POSITIVE

BEHAVIOR
SUPPORTS
March 03, 2020
Behavior Support Plan

◦A Behavior Support Plan refers to a plan which

specifies a broad range of strategies used in
supporting the needs of the person.
Behavior Support Plan

◦It includes proactive strategies that builds on

the person’s strengths and supports the learning
of skills such as general life skills, coping
skills and effective communication.
What is Positive Behavior Support?

◦Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is not a

simple answer to the complex reasons why
people show behaviors of concern.
What is Positive Behavior Support?
◦The PBS approach includes the
◦systematic gathering of relevant information,
◦conducting a functional behavior assessment,
◦designing support plans,
◦implementation and ongoing evaluation
What is Positive Behavior Support?
◦Immediate response strategies for the
management of serious episodes of the
behavior are also addressed, but there is a
belief that the best behavior support happens
when the behavior is not happening; hence the
strong emphasis on proactive strategies.
Reasons why behaviors occur:
◦Something is wanted or needed
◦Trying to escape from or avoid something
◦For entertainment and sensory input
◦To express intense feelings including joy, fear, anger,
sadness; and to relieve stress.
◦Biological, bio‐chemical, or developmental processes/issues
◦To communicate
 Research has proven…
◦Students thrive with teachers who
– Maintain and communicate high expectations for student success
– Build positive relationships with students
– Teach students how to behave successfully
– Create consistent, predictable classroom routines
– Provide consistent monitoring and supervision
– Provide frequent positive feedback
– Correct misbehavior in a calm, consistent, logical manner
The Problem-Solving Process
Behavioral Errors
◦More often occur because:
◦Students do not have appropriate skills- “Skill
Deficits”
◦Students do not know when to use skills
◦Students have not been taught specific
classroom procedures and routines
◦Skills are not taught in context
Why Develop a System for Teaching
Behavior?
◦Behaviors are prerequisites for academics
◦Procedures and routines create structure
Why Develop a System for Teaching
Behavior?
◦Repetition is key to learning new skills:
◦For a child to learn something new, it needs to be
repeated on average of 8 times
◦For a child to unlearn an old behavior and
replace with a new behavior, the new behavior
must be repeated on average 28 times (Harry
Wong)
Why Develop a System for Teaching
Behavior?
◦We can no longer assume:
◦Students know the expectations/rules and
appropriate ways to behave
◦Students will learn appropriate behaviors
quickly and effectively without consistent
practice and modeling
Why Develop a System for Teaching
Behavior?
◦We must assume:
◦Students will require different curricula,
instructional modalities, etc… to learn
appropriate behavior
◦We need to teach expectations/rules and
appropriate behaviors as effectively as we teach
academic skills
Where does Positive Support come from?

◦Inclusion movement
◦Applied Behavioral Analysis
◦Person centered values
◦Quality of life
It promotes…

◦A comprehensive lifestyle change

◦A lifespan perspective
◦Environmental change
◦Social validity
◦Multi-component intervention
POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL
SUPPORT STRATEGIES
Positive Behavior Management

◦Management system to maintain challenging

behaviors
◦Behaviors can be difficult to change as they serve
a purpose for the individual
◦Behaviors are supported by reinforcement, both
positive or negative
Positive Behavior Management

◦Not all behaviors have equal priority for

behavioral change
◦There are evidence-based best practices for
behavioral interventions
Positive and Proactive Interventions
◦Visuals
◦Task analysis
◦Social skills/social narratives/video modeling
◦Reinforcement system
◦Processing time
◦Proximity Control
◦Pre-teaching/front loading
◦Prompt Hierarchy
Why are they important?
◦Increases independence
◦Reduces anxiety
◦Plays off strong visual skills
◦Reduces behavior
◦Ensures predictability
◦Supports coping strategies
◦Reduces dependency on adults
Various Types for Various Needs

◦Object Schedule
◦Tactile Schedule
◦Picture Schedule
◦Word Schedule
◦Mini Schedule