Learners with behavioral disorders: affecting behavioral and emotional wellbeing

As presented by : Michael and Becca

both the common and the unique

Characteristics

Common Warning Signs

As defined by U.S. National Library of Medicine• Harming or threatening

themselves or others• Damaging property or objects• Dishonest• Few friends, or antisocial• Complain• Frequent temper tantrums• An attitude of hostility towards

authority figures• Working towards or below grade

level

Unique

As outlined by W. L. Heward in Exceptional Children• Suicidal thoughts and behavior• Early drug use• Early sexual activity• Yelling and/or cursing• Deceptive• Delinquent behavior resulting in

arrest• Dying young due to lifestyle• Lack of feeling or guilt

Works Cited: Heward, William (2005). Expectional Children: An Introduction to Special Education: Prentice Hall.

U.S. National Library of Medicine (2011). Child Behavior Disorders:www.nlm.nih.gov

and how they affect educators

Misconceptions

• Also known as Conduct Disorder (not a misconception but rather FYI)

• Students with behavioral outbursts are going through “phase”• Observing behavior over time and in comparison to peers will

help to establish whether behavior is developmentally appropriate

• Isn’t a blanket diagnosis but rather an over arching category to include: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, alcoholism, Anorexia Nervosa, depression, addictions, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, phobias, Tourette Syndrome, etc.• Pinpointing a specific diagnosis will deepening the

understanding of what may trigger behavior and which strategies will be a best-fit

• That one strategy will be the end-all be-all for a student• Having a bag of strategies for multiple settings and situations

References: Behavior Disorder (2008) Child Behavior Disorders: behavriodisorder.org

for at home and at school

Accommodations

• Reference previous educators and professional for effective strategies• Direct and explicit instruction• Having pre-established positive and negative consequences for

behavior such as a student contract or reward system (may need to change frequently) and allows for student success within the Zone of Proximal Development

• Consistency and immediate feedback• Praise and encouragement TONS to address self-esteem• Structured environment• Modeled behavior- consistent, mature, and controlled actions• Provide student choice• Least-restrictive environment• Strategies for self-monitoring• A quiet or independent place• More time• One-on-one support/instruction

Referenced: Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (2011). Evaluating Students for Emotional/Behavioral Disorders: pbis.org

for additional information

Resources

http://connected.waldenu.edu/special-education/emotional-and-behavioral-disorders/item/812-teaching-children-behavior-problemsTeaching Children & Behavior Issues is an article found the Connected website, a great website for teachers. This very short source is packed with valuable information that will help any classroom run smoother. http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/behavior.html

STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING STUDENTS WITH BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS is part of the teacher preparation program at West Virginia University. This resource starts by addressing how important it is to address behavior issues because students that misbehave are far more likely to have serious problems in the future. Then the rest is basically a bullet list with hundreds of tips to address and prevent behavioral issues.

for additional information

Resources Cont.

http://www.ibe.unesco.org/publications/EducationalPracticesSeriesPdf/prac08e.pdfPreventing Behavior Problems: What Works is a book published by the International Bureau of Education. This piece is basically divided into two parts; the first part explains the developing mind of child and why they are acting out. The second part gives ideas how to accommodate children with various problems.

http://helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_teaching_strategies.htm ADD/ADHD and School: Helping Children with ADHD Succeed at School is an article aimed at parents but is full of useful information for teachers. It starts by explaining how children with attention disorders think and why traditional educational practices are ineffective. Then goes on to give lots of great tips that are just as beneficial to teachers as parents like behavior management plans, open communication between teachers and parents, and parent involvement.

as seen in our classrooms

Curricular Modification

•I personally believe prevention is the best accommodation and if you make learning fun there will far less opportunities for problems•Make expectations clear about what kinds of behavior are expected and the punishments/rewards that will follow•Always be consistent!•We provide lots of positive reinforcement to encourage good choices.•Parent involvement is crucial because the parents know their child better than anyone else. Also the actions in the classroom need to have repercussions at home.

individual behavior management plans

Curricular Modification

There is a boy named Gavin in my class who has severe emotional issues, he is either really happy or really upset there is no middle ground. My CT thinks he is autistic but I think that he is bipolar. His meltdowns were interfering with his education along with the rest of the class. We had a meeting for Gavin with his mother to come up with a plan. My CT came up with the idea of a daily chart and the mother added that he likes to use checklists. My job was to put this technique into practice. So a couple of times every day Gavin and I sit down and reflect on the day and how his behavior has been and Gavin is responsible for completing the chart. This has lead to huge improvements!

Gavin’s daily chart

Curriculum Modification