Embedded Files
The Role of Underlying Skills and the Ability to Respond Adaptively in Interfering Behavior
The Role of Underlying Skills and the Ability to Respond Adaptively in Interfering Behavior
There are many underlying skills that help students manage their behavior, their needs, their emotions, their socializing, and even their learning. Some students struggle with the skills needed to manage those things on their own. They can’t meet expectations and interfering behavior is certainly the result. So it us up to teams to help identify the skills to target in order to help students respond adaptively to their problems and frustrations.
There are many underlying skills that help students manage their behavior, their needs, their emotions, their socializing, and even their learning. Some students struggle with the skills needed to manage those things on their own. They can’t meet expectations and interfering behavior is certainly the result. So it us up to teams to help identify the skills to target in order to help students respond adaptively to their problems and frustrations.
What are the underlying skills?
What are the underlying skills?
Sometimes teachers and teams can identify the underlying skills making it hard for students to respond adaptively based on their knowledge of the student. For example, the student is not a skilled reader and that influences how he responds to work demands. A student is non-verbal and that influences her ability to communicate her needs and frustrations. These underlying skills influence behavior messages.
A tool for identifying skills to target
A tool for identifying skills to target
Dr. Ross Greene has developed an assessment tool, called the ASUP, to help teams identify skills that are making it hard for students to "respond adaptively to problems and frustrations and the specific expectations the child is having difficulty meeting, called unsolved problems." His website, Livesinthebalance.org has a guide and video about how to use this assessment. Here are some examples of the first few items on the ASUP:
Difficulty handling transitions or shifting mindsets
Difficulty doing things in the expected or logical order
Difficulty persisting when tasks are tedious or challenging
These skills on the ASUP can explain WHY the child is using the interfering behavior to communicate. Knowing what these skills can help the team to recognize the supports needed by the student and the skills that should be targeted for the student in the behavior intervention plan.
As you look at the ASUP, you see there are many areas where a student might experience difficulty. You may see some students that have many skills that make it hard to respond adaptively, but you will not be addressing them all at once.
Think about the behavior you have observed and the message the student is sending. Then start at the top of the list and, with the team (Big Idea Number 2), decide whether each skill is playing a key role in the behavior and the message you are focused on.
The underlying skills you identify will be part of the Message Statement. They will also be the focus of your behavior intervention plan.
Page updated
Report abuse