Building Better Behavior: A Program Describing Fundamental Behavior Strategies Appropriate for Paraeducators
From Bob Morgan, Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation
Utah State University
TRISPED Projects
What is the purpose of Building Better Behavior? This CD-ROM program describes proven ways to address common behaviors in classrooms or other school settings. The approaches are called Behavior Builders. Some Behavior Builders emphasize positive approaches for teaching appropriate alternative behaviors to replace problem behaviors. This approach is used because many students who display behavior problems are not skilled in performing appropriate behaviors – they need to be taught how, when, and where to display new behaviors. Other Behavior Builders are designed to prevent problems before they start – called proactive approaches. The purpose is to provide basic strategies for interacting with students. It is not a set of behavioral intervention procedures, but fundamental methods for building better behaviors.
When is this program relevant? Behavior Builders is useful in addressing common behaviors in school classrooms or other educational settings. Used appropriately, Behavior Builders may significantly reduce behavior problems.
What is the paraeducator's role in this program? As direct service providers, paraeducators are frequently in situations where they need to manage student behavior. Building Better Behavior is written in practical language for paraeducators working in classrooms and Title I programs. It can be shared with teachers and other team members, including parents. Building Better Behavior is based on the thinking that fundamental skills in verbal interaction, timing of communications, and rapport-building will eliminate many problem behaviors before they occur. Many of the strategies will be immediately usable by paraeducators because they require no formal training in behavior analysis.
What else must be considered before starting a Behavior Builder?
Preliminary strategies. Behavior Builders are similar to preliminary strategies. Preliminary strategies may be used in conjunction with Behaviors Builders to maximize success. Preliminary strategies include
- using appropriate and engaging curriculum,
- providing opportunities for students with special needs to interact with typical students in regular education settings,
- creating a limited number of positively stated rules for each school setting,
- promoting communication opportunities for all students,
- arranging the environment to enhance learning and reduce problem behaviors,
- establishing high rates of praise statements from instructors to students for behavior and academic performance,
- setting a rapid pace of instruction, and
- reducing down time, and so forth.
In this presentation, the presenter will describe and demonstrate excerpts of the Building Better Behavior CD-ROM program. The exhibit at the conference invites paraeducators and others to stop by to use the program at their convenience.
The 15 Behavior Builders include
- Name first
- Specific instructions
- Ask student to repeat instructions
- Distinguish specific instructions from choices
- Forecasting expectations
- Establishing expectations for transitions
- Recognizing/praising actions
- Praise around
- The name game
- Reinforcing for asking to take a 10-sec break
- Reinforcing for signaling for help
- Reinforcing for asking "When can I …?"
- Reinforcing for appropriately getting the instructor’s attention
- Reinforcing successive approximations
For more information, contact Technology, Research, and Innovation in Special Education (TRI-SPED) at Utah State University, 1-877-722-3991 or www.trisped.org
[1] Presented at the 25th National Conference on the Training and Employment of Paraprofessionals, Bloomington, Minnesota, May 11 and 12, 2006
