Professional Documents
Culture Documents
What do I do when I have a student whose behavior is interrupting the class and other students
learning?
When a students’ behavior is disrupting the class and/or interfering with the learning of other students,
it must be stopped, and stopped quickly. While the majority of challenges that you are likely to face in the
classroom will be relatively minor, there will be some that are more serious and demand greater
interference and action on your behalf. One way to address challenging behavior is to attach logical
consequences to it. Logical consequences imply that one event (or consequence) is guided by another and
has a logical relationship to the misbehavior (i.e. For a child with extreme impulsivity who blurts out
answers, a logical consequence might be to give the student a yellow "warning" card with the reminder,
"thanks for responding, but remember to raise your hand"). Logical consequences can help to address some
challenging behaviors, but a consequence will not work every time or for every student, nor will every child
respond to the use of logical consequences.
Other strategies for addressing challenging and/or disrupting behavior in the classroom range from
proactive (i.e. preventative strategies) to nonverbal interventions and then verbal interventions. Even
verbal interventions exist on a hierarchy from more teacher-centered to more student-centered. A
student-centered intervention is the more desirable end as it encourages student control and
responsibility for the behavior.
Changing pace of classroom activities: Restructure situations and involve students in other
activities that require active student participation and help them to refocus interests.
Removing seductive objects: Collect the object that is competing with the teacher.
Interest boosting: Teacher shows interest in student’s work, thereby bringing the student
back on-task (walking over and checking how work is going, asking student to share work).
Redirecting behavior: Refocus student’s attention, ask them to read, do a problem, or answer
a question (treat student as if he/she was paying attention).
Nonpunitive time out: Teacher quietly asks student if she would get a drink or invites her to
run an errand or do a chore.
Encouraging the appropriate behavior of other students: Make positive comments about
other students’ behavior, which involves making good decisions. Reminds off-task students
of the behavior that is expected of them.
Providing cues for expected behavior: Use a cue that students understand. One can close
the door, flick the lights, or even make a motion with one’s hands.
Planned ignoring: Ignoring a behavior, under the assumption that ignoring it will cause it to
lesson and eventually disappear (i.e. student is engaging in behavior to obtain attention).
Signal Interference: Any type of nonverbal behavior that communicates to the student
without disturbing others that the behavior is not appropriate (should be clearly directed
at the off-task student). If the student has a hard time with nonverbal cues then discuss a
signal that you will use with them to remind them to stop the unwanted behavior.
Proximity Interference: Any movement toward the disruptive student (i.e. move closer).
Touch Interference: A light, nonaggressive physical contact with a student. Can be taking a
hand or placing hand on shoulder (be aware of limitations and possible negative outcomes).
Verbal intervention strategies for techniques for addressing challenging/disruptive behavior in the
classroom include: