Behavior Intervention Planner

This form provides descriptions of the selected intervention, a listing of research articles supporting the intervention ideas, and space to write additional notes.

 	Behavior Intervention Strategies	Research Citations	Teacher Notes	
❑	ALTERNATIVE ACADEMIC RESPONSE FORMATS: REDUCING STUDENT FRUSTRATION. For some students, a trigger for misbehavior is that they are asked to complete an academic task in a response format that they find difficult or frustrating. A strategy to address this issue is to offer the student a more acceptable alternative response format. For example, a student who does not like to write by hand can be given access to a keyboard to draft an essay while a student who is put off by completing a math computation worksheet independently can answer the same math facts orally from flashcards. Note that alternative response formats should preserve the rigor of the underlying academic expectations.	Kern, L. & Clemens, N. H. (2007). Antecedent strategies to promote appropriate classroom behavior. Psychology in the Schools, 44, 65-75.	
	
❑	BEHAVIORAL MOMENTUM: INCREASING COMPLIANCE. Students with low-frustration tolerance or lack of confidence may balk when asked to complete challenging academic tasks assigned as independent seatwork. A strategy to increase the probability that a student will attempt a challenging academic task is to precede that task with a short series of brief, easy academic tasks. (For example, a student may do three easy problems on a math worksheet before encountering a challenge problem.) The student builds 'behavioral momentum' in completing the easy items and is thus 'primed' to attempt the challenge item that might otherwise derail them. Teachers using this strategy should, of course, first ensure that the student has the actual skills to complete any target challenge tasks. Generally, a ratio of three to four easy items interspersed between each challenge items can be quite effective.	Kern, L. & Clemens, N. H. (2007). Antecedent strategies to promote appropriate classroom behavior. Psychology in the Schools, 44, 65-75.	
	
❑	CHOICE: ALLOWING STUDENTS CONTROL OVER LEARNING. Teachers who allow students a degree of choice in structuring their learning activities can increase engagement and reduce classroom behavior problems. One efficient way to promote choice in the classroom is for the teacher to create a master menu of options that students can select from in various learning situations. For example, during independent assignment, students might be allowed to (1) choose from at least two assignment options, (2) sit where they want in the classroom, and (3) select a peer-buddy to check their work. Student choice then becomes integrated seamlessly into the classroom routine.	Kern, L., Bambara, L., & Fogt, J. (2002). Class-wide curricular modifications to improve the behavior of students with emotional or behavioral disorders. Behavioral Disorders, 27, 317-326.	
	
❑	INSTRUCTIONAL MATCH: ENSURING STUDENTS CAN DO THE WORK. A frequent trigger for behavior problems is that the student lacks the skills necessary to do the assigned schoolwork. To verify instructional match, the teacher (1) inventories the target student's academic skills and (2) adjusts assignments or provides additional academic assistance as needed to ensure that the student is appropriately challenged but not overwhelmed by the work.	Kern, L. & Clemens, N. H. (2007). Antecedent strategies to promote appropriate classroom behavior. Psychology in the Schools, 44, 65-75.	
	
❑	NON-CONTINGENT ESCAPE: REDUCE STUDENT DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR. When students engage in disruptive behavior to escape or avoid academic work, the teacher can use 'non-contingent escape breaks': (1) SELECT A STARTING MINIMUM WORK INTERVAL. The teacher selects a minimum interval length during which the student is likely to be able consistently to remain engaged in work. For example, a teacher may observe that a student is typically able to work for at least 3 minutes before engaging in escape behaviors.(2) DETERMINE THE LENGTH OF ESCAPE BREAKS. The teacher decides on the length of a student's non-contingent escape break (e.g., 30 seconds, 1 minute)--provided at the conclusion of each work interval. (3) SELECT A TARGET LENGTH FOR WORK INTERVALS. The teacher decides on a reasonable exit goal for student to be able to work without interruption or seeking escape (e.g., 10 minutes). (4) START NON-CONTINGENT ESCAPE INTERVENTION. The teacher writes 'Work' and 'Break' on sticky notes of different colors and places them on the student's desk during the work session. At the start of the first work interval, the teacher approaches the student and points silently to the 'Work' note At the end of the work interval, the teacher approaches and points to the 'Break' note. At the conclusion of the break interval, the teacher again points to the 'Work' note. The process repeats until the end of the work session. The teacher uses a timer to track time intervals. (5) MAKE INTERVAL ADJUSTMENTS AS NEEDED. When the student's problem escape behaviors fall to an acceptable level (e.g., 10 percent of work time or less) for at least 3 consecutive work sessions, the teacher increases the work interval by a pre-determined increment (e.g., 30 seconds, 1 minute). If the student's problem behaviors spike when the work interval is increased, the teacher reduces the work session by a pre-determined increment (e.g., 30 seconds, 1 minute) until behaviors improve. (6) FADE THE PROGRAM. When the student reaches the goal length for work intervals, escape breaks can be shortened (e.g., falling from 1 minute to 30 seconds) and eventually discontinued.	Waller, R. D., & Higbee, T. S. (2010). The effects of fixed-time escape on inappropriate and appropriate classroom behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43, 149-153.	
	
❑	REDUCE RESPONSE EFFORT: INCREASING COMPLIANCE. Teachers can increase student motivation and compliance through any method that reduces the apparent ‘response effort’ of an academic task- so long as that method does not hold the student to a lesser academic standard than classmates. Appropriate response-effort examples include (1) breaking a larger student assignment into smaller ‘chunks’ and providing the student with performance feedback and praise for each completed ‘chunk’ of assigned work, and (2) arranging for students to start challenging reading or homework assignments in class as a cooperative activity and then complete the remainder on their own.	Skinner, C. H., Pappas, D. N., & Davis, K. A. (2005). Enhancing academic engagement: Providing opportunities for responding and influencing students to choose to respond. Psychology in the Schools, 42, 389-403.