More Behavior Solutions In and Beyond the Inclusive Classroom. Beth Aune
process for themselves and others.
• Begin the lesson by asking the student a question that will draw him into the main idea of what will be discussed in the whole group. This personal connection can help the student be more interested and engaged.
• Call on the student often to keep him interested, and ask him questions about which you know he has background knowledge.
• Give the student a specific task that requires him to be regularly engaged. Set up a plan with the student to ask one question relevant to the topic each class period.
• Seat the student in a preferred location in front of or near other students who pay attention.
Out-of-Seat Behavior
Today, more than ever, educators are faced with teaching core subjects for longer periods to prepare the class to master state standards. This requires the students to sit at their desks for long periods, and they may lose focus. Many students may have challenges with sustained sitting and have a sensory need for movement to help them maintain an alert state. The student may leave his seat to pace, invent reasons to get up (sharpen pencils, get a drink of water, get some tissue), or stand up at his desk.
• Schedule movement breaks (see Appendix B) for the entire class inside the classroom, such as standing to “stretch and wiggle.”
• Allow the student to help pass out papers, clean the board, or assist the teacher with technical media.
• Let the student stand at the back or perimeter of the classroom or at his desk.
• Allow a very motor-restless student to have a movement break outside the classroom. See Appendix B.
• Use oral strategies. When the mouth is kept busy, often the body will feel calmer and the student can sit still. See Appendix C.
• Provide hand fidget tools, such as Koosh balls, rubber bands, paper clips, and tangles.
In-Seat Behavior
Some students have an increased need for movement owing to their sensory profile. They may engage in humming, tapping a pencil, shifting position frequently, and appearing distracted. It is important to identify if the student’s behavior is interfering with the others’ learning. Sometimes, a teacher is the one who is distracted. Keep in mind that this student may be engaging in some sensory strategies to help him pay attention to the teacher’s instruction.
• Place the student in an area of the classroom where he does not distract the teacher or classmates.
• Provide alternative fidget tools that are less noticeable, such as items to keep in his pocket or ones that do not make noise.
• Let the student keep a hard candy in his mouth to reduce mouth noises.
• Ask the student questions more frequently to ensure he is paying attention. Some children may appear distracted, but they may actually be attending.
• Allow the student to stand at his desk when he needs to.
Difficulty Completing
Independent Work
Some students have poor motor skills, decreased organizational skills, and challenges with task sequencing. They may have difficulty with language processing and handwriting, or they may be distracted by environmental stimuli. This student doesn’t have materials ready, can be slow to start an assignment, can appear distracted or disorganized, and can be frustrated or oppositional.
• Identify a consistent location to keep materials secure and readily available, such as a container attached to the side of the desk or on the floor. For example, some students may benefit from attaching pencils to the desk with Velcro.
• Ensure that the student understands the intent of the assignment and make sure he starts it correctly. Don’t wait until he is halfway through to offer guidance.
• Modify lengthy assignments to a manageable level.
• Reward efforts to stay on task (e.g. verbal praise, a token economy).
• Allow the student to wear headphones or earplugs during pencil-and-paper activities.
Meltdown
First, let’s talk about our definition of a “meltdown.” This chapter uses “meltdown” and “tantrum” interchangeably. It can be a result of unmanaged frustration, or it can appear out of nowhere. Observable behavior may include crying, kicking, screaming, hitting, throwing objects, biting, banging the head onto the wall or floor, collapsing to the floor, name-calling, etc. This can last from a few minutes to over an hour.
We are not going to pretend that there is a magic formula that we can give you to guide your actions during melt-down or crisis. Thus, it is imperative that the adults in the situation have insight into the causes of a student’s behavior.
• First, ensure that the teacher, student, and others are safe.
• Remove hazards from the environment.
• Call for additional adult assistance.
• Maintain a calm voice and demeanor and keep talking to a minimum.
• Once the child has begun to calm down, you might offer rhythmical and closed-ended strategies, such as rocking, drinking water, counting, spelling, deep breathing, and singing.
This challenging behavior may require additional and ongoing support from your site psychologist or behavior specialist.
Difficulty Organizing
Materials
Many students have poor motor planning and sequencing skills. Often, their visual system is under-responsive, and it does not organize sensory input well. These students have extreme difficulty making a plan to organize materials, and they also often have decreased fine motor skills. Messy backpacks overflow with extra papers, desk drawers are chaotic, utensils are unusable or missing, and papers are not put in binders.
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