Making the Plan:

Student examples

Jack

Jack is a fourth grader with ADHD. When he makes a mistake on his work, he runs from the room and sits in the hall. When he is in the hall, he won't talk to people. The message is "I didn't get that right because I am stupid." The team identified the lagging skills to be: not considering a range of solutions to a problem, difficulty managing emotional response to frustration, and problem-solving.

Environmental supports

  • Move his desk closer to the teacher so she can see him getting frustrated sooner

  • Use a script that his answer is “almost right” instead of telling him it is wrong

  • Reduce the complexity of his work in reading comprehension and math

  • Rework his schedule to allow 1-to-1 or small group time with special educator to coach him using errorless learning

Teaching New Skills

  • Teach a problem-solving strategy (using consequence maps)

  • Teach him what making a mistake means (social narrative)

  • Teach him what the teacher is going to say when he makes a mistake (social narrative)

  • Teach him to recognize growing frustration (5-point scale)

  • Teach better reading comprehension and math skills


Reacting in ways that help

  • Don’t stop him from running

  • Wait a few minutes then go to him in the hall. Sit with him

  • Have him read the social narrative (or read it to him) Complete a blank consequence map

  • Later, use 5-point scale and map

Keisha

Keisha is a third grader who does not have an IEP. She gets in trouble at school because she speaks in ways that sound disrespectful, particularly when she is in trouble. The message is that she is embarrassed to have done the wrong thing and wants to save face in front of her friends. The team has identified several lagging skills: difficulty expressing herself, inflexible and inaccurate interpretation of what is happening, and difficulty appreciating how she is coming across to others.

Environmental Supports

  • Increase supervision and support

  • Move her desk to another area of the room

  • If she needs to be spoken to, the teachers will assume a neutral stance and provide the correction away from other students

  • Find ways to help her be a leader in the class

Teaching New Behaviors

  • Teach her what choices she has when she is called out (social narratives)

  • Teach her different words/ways to say those words (role play/scripting)

  • Teach her how different choices affect the outcome (consequence maps)

Reacting in ways that help

  • Ignore the words and tone

  • Remain calm

  • Validate she is having a hard time

  • Invite her to speak privately

  • Ask her what is the issue

  • Reflect on what she says

  • When she is calm, she rejoins the group

  • Longer time away as needed

Elijah

Elijah is a second grader being served as a student with emotional disabilities. Elijah uses angry words when he is asked to complete certain academic tasks and his behavior can become very intense. He is communicating, "I can't do this and it makes me feel frustrated and angry when you ask me to do it." His lagging skills include difficulty persisting on tasks that are difficult or tedious and struggling to keep in mind consequences for his actions so that he can modulate more effectively.

Environmental Supports

  • Reduce the quantity of work he is being asked to do independently

  • Reduce the amount of EF skills needed on tasks

  • Give him a water break midway through work (use a timer so he knows when)

  • Adapt longer writing tasks by having him dictate to a paraprofessional

  • Use text frames so he only has to write one sentence

Teaching New Skills

  • Teach him to use breathing exercises to calm himself.

  • Teach him different self-talk scripts (comic strip conversations)

  • Teach him to chunk work

  • Teach him to use dictation software and edit it

  • Teach him to recognize that behavior choices (not specifically his) have consequences

Reacting in ways that help

  • Start as soon as he begins to rumble

  • Ignore the specific words and actions but respond to the message

  • Ask “How can I help you right now?”

  • Redirect to water break

  • Redirect to breathing exercises

  • Scaffold EF support to get him re-engaged