A Model of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support, Research Paper Example

Questions and concerns about how best to provide appropriate and adequate educational instruction have been asked and answered in myriad ways. It is only recently, however that evidence-based information culled from both quantitative and qualitative research has been available to administrators and educators. With the availability of such information at hand, new approaches and programs have been developed and adopted in schools across the nation. Feeding the need to develop and adopt such new approaches are legislative initiates such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), each of which set standards and benchmarks to which administrators and educators are expected to adhere and meet. The watchword promulgated by such legislative initiatives is “accountability;” as one study puts it, “teachers are expected to support all needs of each student” (Simonsen, Shaw, Faggella-Luby, Sugia, Coyne, Rhein, Madaus, and Alfano, 2010, p17). This new era of general accountability and the advent of evidence-based instruction have underpinned a movement towards developing curricula that are applicable and appropriate for all students, including special education students. Within the overarching context of promoting acceptable academic success for all students, issues related to behavior and classroom management have also been given similar consideration. Among the frameworks developed to address both academic and behavioral concerns and to meet the needs of as many students as possible is the tiered model of service delivery. This paper provides a brief overview of the tiered model of service delivery for Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Support (SWPBS) and examines several types of interventions used in Tier I of SWPBS.

The applicability of a tiered model in both academic and behavioral contexts has been given significant consideration in recent years. The Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Support (SWPBS) approach to intervening, preventing, and dealing with behavioral issues has in some instances been modified to fit within an integrated tiered approach to the development of curricula, and this integrated approach has been proven to demonstrate an increase in positive outcomes (Hendley, 2007; Simonsen, Sugai, & Negron, 2008).

Tiered Interventions within the Framework of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support

The tiered approach to supporting SWPBS is typically divided into three tiers. At the Tier 1 level, which is also referred to as the universal level (Marchant et al, 2009), SWPBS interventions are developed and offered to all students, with the overall aim of reducing issues associated with negative behavior, such as office referrals, detentions, suspensions, and other behavior-linked responses (Young, Caldarella, Richardson, & Young, 2012; Filter, McKenna, Benedict, Horner, Todd, & Watson, 2007). In the same manner as the tiered approach to academic instruction, general and individualized assessments are used to monitor behavioral issues; those students who exhibit behavioral issues that are not adequately addressed by Tier 1 interventions may be moved to subsequent Tiers for more intense and individualized interventions. The following sections provide information and research results pertaining to several components of Tier 1 in a tiered system of SWPBS.

Establishing Guidelines and Expectations for Positive Behavior

Using a tiered system within the context of SWPBS is a logical and intuitive approach; studies indicate that upwards of 80% of students “respond to basic positive behavior supports” (Sprague, n.d); this number climbs even higher when implemented in conjunction with a tiered academic model. The purpose of Tier 1 SWPBS is to prevent behavior problems by establishing and reinforcing positive expectations for all students. This generally-applicable tier requires the implementation of broadly-defined sets of expectations, and schools can transmit these expectations in a number of ways. One approach to providing students with the information about these expectations is to establish simple, easily-memorable phrases and slogans; among those commonly used include such phrases as “Be Safe; Be Respectful; Be Responsible” (Young et al, 2012).

In order to ensure that students are aware of these general guidelines, schools can take a number of approaches. One such approach is integrating the implementation of these guidelines with classroom instruction. In the context of classroom instruction, teachers can lead discussions about the guidelines, and encourage students to offer their ideas and opinions about what such guidelines mean in practical terms. For example, “be safe” might include such behaviors as keeping classroom aisles clear of objects or using physical education equipment appropriately (Young et al, 2012; Simonsen, Sugai, Negron, 2008). Channeling the information gleaned from such discussions, students can be directed to create signs and other notices that describe expectations about positive behavior for the purpose of displaying these signs in the classroom, the school hallways, and other areas where they may be applicable. By involving students at different grade levels in these processes, the expectations regarding positive behavior are reinforced in a number of ways, and students have a participatory investment in developing and adhering to these expectations. Hendley (2007) finds that this “focus on preventing challenging behavior through proactive interventions” (n.p.) that encourage participation is an effective way of reducing problem behavior.

The “Name on the Board” System

The “Name on the Board” system is predicated on core Tier 1 concepts of establishing expectations for behavior through participation with students. Teachers guide students in developing a list of expected behaviors and further assist students in developing a sign or board for display in the classroom that delineates the expected behaviors. Students who exhibit inappropriate behavior have their names placed on the board, with a hierarchy for increasing levels of inappropriate behavior using color-coded markers. Guidelines are established for expected levels of behavior, and a reward system such as a token economy is used to provide individual or group rewards as appropriate. Pearce (2009) asserts that this system encourages pro-social behavior on an individual level, and also supports peer-to-peer behavioral support. Hendley (2007) agrees that such systems encourage discussions about personal responsibility and promote peer-to-peer behavioral support; when the entire classroom has rewards at stake, students are more likely to encourage each other to adhere to acceptable standards.

Teaching Social Skills

While it is helpful, and even necessary, to establish expectations for students regarding positive behavior, it is also necessary to ensure that students are taught the skills they need to meet such expectations. The book “Positive Behavior Support in Secondary Schools,” (Young et al., 2012) describes five social skills that teachers in their research study agreed to teach. These skills are: how to follow directions; how to give and accept compliments; how to solve problems with others; how to offer help or assistance to others; and how to express appreciation to others (Young et al., 2012). The authors assert that the most effective means of teaching these skills are similar to methods used to teach academic skills, and include direct instruction, opportunities to practice skills in classroom interaction settings, and positive reinforcement for learning these skills. The results of the overarching study on SWPBS covered in this book support the assertion that teaching social skills is a critical component of PBS. This approach to teaching social skills aligns well with a larger integrated and tiered approach to academic and behavioral intervention (Young et al, 2012; Filter et al., 2007; Simonsen, Sugai, and Negron, 2008).

Proponents of teaching social skills –and other behavioral instruction- argue that there is a rationale for proving such instruction. By demonstrating that there are positive outcomes for learning and demonstrating positive behavior, teachers reinforce the idea that such instruction is valuable. As is the case with the universal or schoolwide precepts of positive behavior, lessons about social skills should be framed in general, broadly-applicable, and easily-understood terms (Young et al, 2012). Students should be instructed both in the benefits of modeling positive behavior and in the potential negative consequences of demonstrating negative behavior (NCLD; Simonsen, Sugai, and Negron, 2008). It is imperative, then, that such benefits and consequences are offered or applied consistently within the context in which they are taught (Hendley; Simonsen et al 2010).

Summary and Conclusion

The development and implementation of a tiered approach to SWPBS –or to a larger, integrated tiered approach to both academic and behavior intervention- has significant implications for educators. The tiered approach to SWPBS impels educators to also view themselves as “interventionists” (Simonsen et al., 2010, p20); i.e.- to consider how their approach to promoting academic success and positive behavior must be shaped around the idea that students need to be given the right tools to succeed. The tiered approach to SWPBS has particular implications for teachers of exceptional students, as the tiered approach is designed to integrate exceptional students into Tier 1 when and where it is possible to do so (Simonsen et al., 2010; NCLD). For those students with exceptional or special needs, Tier 2 and Tier 3 assessments are used to determine, where possible, what types of interventions and assistance can be provided to allow these students return to Tier 1. In the tiered approach, special education students are included in the general education environment and curriculum to whatever extent each is capable, and interventions are designed with this in mind.

Proponents of the tiered model assert the necessity of ensuring that adoption of the model is widely-accepted among administrators and teachers; some go so far as to propose that administrators and teachers hold a vote to determine whether the decision is met with enthusiasm and positivity by those who will be responsible for administering and adhering to the model (Johnson, Pool, and Carter). While such decisions may vary on a case-by-case basis, what is clear is that moving to a tiered approach will constitute a paradigm shift in how a school functions. As continuing research in this area demonstrates the efficacy of the tiered approach and the achievement of positive academic and behavioral outcomes for students (Maggin et al, 2012; Marchant et al. 2009; Hendley, 2007), it is likely that more and more schools will give serious consideration to adopting a tiered approach to service delivery.

References

Hendley, S. L. (2007). Use Positive Behavior Support for Inclusion in the General Education Classroom. Intervention in School and Clinic, 42(4), 225-228.

Johnson, E. S., Pool, J. L., & Carter, D. R. (2012). Lessons Learned From a Tiered Service Delivery Implementation Project. Intervention in School and Clinic, 47(3), 139-143.

Kevin J. Filter, Moira K. McKenna, Elizabeth A. Benedict, Robert H. Horner, Anne W. Todd, & James Watson (2007). A Post-Hoc Evaluation of an Efficient, Secondary-Level Targeted Intervention for Reducing Problem Behaviors in Schools. Education and Treatment of Children, 30(1), 69-84.

Marchant, M., Anderson, D., Caldarella, P., Fisher, A., & Young, B. (2009). Schoolwide Screening and Programs of Positive Behavior Support: Informing Universal Interventions.Preventing School Failure, 53(3), 131-143.

National Center for Learning Disabilities (n.d.). What is Response to Intervention (RTI)? | RTI Action Network. Retrieved from http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/what/whatisrti

Pearce, L.R. (2009). Helping children with emotional difficulties: a respone to intervention investigation. Rural Educator. 30(2). 34-46.

Simonsen , B., Shaw, S. F., Faggella-Luby , M., Sugai , G., Coyne , M. D., Rhein , B., Madaus, J. W., & Alfano, M. (2010). A Schoolwide Model for Service Delivery: Redefining Special Educators as Interventionists. Remedial and Special Education, 31(1), 17-23.

Simonsen, B., Sugal, G., & Negron, M. (2008). Schoolwide Positive Behavior Supports: Primary Systems and Practices. Teaching Exceptional Children, 40(6), 32-40.

Young, E. L., Caldarella, P., Richardson, M., Young, K. (2012). Positive behavior support in secondary schools: A practical guide. New York, NY: Guilford Press.