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Key characteristics of Classroom and Group Support (Secondary Interventions) include the following approaches, strategies, and procedures that are used with some students who are at-risk for serious problem behavior, and for whom universal supports alone have not been effective in teaching expected social behaviors:
Problem-solving team (with behavioral expertise) meets regularly (e.g., twice monthly) to assure that students are identified and referred who may benefit from group support/secondary interventions
School-wide expectations are defined and directly taught in specific settings where groups of some students still have behavior problems (e.g., classrooms, hallways, cafeteria), based on a simple/brief analysis of function of problem behavior
Behavioral expectations are encouraged (positively acknowledged) in specific settings with specific groups of students who may need additional support (e.g., using Check-and-Connect Systems)
Specific classroom routines--and cues for expected behavior during these routines—are taught and encouraged
Ratio maintained of 4-5+ positive to every 1 negative interaction between adults and students
Active supervision by all staff in all settings (classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, etc.), including scanning, moving around, briefly interacting with students by acknowledging and correcting behaviors
Redirections given for minor, infrequent behavior errors
Frequent pre-corrections (prompting, reminders) for chronic behavioral errors
Data system in place for monitoring group support/secondary interventions
Group support/secondary interventions plans reviewed to ensure successful transition of student supports across teachers and grade levels
Group support mainly targets those students (5% to 10% of all students) who are at-risk for challenging behavior, reflected by multiple office disciplinary referrals (typically, when 3-5 ODRs have been issued) and by students who display chronic challenging behavior even after universal-level (primary intervention) supports have been provided to teach expected behaviors.
Group level PBS support can be viewed as targeted group support and as classroom-level support. In targeted group support, interventions are provided to groups of students with either similar challenging behaviors or similar reasons (functions) for the challenging behavior. One system of group support used with success with groups of students who come from different classrooms across the school is called the Check and Connect System. This system has been especially effective for at-risk students who engage in attention-getting behavior. Classroom-level support should emphasize effective classroom management systems as an extension of the universal-level system to an entire classroom.
Connecting School-Wide Expectations to Classroom Behavior Rules. Classroom behavioral expectations (rules) are established and taught in connection with school-wide expectations in a school-wide PBS system. Each school-wide expectation is first discussed with students and then specific behavior rules (expectations) for the classroom are generated and posted. For example, "using classroom materials appropriately" and "walking facing forward" could be listed as examples of classroom rules (behavioral expectations) linked to a school-wide expectation such as "Be Safe." "Following teacher's instruction" and "Quiet listening during teacher's instruction" could be listed under the school-wide expectation, "Be Respectful."
Classroom behavior rules also can be linked to classroom routines. For example, under the school-wide expectation, "Be Respectful," specific rules for expected student behaviors such as "independent work time," "lining up," or "asking help" can be separately discussed and listed. When discussing classroom rules (expected behaviors) with students, it is always wise to ask the students to generate examples of the rules, as well as non-examples (i.e., student behaviors that would violate or break the rule). Over time, students will learn to make distinctions themselves, in terms of what specific behaviors are consistent with class rules, as well as what behaviors violate expectations.
Implementing Positive Acknowledgement Systems and Monitoring Student Behavior. Effective classroom (secondary level) interventionsincludeestablishing a system to encourage and positively acknowledge appropriate student behavior. Within the framework of the school-wide reinforcement system, classroom-level systems of reinforcement can provide another layer of positive supports and rewarding consequences for good student behavior. Counting the number of students' rewards earned by a whole classroom and acknowledging the class for making good behavioral progress by remembering to practice school-wide and classroom expectations is an example of effective group reinforcement.
Effective Classroom Interventions and Supports. The research literature on effective classroom interventions for students with discipline problems suggests an array of effective evidence-based practices. Recommended interventions can be organized into three categories: Prevent, Teach, and Reinforce/Correct.
Prevent:
Interventions that prevent problem behaviors in the classroom by
reducing events that trigger bad behavior and increasing events that
trigger good behavior include:
- Establish and post positively
worded classroom behavioral expectations (rules) that are linked to/
aligned with 3-5 school-wide expectations
- Develop clear, explicit routines that maximize structure & predictability for students
Develop an expectations/rules matrix for all major classroom routines Arrange
physical layout of classroom to minimize crowding & distractions
that may trigger problem behavior and to maximize learning opportunities Provide opportunities for choices, including access to preferred activities, tasks, materials, etc. Provide support during tasks and transitions, including noting time remaining on task, length of activity, etc. Add prompts, visual/auditory cues, and provide additional supports during tasks (and then fade out prompts over time) Make curricular modifications, including making tasks more meaningful/less aversive Modify antecedents (immediate, fast triggers of problem behaviors), including adult verbal behavior Modify setting events (less immediate, more distant, slow triggers for problem behaviors) Use frequent pre-correction for chronic behavior errors that are associated with expected classroom behaviors Use peer modeling and peer support Use
active supervision, including moving around, scanning all areas looking
for appropriate and inappropriate behaviors and interacting briefly by
commenting/ gesturing in regard to items of interest, teaching and
praising appropriate behavior, using pre-corrections/ reminders, and
informing & quickly correcting or redirecting minor rules violations Teach: Classroom-level interventions that teach new social behaviors to replace problem behaviors include:
Classroom-wide positive
expectations/ rules are directly taught within class routines using
teacher and peer modeling, positive and negative examples.,
student practice, teacher feedback, generalized practice, etc. Actively teach to increase and support on-task behaviors for all students Deliver instruction in varying modes & match instruction to specific student learning styles Teach replacement behaviors for chronic errors made within specific class routines Teach problem-solving strategies, including using functional communication training (as needed) Teach general coping strategies Teach
social skills during specific routines that are aligned with classroom
rules/ expectations and that are pleasing to teachers and peers Teach self-management strategies, including peer-mediated self-management Teach students skills in delayed gratification Reinforce and Correct: Interventions
that encourage expected social behaviors in the classroom and correct
problem behaviors (discipline problems) include:
Classroom-wide positive
expectations/ rules are encouraged, acknowledged & reinforced by
implementing multiple strategies/systems (e.g., point systems, special
activities) Maintain ratio of 4-5+ positive to 1 negative/ corrective adult-student interactions Replacement behaviors are encouraged & reinforced Discontinue
and/or withhold reinforcement (i.e., by ignoring, extinguishing) that
maintains problem behaviors Provide redirections and/or correct minor
infrequent behavior errors when they occur Maintain a system for timely & responsive monitoring of students' behavioral progress |