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K3: Understanding of the basic theories of behavior problems exhibited by individuals with DCD.

S5: Familiarity with the use of a variety of instructional strategies (including functional life skills approach, community-based instruction, task analysis, multi-sensory, and concrete or manipulative techniques) to appropriately support the needs of students with DCD.

S6: Familiarity with techniques used to stimulate language, basic academic, and literacy skills of students with DCD (including the integration of art, music, and body movement into instruction).

K9: Understanding of basic aspects of a classroom environment that are relevant to meeting the physical, cognitive, cultural, and communication needs of children and youth with DCD.

S7: Familiarity with the use of developmentally appropriate classroom management strategies that are appropriate for supporting the needs of students with DCD.

K10: Knowledge of sources and uses of appropriate materials and equipment to meet the needs of children and youth with DCD (including adaptive, augmentative, and assistive technologies).


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Lesson 2 Reinforcement

Activity 1: QuickQuiz

2. To find out what a student with DCD is trying to communicate through behavior, you have to make observations and record data about what you see in the environment when the behavior is occurring. (Fill in the blanks using the words and phrases in the gray box, then select the Check Answer button to see if you've answered correctly.)

Your is to the behavior, when and how it is happening, what happens the behavior begins and what happens the behavior has ended. By understanding behavior as a form of , you can help the student find and ways to communicate needs.

Words to use in statement

goal
before
primarily
after
more acceptable

communication
describe
frequently
better

Activity 2: Assisting the Teacher to Plan and Develop Behavior Management Approaches and Techniques for Students with Developmental Cognitive Disabilities

Assisting the Teacher to Plan and Develop Behavior Management Approaches and Techniques for Students with Developmental Cognitive Disabilities

One of the first things you will learn about behavior is that it has a communicative nature. In other words, the student is trying to tell you and others about his/her current situation. Often the student is trying to gain something, such as the attention of another person, or to avoid something, such as an assignment he/she does not want to complete. To find out what a student with DCD is trying to communicate through specific behaviors, you have to take the time to make some observations and record some data about what you see in the environment where the behavior is occurring. Your goal is to describe the behavior, when and how frequently it happens, what happens before it begins, and what happens after it ends. By understanding behavior as a form of communication, you can help the student find better ways to communicate needs.

The following is a partial list of possible ways that you can assist the regular or special education teachers or other education team members to manage the challenging behaviors of students with DCD or to help students with DCD learn to manage their own behaviors:

Reinforce positively and recognize the desirable behaviors by noticing when the student is doing what he/she is supposed to be doing.
Know the difference between reinforcement (stimuli that increases the behavior) and rewards (stimuli given for meeting specific criteria or achieving goals).
Consult with other professionals such as occupational, speech, or physical therapists to identify alternatives that reduce stress, increase communication, or assist students in their environment.
Work with the student’s educational team to consider new or modifications of medication or dietary therapy that may reduce the challenging behaviors.
Identify and support the teacher to teach skills that foster self-reliance and independence.
Create and encourage purposeful contact with other nondisabled classmates who can help reinforce socially acceptable behaviors in a natural way.

Using the list above, additional information and references cited in this lesson, other resources you know about, your own creativity, and your previous experiences in this area, complete the following instructions:

To the list above, add other ways to manage the challenging behaviors of students with DCD or to help students with DCD learn to manage their own behaviors.
Reflect on a student with DCD whom you currently support. Although this student may already have a behavior management program within an educational setting, identify some area in this student’s educational experience in which some type of behavior management technique or approach may improve his/her learning in an educational setting. Then, choose some type of behavior management technique or approach with which you are unfamiliar or that you have wanted to learn more about or develop some expertise.
a. Write the behavior management technique or approach here:
b. Include some background information about the student with DCD whom you currently support:
With your specific behavior management technique or approach in mind, develop a proposal to suggest to your supervisor or special education teacher that includes the following components:
— What is the specific area of student need that you want to address by using this behavior management technique or approach?
— What are your observations about the student in a variety of settings within the school system and other information you have learned that you can use to provide evidence of this need?
— What research have you done that will bolster your proposal that this behavior management technique will improve or enhance the student’s life?
— What will your role and responsibilities be in supporting the student with this behavior management technique or approach if the proposal is accepted?
— How will you present your proposal? Will you practice the presentation with someone else who can provide feedback?
Schedule and make the presentation to your supervisor or other school personnel.
What was the result of your presentation? What feedback did you receive on your proposal and presentation?
What are your next steps?

What would you do? Print worksheet & write it down.

Get a worksheet that you may print for this activity.