Positive Supports for Behavior and Discipline Resource Database

This brief provides considerations for conducting and implementing functional behavior assessments (FBAs) and behavior intervention plans (BIPs) using virtual technology.

To support educators who are returning to in-person instruction this school year, The TIES Center is refreshing selected articles from the Distance Learning (DL) series. Refreshed articles will be identified as Pivot to In-Person Instruction (PI) articles. This article is an exception, in that it is a new addition, with a specific focus on supporting behavior at this unique time.

Removing students from the classroom and placing them in remote instruction for their behavior is an emerging form of discipline (Jones, 2020). The purpose of this brief is to describe this form of discipline, examine its implications and potential negative impacts, and provide guiding principles for improving behavior through evidence-based approaches.

Positive and consistent behavioral supports are needed by all students and, for some students, are absolutely vital to support meaningful engagement in academics. Distance learning situations are no different in this regard. An initial task before educators is identifying and transferring the knowledge of things that work in school to the new reality that exists for families at home. Collaboration and communication are key.  Also key are deliberately defining what those supports have been historically, and what they should be within the new context and activities so that families can best support their children with the most success. By intentionally identifying and consistently providing these supports, students with significant cognitive disabilities will be more able to participate and engage the same as their peers within the current distance learning reality.

Tucker the Turtle provides a scripted story to teach young children how to calm down when they have strong feelings by tucking into their shell and taking deep breaths. The story also includes visuals to help children learn how to use the strategy.

This resource includes instructions and tips for families on how to create a calm down area at home.

Practice guides for teleteaching for educators and families. English and Spanish translations of behavior, low intensity strategies, and overall guidance for engaging with children with disabilities in virtual learning spaces

This guide has practical strategies that work for helping children of all ages who may be struggling with an at-home learning task. Families may find these strategies useful when helping their children complete various reading, math, and/or behavioral tasks at home.

Progress monitoring allows educators and administrators to understand whether students are responding to intervention and if adaptations are needed. This FAQ collection includes considerations for data collection and analysis for schools to consider as they rethink their progress monitoring approach due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Guidance from vendors on the academic and behavior progress monitoring tools charts are included.

This webinar highlights critical practices to create positive, predictable, and safe learning environments for all students.

Families can use this resource to make a family schedule, choose family expectations, and make a plan to teach, remind, reward, and respond to behavior at home.

Educators can download this template and create their own plan to implement PBIS in their classroom. The template includes opportunity to develop a classroom matrix, create lesson plans to teach expected behavior, script prompts or reminders for desired behavior, and plan praise and corrections.

State, district, or other MTSS/PBIS leadership teams can download and use this action planning template to (1) confirm and re-establish commitment, (2) consider capacity and resource allocation, (3) invest in supporting structures, and (4) promote competency development.

This guide highlights 5 key practices for teachers and families to support all students, including students with disabilities, at school and home. For each practice, the guide provides (a) tips for teachers to support students with disabilities during instruction; (b) tips for families that educators can share to support or enhance learning at home, especially during periods of remote instruction; and (c) free-access resources that include strategies shown to be effective by research (e.g., informational guides, downloadable materials, research-based programs).

Families and caregivers should consider using positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) in their homes on a daily basis. It is especially helpful when events disrupt normal routines – events like worldwide health pandemics. This practice brief provides recommendations for families and caregivers on how to use PBIS to continue to support their students’ social and emotional growth and minimize behavioral disruptions in the home.