Behavior Management Section II:

1

• Behavior Management Section II
• Changing Behavior

2
Personnel

• DeAnn Lechtenberger Principle Investigator
• Nora Griffin-Shirley Project Coordinator
• Doug Hamman Project Evaluator
• Tonya HettlerGrant Manager
• Project IDEAL is funded through a grant from the
  Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities
  (599,247) with match from Texas Tech University
  for (218,725)
• The views contained herein do not necessarily
  reflect the position or policy of the funding
  agencys. No official endorsement should be
  inferred.

3
Module Objectives

• The learner will
• examine common thoughts about behavior
• understand the importance of teaching appropriate
  behavior
• learn how to reduce inappropriate behaviors and
  teach more acceptable behaviors

4
Common Observations

• He can behave on some days, but not others.
• He can behave one-on-one or in a small group, but
  not in a large class.
• He knows how to behave, but he just doesnt want
  to.
• He should be able to behave appropriately.

5
Addressing Common Observations

• If a student behaves inappropriately, it is
  because
• He has not been taught how.
• He knows how to in some environments or with some
  people but not others.
• He knows how to do it, but we have not made it
  worthwhile.

6
Why teach appropriate behavior?

• To make the life as a teacher easier
• To allow time to be spent on academic tasks
• To establish a supportive, predictable learning
  environment
• To make students independent learners

7
Teaching Appropriate Behavior

• Appropriate behavior is a skill that can be
  taught just as an academic skill is taught.
• Behavior must be explicitly taught using the
  basic principles of Applied Behavior Analysis.
• Students with disabilities do not necessarily
  learn through observation.
• Students with disabilities need modeling, error
  correction, and practice.

8
Steps for Teaching Appropriate Behavior(s)

• Step 1 Identify the behavior to change.
• Step 2 Measure the behavior.
• Step 3 Draw a hypothesis as to the purpose of
  the behavior.
• Step 4 Choose a replacement behavior.
• Step 5 Identify the current stage of learning.
• Step 6 Determine the level of support.
• Step 7 Track the new behavior.
• Step 8 Fade assistance.

9
Step 1 Identify Behavior(s) To Change

• Ask yourself What exactly do I need him to do?
• Examples of specific behaviors
• Stay in his seat during the math lesson.
• Raise his hand before speaking.
• Not push or hit others.

10
Step 2 Measure the Behavior

• Yields valuable information on when, where, and
  how often a specific problem behavior occurs
• Assists the teacher in developing a hypothesis as
  to the purpose of the behavior
• Obtain information to identify behavior
  management strategies
• Captures even the smallest signs of progress when
  attempting to change a students behavior

11
Step 2 Measuring Frequency

• For behaviors that have a distinct beginning and
  ending, count the number of times the behavior
  occurs within a given time period. This is called
  a frequency count.
• Examples of frequency counts
• Number of times out of seat during math
• Number of questions answered in 10 minutes

12
Step 2 Measuring Duration

• For behaviors that go on over periods of time,
  use a stopwatch or timer to measure how long the
  behavior occurs within a given time period. This
  is called duration.
• Examples of duration
• Total amount of time out of seat during math
• Length of time working before student takes break

13
Step 2 A-B-C Model

• Additionally, all behaviors can be measured using
  the Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence model
  (A?B?C).
• To use the A?B?C model, systematically record
  what happens before the problem behavior, during
  the problem behavior, and after the problem
  behavior.

14
ABC Model
DURING
AFTER
BEFORE
?
Behavior
Consequences
Antecedents
?
Teacher says John, sit down.
Teacher says No screaming and takes John to
time-out.
John screams.
15
A-antecedents B-behavior C-consequences
What specific activity or event happened before the behavior? What specifically did the child do or say? What happened after or as a result of the behavior?
Teacher says John, sit down. John screams. Teacher says No screaming and takes John to time out.
John screams (in reaction to being in time-out). Teacher ignores John.
John screams louder and kicks chair. Teacher says No kicking.
John starts to cry. Teacher walks over to John and says Its okay.
John stops crying. No response from teacher.
Teacher asks Are you ready to sit down? John screams. Teacher says Now you can stay in time-out.
16
Step 3 Purpose of Behavior

• Ask yourself What is the outcome when he
  demonstrates this behavior?
• Examples of outcomes
• Does he get something he wants?
• Does he get to avoid doing something?

17
Step 3 Function of Behavior

• Functions to gain something
• Social attention When the behavior gains peer or
  teacher attention for the student
• Tangible When the behavior results in access to
  preferred events or materials
• Sensory When the behavior provides auditory,
  visual, or tactile stimulation

18
Step 3 Function is to Gain Something

• Social attention Talking to peers during
  independent work time
• Tangible Taking others materials
• Sensory Tapping on desk while working

19
Step 3 Functionis Avoidance

• Functions to avoid something
• Escape When the behavior results in the student
  being removed from a situation that he finds
  unpleasant
• Example of avoidance
• Asking to go to the nurse during math each day

20
Step 4 Replacement Behavior

• To choose a replacement behavior
• Observe behaviors shown by typical children in
  the same environment.
• Use the function of the problem behavior to find
  a more appropriate behavior with the same
  function.
• The replacement behavior may be an alternative
  behavior or a more appropriate level for the
  problem behavior.

21
Step 4 Alternative Behavior

• Ask yourself What could he do instead of
  performing the problem behavior?
• Examples of alternative behaviors
• Asking for toy instead of grabbing it
• Raising hand instead of calling out
• Asking for help instead of not completing work

22
Step 4 Appropriate Level

• Ask yourself Would the problem behavior be
  appropriate if performed at a different level?
• Examples of appropriate levels
• Speaking loudly enough for the teacher to hear
• Asking for help only when help is really needed
• Completing work at a moderate pace without
  rushing

23
Step 5 Current Stage of Learning

• Ask yourself Is any part of the desired behavior
  currently in his repertoire?
• Examples in repertoire
• Can he demonstrate part of this skill?
• Can he demonstrate this skill with help?
• Can he demonstrate this skill anywhere else?

24
Step 5 Stagesof Learning

• Acquisition Learning a new skill
• Fluency Using a skill faster or better
• Maintenance Using a skill routinely
• Generalization Using a skill in different places
  as needed

25
Step 5 Strategies

• Strategies for stages of learning
• Acquisition Teach with examples and error
  correction
• Fluency Decrease prompts and assistance
• Maintenance Practice skill independently
• Generalization Practice skill with different
  people, different materials, or in different
  locations

26
Step 6 Levelof Support

• Ask yourself What supports does the student need
  to demonstrate this skill?
• Examples of supports
• Does he need help?
• Does he need encouragement?
• Does he know how to do the skill correctly?

27
Step 6 Typesof Support

• Prompts
• Most-to-least prompts for new skills
• Least-to-most prompts for existing skills
• Visual supports
• Error correction Stop, reteach, practice
• Reinforcement Praise, privileges, tangibles

28
Step 7 Trackthe Behavior

• Ask yourself How do I know when he is improving?
• Examples of improvement
• Performing a skill without help
• Performing a skill faster
• Performing a skill in different activities or
  settings

29
Step 7 Ways to Track Behavior

• Tables and charts show progress over time
• Graphs show progress visually

30
Step 7 Ways to Track Behavior

• For desired behaviors, look for an increase in
  the frequency or duration of behavior over time.

31
Step 7 Ways to Track Behavior

• For undesired behaviors, look for a decrease in
  the frequency or duration of behavior over time.

32
Step 7 Ways to Track Behavior

• An erratic behavior that becomes more stable over
  time shows that the intervention may be working.

33
Step 8 Fade Assistance

• Ask yourself How can I increase a students
  independence by decreasing the level of support?
• By fading assistance, the student will increase
  his ability to perform the behavior independently.

34
Step 8 Decreasing Support

• Decreasing the level of support
• Decrease the level of prompts
• Visual rather than verbal prompts
• Minimal guidance or prompting
• Fade reinforcement
• Extend amount of time or number of activities to
  be completed before delivering reinforcement
• Use token economy to delay rewards

35
Conducting FBAs and Writing BIPs

• For special education students who have major or
  chronic behaviors that interfere with academic
  progress, steps 1-4 are formalized into a
  Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA).
• The purpose of an FBA is to allow team members to
  determine possible functions of a problem
  behavior and identify potential replacement
  behaviors.

36
Conducting FBAs and Writing BIPs

• Results from the FBA are used to write a Behavior
  Intervention Plan (BIP), which is a formalized
  version of steps 5-8.
• The purpose of a BIP is to create a plan to teach
  replacement behaviors. The BIP is a part of the
  students Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

37
Contact Information

• DeAnn Lechtenberger, Ph.D.
• Principle Investigator
• deann.lechtenberger_at_ttu.edu
• Tonya Hettler, Grant Manager
• tonya.hettler_at_ttu.edu
• Webpage www.projectidealonline.org
• Phone [phone], ext. 302
• The views contained herein do not necessarily
  reflect the position or policy of the funding
  agencys. No official endorsement should be
  inferred.