Addressing Barriers to Learning Using Behavioral Techniques

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Addressing Barriers to Learning Using Behavioral
Techniques

• Mental Health in the Schools Series Module I

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Objectives

• Identify Risk/Protective Factors
• Identify the Problematic Behavior
• Practice Collecting Data
• Identify the Function of Behavior
• Identify Interventions that Teach Replacement
  Behaviors
• Cultural Awareness

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• Risk Factors/Barriers to Learning
• Early Development
• Disorders
• Family Stressors
• Experiential Stressors

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• Protective Factors Building blocks of healthy
  development that help young people grow up well
  balanced, caring, and responsible.
• Early Development
• Quality of Family/Home
• Quality of Child
• Competence and Confidence

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Cultural Awareness

• KNOW YOUR STUDENTS!
• Be aware of the impact of your own culture and
  world views
• Recognize that cultural differences exist WITHIN
  ethnic groups
• Enhance students self-image, motivation, and
  cultural pride
• Initiate home-school collaboration

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Defining the Problem
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When Problems Occur

• 1. Identify a Target Behavior
• a. Define Target Behavior (measurable
  observable)
• b. Collect data (consistency)
• 2. Utilize Support Services
• 3. Communicate with the Student (In Private!)
• 4. Contract with the Student

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Data collection time
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Analysis of Data to Determine the Function of
Behavior

• What do you think the student gets by behaving
  this way?
• What actually happens to/for the student?
• What does the student avoid or get out of?
• Does the students behavior result in a power
  struggle?

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Examples of Cultural Diversity

• Caution against STEREOTYPING!
• Some cultures often have a family/community-center
  ed perception of mental illness
• Some cultures view mental health services as
  intrusive and anti-family
• Some cultures view mental illness as a test of
  faith
• Cultural bound syndromes
• Cultural systems among gangs

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Interventions When The Behavior Is

• Attention-Seeking
• (Its a human need!)
• Power
• (You gain power by surrendering it!)
• Escape
• (Flight or fight)

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Reinforcement

• Reinforcement is desirable to the person who
  receives it.
• The student wants the event to happen again so
  the teacher/staff repeats the action.
• ALL people seek reinforcement!
• Not just children or people who have some type of
  disability!

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Replacement Behaviors

• Teaching Replacement Behavior(s)
• Role Play Activity
• Barriers?
• Strategies to address barriers?

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Remember!

• For a child to learn something new you need to
  repeat it on the average 8 times. For a child to
  UNLEARN an old behavior and replace it with a new
  behavior, you need to repeat the new behavior on
  the average of 28 times. Twenty of those times
  are used to eliminate the old behavior and 8 of
  the times are used to learn the new behavior.
• Harry K. Wong

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Promoting Social Protective Factors

• Universal Methods
• Model/Teach
• Create Opportunities to Practice Desired Behavior
• Adapt Skill to Real Life

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Teaching Tools

• Second Step
• Character education
• Mini societies
• Small group social skills
• One to one instruction
• Peer modeling
• Therapy
• Role model (teacher)
• Role play
• Games
• Art projects
• Research projects

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If Your Own Efforts FAILTHE SST PROCESS

• A. Refer student to SST
• 1. Complete the Request for Intervention
  Assistance form
• 2. Collect data on PBS 2 and 3 data sheets
• B. First SST Meeting
• Review Data on PBS 3 and Summarize on PBS 4
• C. Review target behavior
• 1. Limit the number of target behaviors
• 2. Remember behavior may regress initially.