Here is a short list of suggestions you may be able to incorporate should you need to address behavior concerns with your child.
- Technique #1: Use Praise
Praise reinforces good behavior. It tells a child what they are supposed to do. It not only develops their confidence, but it also discourages negative behaviors. It eliminates any confusion about what is expected and not expected. - Technique #2: Progress Charts
Create a progress chart where you list out the behavior you would like your child to improve upon and a place to keep track of their ability to manage those behaviors. Use a sticker, a star, or some other celebratory indicator of their success. At the end of the learning session, ask the student to take a look at their chart and evaluate if they met the behavior expectation for the day. If so, ask them to place the sticker or other item on the chart. This gives them autonomy over their choices and instills confidence that they can be successful. At the end of each week, take a moment to review the chart with the student and discuss what happened. Celebrate their progress no matter how small. - Technique #3: Token Economy or Rewards
To support the use of a behavior chart, add in the use of a reward to award them for good behavior. To increase your child’s interest in the reward, ask them to choose what they want the reward to be. For rewards to be effective, it is important to follow through and make sure the child receives the reward. It is also beneficial to award the reward within a reasonable time frame to which the reward was earned. - Technique #4: Set Clear Expectations
A child will not know how to behave as expected if they are not clearly taught what to do. Provide your child with a succinct, yet specific, explanation of how you expect them to behave so there is no confusion. - Technique #5: Understand the Antecedent
All behavior is caused by an antecedent, which is something that occurs or prompts a negative behavior. If your child is misbehaving, evaluate what could be causing the behavior and address that issue. If you can remove the antecedent, you may be able to eliminate the behavior. - Technique #6: Redirect
If a child is misbehaving, give them something to do instead. Redirect them to another activity or to the desired task you would like them to do. Sometimes, children don’t know what to do in lieu of the problem behavior and they need to be shown. - Technique #7: Demonstrate
Sometimes a replacement behavior needs to be demonstrated for the child. This may be true for students who have auditory processing challenges and have difficulty processing spoken directions. Instead, model what you would like for them to do so they receive visual input that is clearer. This is especially helpful if the negative behavior involves a physical movement.
If you have further questions about how to address behavior concerns about your child, please contact your child’s Special Education Teacher.
