Creating a Behaviour Plan/Data Collection
Dec 5
What we’ll do today:
• Discuss some reasons for creating a plan
• Discuss some of the most important components in planning
• Practice some of the thinking required to create a good plan
– Objectivity
– Clarity
– Seeking and using evidence
What we won’t do today:
• Pretend that an ‘expert’ can answer “what do we do when…”
after hearing a few sentences about a person
(at least I won’t)
• Debate how much ‘support’ (by any meaning) is warranted for
a ‘behaviour student’
(we also won’t use that term – at least I won’t)
• Try to cover it all
Behaviour Intervention Plan?
Student
Staff Response
Not doing job, tapping and kicking
desk, distracting others.
‘What is your job right now?’
Remind student of expectation to
complete 10 minutes of job followed
by 5 minutes of free choice
If he complies, congratulate him.
If he refuses, move to step 2.
‘No, I’m not doing it’; ‘You can’t
make me’.
Disruptive to others.
Repeat above.
‘You have a choice to do your job or
take a body break. Make a choice’
If chooses, praise.
If he refuses, move to step 3
Complete refusal. Will not take one
of the choices and is disrupting
others.
‘I will count to 3 and you make your
choice. If you don’t choose, we will
have to call mom’
etc.
Basketball Intervention Plan?
Student
Staff Response
Fooling
Not
dunking
around,
his standing
basketball.
with
Fooling
hands
around,
in
his pockets
standing
andwith
talking
hands
to others,
in his
pockets
not
dunking
and talking
the basketball
to others.
given.
‘What is your job right now?’
Remind student of expectation to
complete 10 minutes of job followed
by 5 minutes of free choice
If he complies, congratulate him.
If he refuses, move to step 2.
‘No, I’m not doing it’; ‘You can’t
make me’.
Disruptive to others.
Repeat above.
‘You have a choice to dunk the
basketball or take a body break.
Make a choice’
If chooses, praise.
If he refuses,
refuse, move
movetotostep
step33
Complete refusal. Will not take one
of the choices and is disrupting
others.
‘I will count to 3 and you make your
choice. If you don’t choose, we will
have to call mom’
etc.
Reading Intervention Plan?
Student
Staff Response
Reading level C book, not reading the ‘What is your job right now?’
level H book given.
Remind student of expectation to
complete 10 minutes of job followed
by 5 minutes of free choice
If he complies, congratulate him.
If he refuses, move to step 2.
‘No, I’m not doing it’; ‘You can’t
make me’.
Disruptive to others.
Repeat above.
‘You have a choice to do your job or
take a body break. Make a choice.’
If chooses, praise.
If he refuses, move to step 3.
Complete refusal. Will not take one
of the choices and is disrupting
others.
‘I will count to 3 and you make your
choice. If you don’t choose, we will
have to call mom’.
etc.
Start with Philosophy
1. You control your actions
2. Your philosophy informs your actions
Maté says:
“When you look at a plant that's not developing, you're not going to
diagnose it with a disease, you're not going to yell at it to grow up.
You're going to see what's missing, what conditions are lacking —
nutrition, minerals, sunlight, irrigation.”
"Same thing with human beings, and it just so happens that the most
important influence in human beings is actually the emotional
contact with nurturing adults.”
Greene says:
“Kids do well if they can.”
Two Basic Behavioural Concepts
Behaviour is related to the context/environment in which it occurs.
• Things in the environment can affect the likelihood of challenging behaviour occurring.
• The Positive Behaviour Intervention Support (PBIS) Plan should consider what
environmental features support the challenging behaviour in order to know what
environmental changes may decrease the likelihood of occurrence.
Behaviour serves a purpose.
• All behaviours, including challenging behaviour, allow the student to get a need met (i.e.,
behaviour serves a function). If the student had the skills to do better, they would.
• The PBIS Plan should include identification of the probable function(s) of the problem
behaviour in order to develop a plan that teaches replacement and/or coping skills related
to the function(s).
Two Implications for Behavioural Intervention
A PBIS Plan addresses environmental features
A PBIS Plan teaches behaviours
• A complete PBIS Plan should address both strands by making
environmental changes that support acceptable behaviour, AND specifying
how (as well as when and by whom) replacement and/or coping skills will
be taught.
• When a plan is implemented well and change is not occurring, evaluating
whether both strands were addressed is a good first step.
Additional Considerations
New behaviour should be reinforced to result in maintenance over time.
• The PBIS Plan should consider reinforcement for new functionally equivalent behaviour. The
plan may also specify general reinforcement for positive behaviours.
Implementers need to know how to handle problem behaviour if it occurs again.
• The PBIS Plan should consider reactive strategies ranging from prompting strategy use
through school and district disciplinary required actions in serious cases.
Communication needs to be between all important stakeholders, frequently enough to result
in the continuous teaming necessary to achieve success.
• The PBIS Plan should consider who communicates with whom, how frequently and in what
manner.
Shortest Summary Ever
1) Define – Do this well
2) Measure 3) Hypothesize Keep doing these
4) Intervene 5) Reconsider -
An even shorter version
• What’s he doing?
• Why?
• What should we do?
1) Define – Do this well
What is the behaviour of concern that we want to decrease?
• Think: How can I clearly describe the behaviour so anyone
would agree it is happening or not happening?
• Consider: Judgment/Assumption free, Observable,
Measureable
Check for: Observable, Measurable,
Judgment/Assumption Free
• makes verbal threats and has physical altercations when he
feels threatened
• when he doesn’t want to do his work, he will cause a scene
• refuses to complete tasks he knows he can do
• leaves when he doesn’t get his way
• is manipulative and aggressive
• is constantly non-compliant
Assignment
Write up your target behaviour for a student (real or fictional).
e.g., Outbursts (verbal, physical), Leaving without permission.
Think: How can I clearly describe the behaviour so anyone
watching would agree it is happening or not happening?
Consider: Judgment/Assumption free, Observable, Measureable
Tips about Definition:
•
•
•
•
Think what you see and hear to indicate it started
Think what you see and hear to indicate it has stopped
Think ‘can I measure this?’ and how
Think about how to capture all instances of THAT STUDENT’S
SPECIFIC BEHAVIOUR
*You don’t need to write the definition of hitting, just the definition
for that person.
*If you can’t do it, you probably need more information.
Common Problems with Defining TB:
• Too many behaviours to work on
• Behavioural descriptions that are actually character judgments
or that assume the function
• Unclear descriptions
• Too much information about what we think of it; not enough
information on what it is
2) Measure – Keep doing this
Make data collection as easy, but as sensitive, as possible
• Think: How much is it happening? How serious?
• Think: Minimal effort, but maximum information
(frequency and severity)
Assignment
Design the easiest Data Collection plan you can think of for your
TB (using the sheet provided as an example).
What do you need to alter to make sense for your student?
• How often will something be recorded?
• What will be recorded?
• Do you need the severity scale?
Tips about Data Collection:
• Think about whether you are getting a reasonable estimate of how much
(frequency) and how serious (severity)
• Balance the need for accuracy with the need for ongoing data
• The more often it occurs, the more you will have to think of estimating
*You don’t need to capture every instance, you need consistency in order to
compare over time.
Biggest Bang:
- Intervals (divide the day into equal blocks of time)
- Severity codes (so you mark down one thing at each interval)
- Include plans for data summary
Outbursts • Verbal: Any verbalization which is loud enough to be heard at least 5 feet away and/or interrupts the
lesson/activity. Includes inappropriate words/comments for the classroom (e.g., “poop”), failure to
comply (e.g., “No, No, I’m not doing that!), and insults (e.g., “You’re such a moron”), threats, or
swearing.
• Physical: Any instance of hitting/slapping (contact with open or closed hand), pushing (contact with
one or both hands), jumping on back or other unwanted physical contact, or throwing of objects not
meant to be thrown that either does, or has the potential to, cause harm by being directed at self or
others. Failed attempts at any of the above will be counted in data collection.
Severity
1. Verbalizations - disruptive, no threat/insult
2. Verbalizations - involving failure to comply and/or insults
3. Verbalizations - involving swearing and/or threatening
4. Physical - failed attempt and/or thrown object, no contact
5. Physical - contact, no first aid required/no injury
6. Physical - repeated and/or serious enough to cause injury/need for first aid
Common Problems with Data Collection:
• Poorly defined behaviours
• Method chosen that doesn’t capture what we want
• Too much information about what we think of it; not enough
information about what it is (frequency and severity)
3) Hypothesize – Keep doing this
With everything we know, what are likely functions of the
behaviour?
• Think: What purpose might the behaviour serve? What
underlying reason might account for it?
• Consider: Conversations, Observations, and all sources of data
Assumptions
• to get attention
• to get out of doing his work
The difference between an assumption and a hypothesis about
function is evidence – what can you point to that supports your
hypothesis?
Be careful not to assume that your reason for doing something is the
same for everyone else. This sometimes leads to the common refrain
‘for no reason’.
Assignment
Use the ATFA (provided) to identify at least one hypothesis for
the TB you identified.
• Use the tool to frame the conversation
• Use the information available to you (conversations,
observations, all data)
Tips about Determining Function:
• Avoid assumptions
• Avoid judgments
• Be open to alternative answers (even if they don’t make sense to
you)
• Use a tool to frame the conversation
• What objective evidence suggests your hypothesis may be true, or
incorrect?
• A tool like the ATFA does not provide a score or answer – it may
only lead to identifying what more needs to be figured out.
4) Intervene – Keep doing this
• Build and implement interventions based on the information
you have (steps 1-3)
• Think: Who is going to do what, when?
• Consider: Environment (decrease opportunity), Teaching Skills
(decrease need)
Interventions?
•
•
•
•
•
Teacher will directly teach self-regulation strategies
Zones of Regulation
Teach problem solving skills
Use Social Stories
Teach social skills
Assignment
Come up with at least one intervention each that:
1) Might decrease the likelihood of the TB occurring (change in
environment, interaction style, academic program)
2) Would teach a replacement skill that serves the same function
Specific, but simple, examples
• Mr. ____ will read Gabby’s social story ‘quiet hands’ with her
every morning when she arrives. Ms. _____ will review the
story again when she arrives after lunch.
• CT will teach the Zones of Regulation lessons to the whole class
during three 30 minute periods per week. Gabby will have an
opportunity to role play her ‘take a break’ strategy with an EA
for 5 extra minutes immediately following a lesson, and with
the CT just before music on Thursdays and Fridays.
Tips for intervention
• Think about task analysis – what are the steps we want a
student to learn
• Teach the steps
• Practice the steps
Keep the steps available – think concrete, visible, available for
reference.
More tips about Intervention:
• Base interventions on information.
• Accurate assessment data and hypotheses around function
lead to useful interventions.
• Keep it simple. Think simple and targeted. How will the
changes made and skills taught decrease the need for the TB?
• Who is going to do what, when?
• Growing Conditions.
Common Problems with Intervention:
• Not based on data/function
• Not actionable – doesn’t specifically require anybody to do
anything.
• Mistake reinforcement systems or safety plans for the
complete support plan.
5) Reconsider – Keep doing this
• Review progress regularly; make changes as necessary
• Think: How do I know if it’s working?
• Consider: Data
Common Problems:
• Other steps not considered (poor definition, poor data, poor
intervention – can’t really tell the results).
• Plan changed too easily/quickly and/or without information –
we tried that and it didn’t work.
Review
(DEFINE)
• IF you have well defined behaviours, you can collect accurate data.
(MEASURE)
• IF you collect accurate data you can hope to form a reasonable hypothesis regarding
function.
(HYPOTHESIZE)
• IF you have a reasonable hypothesis about function, you can design appropriate, targeted
interventions.
(INTERVENE)
• IF you are using appropriate interventions, you have an increased chance of success.
(RECONSIDER)
• IF you continue to collect accurate data, you can determine whether you’ve been successful.