EDCI 5900 – Methods of Teaching Students with Behavioral Needs

COURSE OVERVIEW:

This graduate course examines effective instructional methods and behavioral interventions for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Teachers will explore evidence-based practices for classroom management, behavior assessment, and academic instruction tailored to students with challenging behaviors. Course content includes behavior analysis principles, functional behavior assessment, positive behavior intervention and support (PBIS) strategies, crisis intervention techniques, and progress monitoring systems. Students will learn to design individualized behavior intervention plans, implement proactive classroom management strategies, and adapt curriculum for students with behavioral challenges. Emphasis on family collaboration, cultural responsiveness, and integration of assistive technology to support learning and behavior. Students will develop practical skills in data collection, behavior modification, and creating therapeutic classroom environments that promote both academic achievement and social-emotional growth. I have taught this course 7 times: Spring (2019, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25).

SAMPLE SYLLABUS:

• Spring 2025

Sample Course Assignment:

• Final Project

• Sample Exemplar Below 

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GRADE DISTRIBUTION

COURSE EVALUATIONS

Spring 2019 Evaluation Spring 2021 Evaluation                      Spring 2023 Evaluation

COURSE REVISION STATEMENT

Since first teaching EDCI 5900 in Spring 2019, I have revised the course to ensure graduate candidates are equipped with both the theoretical foundations and the practical strategies needed to support students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Initially focused on principles of behavior analysis and classroom management, the course has evolved into a comprehensive preparation for designing individualized interventions, fostering therapeutic learning environments, and collaborating with families to promote academic and social-emotional growth.

Over time, I strengthened the applied components by integrating positive behavior intervention and support (PBIS) strategies, functional behavior assessments, and individualized behavior intervention plan design. Candidates also engage in case-based simulations that mirror the complex decisions teachers face in schools. These revisions reflect the CEC Advanced Preparation Standards, which call for candidates to use valid and bias-free assessments, apply culturally responsive practices, and improve programs through evidence-based interventions. They also align with the 2024 LADOE Teacher Preparation Competencies, particularly in differentiated behavior management, IEP planning, and learning environment design.

A major stage of course development occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic (Spring 2020–21), when I adapted activities for online instruction. Candidates practiced conducting virtual FBAs, developed digital progress-monitoring systems, and analyzed how PBIS principles translate into hybrid and remote contexts. These adaptations preserved rigor while also giving candidates new insights into the flexibility required to sustain positive behavior supports in nontraditional settings.

Across the seven times I have taught this course, I have refined pacing to allow deeper exploration of crisis intervention, scaffolded major projects to strengthen candidate capacity for individualized plan design, and expanded opportunities for peer collaboration. Candidate work has shown measurable growth, with final intervention plans demonstrating more precise use of progress-monitoring data, greater integration of functional assessment results, and increased attention to cultural and linguistic diversity in designing supports.

Looking ahead, I plan to further integrate assistive technology applications into behavioral support strategies, expand community-based partnerships that allow candidates to evaluate real-world behavioral programs, and incorporate action research projects where students assess the effectiveness of interventions they design. These enhancements will ensure that EDCI 5900 continues to prepare graduate candidates to meet the complex needs of students with behavioral challenges through equity, leadership, and evidence-based practice.