The purpose of this page is to provide educators with tools that can be used to monitor progress of behavioral difficulties in response to interventions, problem solve low intensity behaviors, and determine the function of a behavior so that intervention strategies will be more effective.
Data Collection Tools
There are many ways to collect behavioral data, though the most commonly used are frequency (how often a behavior occurs), and duration (how long a behavior occurs). An ABC observation or analysis helps in determining the antecedents (what happens right before the behavior), and the consequences (what happens right after the behavior). This is invaluable in determining possible functions of the behavior (reasons why it's happening), and what interventions are more likely to have an impact by addressing that function.
Consider using frequency data if you need to know how many times the behavior occurs in a certain time period.
Consider using duration data if you need to know how long the behavior typically lasts, or the behavior lasts for long periods of time.
Consider using ABC data if you need to know the possible reasons for the behavior.
Problem Solving Helps for Low Intensity Behaviors
For students with significant, serious, or pervasive behavioral difficulties, a formal functuional behavioral assessment with a matching behavior plan is critical. However, for students with lower intensity behaviors, a quick and informal behavioral assessment may be sufficient.
This form helps educators target one behavior of concern, form a hypothesis of why the student is exhibiting the behavior, and guides through a process of data collection and teaching to address the behavior of concern.
This form helps educators target one behavior of concern, form a hypothesis of why the student is exhibiting the behavior, and guides through a process of data collection and teaching to address the behavior of concern.
Intervention Strategies that Address the Function of the Behavior
Sometimes educators jump straight to an intervention plan because they want to correct the behavior right away. While this may work at times, if the intervention fails to address the reason why the student is behaving that way, it will likely be ineffective or only effective in the short-term. For these reasons, it is important to use intervention strategies that fulfill the function, or address the reason for the student's behavior.
The following form identifies the four primary functions of behavior, possible reasons for the behavior, and specific strategies to consistently implement that will provide an appropriate way to fulfill the function.
Behavior Direct Instruction Lessons
We often expect students to know how to behave a certain way by a certain age. However, for a variety of reasons, student's don't always pick up appropriate behavior, and it needs to be explicitly taught. This PDF has 8 lesson plans that can be implemented by practically any adult educator. They are scripted, and designed to be taught in about 15 minutes following a Skillstreaming format that includes modeling, task analysis, examples, and roleplays.
These lessons address what I consider some of the most important behavioral skills, such as: following directions, accepting "no" for an answer, making a request, and expressing anger appropriately.
These lessons address what I consider some of the most important behavioral skills, such as: following directions, accepting "no" for an answer, making a request, and expressing anger appropriately.