Emotional/Behavioural Disorders in Schools

Tips for Teachers

Learning is impaired, because of...

Withdrawn behaviourAntisocial behaviourPoor social skillsPoor interpersonal

relationshipsHigh absence rateLack of motivation/lack of

successAnxiety

Poor impulse controlImpaired executive

controlPoor motivation

What teachers can do...

Create an inviting learning environment

_____________Pitfalls

Avoid...preaching

...angry remarks...negativity

...sarcastic remarks

...overreacting

Avoid...sole emphasis on

behaviour management at the cost of

academic instruction

...asserting your authority

...mass punishment

...teaching above or below students’ ability level

...lacking instructional lesson goals

Instead, when an issue arises...

Keep your emotions in check (sometimes, both the student and the teacher need some ‘time out’ before dealing with an issue)

Avoid confrontations and defuse conflictIgnore attention-seeking behaviours (but never aggressive ones)

Boost a student’s interest (or change activity or rate of delivery) when you notice signs of restlessness (before off-task behavior occurs)

Ease tension through humorHelp with a difficult task before a student begins to act out Restructure your lesson plan (if an activity is not successful, change it quickly)

Consider seating arrangements

Other things teachers can do...

Since academic success contributes to a healthy self-esteem...

...focusing on academic success contributes to academic motivation and greater

availability to learning

Other things teachers can do...

Student groupingsTime management

Signals and other non-verbal cuesProgram for and support academic successEngage students beyond rote learning tasksAssess across a unit both formatively and

summatively, emphasizing formative assessment

Grouping for Instruction

…involves the use of small group instruction, one-on-one support, cooperative group activities, individualized instruction, and peer tutoring

• Grouping adaptations reduce occurrences of behavioral problems (Penno, Frank, & Wacker, 2000)

Peer Tutoring and Cooperative LearningProvide learning-focused opportunities for appropriate

social interaction

Peer Tutoring and Cooperative LearningTeach self-management, promote student engagement, provide immediate

feedback, provide opportunities to correct mistakes

Students with mental, emotional, and behavioural disorders are not fully available to learning

Program adaptations help students:

Concentrate

Organize information

Identify and select relevant information

Remember information

What is the overall/big idea that the student needs to take from the lesson?

Program adaptations for learners with behavioural and emotional difficulties

Secondary students’ common set of learner characteristics that negatively affect their academic success are motivational issues, anxiety, and lack of impulse control. This translates into poor persistence and concentration as well as difficulty to engage in independent work.

Learning outcomes depend on the extent to which instruction is functional and recognized by students as relevant (Bos & Vaughn, 1994)

Higher levels of engagement mean lower levels of inappropriate behaviour

Inappropriate student behavior decreases when students are presented with a sequence of shortened assignments versus one long assignment

Structured worksheets/graphic organizers, self-monitoring devices, advance organizers.

• Graphic organizer/structured worksheets help students remember and recall information (e.g., steps to a strategy).

• Self-monitoring to help students monitor their problem solving behavior

• Advance organizers help students identify, organize, understand, and retain information

References• Allsopp, D. H. (1997). Using classwide peer tutoring to teach beginning algebra problem-

solving skills in heterogeneous classrooms. Remedial and Special Education, 18, 367-379• Bos, C. S., & Vaughn, S. (1994). Strategies for teaching students with learning and

behavioral problems (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. • Daigle, B. (n.d.). Students with emotional/behavioural disorders. Retrieved from:

http://www.slideshare.net/brentdaigle/students-with-emotional-behavior-disorders-presentation

• Dweck, C.S., & Elliott, E.S. (1983). Achievement motivation. In P. Mussen and E.M. Hetherington (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology. New York: Wiley.

• Lenz, B. K., Bulgren, J. A., & Hudson, P. (1990). Content enhancement: A model for promoting the acquisition of content by individuals with learning disabilities. In T. E. Scruggs & B. L. Y. Wong (Eds.), Intervention research in learning disabilities (pp. 122-165). NY: Springer-Verlag.)

• Penno, D. A., Frank, A. R., & Wacker, D. P. (2000). Instructional accommodations for adolescent students with severe emotional or behavioral disorders. Behavior Disorders, 25, 325-343.

• N.a. (n.d.). http://www.teachervision.fen.com/