Orbiting the UniversePTR Dialogues

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Orbiting the Universe Group Dialogue

PTR: Function-based Thinking Function-based thinking is a systematic method to understand and address

behavioral issues in the classroom to enhance learning

Understanding the ABC’s of behavior is a tool that is helpful in gaining and utilizing information

Positive Behavior Supports is about the design of effective environments

Without understanding the ABC’s of behavior an intervention plan is as likely tomake a problem worse as to make it better; taking the time to understand why a student continues to engage in problem behavior in a specific routine is important

At-risk students persevere when they feel supported and successful

Punishment does not work; you can’t take away enough

Teach and practice the behaviors you want

Which bullet resonates with you and why

Orbiting the Universe Group Dialogue

PTR: Prevention

Antecedent Scenario: Sara reportedly makes faces whenever the teacher’s back is turned.What do you think the trigger is?

Are there other possibilities and if so what?

What “test” questions could you ask?

1. What is the one thing I could do to virtually ensure that Sara makes faces?

2. What would happen if…

a. There were no other students around?

b. You kept your eyes on the class the entire class period?

c. You worked at the board most of the class period?

d. Students worked in groups while you were at the board?

3. Do you clearly understand what does and does NOT evoke the problem behavior?

4. Can you identify events you could change that would prevent the problem behavior?

Discuss how you can explore deeper when identifying the antecedent of a student’s

challenging behavior?

Orbiting the Universe Group Dialogue

PTR: Consequence/Function of Behavior

Stick to observable facts when identifying the function of the behavior.

If team members talk about intentions or personality traits, ask what they have observed about the student to support these ideas.

Consequence/Function ScenarioSara’s teacher says” She makes fun of me whenever I am writing on the board. Of course the other kids think this is great and laugh a lot. Obviously she wants their attention but what can I do about that – they won’t stop just because I tell them to.”

What do you think the reinforcer is?

Are there other possibilities and if so what?

What “test” questions could you ask

1. Would Sara make faces if no other students were around and you were writing on the board?

2. Would Sara make faces if all the other students ignored her?3. What do YOU do when Sara makes faces?

Discuss how you can explore deeper when identifying the outcome and function of a student’s

challenging behavior?Hint: what does the student get out of the behavior, not what did we do to her…

Orbiting the Universe

Group Dialogue

PTR: Goal Setting and Data Collection

1. Behavior should always be defined as:

a. OBSERVABLE

b. MEASUREABLE

c. SO CLEARLY DEFINED THAT A PERSON UNFAMILIAR WITH THE STUDENT COULD RECOGNIZED THE BEHAVIOR WITHOUT ANY DOUBTS

2. Behavior Rating Scales are most successful when:

a. the target behavior is clearly defined

b. the best method for measuring the behavior is selected and

c. accurate points are established

3. Behavior Rating Scales establish a systematic strategy for daily measurement of the target behaviors; data are obtained daily during baseline and throughout the intervention

Discuss the Behavioral Rating Scales you use and how do you include your baseline data

Orbiting the Universe Group Dialogue

PTR: Hypothesis / Summary Statement

Strategies based on the hypothesis statement will be used to develop an individual positive behavior support plan which includes:

Prevent strategies Teaching alternative behaviors meeting the same function as the

misbehavior and if possible are incompatible with the identified misbehavior Reinforcement to increase the desire to us the alternative behavior(s) and

decrease the identified problem behavior(s).

An effective hypothesis statement includes information for: Antecedents (PREVENT) or setting events that occur prior to the challenging

behavior (WHEN, WHERE) Identified specific challenging behaviors (TEACH) demonstrated by the

student as defined during the goal setting process (WHAT) Function or purpose (REINFORCE) of the behavior (WHY)

If the team has difficulty determining the hypothesis or gaining consensus on the function of the behavior, the following questions may assist them toward reaching that goal:

Does the challenging behavior always occur under similar environmental conditions? Do the same behavior patterns occur in different environmental settings? Does the challenging behavior occur fairly equally across all environmental conditions? Does something happen immediately before the challenging behavior occurs or does the behavior occur

after a time delay? Does the student have access to something after engaging in the challenging behaviors that he or she did

not have access to before? Was the student able to escape or delay something after engaging in the challenging behavior? Was the student able to escape or delay something after engaging in the challenging behavior? Does the challenging behavior occur after the removal of a preferred item, activity or individual? Does the challenging behavior occur with the presentation of a non-preferred item, activity or individual? What immediately follows the occurrence of the challenging behavior? What usually follows the display of appropriate behavior? Is more information needed? Is an additional classroom observation needed? Are other data collection measures needed in conjunction with the Behavior Rating Scale? Would a brief interview with the parent or caregiver provide pertinent information?

What stands out for you about the hypothesis statement

Orbiting the Universe Group Dialogue

PTR: Behavior Intervention Plan – Prevent Intervention

The PTR Behavior Intervention Plan includes a minimum of three components: Prevent-Teach-Reinforce

PREVENT

Many teams have found that PREVENT strategies are easier to implement than Teach or Reinforce strategies.

Prevent data can assist the team in determining what environmental circumstances are already in place that predict the occurrence of appropriate behavior. The team might ask the following questions to help identify effective intervention strategies:

How can these events and/or circumstances be increased within the environment?

How can these situations be replicated during those times when challenging behavior is more likely to occur?

The best time to teach a new behavior is when the student is not engaging in challenging behavior; thus it is critical to implement PREVENT strategies that will decrease the likelihood that challenging behavior will occur.

Why is PREVENT data important to collect?

Orbiting the Universe Group Dialogue

PTR: Behavior Intervention Plan –Teach InterventionThe PTR Behavior Intervention Plan includes a minimum of three components: Prevent-Teach-Reinforce

TEACH

The best time to teach a new behavior is when the student is not engaging in challenging behavior(s)

Replacement behaviors are behaviors that meet the same need as the behavior of concern, but in a more socially acceptable way; they are not merely the absence of the problem behavior and are most often incompatible with the behavior of concern.

When selecting a Replacement behavior, it is important for the skill to be appropriate to the communication and cognitive level of the student, and ideal to exist already within the student’s repertoire of behaviors.

Sometimes, a student may know the appropriate behavior yet may engage in a negative behavior because he or she gets more frequent and intense reinforcement for the undesirable behavior.

Some student may not know or be able to perform the appropriate behavior and will need to be systematically taught the new skills.

How do you teach replacement behaviors?

Orbiting the Universe Group Dialogue

PTR: Behavior Intervention Plan – Reinforce Intervention

The PTR Behavior Intervention Plan includes a minimum of three components: Prevent-Teach-Reinforce

REINFORCE

1. “Reinforce” data identifies why the student may continue to engage in challenging behavior(s) and provides the team with information on how to make the student’s challenging behavior ineffective.

2. It is important for the team to change how adults and/or peers respond to the student’s challenging behavior so that the student no longer gets a desired outcome for the inappropriate behavior.

3. The Reinforce data can also identify additional items and activities that are reinforcing for the student and the team can use this information to provide extra reinforcers to increase the likelihood that the student will engage in the desired pro-social behavior.

How do your plans include reinforcement for the replacement behavior and extinguish the

misbehavior?

Orbiting the Universe Group Dialogue

PTR: Coaching

Once the team has selected the PTR interventions and developed the student’s individualized behavior intervention plan, training and technical assistance on

how to implement the interventions should be provided to the teacher and all other team members who will be responsible for the plan.

Providing training, support and technical assistance to the teacher and evaluating fidelity of implementation will enhance the likelihood of the teacher carrying out the intervention as intended and will allow the team to determine the effectiveness of the PTR Behavior Intervention Plan.

Before implementing the plan, first provide training to the teacher outside the normal classroom environment, then provide technical assistance to support in the classroom until the teacher is implementing the plan successfully.

In coaching staff on fidelity, it is critical to let them know from the outset that improvement is not the goal. Precise implementation is the goal.

To measuring the fidelity of the intervention data is collected for both adherence and quality.

Discuss how you envision coaching support and technical assistance for your identified student’s

PTR Behavior Support Plan.

Orbiting the Universe Group Dialogue

PTR: Evaluation

Outcome data is used by the team to determine the effectiveness of the intervention plan and the fidelity of implementation. Outcome data is used to determine if the targeted behaviors are:

Improving Remaining the same Or getting worse

Review the post-intervention data every 2 weeks to revisit the plan if there is not adequate progress or move from acquisition to mastery to skill maintenance by extending the scope of the intervention plan when there is improvement.

Good Progress: Extension: other settings, another routine,

another person Shaping: Adjust the Behavior Rating Scale

Anchor Points Fading Reinforcement: Decrease the

frequency or delay gratification (wait longer for the reinforcer)

Self-Management: A system where the student monitors, evaluates and reinforces his/her own performance of specific behaviors

Inadequate Progress: Interventions too difficult to implement Not enough time to prepare and implement Unrealistic time requirements to implement Need additional supports/resources

Discuss how you envision using the Decision Making Tree for your identified student to

determine effectiveness of thePTR Behavior Support Plan.