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Chapter 4: PTR Intervention

I. Overview and Objectives

With the review of the PTR Assessments and the development of the Assessment Organizational Summary Table, the next step is to develop an Intervention Plan. The PTR Intervention Plan must include a minimum of three components: (1) a prevention intervention, (2) a teaching intervention, and (3) a reinforcement intervention. Your team will participate in a process that will assist you in the selection of interventions that match the PTR Assessment summary results and are acceptable for your team to implement in the student’s classroom.

Chapter 4 will assist your team to:1. Identify at least one Prevent intervention2. Identify at least one Teach intervention3. Identify at least one Reinforce intervention4. Develop a plan to implement the interventions for each target behavior

II. PTR Interventions

Developing the Intervention Plan

To develop an effective intervention plan, each team member should refer to the PTR Assessment Organizational Summary Table developed and/or revised during Team Meeting 3. The information contained in this summary table, along with each component of the hypothesis(es), will assist the team in selecting the appropriate interventions for the student by allowing the team to match the function of the problem behavior with strategies that are most likely to be effective in the environment in which the problem behavior is occurring. It is very important for your team to select at least one Prevent, one Teach, and one Reinforce intervention for the PTR intervention plan.

Prevent Interventions

Before selecting Prevent interventions, review the prevent data and the ‘When . . .’ component of the hypothesis on the summary table. This information identifies the environmental circumstances associated with a high likelihood of the student engaging in the problem behavior. Prevent strategies change these situations, making the student’s problem behavior unnecessary or irrelevant.

Example: The student is most likely to engage in problem behavior during a writing assignment which requires capital and lowercase letters to touch the appropriate lines on the paper. The team might choose to use a curricular modification that includes coordinating the letters of the words with different colored lines to assist the student in determining what letter should touch which line. By using this prevention strategy, the team has eliminated the trigger for the problem behavior, making it unnecessary.

Prevent data also indicates when the student is most likely to engage in appropriate behavior. This information will assist the team in determining what environmental circumstances are already effective and in place to elicit appropriate behavior from the student.

Developed under grant H324P04003 from the Department of Education.

When reviewing the summary table you might want to ask the following questions: How can these situations be increased? How can these situations be replicated during times when problem behavior is most likely to occur? Remember, the best time to teach new behaviors to the student is when he/she is not engaging in problem behavior.

Teach Interventions

Before selecting Teach interventions, review the teach data and the ‘Student will . . .’ component of the hypothesis on the summary table. This information identifies the function (purpose) of the problem behavior and allows the team to identify alternative behaviors that will be more effective as a replacement. The alternative behavior can either be a functional behavior or a more desired, prosocial behavior. A functional replacement behavior results in the student ‘getting’ the same outcome as the problem behavior identified in the hypothesis.

Functional Replacement Behavior Example: Prior to intervention, the student calls out repeatedly to ‘get’ the teacher’s assistance on difficult assignments. The functional replacement behavior would be to teach the student to raise his/her hand to ‘get’ assistance from the teacher.

A desired replacement behavior results in the student ‘getting’ the same outcome as the problem behavior identified in the hypothesis, but is more appropriate and socially desirable than the problem behavior.

Desired, Prosocial Replacement Behavior Example: Prior to intervention, the student calls out repeatedly to ‘get’ the teacher’s assistance on difficult assignments. The desired/prosocial replacement behavior would be to teach the student to circle the difficult problems and continue working. Once the student has completed one page, then he/she raises his/her hand to ‘get’ assistance from the teacher for the circled items.

Teach strategies make the student’s problem behavior inefficient in getting what he/she usually gets after engaging in the problem behavior because the alternative behavior becomes the more efficient means of obtaining the desired outcome. Therefore, alternative behaviors chosen for the Teach component must be easy and efficient in order to be effective.

Example: Prior to intervention, the student wonders around the room during independent work time until the teacher provides assistance. The team might choose to teach the student to use a ‘Help Pass’. Each time the student uses the ‘Help Pass’, he/she immediately gets assistance from the teacher, rather than having to wonder around the room, which resulted in inconsistent and/or delayed help.

Teach interventions are important because the student often lacks the necessary skills to meet his/her needs or ‘get’ the desired outcome. Teach strategies provide the student with those skills, which enhance problem solving and increase positive social interactions.

Reinforce Interventions

Before selecting Reinforce interventions, review the reinforce data and the ‘As a result, the student . . .’ component of the hypothesis on the summary table. This information identifies why the student may continue to engage in problem behavior, as well as why he/she may engage

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in appropriate behavior. Including a Reinforce strategy in the intervention plan can make the student’s problem behavior ineffective. By changing the adult’s response to the student’s problem behavior, the student will no longer receive reinforcement for the inappropriate behaviors. Instead, the student must receive immediate reinforcement for engaging in the recently taught appropriate behavior so that the new skill becomes much more effective at meeting his/her needs than the problem behavior. Be sure to use the Reinforce data to determine what is reinforcing for the student.

Example: Prior to the intervention, the student kicks the desk and throws papers each time he/she is asked to complete an independent reading assignment. As a result, the student is sent to the Behavior Specialist’s office, which results in his/her escaping the task and getting attention from staff. After intervention, the student is no longer sent to the Behavior Specialist’s office when engaging in the problem behavior (kicking desk and throwing papers). However, the student is allowed to visit the Behavior Specialist after completing 10 minutes of independent reading.

By using the Reinforce strategy, the team has made the problem behavior ineffective because the student is no longer allowed to escape the task and obtain staff attention. However, the new appropriate behavior of completing 10 minutes of independent reading is effective in obtaining the desired outcome of leaving the room and getting staff attention.

A short description of the different Prevent, Teach, and Reinforce Interventions is provided in the section below. Read each intervention section, keeping in mind the information from the Assessment Organizational Table Summary and the hypothesis(es) components to assist you in identifying the most effective strategies for your student. The PTR Interventions Grid and the PTR Interventions Checklist will help the team prioritize the interventions and assist in determining the interventions to be chosen.

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PTR Interventions

Prevent’ Behavior Interventions

The following are intervention descriptions that can Prevent a student’s problem behavior from occurring and may be considered for use within the ‘prevent’ section of the behavior plan.

1. Providing Choices: Providing the student a choice between two or more options. Choice-making can be used to enhance the student’s participation in an activity or task that typically results in problem behavior when a direct demand is delivered.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates: problem behavior occurs when demands are made of the student problem behavior occurs when transitioning from preferred to non-preferred activities student uses behavior to “get control” or “get his/her way” student uses behavior to protest situations student has minimal or no choice-making opportunities throughout the day

Examples: Choosing materials to use in a task: Choose colors of pen ink Choosing between different tasks: Choose a math or writing task Choosing where to work: Choose to work at a desk or at the table Choosing when to do a task: Choose writing first, math second. Choosing a person to work with: Choose Max or Sue Choosing to end an activity: Choose when to stop art and start journal. Refusing an option: Decline a specific food item at snack

Considerations for Implementation: Ensure the options are valid and will be honored.

2. Transition Supports: Providing the student with a cue prior to a change. The change can be switching to a different activity, moving to a new location or preparing the student for new people. Cues can be visual, auditory, motoric, or a combination. Presenting a cue prior to a transition allows the student to predict the sequence of events. Transition supports can be individualized (i.e., built into an individual schedule or only available to this student) or used for the entire class.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates the student: engages in problem behavior immediately prior to or during transitions. does not understand what is expected during a transition. has difficulty physically moving from one activity to another. has difficulty re-engaging in the next activity or ending a preferred activity

Examples: Auditory: Playing a song, chanting a phrase, or providing an audible cue (bell or chimes) Visual: Showing a symbol or picture, flipping over a sign, or pointing out a visual timer

Motoric: Having a dance or physical movement associated with upcoming changes in activities.

Considerations for Implementation: It is important to provide a consistent routine or ritual for transition supports. The routinized cue will allow the student to quickly predict an upcoming change. The student may need direct instruction in the specific behaviors to perform while

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making the transition (lining up, walking in the hallways) and reinforcement for performing the appropriate behaviors.3. Environmental Supports: Visual and/or auditory symbols that let the student understand what is currently happening in the environment, what will be happening throughout the day, or scheduled changes in routines. The symbols can be objects, pictures, written words, or icons.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates that problem behavior occurs when the student:

has difficulty understanding what is happening within the environment. transitions from activity-to-activity, setting-to-setting, person-to-person, etc. has difficulty understanding options or choices. is required to end an activity or task. experiences a change in routine or schedule. does not understand expectations, which are not clearly defined or established

Examples: Schedules: A visual sequence of the day’s activities Choice boards: A visual display of activities or reinforcers from which to choose Boundary identification: Providing a carpet square with the student’s name to sit on;

using a checkered tablecloth for snack time and a striped tablecloth for art time. Labels: Placing photograph, picture, or written word symbol on objects and areas Activity Ending: Visual or auditory symbol indicating the end of an activity, such as

having a finished folder to place daily activities as completed, timers (visual or auditory)

Considerations for Implementation: Direct instruction is required to teach the appropriate use of the specific support. Determine the student’s level of symbol understanding first. Some students will need

concrete representation such as actual or miniature objects, while others will understand photographs, colored or black & white drawings, or written words. A speech pathologist may be able to assist you.

4. Curricular Modifications: Changes in instructional tasks that lessen the likelihood of problem behavior occurring upon presentation to the student. There are two main categories of curricular modifications: change in the content of the instruction or change in the presentation of the task.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates: problem behavior occurs when academic demands are made of the student problem behavior occurs when presented with a non-preferred academic task student engages in problem behavior to ‘escape’ an academic demand student refuses to engage in an academic task

Types of Curricular Modifications: Presentation: Tasks are presented in a way that makes the activity less distasteful and

more likely that the student will do the task.o Task alternation - novel to familiar; maintenance to acquisition; non-preferred to

preferred; teacher-directed to independent; lecture to interactive activitieso Task division – break task up into smaller unitso Choiceso Materials

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Example: A math worksheet with four rows of problems can be cut into 4 strips. The student is given one strip at a time, making the work sheet less overwhelming. As the student completes each row, it can be turned in to be checked, providing an opportunity for reinforcement of appropriate work behaviors.

Content Modification: Academic activities are modified to be more meaningful o Task difficulty - adjust level of difficulty; provide errorless learning opportunities;

teach replacement skills; shorten task, then gradually increase length or timeo Task preference – incorporate student’s interestso Task meaningfulness – task is functional and relevant to student

Example: Rather than doing a sorting activity on a worksheet, the student could sort chocolate and white milk cartons in the cafeteria before lunch begins.

Considerations for Implementation: Make sure that the student has the skills to do the curricular requirements. Additionally, think about ways to make the activity more motivating and interesting. Incorporating the student’s preferred interests into an activity can result in him/her participating without problem behavior.

5. Adult Verbal Behavior (“Just be Nice”) : Providing frequent positive attention allowing the student to associate the teacher (and instructional demands) with positive feelings and allows for attention without the student displaying a problem behavior.

Examples: Giving positive statements to the student at a high ratio Keeping an even tone and volume Using positive language, even when redirecting Using clear, specific language when asking the student to do an activity Making more “comments” than “demands” when working with the student

Example: “You need to work much faster” may trigger problem behavior while making a comment such as, “You are trying so hard to finish”, may prompt thestudent to work harder.

Considerations for Implementation: Attempt to keep a 4:1 ratio of positive to negative statements. To assist in meeting this ratio, a teacher might put smiley faces around the room. Each time the teacher sees a smiley face, it will prompt him/her to make a positive statement. Another way is to set a daily goal of the number of positive statements to be made. The same number of paper clips could be put in the right pocket. Each time the teacher makes a positive statement, a paper clip can be moved from the right pocket to the left one.

6. Classroom Management: Setting up a clear, comprehensible system of how a classroom will operate and how daily activities will occur so that appropriate behavior is encouraged and rewarded. When classrooms have clear rules for appropriate behavior that are consistently taught and reinforced, teachers spend less time addressing problem behaviors.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates: student does not understand classroom behavioral expectations student does not possess the needed skills to behave appropriately in the classroom problem behavior arises when classroom management is enforced in a negative manner there is a need for more clear and consistent behavioral expectations

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Examples: Arranging the classroom environment for easy access to students, and students can

move without disturbing peers. Providing opportunities for the student to show appropriate “rule-following” behavior Prompting the student for appropriate behavior before the chance to exhibit

inappropriate behavior. Embedding classroom rules into daily lessons and activities. A specific behavior can be

the focus each week. Example: A rule, ‘speak kindly to others’, can be a theme for instructional

activities. The student (along with the rest of the class) can play detective and count how many times the student, and others, are “caught in the act” of speaking kindly.

Considerations for Implementation: Effective classroom management strategies promote appropriate behavior for all students, not just the student with problem behavior. Often, students do not understand classroom expectations or may not have the skills to behave appropriately. By consistently teaching rules and providing opportunities for practice, the student will acquire, maintain, and generalize the skills.

7. Setting Event Modifications: Altering conditions in the student’s environment when setting events are present. Setting events are environmental conditions or patterns that set off the student’s behavior but are “removed in time” from the behavior’s occurrence. The setting event can happen from a few minutes to a few hours before the behavior. Examples include missing the bus, arriving late, having a fight with a sibling, or staying with a non-custodial parent.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates that problem behavior occurs: due to the student’s proximity to or interactions with, a specific individual such as a peer,

teacher, school staff, or family member during a specific school activity or event such as P.E., Art, Music, recess, assemblies during a specific time in the school day such as lunch or end of the school day whenever there is a change in the student’s out-of-school routine, schedule or life-style

o missing the bus, arriving late to schoolo holiday breaks, weekends, absenceso lack of sleep or necessary/appropriate clothingo rotating between family member householdso missing meals or medication

Examples: Provide a flexible schedule allowing the student to start the day with preferred tasks and

to settle down. This works well when the setting event occurs before school setting the stage for a “bad” day.

Provide a “home base” or safe area to talk about feelings, events, or get assistance with a task that is less likely to be done when a setting event is present.

Present a series of requests the student will comply with before asking the student to do an activity that typically results in problem behavior. Deliver 3-5 short requests that the student will do before delivering the one that the student usually does not do.

Considerations for Implementation: Because many setting events may occur in the student’s home environment, good communication with the student’s caregiver is essential.

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8. Opportunity for Pro-social Behavior (Peer Support): Providing peers with skills to elicit appropriate social behavior from the student and providing reinforcement upon the occurrence of the behavior. Peer supports can be provided in several ways including cooperative working, tutoring, or being a peer “buddy”.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates that: problem behavior results in peer attention peer relationships are limited and of low quality

Examples: Arrange for the student to work with a peer or a group of peers in a cooperative activity.

Group arrangement should consider the skills each peer has so everyone has a chance for meaningful input.

Assign specific peer tutors to work with the student. Peer tutors should be liked by the student and should not be in charge of redirecting or reprimanding the student. Rather, peer tutors should be taught strategies to use when working on an academic task with the student.

Training a group of three to five peers in strategies that will enable them to elicit and encourage prosocial behavior from the focus student.

Considerations for Implementation: Careful selection of peers is critical when implementing this strategy, along with specific training in strategies to be used. Peer groups are most successful when adults provide coaching and feedback to the peers during the orientation use of the strategy. Adults can fade their presence as the peers become more skilled in supporting the student. The teacher should meet with the peers regularly to debrief situations and determine future activities.

9. Peer Modeling or Peer Reinforcement: Acknowledgement of and rewarding of peers who engage in appropriate behavior as a model for how a student should behave.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates that: the likelihood of the student engaging in pro-social behavior increases when he/she is in

close proximity to specific peers problem behavior is associated with the student’s proximity to, or interactions with

certain peers problem behavior is likely to occur during specific activities or during certain times of the

day

Example: When a student raises his hand to ask a question, the teacher might state, “Thank you for raising your hand when you had a question. You earn a surprise at the end of the day.”

Considerations for implementation: This strategy might not be effective with some students with disabilities. It is important that the student is able to and does attend to such cues in the classroom for this strategy to be effective. The strategy is relatively easy to use as long as there are other students in the classroom who reliably engage in the targeted behavior.

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‘Teaching’ Behavior InterventionsThe following are descriptions of interventions for new behaviors that may be considered

in the teaching section of the behavior plan. All asterisked (*) interventions are required and must be included in the student’s PTR support plan.

1a.*Replacement Behaviors Functional or Equivalent : Appropriate alternative behaviors to be taught that will result in the student getting the same outcome as the problem behavior.

Replacement behaviors should match the PTR Assessment information indicating problem behavior allows the student to:

escape, avoid, or delay a non-preferred task, undesired activity, or a specific adult or peer gain attention from adults or peers obtain a concrete object or gain access to an activity delay transitions from preferred to non-preferred activities obtain control over a situation

Examples of functional replacement behaviors: Asking for assistance Requesting a break to briefly escape Requesting attention

Considerations for Implementation: When selecting functional or equivalent replacement behaviors, the replacement behavior should be more efficient and less effortful at getting the payoff than the problem behavior. Ensure that the replacement behavior has an equivalent function or outcome as the problem behavior. That is, if the student’s behavior appears to serve a means of escaping a task, the replacement behavior also should allow the student to escape the task. Choosing a replacement behavior that serves a different function (e.g., getting attention) will most likely be ineffective.

1b. *Replacement Behaviors Desired or Prosocial : Teaching and reinforcing replacement behaviors which are more appropriate and socially desirable than the problem behavior.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates: problem behavior is due to ineffective and/or inefficient communication or social skills skill deficits in pivotal behaviors prevent the student from accessing typical environments

with typical peers or achieving short-term goals

Examples of appropriate and desired replacement behaviors: Teaching the student a system so he/she will be able to continue to work on difficult tasks

(circling items that the he/she is unsure of and moving on to familiar items) rather than engaging in an escape/avoidance behavior

Teaching pro-social behaviors that allow the student to get positive attention from peers and adults rather than engaging in an inappropriate attention-getting behavior

Considerations for Implementation: When teaching desired or pro-social replacement behaviors, provide a powerful and appropriate reinforcement that will motivate the student to perform the desired behavior.

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2. Specific Academic Skills: Teaching a student basic skills, such as reading, writing, or math, that will allow the student to be actively engaged and to complete instructional activities.

Examples: teaching the student to decode multi-syllable words providing strategies using mnemonics to remediate writing skills instruction in appropriate use of calculator for solving math problems

Considerations for Implementation: This intervention should be considered if data collected indicate that problem behaviors occur because the child is lacking necessary academic skills to do instructional tasks.

3. Problem-Solving Strategies: Teaching specific strategies that allow a student to independently and successfully complete academic tasks or to succeed in various social interaction situations. The student may have basic academic and/or social skills but exhibits difficulty in more complex situations.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates problem behavior occurs when the student:

is required to work independently or has difficulty staying engaged in the task is attempting to complete a complex task gets ‘stuck’ while working on an academic task and does not know how to work through

the difficulty on his/her own has a challenging interaction with a peer and does not know deal with it appropriately

Examples: Academic tasks

o Providing graphic organizerso Using semantic mapso Having a checklist to break complex tasks into small steps

Social interactionso Dealing with teasing, ignoring or walking awayo Reacting appropriately to peer pressureo Identifying social and/or nonverbal cues

4. General Coping Strategies: Strategies that provide a student with self-control steps for dealing with conflicts.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates the student: has difficulty responding effectively to interpersonal or socially challenging situations demonstrates an inability to control his/her responses or reactions becomes frustrated while engaged in academic tasks is unable to communicate his/her frustrations effectively or efficiently

Examples: Anger management Negotiation strategies Asking questions when frustrated Giving and accepting criticism.

5. Specific Social Skills: Teaching specific skills to enhance social competence of students.

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Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates that: problem behavior occurs because the student does not use appropriate social behaviors the student knows appropriate behaviors, but does not always use them

Examples: Making conversation Accepting consequences Asking to join ongoing social activities.

Considerations for Implementation: Skills targeted for instruction should be ones that can (a) be learned quickly, (b) be used in multiple environments, and (c) be powerful enough to get positive responses from others.

6. Teacher Pleasing Behaviors: Student behaviors which teachers perceive are important in the classroom.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates the student: demonstrates skill deficits for engaging in pro-social classroom/school behavior possesses the skills to engage in socially appropriate behavior, but does not use the skills

effectively.

This strategy should be considered if the intervention goals include: Increasing rates of positive, pro-social behaviors within the classroom environment Increasing task productivity or engagement time Decreasing rates of inappropriate behavior

Examples: Staying engaged in tasks Turning in high quality work Being respectful Showing self-control

7. Learning Strategies: Specific study skills and instructional strategies that help the student meet demands of multiple content area tasks. The major goals of learning strategies are to (a) gain, (b) respond to, and (c) organize information.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates the student: has difficulty gathering relevant information from assigned materials lacks learning strategies to meet the demands of content areas is not generalizing learned skills to other classes or environments such as home or

community demonstrates difficulty with organizational skills and/or independent work displays difficulty initiating effective study strategies

Examples: Skimming through reading material to find specific information Discriminating between important and unimportant information in texts Taking notes to study for a test.

8. Self –Management (Self-Monitoring): Providing a system in which the student monitors, evaluates, and reinforces his/her own performance or non-performance of specified behaviors.

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Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates problem behavior occurs when the student:

seeks to gain teacher/adult attention seeks to ‘escape’ an undesirable task or activity attempts to delay a transition from a preferred to a non-preferred activity has academic demands placed upon him/her becomes frustrated during academic activities

Example: Providing the student a system to self-monitor:

o Time engaged in a tasko Raising hand to answer questions o Task completion.

Considerations for Implementation: This strategy should be considered if intervention goal(s) include:

Increasing rates of positive behaviors such as attention-to-task or academic productivity Increasing task productivity Decreasing rates of inappropriate behavior

The process of self-management should be clearly explained to the student. Appropriate recording and cueing systems should be selected for the student’s use.

9. Delayed Gratification: Teaching the student to wait a specified period of time before receiving a reinforcer.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates the student: engages in specific, appropriate behavior, but at an unacceptable rate is using the replacement or desired behavior with consistency and is no longer exhibiting

the problem behavior, but the teacher wants to initiate fading the reinforcement of the replacement behavior

the student appropriately seeks adult/peer attention, but at an excessive rate the student engages in on-task behavior with reinforcement, and the intervention goal is

to increase task-engagement time intervals and reduce extrinsic reinforcement

Examples: Student uses replacement behavior and is provided a ‘delay’ signal/word prior to being

provided or released to reinforcer Have the student earn a specified number of points, tokens or checkmarks Have the student wait a specified period of time before earning a preferred reinforcer. Provide the student with a specified number of allowable behaviors each day with a

gradual decrease over time. (e.g., giving the student so many “asking questions” passes)

Considerations for Implementation: This strategy should be considered if the student has been exhibiting the appropriate skills, receiving consistent reinforcement and now needs to have the reinforcement gradually faded, or when the student exhibits an appropriate behavior (e.g., raising hand), but does so at an unacceptable or unnecessary rate.10. Independent Responding: Providing skills to the student, which allows him/her to answer questions without assistance from others.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates problem behavior occurs:

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to ‘escape’ teacher/adult requests to respond independently or to complete a task to ‘gain assistance’ from staff or peers when required to respond independently or to

complete a task without assistance. when the student becomes frustrated during activities that require independent responses. when the student is denied response-assistance from an adult or peer

Examples: Signals to assist the student in knowing when to provide responses Advanced preparation or scripts to provide the student with an increased chance of

responding independently and correctly

Considerations for Implementation: When data indicate, this strategy should be considered for the student who is overly dependent upon adults or peers to assist with tasks, or when he/she becomes frustrated when required to respond to academic questions.

11. Increased Engagement Time: Teaching the student strategies that will lengthen the amount of time he/she is attending to, and actively interacting in the academic and social environments.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates the: student exhibits low rates of engagement. student has shown minimal academic growth. student displays a need to learn self-management skills. team sees the need for program change (presentation, materials, preferred topics) to

motivate student to engage in academic tasks

Examples: Teaching and providing self-management systems Providing problem-solving or learning strategies that will motivate the student to remain

engaged in an activity

Considerations for Implementation: When data indicate, this strategy should be considered for the student who exhibits low rates of engagement and has shown minimal academic growth. When choosing this strategy, the team should consider appropriate “prevention” strategies (e.g., interspersing preferred topics or activities in materials, modifying curriculum content, or presentations) that will motivate the student to be engaged in instructional tasks.

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‘Reinforce’ Behavior InterventionsThe following are descriptions of interventions that should be considered for the

‘reinforce’ component of the behavior plan. All asterisked (*) interventions are required and must be included in the student’s PTR support plan.

1a.*Reinforce Replacement Behavior Functional : Immediately providing the student’s requested response when he/she engages in the functional replacement behavior selected from the “teach” component.

Rationale for using this strategy: This ‘Reinforce’ strategy should be used whenever the student engages in the designated replacement behavior selected during the ‘Teach’ component of the PTR intervention process. The replacement behavior serves the same function (obtain or escape) as the problem behavior and is equally or more efficient and effective in obtaining the desired outcome (reinforcer) as the problem behavior, thus ‘replacing’ the problem behavior with a more appropriate and socially valid way of getting the original outcome.

Example: As soon as the student requests a break, the break should be given. There should be minimal delay to the requested response. The requested response may include access to a break, assistance, attention, a desired item, or avoidance of any of the above.

Considerations for Implementation: The requested response should be given immediately for all students. However, the amount of time a student has access to the requested response will vary by student and should be individualized to the needs of each student. For example, some students may need a 5-minute break, but other students may need only a 1-minute break.

When delivering the requested response, it is important that it be reinforcing to the student. However, the requested response should be less desirable than the reward that is given if the student engages in the desired prosocial behavior.

Example: If a student asks for a break during a math assignment, he/she should be given a break of sufficient duration to prevent problem behavior. However, during this break the student should not be allowed access to more desirable activities, such as peers, preferred items, etc. Instead, the student may be required to sit at his/her desk and do nothing or may be allowed to engage in a less preferred activity. When the student engages in the desired prosocial behavior, completing the math assignment, he/she should be given access to the highly desired item or activity. The goal is that the student will begin to complete the work because the reward for the desired prosocial behavior is better than taking a break.

1b. *Reinforce Replacement Behavior Non-functional or Desired, Pro-social: Following the desired prosocial behavior (either immediately or after a set number of occurrences), the student should be given access to a prespecified item or activity. Prosocial behaviors might include social skills, completion of an assignment, coping strategies, problem solving skills, etc. These behaviors are not typical replacement behaviors because they do not result in the same response as the problem behavior; rather, they result in a more desirable reinforcer than the replacement behavior does.

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Rational for using this strategy: This ‘Reinforce’ strategy should be used whenever the student exhibits the more appropriate, socially desirable behavior, selected during the ‘Teach’ component of the PTR Intervention process. The reinforcement selected should be highly preferred (powerful) so that the student will be more likely to repeat the desired behavior.

Example: A student may get an extra 10 minutes at recess when he completes a math assignment, whereas asking for a break results in a brief 2-minute break from the task.

Considerations for Implementation: The reward the student will earn for engaging in the desired prosocial behavior should be reinforcing to the student and may even be chosen by the student. It should be chosen prior to the student having the opportunity to complete the task so that the student knows what s/he will earn if the prosocial behavior is exhibited. The reward might be delivered after every instance of the prosocial behavior or may be earned over several occurrences of the prosocial behavior. The reward also may vary from day to day, week to week, etc. to ensure the student desires the reinforcer.

2. Increase Non-Contingent Reinforcement : Responding positively to the student independent of the occurrence of a desired prosocial or replacement behavior. This may include providing attention, access to desired activities, escape from tasks, etc. The response delivered should be reinforcing to the student and may or may not be based on the function of the problem behavior. Delivery of noncontingent reinforcement should occur as long as the student is not engaging in an inappropriate behavior. This may include simply sitting in a chair, standing in line, raising a hand, etc.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates the student: responds positively to praise or acknowledgment from the teacher seeks to gain teacher/adult attention enjoys the attention of certain peers exhibits interest in specific classroom activities or school-related items

Example: The teacher provides the student with a high degree of attention (a reinforcer for the student and the main purpose of the problem behavior) during situations in which the problem behavior occurs.

Considerations for Implementation: It often is useful to set a time schedule for positively interacting with the student. The time schedule should be individualized to the needs of the student and should be based on the frequency of problem behavior exhibited, especially if the problem behavior is used to gain access to attention. Over time, the schedule is lengthened and may become varied rather than a set time schedule. Delivery of the reinforcer should occur as long as the student is not engaging in an inappropriate behavior. What the student is doing is not important, as long as it is appropriate.

3. Discontinue Reinforcement of Problem Behavior: No longer providing the response that followed and maintained the problem behavior. The discontinued response should be the consequence identified during the reinforce component of the assessment. This may include attention, escape or avoidance of academic work, access to desired

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items, etc. If the problem behavior no longer “pays off” for the student, the occurrence of problem behavior will lessen.Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates the student’s problem behavior is maintained by:

the current adult response to the behavior (consequence). adult attention, escape, delay or avoidance of a task or activity, or by gaining

access to a desired item or activity.

Example: When the student screams adults respond with emotion and escort the student to time-out delaying the start of the task. The student’s assessment indicates he craves attention. Now when the student screams, the adults respond minimally (i.e., flat affect, minimal verbal responses, no eye contact).

Considerations for Implementation: No longer providing the desired outcome following a problem behavior may not be feasible if the problem behavior is dangerous to the student or others or if it is very disruptive to the classroom. Additionally, discontinuing reinforcement of problem behavior may cause the problem behavior to worsen. Many teachers find it difficult to stop responding to problem behavior making this “reinforce” strategy difficult to implement.

4. Group Contingencies: A group of students earns a reward based on the behavior of one or more students.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates: student is reinforced by peer attention short-term goals include increasing peer interaction and friendship

Examples: The class gets an ice cream party Friday if Johnny completes all of his

assignments The class gets points toward a party each time Johnny reaches his self-

management goal

Considerations for Implementation: Ideally, the reward should be based upon the student engaging in a desired behavior rather than the absence of a problem behavior. This encourages the student to demonstrate desired behaviors and provides a good link between engaging in those behaviors and the reward. It also is suggested that the class earn an extra reward rather than lose access to a reward. This strategy also provides extra peer support for the student because peers are likely to remind and assist the student to engage in the desired behavior.

Example: The class should not lose minutes off recess if a student engages in a problem behavior; rather earn additional minutes if the student demonstrates the desired behavior. Make the contingency focus on the positive completion of appropriate behavior.

5. Increase Ratio of Positive to Negative Responses: Responding positively to appropriate behavior exhibited by the student more often than responding negatively to inappropriate behavior.

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Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates: adults are responding to the student using more negative statements (“No”,

“Stop”, “Don’t) for inappropriate behavior than positive responses to appropriate behavior (e.g., praise statements or comments about what the child is doing).

the student engages in inappropriate behavior to get attention from adults.

Example: The teacher decides to provide a minimum of 8 positive responses within a 20 minute period in which the student has problem behaviors. The teacher places 8 “M & Ms” in her left pocket. Each time s/he makes a positive comment to the student (e.g., “you’ve been working hard”), one candy is moved to the right pocket. After 20 minutes, the teacher checks to ensure her goal has been met, moving all the candies from the left to the right pocket.

Considerations for Implementation: It is suggested that for every negative response to an inappropriate behavior, there should be four positive responses to appropriate behaviors. Reinforcing a desired response frequently increases the probability that response will be exhibited again. At first, this seems unnatural for many people, but with time becomes routine. Additionally, the negative responses following inappropriate behavior frequently are not effective at reducing occurrences of inappropriate behavior. This is an easy strategy that can be included with minimal effort in any behavior support plan.

6. Home-School Reinforcement System: A student earns rewards at home for behavior at school. This may be in addition to a school reinforcement system or as a stand alone reinforcement system.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates: the parent is actively involved with PTR process the child’s highly preferred materials are not available/usable at school. problem behavior persists in the home setting and impacts behavior in the school

setting. problem behavior occurs specifically at transitions between home and school

Example: Joe’s mom wants to provide more powerful reinforcement to augment the PTR support plan. Joe loves to go to Busch Gardens. Mom agreed that Joe would earn a trip to Busch Gardens every week he met his self-management goal. The teacher assisted mom in setting up a chart at home to show Joe how close he is in earning his trip to Busch Gardens.

Considerations for Implementation: The student might earn points towards a big reinforcer provided at the end of the week, or small daily reinforcers might be used. Either plan should involve the student in the selection of the reinforcers. Also, for some students this intervention may not be effective as the delay to the reward is too far away. If used with a school reinforcement system, it is important that the parents and teacher communicate on a regular basis and the rules for the reinforcement system are the same at home and school.

7. Crisis Intervention Plan: A plan developed by the team to assist them with identifying and effectively responding to situations that require immediate attention due

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to the high level of intensity or severity. The plan should include methods to calm the situation and remove the student or others from danger, such as, when a student posses an immediate threat of physical harm to self or others.

Consider using when PTR Assessment information indicates: circumstances arise within the school environment that endanger the physical

safety of the student, other students, and/or staff members significant destruction of property occurs with problem behavior

Example: The team develops a plan to respond to Joe whenever he starts throwing hard objects in the classroom that have the potential of injuring staff and peers. The team determines the steps and responsibilities each person will have whenever the behavior occurs. The plan is written and placed in a spot easily accessed by all adults in the classroom.

Considerations for Implementation: Use of this plan simply removes the student or others from danger. It does not prevent or decrease the likelihood of the student engaging in such behavior in the future. Thus, it is not an effective intervention to decrease problem behavior and increase appropriate behavior. It should only be used during dangerous situations and in conjunction with other components of the PTR process. Additional factors to consider:

proper training of staff to carry out the plan effectively and efficiently clear identification of team members rehearsal of the plan during non-crisis times respond with minimal disruption to classroom activities expect problem behaviors to increase be prepared to reinforce appropriate behaviors at a higher level and rate give verbal prompts and assurances to students to let them know they are safe

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