Targeted supports are needed for the 5 to 15 percent of students who chronically
do not meet expectations and are at risk of developing increasingly challenging
behaviour. These students will benefit from targeted interventions designed
to increase specific positive behaviours and/or reduce specific negative behaviours.
The types of targeted interventions that these students often respond to include:
Another type of intervention that is often successful with this group of students
is goal setting. Setting goals and developing action plans helps students begin
to:
This can be done through a targeted goal-setting process that takes place
over several weeks or several months, depending on the needs of the individual
student.
To begin the process, clearly describe the specific behaviours that need to
be increased or decreased to achieve success and the new behaviours the student
needs to learn to replace inappropriate behaviours. Prioritize these behaviours.
Consider factors such as:
Make a plan that addresses a manageable number of goals, one at a time.
A goal-setting plan helps to identify, monitor and improve a student’s
classroom behaviour and provides a way for parents and school staff to communicate
regularly. This approach can be highly motivating to students if parents select
the right reinforcement to use at home after the child reaches his or her daily
goals.
Use the following six steps to develop and implement an individual goal-setting
process.
- Select the area for improvement
Involve all school staff who work with the student, as well as the student
and his or her parents. Identify the behaviours that are likely to have long-term
negative consequences if there is no change, and the key behaviour changes
that would improve the student’s learning and social relationships.
For example:
- academic work (e.g., task completion and accuracy)
- peer relations (particularly decreasing aggression and other negative interactions)
- independence (e.g., following class routines, working independently, managing
transitions)
- relationships with adults (e.g., cooperating with requests, accepting consequences,
disagreeing in an appropriate way, asking for help).
As much as possible, involve students in identifying the areas they need to
work on. Ask them questions such as, “What kinds of things would you
have to do to have a better day in school?” “What kinds of behaviours
get in the way of having a good day?” or “What could you do instead?”
-
Define the goals
Identify specific academic or social behaviours that need to be changed
to help the student be more successful in the classroom. These new positive
behaviours, or “goal behaviours” must be observable and measurable
by the teacher and the student. They must be clearly defined in a way that
students, parents and school staff all understand. Depending on the age and
ability of the student, consider between two and five goal behaviours. As
much as possible, use student-friendly language and state the goals in positive
terms.
Goal behaviours might include:
- moving from one activity to another cooperatively
- using a polite voice when speaking to classmates
- keeping hands and feet away from other students
- having books and supplies ready
- completing assignments on time
- starting to work right away
- playing a game of soccer without incident.
- Decide on criteria for goals
Review recent classroom observations and records to determine how often a
student is demonstrating the problem behaviour. Use this information to
determine which behaviours need to be included and to prepare the initial
criteria for determining success.
Set reasonable criteria for defining success;
that is, one that students can achieve between 75 and 90 percent of the time.
To encourage improvement, set initial criteria at a rate slightly better
than what the student is doing now. For example, if a student currently interrupts
an average of 10 times per class, the initial criteria might be “interrupts fewer than five times per class,” and
a few weeks later the goal might be “interrupts fewer than two times
per class.” Set criteria to be met for each part of the day, not the
whole day. Keep the scoring manageable but within reach of the student’s
current ability. Reinforcements can be awarded on a graduated scale (partial
rewards for partial success).
Provide frequent feedback by evaluating goal behaviours
at several intervals throughout the day. Only include goals that are significant
to the student’s
improvement. An example of a daily checklist developed for a student in Grade
2 can be found on the next page.
A checklist format is preferable to anecdotal
notes because it focuses on specific behaviours, has a less-subjective tone
and reduces the opportunity to make random comments that may be misconstrued
or may place unnecessary emphasis on problem behaviours that, within the big
picture, are insignificant.
Download Sample "My School
Day"
- Discuss the daily goal-setting checklist with students and parents
Explain that the daily checklist helps everyone to focus on the goal
behaviours and that the ultimate goal is for the student to have a happier and
more successful school day.
As much as possible, involve the student in
setting the goals and developing the criteria. Use language that is meaningful
to the student. A self-monitoring component encourages students to reflect
on their own behaviour more thoughtfully and more accurately. Some students
have a limited or skewed perception of how their behaviour appears to others
and need structured situations that help them learn how to more accurately
gauge others’ perceptions.
Sending the checklist back and forth between home
and school each day can be challenging for some students. Look for strategies
to make this routine easier on everyone, including parents and school staff.
A student is more likely to take a checklist home if it contains positive comments.
If the student is having difficulty remembering to take the checklist home
or to school, or seems to be resisting, use alternative strategies. For example:
- Designate a special plastic labelled envelope for this purpose and attach
it to the student’s homework agenda.
- Add the daily checklist to a list of items the student checks off before
leaving school at the end of each day.
- Fax or e-mail the completed checklist directly to the student’s home.
- Establish a system of reinforcement
Encourage parents to reward their child for positive performance as reflected
in the daily checklist. Natural rewards are more effective than objects or
activities that are artificially added, and short-term rewards that students
receive on the same day or within a week of the positive behaviour are preferable.
For example, a parent might make a child’s access to television or computer
games, which was previously “free,” contingent on receiving a positive
daily checklist. Rewards need to be motivating for the child, but not so elaborate
or expensive that they cause stress for either the child or parent. The focus
should not be on the reward, but on changing behaviour.
Another effective technique
is to establish a menu of reinforcements that the child can choose from.
For example, the at-home reinforcement menu could include:
- computer games for X minutes
- choosing family television show or video
- television time for X minutes
- video games for X minutes
- listening to music for X minutes
- a special snack
- talking on the phone to a friend or relative
- participating in a special activity with a parent (e.g., hot chocolate,
conversations, playing a board game, going on a bike ride)
- other rewards suggested by the child.
If a student is not responding to reinforcements at home, the school may have
to become involved. This can be particularly effective for younger children,
who need more immediate reinforcement.
An at-school menu of rewards could include (if these things are not already
part of the regular classroom routine):
- free time for X minutes
- visiting with a friend
- listening to recorded music or stories
- using felt markers or other art supplies
- choosing a book for the teacher to read to the class
- caring for the class pet
- using specific computer software programs
- choosing stickers
- choosing a seat
- playing cards or board games
- taking digital pictures
- drawing a prize from a grab bag
- other rewards suggested by the student.
The menu of reinforcements might need to be changed regularly to maintain
the student’s interest and motivation.
- Monitor and modify interventions
When completing the daily checklist, describe positive behaviour and note
improvements and benefits. Respond matter-of-factly to missed targets with
an encouraging statement about what can happen the next day.
Keep daily records
of how often the student meets each goal. Gradually increase appropriate behaviour
by increasing the criteria once the student consistently meets the goal. If
the student regularly fails to meet the goal, make it easier for a week or
two. Building on success is easier than building on failure.
Once the student has met the criterion for a goal at an acceptable level and
you are confident the student is able to consistently demonstrate it, announce
that the goal behaviour has been achieved. Simply tell students that they are
now doing so well that they don’t need that goal anymore. Periodic review may
be necessary for some students.
If necessary, move on to another goal. If the student is doing so well that
daily checklists are unnecessary, move to a weekly checklist and reinforcement
system. Work with students to determine what is meaningful and motivating to
them.
If this individual goal-setting approach is not working after several weeks,
meet with the student’s parents to discuss possible new strategies, which may
include a more intensive behavioural intervention. For additional information
on intensive interventions, including functional behavioural analysis and individual
behaviour support plans, see Supporting Positive Behaviour in Alberta Schools:
An intensive, individualized approach.
