SCRED Life Skills - Obtain-Stimulus_Tier 3-SpEd Interventions

Tier 3 and SpEd | Function-Based Strategies

Obtain a Pleasing Sensory Stimulus

The teaching, prevention, reinforcement, and response strategies listed below are designed to work together to "push and pull" the student away from the undesired behavior pattern and toward a new pattern that involves a positive replacement behavior.

The Behavior Flowchart Worksheet is a great tool for problem solving discussions and planning individualized behavior interventions as a team. As you review the strategies below, you could use the worksheet to organize your thoughts.

Behavior Problem Solving Flowchart Worksheet.pdf

Teaching Behavior Expectations & Skills

What key skills will allow the student to replace the target behaviors and function more successfully? At least 1 replacement behavior must be functionally equivalent but it is appropriate to also include 1-2 desired behaviors.

Keep in mind that these are the skills we plan to teach the student and reinforce throughout the day, but it's unadvisable to try to progress monitor all of the skills we're working on with the student. When it comes to progress monitoring, choose skill(s) that will be indicative of the student's overall progress.

Functionally Equivalent Behaviors 👍

The consequence for the behavior is comparable to that of the undesired behavior it is replacing.

Making a Request
Asking for Help
Advocating
Negotiating

Desired Behaviors 🙌

Skills we desire as a long-term replacement, but they don't accomplish, for the student, the same thing the undesired behavior does.

Being Patient
Expressing Your Feelings
Following Instructions
Following Rules
Identifying Your Feelings
Managing Stress
Staying on Task
Using Calming Strategies

When we're providing a Tier 3 or Special Education intervention that involves explicit instruction, we want that instruction to focus in on the specific needs of the students we're working with, and we want to have enough resources so that we're able dig deep into topics — providing more repetition, explanation, practice, feedback, etc. than students receive in their Tier 1 core instruction.

To accomplish this, we generally recommend that interventionists pull lessons and activities from multiple curriculums and then craft their own units/clusters (i.e., related activities that target the same skill area).

Prevention

Promoting performance of replacement behaviors and eliminating triggers for target behaviors (e.g., changes to instruction, prompting, schedule, physical environment, etc.).

When determining which prevention strategies to use, ask yourself these questions:

What strategies have worked in the past?
The student is getting something from their target behavior(s) — a sensory stimulus. How can we provide that proactively?
What triggers (e.g., environmental, interpersonal) typically precede the target behavior(s)? How can we minimize or eliminate those triggers?
What resources are available to implement these strategies with fidelity (e.g., assistive technology, teacher:student ratio, paraprofessional)?

Examples below.

NOTE: Many of these strategies are Tier 1 (universal) best practices.

At the Tier 3 or SpEd level, we're using them more deliberately, sometimes with adaptations.

PACING: During [whole group instruction] in [insert class(es)], teachers will allow XXX to pace in the back of the classroom provided it is not disruptive.

PREFERENTIAL SEATING: In [insert class(es)], teachers will allow XXX to move their seat toward a preferred stimulus, such as [light, heat, good smell] provided XXX continues to engage in their instructional routine without disrupting the group.

GROSS MOTOR BREAK: When requested by XXX, up to [once] per class for [#] minutes, staff will allow XXX to transition to [insert location (e.g., hallway, sensory room, etc.)] and to “work off” excess energy using safe, nondisruptive gross motor activity.

NON-CONTINGENT SENSORY BREAKS: [Upon XXX’s request], up to one break per class period, staff will provide XXX with access to a [sensory room/sensory space in the classroom] for [#] minutes.

SENSORY STIMULATION: In [insert class(es)] during [seat work time] when XXX is on task, staff will provide XXX with [describe a tool/method that can unobtrusively provide a preferred stimuli] when XXX demonstrates on-task behavior.

CHEWING STIMULATION: In [insert class(es)] during [seat work time] when XXX is on task, staff will provide XXX with opportunities for appropriate chewing using [gum, licorice, rubber keychains].

MUSIC: In [insert class(es)] during [seat work time] when XXX is on task, staff will play quiet, rhythmic music (classical, instrumental folk music, repetitive children’s songs).

ENVIRONMENTAL STIMULI: In [insert class(es)] during [seat work time] when XXX is on task, staff will allow XXX to access [describe over-/under-stimulating location(s) within the classroom (e.g., low lighting area, study carrel, etc.)].

MULTI-SENSORY INSTRUCTION: In [insert class(es)] during all instructional activities where these techniques can reasonably be utilized, teachers will use a combination of visual, auditory, kinesthetic/tactile activities for teaching or reinforcing concepts whenever possible.

*Use this strategy when a student has a very strong need for sensory stimulation throughout their day. Best used with students in small groups where intense individualization is feasible and sensory equipment is readily available.*

NATURAL GROSS MOTOR OPPORTUNITIES: When heavy work/gross motor opportunities naturally occur, staff will provide XXX with the opportunity to volunteer to run an errand involving heavy work (e.g., delivering a box of heavy books to the main office).

SENSORY TOOLS: In [insert class(es)] during [seat work time] when XXX is on task, staff will allow XXX to use their [insert sensory tool(s) (e.g., wiggle cushion, heavy rubber bands, squish balls or another fidget tool, weighted lap pad, tilted chair, slant board, bean bag chair] provided the tool is used non-disruptively and in its intended manner.

“IF THIS, THEN THAT”: School staff will pair instructions to engage in a non-preferred activity with reminders that a preferred activity will follow (i.e., “First [non-preferred activity], then you can [preferred activity].”).

Reinforcement

Reinforcement is anything that follows a behavior that makes it more likely the behavior will occur again in the future.

Why reinforce?: Reinforcement is critical to effective behavior intervention because we don’t just want a student to stop exhibiting an undesired behavior, we also need to promote the use of replacement, desired behaviors.
What are my options?: Below, read about five key choices that must be made when designing a reinforcement system.
What if it isn’t working?: If we’re trying to reinforce a behavior (i.e., increase its rate) and instead we’re seeing it less or the same amount, what we’re doing is not effectively reinforcing the behavior. If this is the case, revisit the questions and guidance below and make adjustments to your reinforcement system.

NOTE: Designing a reinforcement system can be a very complex process requiring thorough technical knowledge. The guidance presented below is not comprehensive and is in some cases a simplification of detailed behavioral concepts. It is intended to provide sufficient guidance to help most school teams design appropriate systems for most students. If you need additional information or support, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Behavior Services Coordinator.

What behaviors will we reinforce?

As you read over the options below, remember it's vital that the student is aware of what behavior they are being reinforced for, which is why providing incentives should always be paired with praise. An example of an ineffective system would be an adult discreetly adding points to a student’s point sheet without communicating with the student.

Increase the Rate of a Desired Behavior

Often, we plan to target our reinforcement on specific desired behaviors that the student is already capable of, and we want the student to use them more frequently and consistently.
For example, for a student who frequently displays noncompliant behavior, we might focus on reinforcing the desired replacement behavior of following instructions.

Shape a New Behavior

If a desired behavior is not in a student’s repertoire (i.e., they’ve never successfully demonstrated it), we will need to shape the behavior. First, we reinforce anything that resembles the behavior, then reinforce closer and closer approximations of it, and finally only reinforce the target behavior.

Lower the Rate of an Undesired Behavior

If a student exhibits a high-frequency undesired behavior, we might reinforce lower rates of the undesired behavior.
For example, for a student who blurts 15+ times in any given 10 minute span of whole group instruction, we might plan to provide reinforcement when the student lowers the rate to 10 or fewer blurts.

Reinforce "Other" Behavior

If a student exhibits a particularly intense undesired behavior, we might reinforce “other” behavior (i.e., any desired behaviors that the student engaged in so long as they did not exhibit a specific undesired behavior).
For example, if a student frequently engages in high-intensity physical aggression, we might choose to reinforce the student on an interval schedule (e.g., every 5 minutes) for having a “safe body” so long as they did not physically aggress during the interval.

What reinforcement schedule(s) will we use?

Reinforcement Schedules

What incentive options will we make available?

Incentive options fall in the same categories as the functions of behavior. We can offer students access to attention, items, activities, or sensory stimuli (positive reinforcement) or we can remove aversive attention, activities, or sensory stimuli (negative reinforcement).

Offer incentives that a student will be motivated to obtain

You can use student reinforcement interviews/preference assessments to obtain this information, and you can also simply observe the student’s preferences.
When replacing an undesired behavior, generally speaking, it is best to offer the student reinforcement options that match the function of the undesired behavior. For example, for a student who shouts to avoid an aversive activity (e.g., classwork), we could offer the student the ability to earn breaks from the activity.
However, this is not always feasible, which is one reason why it's a good idea to...

Offer a menu of different incentives

In our "earning breaks" example, if we rely exclusively on this incentive, it might involve the student missing too much classwork. Using a variety of incentive options (e.g., earning breaks, but also being able to earn preferred activities, edibles, etc.) helps us to avoid this.
Another reason to offer a varied menu: If our options are too narrow, the student can become satiated and the effectiveness of an incentive goes down.

Remember that your reinforcement system is competing against natural reinforcement

The student’s behavior is not only being reinforced by the incentive options we’re offering. Our reinforcement system is competing against natural reinforcement, such as a student’s natural opportunities to obtain peer attention or avoid aversive activities.
If our system isn’t working, we may need to offer new, more potent incentive options and/or make it easier for the student to earn them.
In addition, we can adjust our prevention and response strategies to provide the student with non-contingent reinforcement proactively (i.e., prevention strategies) and make it more difficult for the student to obtain reinforcement through engaging in undesired behavior (i.e., response strategies).

Will we use tokens or offer immediate access to the incentives?

“Token economies” involve providing a student with a token (e.g., points on a sheet, pennies, poker chips, etc.) that can be exchanged for a “backup reinforcer” (i.e., an item, activity, or attention that the student finds desirable). Students are conditioned to be reinforced by the tokens the same way that we are all conditioned to be reinforced by money.

Advantages of token economies (e.g., point cards)

Token economies offer several key advantages over offering immediate access to incentives:

1. They allow us to reinforce a behavior immediately after it occurs. Sometimes it would be inconvenient or disruptive to offer the back-up reinforcement (e.g., free time on an iPad) in the moment after we observe a desired behavior.
2. Token economies also allow us to reinforce a sequence of behaviors (e.g., picking up a coat, then buttoning a button, etc.).
3. Finally, token economies allow school staff to respond the same way in the moment for students who have different reinforcement preferences (i.e., we always deliver tokens, but each student receives their preferred backup reinforcer).

Consider the delay factor

Consider how frequently students can exchange their tokens for back-up reinforcers. For the reinforcement system to work effectively, students may need to have these options interspersed throughout the school day versus waiting until the end of the day.

Does it ever make sense NOT to use tokens/point cards?

Consider offering immediate access to incentives rather than a token economy when the conditioned reinforcement of the tokens has not been potent enough to compete with the natural reinforcement provided by an undesired behavior.
For example, if a student engages in physical aggression, they have been earning tokens for intervals of time where they show a “safe body,” and the rate of physical aggression is staying the same or increasing, you might consider offering immediate access to an incentive (e.g., an edible) instead of continuing to use tokens.

Will the student also be able to lose tokens/incentives?

Being able to lose tokens/incentives is called “response cost.” It is a form of negative punishment because it involves removing something preferred. In most cases, plans that include response cost are equally as effective or more effective than plans which only offer students the ability to earn tokens/incentives.

Don’t allow students to lose tokens without also offering them the opportunity to earn

For example, providing students with a set number of tokens and gradually taking them away in response to undesired behavior without also providing a corresponding opportunity to earn tokens is unlikely to be successful. You are essentially only trying to punish, and not also reinforce.

Don’t allow students to go into “token debt”

"Token debt" means allowing a student to lose tokens when they don’t have any tokens.
If this occurs, students disengage from the reinforcement system. Earning tokens isn’t an effective reinforcement and losing tokens becomes an ineffective punishment.
To prevent this from occurring, make the threshold for earning tokens realistic enough for the student that they can earn a high ratio of positive to negative tokens (3:1+).

When should response cost be avoided?

Consider avoiding response cost for students who, due to their level of cognitive functioning and/or developmental level, would struggle to grasp the concept of a “token balance” that goes up and down based on both earning and losing tokens.

Examples below.

AFFIRMATIVE ATTENTION (SPECIFIC): In all school settings when XXX demonstrates appropriate behavior, school staff will narrate or “notice” it. When in close proximity, this will be directed at XXX, but from a distance, staff will direct their comments to a group of students (e.g., “This row has their books out.”).

POINT SHEET/TOKEN ECONOMY: School staff will provide XXX with a daily point sheet and they will be able to earn points throughout their day for exhibiting appropriate behaviors. XXX will be able to use these points to purchase items or activities from an incentive menu.

DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT WITH DIRECT ACCESS: Staff will provide XXX with [incentive] after each [#] minute interval where XXX did not engage in [target behavior]. The [incentive] can be provided more quickly based on staff “reading the need.” For example, if [describe antecedent triggers], staff could provide the [incentive] on a temporarily shorter schedule.

Response

When target behaviors occur, responding in order to minimize severity and decrease the likelihood of recurrence.

When determining which response strategies to use, ask yourself these questions:

What strategies have worked in the past?
Think about what the student is currently getting when they engage in their target behavior(s) — a sensory stimulus. How can we eliminate that reinforcement so the behavior no longer "works" for them?
How can we plan responses that are appropriately gauged to the intensity of the student’s behavior?
How will we respond if the target behavior is ongoing?
How will we respond if the student exhibits agitation and needs to de-escalate?
If we are unsuccessful in interrupting the reinforcement a student receives (i.e., they do obtain the sensory stimulus), how can we use consequences that are meaningful and logically tied to the behavior, build replacement behaviors, and repair harm in order to move on and make the target behavior less likely to recur?
What resources are available to implement these strategies with fidelity (e.g., behavior processing room, crisis team, paraprofessional)?

Examples below.

NOTE: Many of these strategies are Tier 1 (universal) best practices.

At the Tier 3 or SpEd level, we're using them more deliberately, sometimes with adaptations.

INTERRUPT ACCESS: When XXX engages in [target behavior(s)] school staff will remove or block access to [describe sensory stimulus]. Staff will prompt them to engage in [describe replacement behavior (e.g., requesting a sensory tool)] and only meet the sensory need when they exhibit [replacement behavior].

RESPONSE CONTINUUM: In all school settings, if XXX engages in inappropriate behavior, staff will follow building procedures: (A) a “major/minor chart” where “major” behaviors = an automatic referral out of class (B) for “minor” behaviors—using nonverbal prompts, indirect prompts, direct prompts, or private chats to address the behavior in the least disruptive manner. [Provide additional details regarding when/how to use the listed strategies to optimal effect. If appropriate, create a numbered intensity list (e.g., #1…, #2…) where specific behaviors are described along with the response staff should execute.]

AVOID PITFALLS: In all school settings, during corrective interactions with XXX, staff will avoid the following, which tend to escalate XXX’s behavior: [arguing with XXX in a power struggle, public correction, aggressive nonverbals, raised voice]. Instead, staff will [ignore or defuse challenging statements, correct discreetly, use calm and assertive communication].

DE-ESCALATION: In all school settings, if instructional control is compromised during a corrective interaction with XXX, school staff will maximize XXX’s privacy and use calm, assertive nonverbal communication with XXX. Staff will use brief prompts that [defuse challenges, suggest a calming strategy, repeat the expectation, connect the expectation to a desirable outcome, and/or offer XXX a choice]. Following each prompt, staff will provide XXX with wait time.

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