 

questions and giving opinions. 

Test or question the LOW Eagle student immediately after he or she has studied material. 

Threats of negative consequences can be used effectively with LOW Eagle students. 

Use subdued, "serious looking" materials with LOW Eagle students. 

Avoid arousing (stimulating) the LOW Eagle student during school work. 

Putting the LOW Eagle student under pressure to perform well may lower performance, 

especially with difficult material. 

Details can be emphasized with LOW Eagle students. 

Encourage the LOW Eagle student to initiate interaction. 

Teachers in the lower grades should concentrate on making their instruction more 

consistent with the learning styles of LOW Eagle students. 

LOW Eagle students, especially girls, should be encouraged to act in a more extraverted 

manner. 

And 


The threat of negative consequences is effective for High Rabbit student, but actual punishment may be 














Elementary teachers, especially, should identify highly High Rabbit students and modify their 

teaching methods for them. 

Purple 

These students are likely to exhibit disruptive behaviors in the classroom. They may also try to 

dominate classmates through aggressive behavior. They are difficult to control through either 

reward or negative consequences and often engage in sensation seeking behavior. Sometimes a skillful 

teacher can use their sensation seeking behavior to enhance academic performance. Students 

with this profile who have above average intelligence can be very creative but even so will not be 

pleasant to work with. Students with this profile who are of lower intelligence have more 

352

difficulty directing their behavior toward productive ends. 

Recommendations for HIGH Porpoise Students: 

Stimulating punishments should be avoided whenever possible. 

Use loud. stimulating activities to encourage appropriate behavior. 

Allow the High Porpoise student to participate in competitive activity following studying 

or other quiet activity. 

Channel competitiveness into school work. 

Allow the High Porpoise student to work for short periods with frequent breaks. 

Have the Porpoise High Porpoise student plan activities ahead of time and follow those plans in an 

orderly manner. 

Educators may have to remind the High Porpoise student about the overall goal occasionally 

during school work. 

Encourage the High Porpoise student to "stop and think" before responding. 

Material rewards may influence the High Porpoise student's behavior more than social 

rewards. 

Allow the High Porpoise student to work on creative projects as much as possible. 

<strong>Behavioral</strong> Scripts and Instructional Procedures for Students with Learning and <strong>Behavioral</strong> Problems by Matthew Mayer and 

Linda Patriarca Available from Preventing School Failure, v52 n1 p3-12. Read synopsis on www.eric.ed.gov Eric Number: 

EJ778340 

Managing Aggression Using Cognitive-<strong>Behavioral</strong> <strong>Intervention</strong>s: State of the Practice and Future Directions by Stephen 

Smith, John Lockman and /Ann Daunic. Available from <strong>Behavioral</strong> Disorders, v30 n3 p227-240 May 2005. Read synopsis on 

www.eric.ed.gov Eric Number: EJ752715 

Turquoise 

These students' impulsive behavior is often directed toward other people and is often violent. 

These students will work in order to be stimulated. Stimulation is useful both during work and 

following work in order to get optimal performance. They respond better to rewards than 

negative consequences but don't respond well to either. 

Recommendations for HIGH Eagle and HIGH Porpoise Students: 

High Eagle students should be given short study periods interspersed with different 

activities. 


Direct other student's attention to the High Eagle student’s good work. 

Allow the High Eagle student to participate in group work, especially when he or she can 



Educators may have to restrain the High Eagle student’s impulsive responses by requiring him 


After a study period, allow a short break before testing or questioning the High E 

student on the material just studied. 


Use stimulating materials with High Eagle students. 

Games and competition can be used to arouse the High Eagle student during school work. 

With High Eagle students emphasize broad general principles, rather than details, as 

as possible. 

Placing High Eagle students under moderate stress may facilitate their performance, 

especially for easy material. 

Continuous feedback should be given to highly extraverted students. 

353

Teachers in the upper grade levels, especially, should concentrate on making their 

instruction more consistent with the learning styles of High Eagle students. 

High Eagle boys, in particular, should he encouraged to act in a less High Eagle manner. 

And 


Use loud, stimulating activities to encourage appropriate behavior. 





Have the High Porpoise student plan activities ahead of time and follow those plans in an 






rewards. 


Burgundy 

The hostile behavior in these students is usually directed at things rather than people. Vandalism 

is more common that fighting. Their behavior is likely to be unpredictable and to swing between 

impulsive and cautious responding both of which are harmful to school performance. Thus, 

the recommendations for High Porpoise and Low Eagle may at times be contradictory and educators must be 

careful when employing recommendations from one area that educators don'1 push the student to the 

other extreme. Stimulation during work periods will usually interfere with their performance. 

However, stimulation following work, as a reward, will increase the amount and quality of future 

work. Once they become stimulated, it is necessary to get them settled down before any they can 

productively resume work. The best times for stimulating activities is during breaks, lunch, 

recess or at the end of the day. Students with this profile who have above average intelligence 

can be very creative, particularly in the areas of science and technology. Even so, they will not be 

pleasant to work with. Students with this profile who are of lower intelligence have more 

difficulty directing their behavior toward productive ends. 

Recommendations for LOW Eagle and HIGH Porpoise Students: 

Allow longer periods on a task for low Eagle students. 

Educators should put less emphasis on praising low Eagle students after doing good work and 


Give feedback to the low Eagle student in private. 

Allow the low Eagle student to work individually as much as possible. 


The low Eagle student may have to be encouraged to be less cautious in responding to 


Test or question the low Eagle student immediately after he or she has studied material. 

Threats of negative consequences can be used effectively with low Eagle students. 

Use subdued, "serious looking" materials with low Eagle students. 

Avoid arousing (stimulating) the low Eagle student during school work. 

Putting the low Eagle student under pressure to perform well may lower performance, 


Details can be emphasized with low Eagle students. 

Encourage the low Eagle student to initiate interaction. 


consistent with the learning styles of low Eagle students. 

low Eagle students, especially girls, should be encouraged to act in a more extraverted 

manner. 

354

And 



Allow the high Porpoise student to work for short periods with frequent breaks. 

Have the high Porpoise student plan activities ahead of time and follow those plans in an 


Educators may have to remind the high Porpoise student about the overall goal occasionally 


Encourage the high Porpoise student to "stop and think" before responding. 

Material rewards may influence the high Porpoise student's behavior more than social 

rewards. 

Allow the high Porpoise student to work on creative projects as much as possible. 

Peach 

These students typically have a combination of emotional and behavioral problems. They often 

engage in sensation seeking activities without regard for consequences. They also often over 

react to the emotional stimulation that results from their activities. This feedback keeps them in 

an almost continuous state of over stimulation and anxiety. They usually don't do well 

academically and often don't have the foresight to successfully commit serious misdeeds. You 

must constantly work to avoid over stimulating these students or allow them to over stimulate 

themselves. Students with this profile who have above average intelligence can be very creative, 

particularly in the area of the arts. Even so, they will not be pleasant to work with. Students with 

these profiles that are of lower intelligence have more difficulty directing their behavior toward 

productive ends. 

Recommendations for HIGH Porpoise and HIGH Rabbit Students: 







Have the High Porpoise student plan activities ahead of time and follow those plans in an 






rewards. 


And 


The threat of negative consequences is effective for High Rabbit student, but actual punishment may be 









355






Elementary teachers, especially, should identify High Rabbit students and modify their 


Lime Green 

These students are the most disruptive of all students. Techniques used to stimulate students 

high on Eagle and to reward students high on Porpoise can be used as long as they don't involve stressful or 

emotional components. A teacher talking loudly or yelling at one of these students is likely to 

produce an emotional over reaction and physical aggression, probably directed at the teacher. 

Managing the behavior of this highly unusual type of student requires a constant effort. Students 

with this profile who have above average intelligence can be very creative, particularly in the 

area of the arts. Even so, they will not be pleasant (0 work with. Students with this profile who 

are of lower intelligence have more difficulty directing their behavior toward productive ends 

and is the profile with the worst prognosis. Criminal behavior is highly likely for a student with 

this profile that is of average to lower intelligence. 

Recommendations for HIGH Porpoise, HIGH Eagle, and HIGH Rabbit Students: 



Allow the HIGH Porpoise student to participate in competitive activity following studying 



Allow the HIGH Porpoise student to work for short periods with frequent breaks. 

Have the HIGH Porpoise student plan activities ahead of time and follow those plans in an 


Educators may have to remind the HIGH Porpoise student about the overall goal occasionally 


Encourage the HIGH Porpoise student to "stop and think" before responding. 

Material rewards may influence the HIGH Porpoise student's behavior more than social 

rewards. 

Allow the HIGH Porpoise student to work on creative projects as much as possible. 

And 

HIGH Eagle students should be given short study periods interspersed with different 

activities. 


Direct other student's attention to the HIGH Eagle student’s good work. 

Allow the HIGH Eagle student to participate in group work, especially when he or she can 



Educators may have to restrain the HIGH Eagle student’s impulsive responses by requiring him 


After a study period, allow a short break before testing or questioning the HIGH E 

student on the material just studied. 


Use stimulating materials with HIGH Eagle students. 

Games and competition can be used to arouse the HIGH Eagle student during school work. 

356

Pink 

With HIGH Eagle students emphasize broad general principles, rather than details, as 

as possible. 

Placing HIGH Eagle students under moderate stress may facilitate their performance, 

especially for easy material 

Continuous feedback should be given to highly HIGH Eagle students. 

Teachers in the upper grade levels, especially, should concentrate on making their instruction more consistent with the learning 

styles of HIGH Eagle students. 

HIGH Eagle boys, in particular, should be encouraged to act in a less HIGH Eagle manner. 

Praise the work that the HIGH Rabbit student does well. 

The threat of negative consequences is effective for HIGH Rabbit student, but actual punishment may be harmful to their 

performance. 

Avoid emotional experiences, especially negative ones, with HIGH Rabbit students. 





A subdued, personal approach is called for with HIGH Rabbit students. 

De-emphasize testing and evaluation of work for highly HIGH Rabbit students. 


Avoid arousing (stimulating) the HIGH Rabbit student emotionally during school work. 

Structure the HIGH Rabbit student's time and environment as much as possible. 

When the HIGH Rabbit student is upset, allow him or her to postpone work until another time. 

Educators should give the highly HIGH Rabbit student a good deal of emotional support. 

Elementary teachers, especially, should identify HIGH Rabbit students and modify their 


These students are likely to be more fearful and anxious and likely to be less openly aggressive 

than students in Profile Ten. More attention should be given to reducing anxiety than to 

controlling aggression. Their behavior is often erratic, swinging between emotional outburst and 

withdrawal, but ineffective. Stimulation during work should be avoided even as a consequence 

for good work because they may become too stimulated (stimulated) for optimal performance. 

Recommendations for HIGH Porpoise, LOW Eagle and HIGH Rabbit 

Students: 



Allow the HIGH Porpoise student to work for short periods with frequent breaks. 

Have the HIGH Porpoise student plan activities ahead of time and follow those plans in an 


Educators may have to remind the HIGH Porpoise student about the overall goal occasionally 


Encourage the HIGH Porpoise student to "stop and think" before responding. 

Material rewards may influence the HIGH Porpoise student's behavior more than social 

rewards. 

Allow the HIGH Porpoise student to work on creative projects as much as possible. 

And 

Allow longer periods on a task for LOW Eagle students. 

Educators should put less emphasis on praising LOW Eagle students after doing good work and 


357

Give feedback to the LOW Eagle student in private. 

Allow the LOW Eagle student to work individually as much as possible. 


The LOW Eagle student may have to be encouraged to be less cautious in responding to 


Test or question the LOW Eagle student immediately after he or she has studied material. 

Threats of negative consequences can be used effectively with LOW Eagle students. 

Use subdued. "serious looking" materials with LOW Eagle students. 

Avoid arousing (stimulating) the LOW Eagle student during school work. 

Putting the LOW Eagle student under pressure to perform well may lower performance, 


Details can be emphasized with LOW Eagle students. 

Encourage the LOW Eagle student to initiate interaction. 


consistent with the learning styles of LOW Eagle students. 

LOW Eagle students, especially girls, should be encouraged to act in a more extraverted 

manner. 

And 

Praise the work that the HIGH Rabbit student does well. 

The threat of negative consequences is effective for HIGH Rabbit student, but actual punishment may be 


Avoid emotional experiences, especially negative ones, with HIGH Rabbit students. 





A subdued, personal approach is called for with HIGH Rabbit students. 

De-emphasize testing and evaluation of work for highly HIGH Rabbit students. 


Avoid arousing (stimulating) the HIGH Rabbit student emotionally during school work. 

Structure the HIGH Rabbit student's time and environment as much as possible. 

When the HIGH Rabbit student is upset, allow him or her to postpone work until another time. 

Educators should give the highly HIGH Rabbit student a good deal of emotional support. 

Elementary teachers, especially, should identify highly HIGH Rabbit students and modify their 


358

PER Combinations 

Porpoise, Eagle, and Rabbit Combinations 

Descriptive Levels 

1 Low or Average Porpoise, Avg Eagle, 

Red 



Low or Average Rabbit 



4 Low or Average Porpoise , Avg Eagle, 

High Rabbit 


High Rabbit 


High Rabbit 

7 High Porpoise, Avg Eagle, Low or Avg 

Rabbit 

8 High Porpoise, High Eagle, Low or Avg 

Rabbit 

Orange 

Yellow 

Green 

Light Blue 

Indigo 

Purple 

Turquoise 

359

9 High Porpoise, Low Eagle, Low or Avg 

Rabbit 

Burgundy 

10 High Porpoise, Avg Eagle, High Rabbit Peach 

11 High Porpoise, High Eagle, High Rabbit Lime 

12 High Porpoise, Low Eagle, High Rabbit Hot Pink 

How to CARE for students 

High Porpoise 

Low P 

Conduct Acquire Regulate Excitement 

Solitary and 

viewed as unsocialized. 

Frequently like 

odd and unusual 

things and have a 

marked disregard 

for danger. Tend 

to be defiant and 

aggressive. 

Very sociable, 

friendly, and 

seldom exhibit 

Do not learn as 

easily from 

experience. Are 

sometimes 

thought of as 

hard headed. 

Have difficulty 

maintaining 

attention and 

concentrating in 

learning 

situations and 

tend to respond 

impulsively. 

When coupled 

with high 

intelligence 

tends to incline 

the student 

toward 

productive 

endeavors. 

Appear more 

original in their 

thinking and 

may be labeled 

creative. When 

associated with 

average to below 

average 

intelligence can 

incline students 

toward 

destructive 

activities. 

Teachers tend to 

find them 

troublesome. 

Learn easily 

from experience. 

Do better in 

Punishment and 

emotional displays 

are often 

counterproductive for 

these students. It may 

actually stimulate 

their behavior. Tend 

to be both disruptive 

and difficult to 

discipline. Highly 

structured 

environments 

employing both mild 

reward and 

punishments have the 

best chance of 

managing the 

behavior of High 

Porpoise students. 

Tend not to be 

disruptive and easy to 

discipline. 

Find high levels of stimulation enjoyable 

and are prone to engage in exciting and 

dangerous activities without regard for 

the potential consequences. May seek 

confrontations and even punishment 

simply for the stimulation value such 

situations hold. 

Do not find high levels of stimulation 

particularly enjoyable and therefore will 

tend to less stimulating kinds of activities 

360

hostility or 

aggression. Not 

very susceptible 

to serious 

psychological 

disorders. 

How To CARE for Children: 

High Eagle 

Low Eagle 

How to CARE for students 

High Rabbit 

school at all 

levels. Teachers 

find Low 

Porpoise 

students more 

“teachable” and 

less 

troublesome. 


Tend to work 

quickly and 

make careless 

errors. Will 

appear undermotivated 

and 

easily 

distractible 

and will get 

easily bored 

with most 

tasks. 

Tend to work 

slowly and 

make few 

errors. Will 

appear to be 

very 

motivated and 

attentive and 

will persist in 

most tasks. 

Tend to learn 

major points that 

are emphasized 

better than minor 

points. Recall 

material better 

after a short 

delay between 

learning and 

testing. 

Typically do 

better in 

elementary 

school. 

Perform best 

under conditions 

of intermittent 

reinforcement or 

feedback. Recall 

material better 

immediately 

following 

learning or after 

a long delay. 

Typically do 

better in high 

school. 

Respond to 

reward and 

punishment. 

More sensitive 

to rewards and 

reminders about 

potential 

rewards. 

Respond to 

reward and 

punishment. 

Both reward and 

negative 

consequences 

should be low 

key. 


Are very 

sensitive to 

emotional 

stimuli, have 

strong reactions 

Approach 

learning in a 

more rigid and 

compulsive 

manner. Can 

Tend to be more 

receptive to 

punishment. 

Both reward and 

punishment need 

and will have greater regard for the 

potential consequences of their behavior. 

Improved performance with external 

stress. Arousal to stress relative to 

the Eagle trait and is primarily 

related to external stimulation 

(noise, cognitive challenge, problem 

solving) On an easy task the optimal 

level of arousal will be higher than 

on a difficult task. 

Perform more poorly under external 

stress. Arousal to stress relative to 

the Eagle trait is primarily related to 

external stimulation (noise, 

cognitive, challenge, problem 

solving). Low arousal in easy or 

difficult tasks. 

More easily stimulated by emotional 

stimuli and often perform poorly on 

tasks because they are overly 

stimulated or motivated. External 

pressure will erode the performance. 

361

Low Rabbit 

to them, get 

upset easily and 

are slow to 

calm down. 

Will often 

attempt to 

avoid situations 

that are apt to 

be emotionally 

charged. 

Mild or no 

reaction to 

emotional 

stimuli. 

Student Style Survey 

study for long 

periods on a 

regular basis. 

Do better in 

high school. 

Tend to 

approach 

learning in an 

exploratory 

style. Study 

best for short 

periods broken 

up by other 

activities. Do 

better in 

elementary. 

to be somewhat 

more intense to 

affect. 

Tend to be more 

receptive to 

reinforcement. 

Name _____________________ Age: _________ Sex: __________ 

School: ____________________ Grade: _________ Date: __________ 

Circle Yes or No for each of the items below: 

1 Are you full of energy? 

2 Are you good at explaining directions to someone? 

3 Are you good at spelling? 

4 Are you touchy about some things? 

5 Can you get a game going on the playground? 

6 Did you ever pretend you did not hear when someone was calling you? 

7 Did you ever take anything (even a pencil or a button) that belonged to 

someone else? 

8 Do other people think of you as being full of energy? 

9 Do teachers pick on you more than they do other students? 

10 Do you always do what you are told right away? 

11 Do you always finish your homework before you go play? 

High arousal level is best for easy 

tasks and relatively low arousal is best 

for difficult tasks. Particularly 

susceptible to “test anxiety” and the 

importance of tests should be down 

played with these children. 

Often performs poorly on tasks 

because they are under-stimulated and 

under-motivated. External pressure 

can be used to enhance performance. 

High arousal level is best for easy 

tasks and relatively low arousal is best 

for difficult tasks. 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

362

12 Do you always say you are sorry when you have been rude? 

13 Do you always wash your hands before you eat? 

14 Do you dream in color? 

15 Do you enjoy music? 

16 Do you find it hard to get to sleep at night because you are worrying 

about things? 

17 Do you find it is hard to enjoy yourself at a fun party? 

18 Do you generally pick up papers and trash that others throw on the 

classroom floor? 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

19 Do you get into more trouble at school than most other students? YES NO 

20 Do you get sad when people find things wrong with you or the work you 

do? 

YES NO 

21 Do you get your feelings hurt easily? 

22 Do you have a lot of friends? 

23 Do you have trouble remembering someone’s name? 

24 Do you know how to have fun at a party (or on the playground)? 

25 Do you like being around other students and having conversations with 

them? 

26 Do you like going to a lot of different places? 

27 Do you like playing pranks on others? 

28 Do you like to look at charts and diagrams? 

29 Do you like to read to yourself out loud? 

30 Do you like to speak in front of the class? 

31 Do you like to talk a lot? 

32 Do you often feel like life is not very exciting? 

33 Do you often feel like you have had all you can take? 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

363

34 Do you often feel tired for no reason? 

35 Do you often need kind friends to cheer you up? 

36 Do you seem to get into a lot of fights? 

37 Do you seem to get into more fights than other students? 

38 Do you sometimes bully and tease other students? 

39 Do you sometimes feel like life is just not worth living? 

40 Do you sometimes feel really happy and then other times you feel sad for 

no reason? 

41 Do you sometimes like to tease animals? 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

42 Do you throw trash on the floor if there is no waste paper basket handy? YES NO 

43 Do you worry about bad things that might happen? 

YES NO 

44 Do you worry for a long time if you feel you have made a fool of 

yourself? 

45 Have you ever cheated at a game? 

46 Have you ever said anything bad or mean about other people? 

47 Is it important to have good manners? 

48 Should people try not to be rude? 

49 Were you ever greedy by helping yourself to more than your fair share of 

anything? 

50 When the class says the pledge or sings a song, do you sing along or 

recite with the class? 

51 Would it bother you to see someone you like get hurt by something you 

did? 

52 Would it upset you a lot to see a dog or a cat that has just been hurt? 

53 Would you call yourself “happy-go-lucky”? 

54 Would you enjoy practical jokes that could sometimes really hurt 

people? 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

YES NO 

55 Would you rather be alone instead of playing with other students? YES NO 

364

56 Would you rather sit and watch than play along when you go to a party? 

YES NO 

Adapted from: Corulla, W. (1990). A revised version of the Porpoise Scale for children, Personality and Individual Differences. 11(1), 65-76. 

Revised by Laura A. Riffel (2008) for use by classroom teachers. This could be read to younger students. 

Scoring the Student Style Survey 

Score 1 point for each item answered according to the answer key given below: 


Yes: 9, 19, 27, 36, 37, 38, 41, 51, 54 

No: 47, 48, 52 

Eagle Scale: 

Yes: 1, 5, 8, 22, 24, 25, 26, 31, 53 

No: 17, 55, 56 

Rabbit Scale: 

Yes 4, 16, 20, 21, 32, 33, 34, 35, 39, 40, 43, 44 

There are no “NO” answers on the Rabbit Scale 

Truth Scale: 

Yes: 10, 11, 12, 13 18, 50 

No: 6, 7, 42, 45, 46, 49 

Note: High Truth Scale scores indicate either that a student’s responses on the survey are not valid or the student is 

highly socialized. 

Combined means and standard deviations across school-age children: 

Scale Sex Mean SD 

Porpoise M 3.91 3.0 

F 2.56 2.0 

Eagle M 9.56 2.4 

F 9.85 2.5 

Rabbit M 6.69 2.9 

F 7.47 3.0 

Truth M 3.44 2.1 

F 3.63 2.2 

Note: To compute a standard deviation score, subtract a test mean from a student score and divide the remainder by 

the SD, e.g., 5-3.92=1.09 & 1.09/3= .36 or 6-9.85=-3.85 & -3.85/2.5=-1.54. A high score is above 1 and a low score 

365

is below -1. Since with a standard deviation score, the mean is equal to 0. Thus, the .36 score above is above the 

mean but not outside the range of normal variation and the -1.54 is below the mean and is outside the range of normal 

variation. 

Scoring the Student Style Survey 



9 47 

19 48 

27 52 

36 

37 

38 

41 

51 

54 

Males Females 

Raw Score ________ - 3.91/3.0= 

_______________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

________________= t score 

Raw Score ________ - 2.56/2.0= 

____________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

_____________= t score 

Eagle Scale: 


1 17 

5 55 

8 56 

22 

366

24 

25 

26 

31 

53 

Males Females 

Raw Score ________ - 9.56/2.4= 

_______________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

________________= t score 

Rabbit Scale: 

YES Tally 

4 

16 

20 

21 

32 

33 

34 

35 

39 

40 

43 

44 

Males Females 

Raw Score ________ - 6.69/2.9= 

_______________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

________________= t score 

Raw Score ________ - 9.85/2.5= 

____________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

_____________= t score 

Raw Score ________ - 7.47/3.0= 

____________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

_____________= t score 

Truth Scale: 


10 6 

11 7 

367

12 42 

13 45 

18 46 

50 49 

Males Females 

Raw Score ________ - 3.44/2.1= 

_______________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

________________= t score 

Raw Score ________ - 3.63/2.2= 

____________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

_____________= t score 



Yes 

3 

14 

23 

28 

Raw Score: ______________ 


Yes 

2 

15 

29 

30 

Raw Score: ______________ 

Whichever score is higher determines the likelihood that the child is either a visual or auditory learner. We are still 

working on reliability scores for the visual and auditory categories. 



column 

Porpoise Scale Position Rubric and Tendencies 






-.90 -1.24 Low 

+.90 +1.24 High 

368



Quick Highlight of Characteristics <strong>based</strong> on Porpoise Scale 

Example Low Porpoise High Porpoise 

Explanation Sensitive Aggressive 

Method Cautious Curious 

Syndrome (only severe) depressive Anti-social 


Porpoise Scale: Students who are High Porpoise are often loners and viewed as lacking social skills. Such students frequently like abnormal and unusual things and have 

a marked disregard for danger (Superman syndrome). They also tend to be defiant and aggressive. Low Porpoise students are usually very sociable, friendly and seldom exhibit 

hostility or aggression. Unlike High Porpoise students, Low Porpoise students are not very susceptible to serious psychological disorders. 


Porpoise Scale: Students who are High Porpoise do not learn as easily from experience as Low Porpoise students and may be characterized at times as being “hard 

headed”. High Porpoise students also have more difficulty maintaining attention and concentrating in learning situations and tend to respond impulsively. These students 

appear to be more imaginative in their thinking and may be labeled creative. When this is coupled with above average intelligence it tends to incline the student toward 

productive endeavors, while coupled with average to below average intelligence may include the student toward destructive activities. Low Porpoise students do better in 

school at all levels than High Porpoise students. Teachers find Low Porpoise students more “teachable” and less trouble than High Porpoise students even when the High 

Porpoise student is more intelligent and innovative than Low Porpoise students. 


Porpoise Scale: Punishment and emotional displays are often counterproductive with High Porpoise students. That is, not only may such responses fail to inhibit their 

behavior, it may actually stimulate the misbehavior. These students tend to be both disruptive and difficult to discipline. Highly structured environments employing both mild 

reward and punishments have the best chance of managing the behavior of High Porpoise students. Low Porpoise students are much easier to manage and don’t usually 

present significant discipline problems. 

Encouragement 

Porpoise Scale: High Porpoise students find intensity of stimulation enjoyable and are prone to engage in exciting and dangerous activities without regard for the potential 

consequences. Such a student may look for confrontations and even punishment simply for the stimulation value such situations hold. Students who are Low Porpoise do not 

find high levels of stimulation particularly enjoyable and therefore will tend to less stimulating kinds of activities and will have greater regard for the potential consequences of 

their behavior. 



column 

Eagle Scale Position Rubric and Tendencies 






-.90 -1.24 Low 

+.90 +1.24 High 



Quick Highlight of Characteristics <strong>based</strong> on Eagle Scale 

Example Low Eagle High Eagle 

Explanation Introverted Extraverted 

Method Shy Gregarious 

Syndrome (only severe) Fearful Hyperactive 


Eagle Scale: Students who are Low Eagle tend to work slowly and make few errors. Students who are High Eagle tend to work quickly and make careless errors. A 

Low Eagle student will appear to be very motivated and attentive on most tasks and will persist at them. A High Eagle student will appear under-motivated and easily 

distractible and will get easily bored with most tasks. 


Eagle Scale: High Eagle students tend to learn major points that are emphasized better than minor points, while Low Eagle students will learn both forms of material. 

High Eagle students learn best with continuous reinforcement or feedback, while Low Eagle students perform best under conditions of intermittent reinforcement or 

feedback. Recall of learned material also varies for these two types of students. High Eagle students recall material better after a short delay between learning and testing, 

369

while Low Eagle students recall material better immediately following learning or after a long delay. Typically, High Eagle students do better in elementary school, while 

Low Eagle students do better in high school. 


Eagle Scale: Students at both extremes on the Eagle scale respond to reward and punishment. However, Low Eagle students are more sensitive to punishment and 

threats of punishment, while High Eagle students are more sensitive to rewards and reminders about prospective rewards that are available. One should not adopt one 

strategy or the other with students who are at different ends of the Eagle scale. Rather, one should use both approaches but shift the emphasis a bit depending of the type 

of student. 

Encouragement 

Eagle Scale: Students who are Low Eagle perform less accurately under external stress, while students who are High Eagle improve their performance when under 

external stress (e.g., time limits). Arousal from stress relative to the Eagle Scale is primarily related to external stimulation, e.g., noise and cognitive challenge, e.g., 

problem-solving. The most advantageous level of arousal for these two types of students is also influenced by task difficulty. The optimal level of arousal for each goes up 

for easy tasks and down for difficult tasks. However, the relative difference will remain the same. That is, on an easy task a High Eagle student’s optimal level of arousal 

will be higher than on a difficult task but will be higher in both cases than for a Low Eagle student. 



column 

Rabbit Scale Position and Tendencies 






-.90 -1.24 Low 

+.90 +1.24 High 



Quick Highlight of Characteristics <strong>based</strong> on Rabbit Scale 

Example Low Rabbit High Rabbit 

Explanation Rational Emotional 

Method Deliberate Spontaneous 

Syndrome (only severe) Obsessive Compulsive Anxious 


Rabbit Scale: Students who are Low Rabbit tend to have very mild or no reaction to emotional stimuli. They are unlikely to become upset and if they do will quickly 

recover. High Rabbit students are very sensitive to emotional stimuli, have strong reactions to them, get upset easily and are slow to calm down. High Rabbit students 

will often attempt to avoid situations that are apt to be emotionally charged. 


Rabbit Scale: Low Rabbit students tend to approach learning in an exploratory style while High Rabbit students approach learning in a more rigid and compulsive 

manner. High Rabbit students can study for long periods on a regular basis, while Low Rabbit students study best for shorter periods broken up by other activities. Low 

Rabbit students do better in elementary school and High Rabbit students in high school. 


Rabbit Scale: High Rabbit students tend to be more receptive to negative consequence and Low Rabbit students to reinforcement. Both reward and negative 

consequence should be low key for the High Rabbit student. Both need to be somewhat more intense to affect Low Rabbit students. Differential levels of both reward 

and negative consequences need to be used with students at both ends of this dimension. Failure to differentiate may lead to some students being over-controlled and some 

who are unmanageable. 

Encouragement 

Rabbit Scale: Students with High Rabbit tend to be more easily stimulated by emotional stimuli and often perform poorly on tasks because they are overly stimulated 

or motivated. On the other hand, a student who is Low Rabbit often performs poorly on tasks, as well, but for the opposite reason. That is, they are insufficiently 

stimulated or under-motivated. Students high or low on the Rabbit Scale respond to external stress in about the same way as do students high or low on the Eagle Scale. 

That is, external pressure can be used to enhance performance in Low Rabbit students, but will further erode the performance of High Rabbit students. Task difficulty 

also interacts with the Rabbit Scale. A relatively high arousal level is best for easy tasks and a relatively low arousal is best for difficult tasks. High Rabbit students are 

particularly susceptible to “test anxiety” and the importance of tests should be down played with them. 

Truth Scale 




370

column 





-.90 -1.24 Low 

+.90 +1.24 High 



Remember a high score on the truth scale means the child was likely not telling the truth a low score means they 

were more truthful. 

371

These are Payton’s answers. Please try to score it using a blank scoring sheet from the back of this booklet 

first. Scoring the Student Style Survey for Payton (only score a tally if they answer the same as the key) 



9 1 47 

19 1 48 

27 1 52 

36 1 

37 1 

38 1 

41 

51 1 

54 

Males (Payton is a male so we use this side) Females 

Raw Score ___7____ - 3.91/3.0= 

_______1.03_______ = z score 

Z Score ___1.03_______ *10 + 50= 

_____60.3___________= t score 

 

Eagle Scale: 

Raw Score ________ - 2.56/2.0= 

____________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

_____________= t score 


1 1 17 1 

5 1 55 1 

8 1 56 1 

22 

24 1 

25 1 

26 1 

31 1 

53 1 

 

Males Females 

Raw Score ____11__ - 9.56/2.4= 

_______.6______ = z score 

Z Score ____.6______ *10 + 50= 

________56________= t score 

Raw Score ________ - 9.85/2.5= 

____________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

_____________= t score 

372

Rabbit Scale: 

YES Tally 

4 1 

16 1 

20 1 

21 1 

32 1 

33 1 

34 1 

35 

39 1 

40 1 

43 

44 1 

 

Males Females 

Raw Score ___10___ - 6.69/2.9= 

_______1.14____ = z score 

Z Score _1.14______ *10 + 50= 

__________61______= t score 

Truth Scale: 

Raw Score ________ - 7.47/3.0= 

____________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

_____________= t score 


10 6 

11 7 

12 42 

13 45 

18 46 

50 1 49 

Males Females 

Raw Score ___1____ - 3.44/2.1= -1.16___ = z 

score 

Z Score __-1.16___ *10 + 50= 

_______38.38_______= t score 

Raw Score ________ - 3.63/2.2= 

____________ = z score 

Z Score __________ *10 + 50= 

_____________= t score 

373



Yes 

3 

14 1 

23 1 

28 1 

 

Yes 

2 

15 

29 

30 

Raw Score: _____3______ 


Raw Score: _____0_______ 

Whichever score is higher determines the likelihood that the child is either a visual or auditory learner. We are 

still working on reliability scores for the visual and auditory categories. 

374

After today’s presentation you will begin your first assignment: 

Assignment One: ABC Analysis 

Assignment for FBA Collection 

1. Step one: Choose a student who has about eight or less behaviors per day. 

2. Come up with a pseudonym for the child so no one in the larger group will recognize the child’s name 

3. Invite everyone to a meeting about the student: 

a. Discuss the student’s 

i. Strengths 

ii. Needs 

iii. Target behaviors 

iv. Settings and situations that might require intervention 

b. Collect data using the FBA Data Tool 

i. As a team determine 

1. Context 

2. Antecedents 

3. Target Behaviors 

4. Consequences 

5. Student Reactions 

ii. Print forms off and give 10 copies to each team member who will be assisting with the data 

collection 

iii. Collect 5-10 days of data 

iv. Enter the data on the FBA data tool that you have saved to your desktop. 

c. Print off the results 

d. Bring the results and a copy of the Competing Pathway with you to class for session two- invite the 

classroom teacher of the first student to attend class with you if possible- they will come for this one 

session. 

e. We will brainstorm in small groups and then share our ideas with the whole group. 

f. You will be able to take the ideas back to your behavior support team when you get back together. 

375

376

377

378

379

380





(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 


behavior? 






behaviors? 










behaviors? 

381





(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 


behavior? 






behaviors? 










behaviors? 

382

383

After the second day of presentation you will begin your second assignment: 

Assignment Two: Data Analysis 

Assignment for using any of the data sheets from today’s training- minute by minute, 

duration, etc. 

1. Step one: Choose a student who has about any behaviors per day and determine 

the best data tool to use.. 

2. Come up with a pseudonym for the child so no one in the larger group will 

recognize the child’s name 



i. Strengths 

ii. Needs 



b. Collect data using the data sheet you determine is best for this student 







ii. Print forms off and give 10 copies to each team member who will 

be assisting with the data collection 

iii. Collect how every many days of data your team determines will be 

best for this student 

iv. Tabulate the data into a format that shows the ABC’s of the data. 


d. Bring the results and a copy of the Competing Pathway with you to class 

for session two- invite the classroom teacher of the first student to attend 

class with you if possible- they will come for this one session. 

e. We will brainstorm in small groups and then share our ideas with the 

whole group. 

f. You will be able to take the ideas back to your behavior support team 

when you get back together. 

4. For the first student bring <strong>Intervention</strong> Data- this will be using any data tool you 

decide to use – keeping in mind that we are looking for a decrease from baseline. 

You came up with a baseline number during the last training day- so you’ll want 

to compare it to that and let us know what the decrease from baseline is during 

intervention phase. 

384

385

386

387

388

389





(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 


behavior? 






behaviors? 










behaviors? 

390





(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 


behavior? 






behaviors? 










behaviors? 

391

392

After the third presentation you will begin your third assignment: 

Assignment Three: Data Analysis 

Assignment for using any of the data sheets from the previous trainings- minute by 

minute, duration, etc. 







i. Strengths 

ii. Needs 




















whole group. 



4. For the second student bring <strong>Intervention</strong> Data- this will be using any data tool 

you decide to use – keeping in mind that we are looking for a decrease from 

baseline. You came up with a baseline number during the last training day- so 

393

you’ll want to compare it to that and let us know what the decrease from baseline 

is during intervention phase. 

5. For the first student bring Follow-Up data- this will be using any data tool you 

decide to use- keeping in mind that we are looking for a decrease from baseline. 

You came up with a baseline number during the first analysis. 

394

a. 

395

396

397

398

399





(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 


behavior? 






behaviors? 










behaviors? 

400





(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 


behavior? 






behaviors? 










behaviors? 

401

402

After the fourth presentation you will begin your fourth assignment: 

Assignment Four: Data Analysis 









i. Strengths 

ii. Needs 




















whole group. 



4. For the third student bring <strong>Intervention</strong> Data- this will be using any data tool you 





403

5. For the second student bring Follow-Up data- this will be using any data tool you 



404

a. 

405

406

407

408

409





(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 


behavior? 






behaviors? 










behaviors? 

410





(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 


behavior? 






behaviors? 










behaviors? 

411

412

After the fifth presentation you will begin your fifth assignment: 

Assignment Five: Data Analysis 









i. Strengths 

ii. Needs 




















whole group. 



4. For the fourth student bring <strong>Intervention</strong> Data- this will be using any data tool you 





413

5. For the third student bring Follow-Up data- this will be using any data tool you 



6. Session Six- you will present in PowerPoint a presentation of one of your five 

students – show your data and documentation of how things are going- you can 

include video of the student if you have a signed waiver to present it for 

educational purposes- check with your administrator – they can help you connect 

with the right person for the right forms. 

414

a. 

415

416

417

418

419





(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 


behavior? 






behaviors? 










behaviors? 

420





(Antecedent) 




unnecessary? 


behavior? 






behaviors? 










behaviors? 

421

Plan for who will be in the first Behavior Support Team (BST) meeting on student number one: 

Core Team- those attending BBE classes 

These will remain constant in all BSTs 

What classroom teachers will you invite? 

Feel free to invite them to the next training day 

Who else should you invite? 

Parents, family members, other staff, student, 

Community service providers (parole officer, 

County mental health, reports from physicians) 

422

Plan for who will be in the second Behavior Support Team (BST) meeting on student number one: 









423

Plan for who will be in the third Behavior Support Team (BST) meeting on student number one: 









424

Plan for who will be in the fourth Behavior Support Team (BST) meeting on student number one: 









425

Plan for who will be in the fifth Behavior Support Team (BST) meeting on student number one: 









426

427

Writing Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIP) based on - Behavior Doctor

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