Children with visual impairments often require physical and programming adaptations to be made to their educational setting. Children should be encouraged and provided with opportunities to be independent. Repetition and routines can help a child to understand their visual environment, and if changes are needed they should be made slowly to allow the child to adjust. In order for children to maximize their skills, they must feel comfortable, safe, and secure within their surroundings. Consistent arrangement of the environment can support children with a visual impairment.

Physical Space

• edges of steps should be highlighted with contrasting paint or plastic nosings (plastic protectors that fit on to corners of furniture)
• slanted floor surfaces should be highlighted in contrasting colours
• windows should have blinds that are effective in reducing glare
• sitting in areas of bright sunlight should be avoided
• furniture should be kept in the same place as a predictable environment is necessary

Accessibility

• equipment should be kept in one place for consistency and be clearly marked
• frequently used equipment should be at the child’s level

Visibility

• wall displays should be uncluttered, clearly presented, and positioned at the child’s eye level
• signs indicating different rooms (e.g., “washroom”, should be positioned at the child’s eye level)
• doors and walls should be painted in different colours to provide a contrast
• door knobs and light switches should be highlighted in different colours
• equipment pieces in the playground area should be different colours
• different floor finishes should be used to identify separate areas (e.g., carpet in classrooms or tiled flooring in corridors, mats at door entrances, and exits to buildings)
• corridors should be free of obstacles (e.g., chairs, tables)
• “diffused strip lighting” is preferred

Programming Recommendations

• children with visual impairments rely on auditory information for some part of their learning. Books on tape or CD, spoken output from the computer, and use of tape recorders provide a quick means of access that has the advantage of being meaningful to sighted peers.
• low vision optical and video aids enable many partially sighted, low vision, and blind children to participate in regular class activities.
• large print materials and Braille books are also available.
• provide contrast in colour between an object and its background.
• children with visual impairments need opportunities for direct experiences with materials and objects because they do not gain information from pictures. The opportunity to pat an animal, to stand in sand, or touch paint will be more valuable than only relying on verbal descriptions.
  Children with visual impairments vary in their learning abilities and needs. Educational support from a professional in visual impairment is beneficial to assist in the development of appropriate programming for the child.

As the child grows older, it is important for him to have contact with adults who are visually impaired and to have the opportunity to participate in regular work experiences. Not only must education provide information access, but it must also help him develop the skills needed to make decisions and experience the results of these decisions. Educators and families should resist the temptation to provide assistance where it is not needed; only through initiative and experience will a child understand his own capabilities and develop a realistic plan for his future.

A hearing loss ranges from mild (hard of hearing) to profound (deaf). Specialists (audiologist, speech and language pathologist) can assist Early Childhood Educators in understanding the degree to which development of communication skills will be affected by the child’s hearing impairment. Parents should be consulted to determine how much hearing capacity the child does have and which teaching methods and communication system is best suited for the child. Early developmental milestones will be similar to those of the hearing child. The impact of a hearing impairment is most obvious in language development. Actual cognitive ability is hindered only to the extent that performance depends on language comprehension and use.

Strategies:

1. Seat the child up close for good visibility of teacher, activity, or other children.
2. Experiment to find out or ask parents how close a speaker must be in order for the child to hear.
3. Provide the child with experiences that make residual hearing (auditory acuity of a child after an impairment without amplification).
4. Speak at normal speed and volume without exaggerating lip movements.
5. Avoid speaking with your back to the child or with a bright light behind you. Don’t inadvertently cover your mouth when speaking. Lipstick may enhance visibility.
6. Use normal vocabulary and sentence structure. Be prepared to repeat, rephrase, point out, or demonstrate if the child does not understand.
7. When seeking the child’s attention, be certain to use his or her name. Teach the child to attend to your face and do not give any directions until the child is obviously attending.
8. When teaching the child, use visual and tactile aids. Model the desired behaviour whenever possible.

“Children with special needs and their families have access to child care and appropriate supports in the neighbourhood where they live.”

Inclusion:
Children with special needs have the same opportunity to attend and actively participate in child care programs as their peers.

Quality:
Child care programs and Special Needs Resourcing Agencies strive for responsive, timely evidence based best practices in the area of inclusion.

Partnerships:
A successful partnership between parents, childcare staff, and specialized services is essential in order to meet the individual needs of each child within a group setting. Participation of Parents/Guardians is recognized as integral to the successful inclusion of children with special needs in child care.

Accessibility:
Children with special needs and child care staff have access to supports which facilitate high quality inclusive early childhood experiences.

Integration:
The delivery of specialized supports in child care is embedded within a broader strategy for a system of childcare where all children can maximize their potential.

Equity:
Specialized supports are assigned based on the general population base and the rate of prevalence for special needs.

Flexibility:
Specialized supports are delivered in a way that allows service providers to adjust services based on current needs and agency’s expertise.

Capacity Building:
Inclusion is a process not a product, and there are issues of capacity that will take time for the community to respond to appropriately. Training is valued as an important contributor to quality and inclusion and will be available and coordinated by the child care and special needs resourcing communities to meet staff needs and build capacity.

Accountability:
Funded services are governed, delivered and accounted for, in a way that is transparent to the user and local taxpayer.

Michael is a four-year old boy in the preschool classroom. During outdoor playtime, Michael usually plays with a ball or goes on the slide. The teachers have noticed that he frequently pushes and hits other children who are engaged in play. The other children often get upset and move off to play in another area or tell the teacher what happened.

Does the story about Michael at the playground sound familiar to you – perhaps you have a child like Michael in your classroom?

If so, then you’ve actually taken the first step of identifying a problem behaviour that may be putting a child at risk. In this case, Michael’s problem behaviour is also interfering with his social, emotional and intellectual development.

Deciding what to do next may be difficult. Here’s the 3-step approach we followed in Understanding and Changing Behaviour.

Step 1: Decide Where to Start

We’ve identified a problem behaviour. Let’s take a moment to describe what we see or hear. Describing the behaviour will help us to be consistent when gathering information a bit later.

Michael pushes and hits other children with an open hand or clenched fist.

Michael moved into our preschool classroom just two weeks ago. In order to better understand his behaviour, we’re going to use the Functional Assessment Interview by O’Neill. This functional assessment tool will help us to record our observations of Michael’s behaviour, and gather information from his parents and previous teachers.

Now let’s move on to the next step.

Step 2: Gather and Analyze

Here is some information we gathered from the Functional Assessment Interview which includes: what happens before the behaviour; the setting and time when the behaviour occurs; and what happens afterwards.

• There are no medical concerns or changes in medication.
• Michael’s eating and sleeping patterns have not changed.
• The behaviour happens more often in the playground and indoors less frequently.
• The time of day was usually in the morning during outdoor play. Michael does not attend child care in the afternoon.
• The behaviour occurs with peers, and happens at home with children of extended family members.
• The behaviour does not happen with adults, siblings, or while he was in his previous classroom.
• The behaviour is most likely to happen when other children are engaged in gross motor activities or in the block/transportation area.
• When Michael hits or pushes a child he stays very close to them and does not run or move away.
• We also noticed that Michael is removed from the situation after the behaviour occurs which leads to him screaming “no”. He often approaches the same child again even after being removed.
• Sometimes children run away from Michael after he hits or pushes them.

We also considered Michael’s communication skills and noted that he speaks in two to three word sentences and uses gestures to make requests.

The results from the Functional Assessment Interview suggest that the function of the problem behaviour is to obtain attention. The problem behaviour serves a communicative function: Michael is using the behaviour to express his desire to join other children in play.

Now it’s time to move onto the next step and plan for change.

Step 3: Plan for Change

Planning for change involves making the behaviour irrelevant, inefficient and finally ineffective.

Making the Behaviour Irrelevant

We can make the behaviour irrelevant by preventing or controlling the things in the environment that happen before the behaviour.

Let’s take a look at some ways to prevent the behaviour from happening by promoting social interaction through group activities, and setting clear rules.

Activity
During outdoor play time, we will lead group activities and games like, “Duck, duck goose”, “Mr. Wolf” and “Red light, green light”. We will encourage Michael to participate and become acquainted with the other children in the class.

We will facilitate play between Michael and another child with games or toys that he is most interested in. For example, playing “catch” with the large bouncing ball in the playground or playing with the car ramp but using only one car.

Setting clear rules
We will also create a rules board that emphasizes positive ways to interact with others including all the “good” things we can do with our hands (e.g., pat on the back, shake hands). We can discuss these rules at circle time every day and reward children when we see them following the rules. Keeping class rules very clear and simple will assist Michael to understand what is expected of him.

Making the Behaviour Inefficient

To make behaviour inefficient, we might choose to teach specific adaptive, educational and social behaviours. By teaching these types of behaviours, we eliminate the need for the problem behaviour.

At other times, we may teach an alternative behaviour. An alternative behaviour serves the same function as the behaviour being replaced but is seen to be more appropriate by other children, adults and the general public. To be successful, it requires equal or less physical effort and complexity but results in the same type of pay-off for the child.

In this case, we are going to teach Michael how to “ask a friend to play”. We will create a social script that describes what Michael can do to ask a friend to play.

For more details on the strategies and teaching techniques we used to help Michael learn how to “ask a friend to play” visit our “Teaching New Skills” section.

Making the Behaviour Ineffective

The last step is to make problem behaviour ineffective, meaning that it no longer works for the child. Keeping in mind that the behaviour may not change right away – we are aware that it is very common for problem behaviour to increase before it decreases when implementing changes. The key is to be consistent with our plan.

Since this behaviour is really a request for peer attention, we have decided that when Michael hits or punches another child, all teachers will physically redirect him to a new activity without paying any attention to the behaviour.

Another important factor in making the behaviour ineffective in our environment means changing a behaviour in all the places a child finds himself including at home. Our partnership with parents is the key to success.

Throughout this process we spoke to Michael’s parents about our concerns, and shared our strategies. Michael also had some difficulty with social interaction at home, so we provided the family with the same strategies we are using and created a social script to use at home. Changing a problem behaviour that continues to be rewarded in other settings is confusing to the child and frustrating for everyone.

If the problem behaviour persists then we will have to re-assess but it is important for us to give our plan time to work. Be patient! Some behaviours can take a couple of weeks to change.

Hamzah is a three-year old boy in the preschool room. He usually speaks in one word phrases. At the end of circle time each child is asked to choose where he wants to play. When it is Hamzah’s turn he often does not respond and remains seated.

Does this story about Hamzah at play time sound familiar to you – perhaps you have a child like Hamzah in your classroom?

If so, then you’ve actually taken the first step of identifying a problem behaviour that may be putting a child at risk. In this case, Hamzah’s problem behaviour is also interfering with his social, emotional and intellectual development.

Deciding what to do next may be difficult. Here’s the 3-step approach we followed in Understanding and Changing Behaviour.

Step 1: Decide Where to Start

Let’s take a moment to describe what we see or hear. Describing the behaviour will help us to be consistent when gathering information a bit later.

When Hamzah is asked to select an activity or play area, he does not respond with words or gestures. If seated or standing he remains in position and does not move.

We have agreed to directly observe Hamzah’s behaviour and record our results using the ABC Functional Assessment Card. We’ll chart at least six times before reviewing the information. We will also use the Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS) by Durand and Crimmins to learn more about the possible reasons for the behaviour.

We’ll talk with Hamzah’s parents to find out if he has any difficulty playing, making choices or following directions at home.

Now let’s move on to the next step.

Step 2: Gather and Analyze

After speaking with Hamzah’s parents, we learned that he is an only child, and often plays on his own at home, or with his father. He follows instructions easily and enjoys listening to the radio, and children’s music.

Hamzah’s parents are very concerned about his language development as Hamzah uses mostly single words to speak and some gestures. A hearing test has been scheduled for Hamzah, and he is also on the waitlist for a speech and language assessment.

We completed the MAS and recorded our observations throughout the week using the ABC Functional Assessment Cards. After analyzing all the information we collected, here’s what we noticed about Hamzah’s behaviour:

• We see the behaviour each day after circle time, and rarely at other times during the day.
• Hamzah seems to enjoy circle time as he actively participates by singing along and doing the actions.
• The activity that follows circle time is free play time where children get to choose a centre (e.g., blocks, dramatic, sand table) to play in.
• We looked at the circle time routine and noticed that it was not very consistent. It was sometimes unclear when the routine ended.
• The behaviour follows a verbal request to select an activity or someone to play with (e.g., teacher says, “Who do you want to play with?”, or “Where do you want to play?”)
• The behaviour does not occur when Hamzah is told to specifically carry out a task or activity. He is very compliant with following simple one step directions.
• The consequence to Hamzah’s behaviour was very consistent and we noticed this pattern:
  • A teacher repeats the question 2 to 4 times; the behaviour continues. When she takes Hamzah’s hand and leads him to an activity or play area the behaviour stops.

According to our analysis of the information, the suggested function of Hamzah’s behaviour is to escape the choice making activity that follows circle time. This is possibly because he does not know how to respond to it.

Step 3: Plan for Change

Now it’s time to move onto the next step and plan for change. Planning for change involves making the behaviour irrelevant, inefficient and finally ineffective.

Making the Behaviour Irrelevant

We can make the behaviour irrelevant by preventing or controlling the things in the environment that happen before the behaviour.

Let’s take a look at some ways to prevent the behaviour from happening by adapting routines, using visuals, making changes to the environment, and modifying teaching methods.

Routines
We can make a few changes to the circle time routine to help Hamzah understand when to transition to the next activity. Just like we have a “welcome “song at the beginning of circle time, we’ll also use a “goodbye” song to let everyone, including Hamzah, know that this activity is over.

Using Visuals
We can also make a visual schedule with pictures that shows the activities happening that day, the sequence of events, and when it is time to stop one activity and start another.

Environment
Since Hamzah is very interested in music, we are going to add objects that have a musical element to some of the learning centres around the room. For example, we’ll place a toy radio/tape recorder to the dramatic area, and collect some audio books to create a listening centre.

Modify Teaching Methods
After reviewing our observations, we realized that we can change the way we give instructions or directions. We can get down to the child’s level, make eye contact, and simplify our speech. Instead of saying “where do you want to play?” we can say “want blocks or tape recorder?” Using pictures of these objects will also help Hamzah understand what we are saying. To start, we’ll present Hamzah with a choice between real objects.

Making the Behaviour Inefficient

To make behaviour inefficient, we might choose to teach specific adaptive, educational and social behaviours. By teaching these types of behaviours, we eliminate the need for the problem behaviour.

At other times, we may teach an alternative behaviour. An alternative behaviour serves the same function as the behaviour being replaced but is seen to be more appropriate by other children, adults and the general public. To be successful, it requires equal or less physical effort and complexity but results in the same type of pay-off for the child.

Remember how we observed that Hamzah engaged in problem behaviour following circle time. We’re going to teach Hamzah how to make a choice by using concrete objects and eventually with picture symbols. This will also help to expand Hamzah’s play skills, and build on his expressive language skills.

For specific details on the strategies and other teaching techniques we used to teach Hamzah to “make a choice” visit our “Teaching New Skills” section.

Making the Behaviour Ineffective

The last step is to make problem behaviour ineffective, meaning that it no longer works for the child. We know that problem behaviour often increases before it decreases when implementing changes. The key is to be consistent with our plan.

Everyone on the teaching team will be sure to use the objects that represent the various learning centres to help Hamzah select an area to play in (e.g., blocks, playdough container, crayon, book). We will also be sure to help Hamzah follow through with the choice by walking him to the selected learning centre and praise him for choosing an activity.

Next we need to look at changing the behaviour in every environment in which Hamzah finds himself. We will talk with Hamzah’s parents about using the same strategies at home. Our partnership with parents is the key to success!

If the problem behaviour persists then we will have to re-assess but it is important for us to give our plan time to work. Be patient! Some behaviours can take a couple of weeks to change.

By Robert E. O’Neill

The Functional Assessment Interview (FAI) is an important part of a functional behaviour assessment. The FAI consists of a series of questions designed to gather information about a child’s behaviour. Unlike the Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS), the FAI does not include scores that help to identify the function of the behaviour. The FAI, however, helps you gather information that you and a consultant would then use when problem solving around a problem behaviour.

The first set of questions guides you as you describe the behaviour. Then you are asked questions about the “ecological/setting events”, such as the child’s recent eating and sleeping habits. A description of the immediate antecedents (when, what, where and with whom the behaviour occurs) and consequences of the behaviour (what the child gets or avoids by engaging in the behaviour) are also required. You are also asked questions about the child’s abilities and difficulties, likes and dislikes, and method and level of communication.

As someone who works closely with the child, you might be able to answer many of these questions. It is important, however, to interview people who may have other information about the child – such as other staff members, the child’s parents and, where appropriate, the child himself – in order to gather as much information as possible.

By bringing your attention to the antecedents (things that happened before the behaviour) and the consequences (things that happen as a result of the behaviour) of the behaviour, the FAI helps you to identify not only the problem behaviour(s), but also the possible reasons for it. The FAI also brings your attention to the skills, interests, challenges and communication issues of the child.

We have attached a completed FAI form for you to read. As you can see, there is much more detailed information included in the FAI than in the MAS. We have also included a blank copy of the FAI that you might want to use.

The Elimination Record allows you to keep track of when a child is soiled or dry, and if he urinates or has a bowel movement in the toilet.

Pants Column

In the column marked pants you will record every hour either:

• D – if he is dry
• U – if he has urinated in pants
• BM – if he has a bowel movement

Of course, you don’t have to wait an entire hour. Anytime you think he is wet, check him, write in the time on the chart, and record the results.

Toilet Column

If you do put him on the toilet, record the results in the Toilet column in the same way. (However, you don’t need to start putting him on the toilet yet until you have discovered his elimination pattern from your hourly dry checks).

• N – if he didn’t eliminate in the toilet
• U – if he has urinated in the toilet
• BM – if he has a bowel movement

As you can see, record keeping will take you no more than a minute each hour, yet this is the most important part of your toilet training program.

Wayne is a four-year old boy diagnosed with Autism. He is nonverbal and constantly in motion. He frequently climbs on furniture such as tables and chairs. The teacher will get up to follow him and bring him back to the activity. Wayne will happily return but only for a moment and then he is off again. Not only is this a safety concern, but it also interferes with his ability to focus or participate in group activities.

Does this story about Wayne and his favourite activity sound familiar to you – perhaps you have a child like Wayne in your classroom?

If so, then you’ve actually taken the first step of identifying a problem behaviour that may be putting a child at risk. In this case, Wayne’s problem behaviour is also interfering with his social, emotional and intellectual development.

Deciding what to do next may be difficult. Here’s the 3-step approach we followed in Understanding and Changing Behaviour.

Step 1: Decide Where to Start

We’ve identified a problem behaviour. Let’s take a moment to describe what we see or hear. Describing the behaviour will help us be consistent when gathering information a bit later.

Wayne climbs onto furniture (e.g., chairs, tables, low bookshelf).

In order to better understand Wayne’s behaviour we will observe and record each incident during which he demonstrates the behaviour on the ABC Functional Assessment Card for five consecutive days. We will also complete the Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS) by Durand and Crimmins to learn more about the purpose of the behaviour.

We will talk with Wayne’s parents to find out if he demonstrates this behaviour at home and if they have any concerns.

Now let’s move on to the next step.

Step 2: Gather and Analyze

By speaking with Wayne’s parents, we discovered that he frequently engages in this behaviour at home. His mother and grandmother reported that Wayne spends a lot of time climbing onto the sofa, coffee table, chairs and bed, and will usually bounce once he is on them. Wayne’s mother allows him to periodically climb on furniture as he appears to enjoy this type of activity. She is unsure why he is constantly craving some form of motion.

We completed the MAS and recorded our observations throughout the week using the ABC Functional Assessment Cards. After analyzing the information we noticed a few things about Wayne’s behaviour:

• The behaviour occurs mostly indoors.
• Usually occurs when an adult stops attending to him. It also occurs when an adult is sitting right next to him.
• Appears to enjoy the behaviour. He seems pleased and is smiling.
• While up on the furniture, Wayne bounces very lightly on the spot. He seems calm and unaware of anything else going on.
• There was no pattern in the time of day Wayne engages in the problem behaviour or specific location.
• We noticed that in many instances Wayne gets an immediate response from those around him when he climbs up onto the furniture. The other children will call out what he is doing or teachers will go to him immediately and direct him to come down.
• Wayne does not usually comply with the verbal direction to “come down”. Teachers then physically assist Wayne to get down and he often resists and shouts.
• We also see this behaviour during outdoor play time. Wayne climbs to the top of the playground structure and jumps on the spot. He appears to be excited, makes sounds and laughs.
• Teachers allow Wayne to climb outdoors noting that it is much safer compared to inside the classroom.

The results from the functional assessment suggest that the function of the behaviour is to obtain sensory stimulation.

Now it’s time to move onto the next step and plan for change.

Step 3: Plan for Change

We want to reduce problem climbing as it is a serious safety concern for Wayne and those around him. Note that we still want to give Wayne a chance to obtain the sensory stimulation he is seeking. Planning for change involves making the behaviour irrelevant, inefficient and finally ineffective.

Making the Behaviour Irrelevant

We can make the behaviour irrelevant by preventing or controlling the things in the environment that happen before the behaviour.

Let’s take a look at some ways to prevent the behaviour from happening by, setting clear rules, and modifying activities/programming.

Setting Clear Rules
We want Wayne to understand where it is okay to climb and bounce, and where it is not okay. We are going to make a list with pictures of the places that are appropriate for Wayne to climb or bounce on, such as the playground structure or a mini trampoline.

Modifying Activities/Programming
We can change our daily schedule to include additional gross motor activities in between seated activities or free play time. These activities include dancing, going for a walk through the building (up and down stairs), and stretching exercises.

To provide Wayne with sensory stimulation we have purchased a “move n’ sit” air cushion that is portable and can be used at circle time, or during seated activities.

Making the Behaviour Inefficient

To make behaviour inefficient, we might choose to teach specific adaptive, educational and social behaviours. By teaching these types of behaviours, we eliminate the need for the problem behaviour.

At other times, we may teach an alternative behaviour. An alternative behaviour serves the same function as the behaviour being replaced but is seen to be more appropriate by other children, adults and the general public. To be successful, it requires equal or less physical effort and complexity but results in the same type of pay-off for the child.

In this case, the prevention strategies mentioned above provide Wayne with opportunities to receive sensory stimulation throughout the day, but there may be times when he wants more. In order to help Wayne to obtain sensory input we will teach him to use a picture card that will enable him to request a therapy ball, rocking boat or mini trampoline. This serves the same function as the climbing (to obtain sensory stimulation), but is much safer.

For specific details on the strategies and other teaching techniques we used to teach Wayne to “request a sensory break” visit our “Teaching New Skills” section.

Making the Behaviour Ineffective

The last step is to make problem behaviour ineffective, meaning that it no longer works for the child. Keeping in mind that the behaviour may not change right away – we are aware that it is very common for problem behaviour to increase before it decreases when implementing changes. The key is to be consistent with our plan.

When Wayne climbs onto furniture an adult will direct him down. The adult will ignore the behaviour by not making eye contact or communicating with him.

Another important factor in making the behaviour ineffective in our environment means changing a behaviour in all the places a child finds himself especially at home. Changing a problem behaviour that continues to be rewarded in other settings is confusing to the child and frustrating for everyone. Our partnership with parents is the key to success.

Throughout this process we spoke to Wayne’s mother about our concerns, and shared the strategies that we implemented. His mother agreed to try and change the behaviour at home.

In the meantime, we also acknowledge that if the behaviour persists then Wayne may need professional help or the intervention of an occupational therapist.

Chung Lee is a five-year old girl with Down Syndrome. When it’s time for all the children to get ready for outdoor play, Chung Lee often begins to tantrum as she tries to put on her jacket. She throws her things to the floor and screams. The teacher calms Chung Lee down and then helps her put the jacket on. The teacher notices that this is happening every day and does not have enough time to help the other children.

Does this story about Chung Lee getting dressed sound familiar to you – perhaps you have a child like Chung Lee in your classroom?

If so, then you’ve actually taken the first step of identifying a problem behaviour that may be putting a child at risk. In this case, Chung Lee’s problem behaviour is also interfering with her social, emotional and intellectual development.

Deciding what to do next may be difficult. Here’s the 3-step approach we followed in Understanding and Changing Behaviour.

Step 1: Decide Where to Start

We’ve identified a problem behaviour. Let’s take a moment to describe what we see or hear. Describing the behaviour will help us to be consistent when gathering information a bit later.

Chung Lee throws her jacket and/or hat to the floor. She then screams very loudly.

We’ll also want to talk with Chung Lee’s parents to find out if she has any difficulty getting dressed at home or displays this behaviour with other activities. Then we’ll spend some more time observing Chung Lee at the centre.

Team teachers agree to record their observations using the ABC Functional Assessment Card for the next five days. We’ll chart at least six times before reviewing the information. We will also use the Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS) by Durand and Crimmins to learn more about the possible functions of the behaviour.

Since the behaviour usually happens when getting dressed, we are also going to look at how Chung Lee gets undressed and see if there are any concerns around this routine.

Now we’ll move onto the next step.

Step 2: Gather and Analyze

After speaking with Chung Lee’s parents, we learned that she does not demonstrate any of the problem behaviours at home. Chung Lee’s parents reported that they help her put on the clothing, pull up the zippers, or undo the buttons on her pants, sweaters and jackets.

We believe that the expectations for “getting dressed” are different at home than at child care. Chung Lee receives full assistance from her parents to get dressed but is encouraged to first try on her own at child care.

We completed the Motivation Assessment Scale and recorded our observations throughout the week using the ABC Functional Assessment Cards. After analyzing all the information we collected, here’s what we noticed about Chung Lee’s behaviour:

• The behaviour happens twice a day, while getting ready to go out to the playground – in the morning and afternoon.
• Chung Lee gets her jacket from the cubby, holds it in one hand and tries to slide the other hand into the arm opening. Her hand misses the opening. Not getting her hand in the opening appears to trigger the problem behaviour.
• We also noticed that when Chung Lee’s parents come to pick her up, they help her put on the jacket and hat (e.g., hold the jacket, put her arms through the sleeves, pull up the zipper, and pull the hat down onto her head).
• Teachers respond to Chung Lee’s behaviour by telling her to pick up the jacket or asking her to “try” again. The screaming gets much louder and teachers quickly go to put the jacket and hat on for her.
• After being helped Chung Lee stops screaming.
• We also noticed that the cubby area is a bit crowded during this routine. Chung Lee is sometimes pushed or bumped by a child next to her. This also happened before we see the problem behaviour.

We also observed Chung Lee when she takes off her jacket and hat.

• There were no issues with undressing but Chung Lee does have a very interesting way of removing her jacket. She locates the zipper and pulls it down almost half way. Then she wriggles out of her jacket and tosses it into her cubby or leaves it on the floor.
• The hat was pulled off very quickly and easily as Chung Lee grabbed it from the top.

According to our analysis of the information we gathered, there are two possible functions or reasons for Chung Lee’s behaviour: escaping the activity because it is too difficult, and/or obtain attention from a teacher to get help. We are going to focus on the function of escaping the activity when we plan for change.

Step 3: Plan for Change

Planning for change involves making the behaviour irrelevant, inefficient and finally ineffective.

Making the Behaviour Irrelevant

We can make the behaviour irrelevant by preventing or controlling the things in the environment that happen before the behaviour.

Let’s take a look at some ways to prevent the behaviour from happening by changing the environment, adapting routines and using visuals.

Environment
We’re going to place a plastic mirror on the wall in the cubby area to help Chung Lee see what she is doing while trying to get dressed. The physical space is a bit small for all the children to get dressed at once so we are going to adapt this routine (see below).

Routines
We’ll adapt the routine by dividing the children into two smaller groups. In Chung Lee’s group we will include children who can dress independently and can model appropriate behaviour.

Activity
We will discuss the getting dressed routine at circle time by reading books about this self-help task. We can also add doll-sized jackets and hats to the dramatic area so that Chung Lee can practice this skill through play.

Using Visuals
We will create a mini-schedule with photos of each step involved in “putting on a jacket”. We will post one near Chung Lee’s cubby and another one on or above the mirror. This visual support will be very useful for teaching Chung Lee this self-help skill.

Making the Behaviour Inefficient

To make behaviour inefficient, we might choose to teach specific adaptive, educational and social behaviours. By teaching these types of behaviours, we eliminate the need for the problem behaviour.

At other times, we may teach an alternative behaviour. An alternative behaviour serves the same function as the behaviour being replaced but is seen to be more appropriate by other children, adults and the general public. To be successful, it requires equal or less physical effort and complexity but results in the same type of pay-off for the child.

In this case, we’re going to teach Chung Lee how on put on her jacket – step by step. For specific details on the strategies and other teaching techniques we used to teach Chung Lee to “put on a jacket” visit our “Teaching New Skills” section.

Making the Behaviour Ineffective

The last step is to make problem behaviour ineffective, meaning that it no longer works for the child. Keep in mind that the behaviour may not change right away. It is very common for problem behaviour to increase before it decreases when implementing changes. The key is to be consistent with the plan.

Everyone on the teaching team will be sure to ignore the throwing and screaming behaviour. We’ll praise Chung Lee for being quiet in the cubby area and reward her for completing the steps to putting on her jacket.

It will also be important to make the behaviour ineffective in all the places a child finds herself. Changing a problem behaviour that continues to be rewarded in other settings is confusing to the child and frustrating for everyone. In this case, we will talk with Chung Lee’s parents and discuss how they too can help Chung Lee learn to put her jacket on independently, at home, by using the same strategies we will use at child care. Our partnership with parents is the key to success.

If the problem behaviour persists then we will have to re-assess but it is important for us to give our plan time to work. Be patient! Some behaviours can take a couple of weeks to change.

Asha is a three-year old girl who looks forward to playing in the outdoor sandbox. Asha gets very excited when she has a chance to dig with her hands and build mountains. However, when the teacher reminds Asha that it is time for her to tidy up and go inside, she often continues to play in the sand. When approached by a teacher Asha throws sand and toys at the teacher.

Does the story about Asha at the sand box sound familiar to you – perhaps you have a child like Asha in your classroom?

If so, then you’ve actually taken the first step of identifying a problem behaviour that may be putting a child at risk. In this case, Asha’s problem behaviour is also interfering with her social, emotional and intellectual development.

Deciding what to do next may be difficult. Here’s the 3-step approach we followed in Understanding and Changing Behaviour.

Step 1: Decide Where to Start

We’ve identified that Asha’s actions at the sandbox are problem behaviours. Let’s take a moment to describe what we see or hear. Describing the behaviour will help us be consistent when gathering information a bit later.

When given a verbal direction to tidy up – Asha continues to play.
When approached by a teacher after the first direction, Asha throws objects.

In order to better understand Asha’s behaviour we will observe and record each incident of the behaviour described above. We will use the ABC Functional Assessment Card for the next five days.

We will also speak with Asha’s parents to find out if she has any difficulty following instructions, and whether or not she throws objects at home.

Now let’s move on to the next step.

Step 2: Gather and Analyze

After speaking with Asha’s parents, we learned that she sometimes tantrums when asked to get ready for bed. Asha’s father also noted that he usually has to tell Asha to do something about 2 or 3 times before she complies. He says that, “Asha seems to be so focused on an activity that she just does not want to stop”.

Throughout the week there were 8 incidents where Asha demonstrated the problem behaviour. We recorded our observations for each one using the ABC Functional Assessment Card. After analyzing all the information we noticed a few things about Asha’s behaviour:

• The behaviour occurred every day during the morning outdoor play time while Asha was at the sandbox.
• The other three incidents were indoors during free play time – at the dramatic and blocks centres.
• Asha often played alone during these activities.
• We noticed a pattern in what happened before the behaviour. Asha was playing alone. A teacher would tell Asha to tidy up. She did not follow the instruction and continued to play.
• When the teacher gave the verbal direction to “tidy up”, she was often behind or not very close to Asha.
• When the teacher approached Asha to provide physical assistance to follow through, Asha threw objects.
• The consequence to Asha’s throwing of objects was not very consistent. Sometimes, teachers let her play for a few more minutes, while others immediately removed her from the area. In both cases, Asha does not tidy up.

We also looked at our daily schedule to see what activity came after the “tidy up” time. After outdoor play, we went indoors to the washroom and then to have lunch; Asha didn’t have any difficulties with these specific routines. After indoor play, we had circle time where Asha participated and enjoyed singing along with her peers.

The results from the functional assessment suggest that the function of the behaviour is to obtain an activity (obtain more play time). Another possible function of the behaviour is to escape an activity – Asha may be escaping the activity that comes after “tidy up” time. But we’re going to focus on “planning for change” for the first possible reason seeing as the activities that come after “tidying up” are ones that Asha also enjoys.

Now it’s time to move onto the next step and plan for change.

Step 3: Plan for Change

Planning for change involves making the behaviour irrelevant, inefficient and finally ineffective.

Making the Behaviour Irrelevant

We can make the behaviour irrelevant by preventing or controlling the things in the environment that happen before the behaviour.

Let’s take a look at some ways to prevent the behaviour from happening by making rules and transitions clearer, modifying teaching methods and using visuals.

Transitions
Establishing a consistent transition routine around tidying up time will certainly help Asha follow through with directions and understand that play time is over. We’re going to give all the children a 5 minute warning before tidy up time. Then we’ll sing the “Tidy Up” song so that Asha will have another cue to make the transition.

Teaching Methods
To prevent Asha from throwing objects, we will remove as many of the items around her or that are within her reach. Then we can continue with the transition routine, singing the “Tidy Up” song, etc.

When giving instructions or preparing Asha for the transition, teachers will give them directly to Asha, get down on her level, and be sure to make eye contact.

Using Visuals
We will also post a “daily schedule” with photos representing each activity/routine of the day. We will post one near the circle time area and teachers will carry mini daily schedules with them (individual pictures on a key ring). Asha can be shown the picture of the upcoming activity to help her to understand change. This visual support will also assist Asha to prepare for a transition.

Making the Behaviour Inefficient

To make behaviour inefficient, we might choose to teach specific adaptive, educational and social behaviours. By teaching these types of behaviours, we eliminate the need for the problem behaviour.

At other times, we may teach an alternative behaviour. An alternative behaviour serves the same function as the behaviour being replaced but is seen to be more appropriate by other children, adults and the general public. To be successful, it requires equal or less physical effort and complexity but results in the same type of pay-off for the child.

We are going to teach Asha to follow the instruction of “tidy up”. For specific details on the strategies and teaching techniques we used to teach Asha to “follow instructions” to tidy up visit our “Teaching New Skills” section.

Making the Behaviour Ineffective

The last step is to make problem behaviour ineffective, meaning that it no longer works for the child. Keeping in mind that the behaviour may not change right away – we are aware that it is very common for problem behaviour to increase before it decreases when implementing changes. The key is to be consistent with our plan.

When Asha demonstrates the problem behaviour, all teachers will respond by quietly moving out of the path of objects being thrown. Teachers will also provide hand-over-hand assistance to ensure that Asha tidies up one or two items before moving to the next activity.

It will also be important to make the behaviour ineffective in all the places a child finds herself. Changing a problem behaviour that continues to be rewarded in other settings is confusing to the child and frustrating for everyone.

Throughout this process we spoke to Asha’s parents about our concerns, and shared the strategies that we implemented. As Asha also had difficulty with transitioning at home, we provided the family with similar strategies to follow and visual tools to use. Our partnership with parents is the key to success.

If the problem behaviour persists then we will have to re-assess but it is important for us to give our plan time to work. Be patient! Some behaviours can take a couple of weeks to change.