Tier 2 Interventions

1. Intervention: Relaxation Techniques

What is the intervention?
● Teach relaxation techniques to the class (or to an individual) when the students show
signs of feeling stressed, worried, or anxious
● Could be used in response to a worrisome or traumatic event

Direct Application to Tier 2:

● Shows students how to appropriately manage their feelings and emotions in a
constructive way
● “Improves focus and attention” (“Teach Relaxation Techniques”)
● Prevents negative behaviors before they start
● Students choose to participate in this intervention

How to use the Intervention:

● Establish when, where, and how it’s appropriate for students to practice these activities
● Practice the technique with the class--guide them through it the first few times so they
know how to do it independently and can resort to this activity whenever they need to
calm down
● A specific example of this intervention is allowing students to use headphones or
earplugs and listen to music, nature sounds, autonomous sensory meridian response
(ASMR) videos or podcasts, or nothing at all! They can block out the sounds of the
classroom to focus when they become overwhelmed
○ This activity will allow the students to work independently and keep them focused
since they don’t have to listen to other students’ conversations while they work
○ “Students with ADHD/ADD can benefit from extra stimulus” (Headphones)

Resources(photos, videos, websites,etc.):

https://www.pbisworld.com/tier-1/headphones/
https://www.pbisworld.com/tier-2/teach-relaxation-techniques/

Citations (APA-7):
PBIS World (2020). Headphones. PBIS World.
https://www.pbisworld.com/tier-1/headphones/
PBIS World (2020). Teach relaxation techniques. PBIS World.
https://www.pbisworld.com/tier-2/teach-relaxation-techniques/

2. Intervention: Peer Mentoring

What is the intervention?

 ● Peer mentoring is when one student (typically older or of the same age) guides another
student or group of students, often academically.
● The mentoring may be focused on academics, social-emotional support, or just
encouraging one student to build a relationship with another.
● Peer Mentoring variations
○ High school students can mentor elementary or middle school students.
○ Pairing upperclassmen with incoming freshmen (social purposes).
○ Older youth may lead their peers in recreational and developmental activities.
○ Peer-to-peer (same age students mentoring each other)

Direct Application to Tier:

● Not every student may need a peer mentor. When a student may have challenging
behavior a peer mentor allows them to have support from someone that is their age or
closer in age.
● This can be used for students who may struggle with learning, focusing, and
communicating in class. A peer mentor is someone closer in age who has currently been
through the class (an academic peer mentor, at least). This helps the mentee to better
understand the material because the peer will be able to break down the information to
their peer in ways a teacher cannot, likely because there is a stronger social and personal
connection. By having a peer mentor, students who need tier 2 interventions are able to
build social skills as well receive academic support.

How to use the Intervention:

● There are many ways a peer mentor can help a mentee who is exhibiting challenging
behavior. The way could be giving the student a peer mentor who is the same age as them
to whom they can go to discuss personal and academic struggles.
● Another way to use this intervention is to select cross-age mentors, which is when an
older student mentors a younger student. This allows the younger student to feel like they
have someone to look up to, while the older student learns to understand that their actions
matter and can affect people.

Resources (photos, videos, websites,etc.):

https://www.leaderinme.org/blog/peer-mentoring-tips/

Citations (APA-7):

Thomas, Carey (2019, February 14). Peer Mentoring: 3 tips for creating a successful student
program. LeaderInMe. https://www.leaderinme.org/blog/peer-mentoring-tips/
National Mentoring Resource Center. (n.d.). Peer Mentoring. National Mentoring Resource
Center
https://nationalmentoringresourcecenter.org/index.php/30-topic-areas/152-peer-
mentoring.html

3. Daily behavior form

What is the intervention?
● This is a strategy that is used to improve a student’s behavior. A teacher will track
student’s behavior throughout the day and will provide feedback.
● A form, chart, or report card are examples of ways to track daily behavior.
● A chart is typically used to track positive behavior
Direct Application to Tier 2:
● Continuously available for as long as the teacher sees fit.
● Relatively low effort by teachers.
● Aligned with the rest of the school’s behavior policies.
● Low cost and function-based.
● Applicable to some students but not all depending on behavioral needs.
How to use the Intervention:
● Decide on the student’s main behavioral problems and put them on a behavior form
● Rate the student’s behavior for every period of the day.
● Send a copy home for the parent to sign and review with the child.
● Discuss with the student the results of the form in a productive way and ask for feedback
on how the process went.

Resources(photos, videos, websites,etc.):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz43Hgjf1_Y

Citations (APA-7):

PBIS.org (2019). Tier 2. PBIS.Org. https://www.pbis.org/pbis/tier-2

Courtney Fowley. (2017, September 17). Best Practices: Daily Behavior Form. [video].
Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz43Hgjf1_Y

4. Social Stories:
What is the intervention?
● This intervention is used as a guideline to instruct a student about how to exhibit a
positive and expected behavior.
 ● A social story is a combination of words and/or images describing a student who displays
the appropriate behavior expected of them during a certain situation or social interaction.
● Although social stories can be used as an intervention for any student in need of them,
they are commonly used to help children with Autism and ASD (Autism Spectrum
Disorder).

Direct Application to Tier 2:

● Social stories are constantly available to students since they are printed out for the student
or hand-made to have in front of them for reference.
● Students can self-manage their behavior by referring to this concrete resource that helps
them visually learn and understand routines, expectations, social cues and appropriate
responses.
● Social stories are personalized to students’ individual behavioral needs since they can be
geared toward certain skills/behaviors that they struggle with.
○ For example: If some students have trouble being patient while waiting for their
lunch, their social story will describe them behaving properly in the cafeteria
lunch line with sequential instructions of their expected conduct throughout the
story.

How to use the Intervention:

Follow this step-by-step process to create a social story
1. Identify the correct behavior that needs to be reinforced.
2. For each part of a routine or each behavior the student needs to work on, create a
simple sentence that explains the expected action. You can also make sentences
about what the student should not do as well.
3. Pair each sentence with a general image to represent that action or a picture of the
student performing that action.
4. Have the student go over the social story before going through the routine or
entering a certain situation
● Students can help create their social story with their teacher.
● After using the social story over time, if you see that student is consistently following it
and behaving appropriately, the student can gradually be weaned off of the social story if
possible.

Resources(photos, videos, websites,etc.):

http://theautismhelper.com/behavior-social-stories/

Citations (APA-7):

Crozier, S., & Sileo, N.M. (2005). Encouraging positive behavior with social
stories: An intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
TEACHING Exceptional Children, 37(6), 26–31.
https://doi.org/10.1177/004005990503700603

PBIS World. (2020). Social Stories. PBIS World.

https://www.pbisworld.com/tier-2/social-stories/

Long, Sarah (2017, April 17). Changes are okay [picture]. The Autism Helper.
http://theautismhelper.com/behavior-social-stories/

5. Intervention: Organization Tools

What is the intervention?
● Strategies and resources that help students become better organized
○ visual schedules, checklists, desk/locker storage system, labels
 ● These tools provide a structure for students to help them develop routines and self
regulation

Direct Application to Tier 2:

● Students who need increased instruction and practice with self regulation skills benefit
from organizational tools that enhance their ability to work through activities on their
own
● Organizational tools directly guide students toward becoming organized for themselves
by providing purposeful supports that structure their habits

How to use the Intervention:

● Depending on where a students’ disorganization stems from, there are several different
strategies to help them become organized
○ If a student continually forgets their homework, give them a checklist to keep
track if they wrote down, completed, brought to school, and turned in the
homework for each day
○ For students who bring the wrong materials to class, implement a labeling system
to keep track of which notebooks are for which class
○ If a student has a messy desk, have them keep supplies they won’t be using
underneath their desk so that they have room to work

Resources(photos, videos, websites,etc.):

Smith, Fern (2015, February 12). Fern Smith’s classroom ideas [picture]. Classroom Freebies.
https://www.classroomfreebies.com/2015/02/fern-smiths-free-teacher-notebook-3.html
Citations (APA-7):
PBIS World. (2020). Organizational Tools. PBIS World. https://www.pbisworld.com/tier-
2/organizational-tools/

PBIS.org (2019). Tier 2. PBIS.org https://www.pbis.org/pbis/tier-2

6. Intervention: Check-in/Check-out
What is the intervention?
● Students meet with teacher/coach/mentor at the beginning of the day and discuss the
student’s goals for the day
● Check in/check out meetings are used for students and teachers to work on improving a
students’ behavior
● The intervention focuses more on positive behaviors rather than what the student did
wrong during the day
● Used for students who struggle to participate, lack of organization or management skills,
as well as those who struggle with emotions, focusing, and staying on-task

Direct Application to Tier:

● CICO gives students a boost to meet behavioral goals if Tier 1 supports do not help the
student be successful
● Can be personalized to reflect behaviors that need additional focus
● Provides structure, accountability, teacher feedback, internal motivation
● Improves student behavior, and increases academic success

How to use the Intervention:

● Students who are assigned to CICO check in with a mentor at the beginning of the day to
set goals for the day
● As students go through their day, their teachers evaluate behavior and assign points for if
the students meet their daily goals
● At the end of the day the student checks out with the same mentor from the check in and
assess their points for the day
● Finally the student takes their point card home to show their parent and return it signed
the next day at morning check-in

Resources(photos, videos, websites,etc.):

Citations (APA-7):

PBIS Rewards (2020). Check-in/check-out behavior intervention & PBIS. PBIS Rewards.
https://www.pbisrewards.com/blog/check-in-check-out-behavior-intervention/
7. Intervention: Assignment Checklists (“Chunking”)
What is the intervention?
● An assignment checklist can be used for any assignment, project, or study program.
● An assignment checklist breaks directions down into step-by-step instructions that are
easy to follow.
● For larger assignments, a checklist could break the assignment up into parts that are due
on various dates.
● This could also include using checklist grading rather than rubrics.

Direct Application to Tier:

● Many assignments in a classroom do not include step-by-step checklist instructions. By
creating checklists for assignments that could be easily given to certain students that need
help with time-management and organization.
● A significant proportion of the class may need extra supports to manage assignments. It
can help students to prioritize assignments and stay organized.
● Makes tasks feel more manageable
● This intervention can be made continuously available, is function-based, and students can
choose to utilize it.

How to use the Intervention:

● This intervention could be used within assignments or as a checklist of multiple
assessments.
● This intervention could be typed directly onto the assignment or handed out on a separate
sheet of paper. THe teacher could make it available to all students and allow students to
choose whether or not they would like to utilize the resource.
● Incorporate chunking as an everyday process in instruction.

Resources(photos, videos, websites,etc.):

https://www.thoughtco.com/chunk-breaking-tasks-into-manageable-parts-3110858

Citations (APA-7):

Webster, J. (2018, May 24). Chunking: Breaking Tasks into Manageable

Parts. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/chunk-breaking-
Tasks-into-manageable-parts-3110858

8. Intervention: Non-verbal cues & signals

What is the intervention?
● Students and teachers work together to create con-verbal cues and signals so the student
doesn’t have to speak in order to communicate with the teacher
● This creates a positive working relationship with the student without calling attention to
them in a negative manner in front of the whole class
● Is discrete and quick
● Saves class and instruction time
● This can make a student more comfortable and more likely to participate/be involved

Direct Application to Tier 2:

● This is individualized for certain students who are not successful with just Tier 1 supports
alone--it’s not done with all students
● This helps support social skills and self-management as students are asked to non-
verbally tell you when they need something
● This can help students who are at risk for developing more serious problem behavior to
communicate what they need before it becomes negative

How to use the Intervention:

● Meet with a student individually to come up with a special way that you and the student
should communicate
● Practice the sign and explain that you will use the sign when you notice that they might
need some re-focus
● Set up a cue/sign with the student for when they want to volunteer, participate, or be
called on in class
● Allow the student to pick the signs to use
● The sign could be something like a smile, thumbs up, shaking your head “yes”- these
signs show praise that will help reassure and encourage them
● On the other hand have a different sign like shaking your head “no”, raising eyebrows,
giving them a “1 minute” finger signal in order to redirect the student, give directions,
etc.

Resources(photos, videos, websites,etc.):

https://www.weareteachers.com/hand-signals-in-the-classroom/

Video-https://study.com/academy/lesson/verbal-non-verbal-communication-strategies-for-
students.html

Citations (APA-7):

Kerry Gray. (2020). Verbal & Non-Verbal Communication Strategies for Students [Video].
Study.com. https://study.com/academy/lesson/verbal-non-verbal-communication-strategies-for-
students.html

Mulvahill, Elizabeth. (2018, Sept. 8). 8 Nonverbal Cues for the Classroom That Really Work.
We Are Teachers. https://study.com/academy/lesson/verbal-non-verbal-communication-
strategies-for-students.html

PBIS World. (2020). Non-Verbal Cues & Signals. PBIS World. https://www.pbisworld.com/tier-
2/non-verbal-cues-signals/

9. Intervention: Reward System

What is the intervention?
● Reward System provides systems with positive feedback based on positive behavior
● Students respond to positive reinforcement
● Provides and creates incentive and increases motivation
● Provides a visual concrete reason for students to work toward behavioral and academic
goals

Direct Application to Tier 2:

● Many students view positive adult interaction as reinforcing and as a result students may
be more likely to engage in positive in behavior
● Use with oppositional and defiant students to prevent negative behaviors from
progressing
● Low-effort for teachers
● Student chooses to participate

How to use the Intervention:

● Praise performing expected behaviors
● Give students a survey to decide what type of reward they prefer and would most likely
work towards, for example:
○ Teachers can use a “Token economy where students earn a token, check mark,
sticker, etc for meeting predetermined goals, which they can use to buy or earn a
reward after a certain number” (“Reward System”).
● Earn privileges for meeting expectations

Resources(photos, videos, websites,etc.):

https://www.pbisworld.com/tier-2/reward-system/

Citations (APA-7):

PBIS World (2020). Reward system. PBIS World.

https://www.pbisworld.com/tier-2/reward-system/

10. Intervention: Forced Choice Reinforcement

What is the intervention?

● The forced Choice Reinforcement intervention asks students to choose between two
methods of motivation
● Used when nothing seems to motivate a student, or the student doesn’t express what they
are willing to work for
 ● This forced choice is done through a survey
● Improves behavior

Direct Application to Tier:

● Not done for all students, only those who need help getting work done
● Gives students with potentially harmful and disruptive behaviors motivation to avoid
these behaviors
● Gives direct feedback from the student’s perspective
● Quick and easy to administer
● Anyone can administer the survey or the student can take it on their own
● Easy to score and interpret
● Gives good data for developing behavior plans and reward or incentive systems

How to use the Intervention:

● Distribute the survey from PBIS World and let students select their favorite types of
reinforcers
● Tally up the scores
● Mark down student preferences
● Reinforce students appropriately

Resources(photos, videos, websites,etc.):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2epwpm3TJU

Citations (APA-7):
PBISWorld.com, (2020) Tier 2 Positive Behavior Intervention And Support of Forced Choice
Reinforcement Survey. Pbisworld.Com.
https://www.pbisworld.com/tier-2/forced-choice-reinforcement-survey/

Andrea Imhoff (2019, August 25). Forced-Choice Reinforcement Menu [video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2epwpm3TJU