Behavior Bulletin
Welcome to the Winter 2022 edition of the Behavior Bulletin. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter, which is focused on providing information relative to behavior supports, interventions, and resources. Additional resources can be accessed through the links embedded within the newsletter.
If you know of someone who could benefit from this information, please share the newsletter and encourage them to subscribe.
What is Prompting?
Prompting is a cue or signal provided to guide and assist a student with performing a specific skill or behavior. Prompts can be verbal, gestural, physical, visual, or a model.
Instruction vs. Prompting
First time given = instruction
Every support after the instruction to elicit the response = prompt (repeating instructions is a verbal prompt).
Prompt = “help” to teach the correct response. Multiple prompts encourage inattention or guessing.
The goal of a prompt is to elicit a correct response.
Least-to-Most Prompting
Gradually providing prompts to help the student be as independent as possible is key when using least-to-most prompting. At least three different levels of prompts are used to teach new skills. At the first level (usually the independent level), the child is given the opportunity to respond without prompts. The remaining levels include prompts that proceed from least to most amounts of assistance until the child responds correctly.
Types of Prompts
Gestural prompt – A movement that provides the student with information about how to perform the target skill/behavior
Verbal prompt – Any words said to the student to help them perform a skill correctly.
Visual prompt – A picture, icon, or object used to give the student information about how to perform a skill or behavior.
Model prompt – Showing the student the correct way to perform a skill/behavior
Physical prompt – Hands-on assistance given to a student to successfully perform a skill or behavior.
Key Points to Remember When Using Prompting
Start small. Choose one task, activity, or behavior to focus on when starting with prompting. Wait until the student has shown success with that behavior before using prompting with other activities or tasks.
Be patient. Remember learning a skill or changing behavior takes time. Once you start using prompting, it may take time to see the changes. Keep trying and stay consistent.
Try not to over prompt. If a student is constantly prompted for all tasks, they may develop prompt dependency. It is easy to rely on verbal prompts, but try to use less intrusive prompts such as visual or gestural prompts to help build independence with a skill.
Give enough time to respond. Many students need a moment to process a request or direction. Choose a wait time that will help the student to be successful. A general starting wait time is at least 3-5 seconds before giving the next prompt. However, some students may need more time (10 seconds or longer).
Remember to give reinforcement. A reward may help the student be even more motivated to perform the task. It does not need to be a big reward – sometimes social praise (smile, thumbs-up, hi-five, etc) is a big motivator.
Time to fade. When the student can consistently perform a task at least three different times, it is time to gradually fade prompt support. Supports are faded by using less intrusive prompts, and eventually fading prompting entirely. When fading support, check the student’s performance. If prompts are removed too quickly, the student may begin to make more errors. If this happens, go back to using the same prompt order that was successful before fading again.
Hurdle Help
At times, when presented with a challenging or overwhelming task, students may begin to “lose it.” When this happens, utilizing "hurdles" help can provide the student with support with their strong emotions. Instead of setting limits and insisting on compliance, which could eventually escalate the situation, it is better to provide support by helping the student to overcome a roadblock, or hurdle.
Providing hurdle help does not mean the staff member is doing the task for the student. However, the adult can offer help so the student can get started or get past a difficult spot, then continue on their own. For example, let’s say a student is struggling when presented with a math assignment. Perhaps the student completed the work independently yesterday but is struggling today. If we allow the student to struggle, fail, or even escalate to an outburst, it is unnecessarily setting the student up for problem behavior. Instead, the adult can provide hurdle help by guiding the student through the initial steps of a math problem so the student can experience success and help them to feel the task is more obtainable. Staff can then slowly step back to provide opportunities for independence while still providing encouragement and reminding the student of their strengths and potential.
Hurdle help is a quick and easy strategy that can be utilized by all staff that support students. Even better, it requires no planning or materials, and only gets easier with practice! To learn more about hurdle help, look for the “Behavior Shorties” videos coming soon!
Behavior Shortie Series
The Behavior Shortie Series provides video overviews of easy-to-implement, high-leverage practices that help to reduce problem behaviors in the classroom. These practices are effective for all students (gen ed and special ed) across all settings (including the home). We know that time can be scarce, so each video is less than 15 minutes in length. Each Shortie video provides the key elements of a practice and practical examples. If you need more information about a practice after viewing a Shortie, please contact one our behavior consultants.
Currently Available Behavior Shorties
Self-Regulation Strategies (12 minutes) - Preventing problem behavior from escalating can be accomplished by teaching students self-regulation strategies and learning to monitor our behavior. This video shows you easy-to-use strategies for the classroom along with tips on how to respond when student behavior disrupts learning.
Behavior Support Techniques (11 minutes) - An overview of techniques that immediately support the student and teach the student to better handle future situations.
Visual Supports (12 minutes) - Using visual supports to increase student engagement and reduce anxiety and problem behavior.
Additional Behavior Shorties will be posted on the Behavior/Student-Focused/Independent Professional Learning page of the Berrien RESA website as they are created.
Mark Your Calendars! - 2022-2023 Behavior PD Schedule
During this school year, the Berrien RESA Behavior Consultants have worked to provide resources, training, and support to local districts relative to student behavior. As we look to the 2022-2023 school year, we want to increase our professional development offerings to continue to build the capacity of staff in the local districts to address problem student behavior. The following is our list of planned Behavior Offerings for the 2022-2023 school year.
Day 1 - Effective Teaming in the Classroom: A Guide for Teachers and Paras
Tuesday, August 23, 2022 - 8:00-11:30 - in-person at Berrien RESAIntended Audience - Teams of teachers and paraprofessionals
This session is the first of a two-part series. In this session, teacher and para teams learn to design an effective classroom including assessing the need for paraprofessional support, roles and responsibilities, guiding principles, ethics, facilitating student independence, universal supports, motivating students, and building rapport.
Day 2 - Effective Teaming in the Classroom: A Guide for Teachers and Paras
Thursday, August 25, 2022 - 8:00-11:30 - in-person at Berrien RESAIntended Audience - Teams of teachers and paraprofessionals
This session is the second of a two-part series. In this session, teacher and para teams learn strategies to improve academic outcomes including behavior, social skills, academics, and data-based decision making.
Got Behavior?!?!?! - Virtual Behavior Conference
Thursday, August 25, 2022 - 8:00-3:45 - virtual through ZoomIntended Audience - Anyone who works with students (general education teachers, special education teachers, paraprofessionals, instructional aides, social workers, behavior interventionists, administrators, guidance counselors, instructional coaches, ancillary staff, etc.)
A day of PD focused on behavior with 50-minutes sessions on the following topics:
Deescalation strategies and behavior support techniques
High-leverage practices to decrease behavior and increase student engagement
Understanding the function of behavior
Function-based interventions
Simplifying data collection
Behavior cheat sheet
Positive Behavior Interventions for Special Education
Thursday, October 4, 2022 - 8:00-3:45 -in-person at Berrien RESAIntended Audience - Anyone who works with students who receive special education services (general education teachers, special education teachers, paraprofessionals, instructional aides, social workers, behavior interventionists, administrators, guidance counselors, instructional coaches, ancillary staff, etc.)
This session aims to provide participants with practical and positive behavior strategies that can easily be implemented in any setting.
Effective School Behavior Teams (Cohort 1)
Monday, October 18, 2022 - 8:00-3:45 -in-person at Berrien RESAIntended Audience-School behavior teams which could include an administrator, social worker, guidance counselor, behavior specialist/interventionist, and instructional coach.
A full-day training to provide school-based behavior teams the essential knowledge to help support the staff in their buildings relative to behavior. Teams will learn skills to build their school’s capacity to design and implement effective individualized positive behavior support to students with challenging behavior.
Effective School Behavior Teams (Cohort 2)
Tuesday, February 7, 2023 - 8:00-3:45 -in-person at Berrien RESAIntended Audience-School behavior teams which could include an administrator, social worker, guidance counselor, behavior specialist/interventionist, and instructional coach.
A full-day training to provide school-based behavior teams the essential knowledge to help support the staff in their buildings relative to behavior. Teams will learn skills to build their school’s capacity to design and implement effective individualized positive behavior support to students with challenging behavior.
Supporting Behavior Teams Through Complex Cases (Cohort 1)
Tuesday, February 14, 2023 - 8:00-3:45 -in-person at Berrien RESAIntended Audience-School behavior teams that participated in the October 18 Effective School Behavior Teams training.
A full-day session to provide continued training, practice, and support for teams who participated in the October 18 training using cases and data from their schools.
Supporting Behavior Teams Through Complex Cases (Cohorts 1 & 2)
Tuesday, April 18, 2023 - 8:00-3:45 -in-person at Berrien RESAIntended Audience-School behavior teams that participated in the October 18 or February 7 Effective School Behavior Teams training.
A full-day session to provide continued training, practice, and support for teams who participated in the October 18 or February 7 training using cases and data from their schools.
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Nondiscrimination Clause/Title IX
The Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation or sexual identity), disability, age, religion, height, weight, marital or family status, military status, ancestry, genetic information, or any other legally protected category, (collectively, "Protected Classes"), in its programs and activities, including employment opportunities.
Title IX Coordinator/Compliance Officer and for all other concerns:
Breanna Bell, Director of Human Resources
Berrien RESA , 711 St. Joseph Avenue, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
Title IX Investigators:
Kevin Clark, Technology Services Director and Lynda Hurlow, Executive Director of Human Resources
Title IX Decision Maker:
Chris Machiniak, Assistant Superintendent
Title IX Appeals:
Eric Hoppstock, Superintendent
Title IX Final Rule (Clark Hill)
For procedural information, please review Berrien RESA's Board policies.