Rationale

Why this Research?

Social and Emotional Learning is very important for students. Knowing how they are feeling, what they need or want, and how other people are feeling are important life skills. In order to self-monitor and advocate for themselves, they first need to be able to state what each emotion feels like, looks like, and sounds like. A great strategy for behavior is to first identify feelings and then determine how to calm down in order to get back on task. The need and importance of teaching this skill is crucial for learning both academics and social skills.

Instructional Context

I teach students in grades K-2 in a Structured Behavior Skills classroom. Students within the Structured Behavior Skills program have a difficult time identifying emotions in themselves and others. Before entering this level two behavior placement, staff in a student's current school are required to identify target behaviors and provide intense interventions. If the child is not responding to interventions and is disruptive to their learning or the learning of others, placement within Structured Behavior Skills program is discussed.

Identifying feelings, emotions, and behavior strategies are taught within SBS through whole-group social skill lessons (30-45 minutes) as well as individualized teaching throughout the day. Students learn how to appropriately self-manage behavior and use appropriate strategies in order to increase pro-social behaviors. Within our social skills lessons, I teach Zones of Regulation to help students identify what zone they are in, how they feel, and a strategy they could use to get back into the green zone.

Some of my students are on the ASD spectrum. These students were having a difficult time identifying and stating feelings and emotions in a variety of contexts. Zones of Regulation was a curriculum that I was using to address this difficulty; however, my students were unable to apply the strategies, language, and tools appropriately in the classroom. Through collaborating with my Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), we devised an approach for students to experience the Zones curriculum through the implementation of the Verbal Behavior (VB) program. We determined this approach to gauge whether we could garner consistent or greater progress as typical VB instruction.

Data-Informed Research

Several sources shaped the focus and outcomes of my action research.

Qualitative Data

1. Student one has an IEP goal of keeping his hands and feet to himself and will self-monitor his emotions.
2. Student two has an IEP goal of recognizing and identifying different feelings such as happy, sad, mad, upset, and scared.
3. Student three has an IEP goal to follow directions even when he does not want to and keep his hands and feet to himself when upset.

Quantitative Data

1. My students are not able to identify their emotions or other people's’ emotions.
2. My students are unable to identify each zone and use a strategy when in that particular zone in order to calm their body/return to green zone.

Prior to developing an action plan, I conducted a thorough review of literature related to my instructional context, data, and current research: Social Skills for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder