Appropriate Curriculum

Present tasks that match students' ability levels to reduce aversive reactions and disruptive behaviors while increasing engagement and positive social reinforcement, such as praise and attention Use curriculum-based assessments, such as aimsweb, to determine if students need to move up or down in the curriculum.

Goal:

Accuracy level for new material: Aim for 70%-80% accuracy to ensure new content is challenging but achievable.
Accuracy level for review material: Ensure 90% accuracy for review material to reinforce learning and build confidence.

Tools:

Task Interspersion: Mix easy tasks with more challenging ones to maintain engagement and reduce frustration.
Short and Functional Tasks: Keep difficult tasks brief and the content relevant to students' lives and interests. This makes them more engaging and less intimidating.
Choices: Offer choices when possible, such as who to work with, where to sit, which task to complete first, what to write with (pen, pencil, keyboard), etc.

Is It a “Can’t Do” or “Won’t Do” Situation?

One important consideration when a student like Jordan consistently tries to escape academic tasks is whether the curriculum is appropriate for his current skill level. Based on the behavior we're seeing, like frequent refusal, arguing, and task disruption, this could very well be a “can’t do” situation, not a “won’t do” one.

If the work is too hard or confusing, no amount of praise or reward is going to fix that. Imagine being asked to complete tasks that feel impossible day after day. Of course a student would try to escape! Before layering on behavioral interventions, it’s a good idea to check that the work is at an appropriate level.

Jordan’s behavior might improve simply by adjusting the curriculum.

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