5. CLASSROOM BEHAVIOURAL STRATEGIES AND …

1 BEHAVIOURAL STRATEGIES and Interventions5. CLASSROOM BEHAVIOURAL STRATEGIES ANDINTERVENTIONSThis section will focus on CLASSROOM STRATEGIES and interventions that addressthe discipline/ BEHAVIOURAL challenges of students who are alcohol-affected. It isimportant to remember that these students have permanent neurological damagethat will make changing behaviour difficult. Some of the behaviour managementstrategies used with other students may not be successful for the child who isalcohol-affected. Unique and individual interventions are more important than any prescribedbehaviour program. Some examples of useful interventions include buildingrelationships, adapting the environment, managing sensory stimulation,changing communication STRATEGIES , providing prompts and cues, using a teach,review, and reteach process, and developing social skills.

2 The CLASSROOM teacher needs to ensure acceptance for all students in theclassroom. Teachers actions that can promote acceptance include choosing learning materials to represent all groups of students ensuring that all students can participate in extra activities valuing, respecting, and talking about differences celebrating cultural and ethnic differences ensuring that learning activities are designed for a variety of abilities ensuring that all students are protected from name-calling or other forms ofabusive language modelling acceptanceSetting the StageThis subsection will provide suggestions for how a teacher can prepare thegroundwork for working with a student who is alcohol-affected. Thispreparation can assist in preventing BEHAVIOURAL CLASSROOM Rules Well-defined rules in the CLASSROOM can prevent many BEHAVIOURAL students are involved in the development of the rules, they are morelikely to adhere to them and understand why they have been put into anything else,getting ready is thesecret of section will examine CLASSROOM techniques for addressing BEHAVIOURAL issues explain the process and STRATEGIES for working with behaviouralconcerns provide examples of the positive STRATEGIES and resourcesavailable to address behaviourTowards Inclusion: Tapping Hidden rules should be limited in number (usually five or less) andstated in positive the rules have been developed and taught, theyshould be applied consistently.

3 Most students, and especially those who arealcohol-affected, will perform better in classrooms that are structured,predictable, and CLASSROOM RulesCreating the rules is only the beginning. Once agreed upon, the rules should betaught to the students and posted in the CLASSROOM in both print and visualformats. The rules should be explained using clear, concise language. As well,they should be explained through the use of specific examples and concrete activities are very beneficial for the student who is alcohol-affected. As well, the teacher should teach that rules may be different in specialareas ( , the lunchroom, hallway, school bus, or playground). A rule should also be explained according to what it is and what it is not. Eachrule should be explained in detail to ensure that students understand what is included inthe rule.

4 The first week of a new school yearis an effective time to develop and teach therules. The CLASSROOM rules should also beshared with parents at the start of the year,and reviewed frequently throughout the who are alcohol-affected may needadditional instruction and reminders to besure the rules are understood andremembered. Teachers should remind thestudent of the rules at key times, and in avariety of contexts, during the day. Students behaviours should be acknowledged and reinforced when the rules are CLASSROOM DisciplineTeachers need to build a CLASSROOM environment where positiveinteractions are the norm and punitiveconsequences are minimized. Researchindicates that coercive or punitiveenvironments actually promoteantisocial behaviour. *Reproduced by permission of Lakewood School, St. James Assiniboia No. more information,see PreventingAntisocial Behaviour inthe Schools(Mayer, G.)

5 Roy,1995).Example of CLASSROOM Rules* Keep your hands and feet toyourself except forsomething nice. Do your job. Respect yourself and others. Act safely. Take care of theenvironment and the thingsin rules:1. Teach2. Review3. ReteachStudents who arealcohol-affected dobetter in classroomsthat are structured,predictable, BEHAVIOURAL STRATEGIES and InterventionsIt is important that teachers provide immediate, frequent, and positive value of a positive versus a punitive procedure is summarized in thefollowing chart. Effective feedback should be immediate and follow the demonstration of anappropriate behaviour, the use of a routine, or the successful completion ofteacher instructions. Research has shown that positive reinforcement can lead toimproved behaviour. A good general rule is that positive feedback should occurthree times as frequently as negative feedback.

6 The positive feedback does notalways have to be verbal it can also include praise, hugs, smiles, handshakes,nods, and eye contact.*From Preventing Antisocial Behaviour in the Schools by Mayer and B. Sulzer-Azcroff. Journal of Applied Behaviour Analysis28. Reprinted by feedbackshould occur threetimes as frequentlyas negative of Punitive Methods and Positive CLASSROOM Discipline*Management StrategiesPunitive Procedures rapidly stop behaviour provide immediate relief(reinforcement) to the teacher teach the student and peers whatnot to do decrease positive self-statements(self-concept) decrease positive attitudes towardschool and school work cause withdrawal (tardiness,truancy, dropping out) cause aggression (against propertyand others) teach students to respond in apunitive manner can harm student-teacherrelationshipsPositive CLASSROOM ManagementStrategies slowly stop behaviour provide no immediate relief to theteacher teach the student and peers whatto do increase positive self-statements(self-concept)

7 Increase positive attitudes towardschool and schoolwork promote enhanced participation decrease likelihood of aggression teach students to recognize thepositive can enhance student-teacherrelationshipsTowards Inclusion: Tapping Hidden well, the use of positive reinforcers can have a positive influence onbehaviours. Remember, becausestudents who are alcohol-affected havedifficulty with cause and effect, thisapproach may not always besuccessful. A reinforcer is an object orevent that is given to the student forperforming a desirable behaviour. Reinforcers need to be carefully chosen to ensurethey can be delivered with relatively little effort or planning. Teachers need to havea wide variety of reinforcers available because they will not all work equally wellwith each student. A good way to choose reinforcers is to involve the student in theselection process.

8 As the student s behaviour improves, the teacher should graduallymove away from external rewards and replace them with intrinsic rewards. A list ofpossible positive consequences is included at the end of this may not always work with students who are , their use is appropriate in specific situations. All of the students willface consequences in their daily lives as adults. Therefore, they will need tolearn to deal with the consequences in the same way that other students do. Theconsequences should be carefully selected, pre-determined, consistently applied,and used expeditiously. It may be important to remember that these children may learn best when theconsequences are real and immediate rather than convenient and delayed. Forexample, it might be more useful to require a child to finish up his or her workduring choice time rather than impose a detention (Jones, 2000).

9 Teaching CLASSROOM RoutinesClassrooms with structured routines and clear procedures are recommended forstudents who are alcohol-affected. Teachers should establish routines forstudents and set expectations regarding CLASSROOM procedures ( , gettingdown to work, arrivals, departures, completing assignments, keeping occupiedafter work is finished, and transitioning from one assignment or subject area tothe next). Most students learn routines and procedures quickly. Students who are alcohol-affected may need additional instruction. For these students, teachers may wishto consider the following five-step teacher explains the routine and the reasons for its use. It isexplained in easy to understand language using short, concise sentences. Keymessages are Demonstrate and the routine is complicated, the teacher breaks itdown into smaller steps.

10 A visual or written chart supports the verbalinstruction. Once the routine is explained in detail, the teacher demonstrates ormodels the task, using the student s visual or written plan. The teacher then asksthe students to repeat the step. Occasionally, parts of the routine will need to beadapted in order to increase SStteeppss iinn additionalinformation on the useof positive reinforcers,see CLASSROOM Management: ACalifornia Resource Guide(Mayer, G. Roy, 2000). BEHAVIOURAL STRATEGIES and Interventions3. Rehearse/Guided students practise the routine, correctivefeedback is provided by the teacher. Advanced students can role-play the stepsor act as a buddy to a student who is alcohol-affected. The teacher uses subtleprompts to help students who forget steps. If the routine is to be used in severalareas of the school, practices are arranged in the different Perform student performs the routine during the courseof the regular school day.