Effective Behavioral Interventions for Elementary School Aged Children
Stacy E. Rodgers
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Introduction
In an elementary school environment, having effective behavioral
interventions in place is essential. Teachers often report that
disruptive behaviors take a significant amount of time away from
instructional time. Teachers report that classroom management is
often the most challenging aspect of their job and is one in which
they have the least amount of training. School counselors are
often asked to provide assistance and offer strategies to teachers
that help decrease the disruptive behaviors. Many of these
strategies are variations of PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions
and Support).
What is P.B.I.S.?
• Structured system for addressing behavior through the
prevention-oriented structuring of research-based
interventions and supports.
• Hierarchical and progressive manner for the purpose of
improved behavioral and academic outcomes.
• PBIS is an initialism most well known to those working in
schools and similar settings and comes from the federal
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
• In practice, this generally appears as 3 tiers of increasingly
intensive and individualized behavior interventions and
supports as well as a system of data collection and analysis.
(Sadler & Sugai, 2009)
P.B.I.S Tiers
• Tier 1 - Behavioral strategies that all students have access to.
These interventions set the foundation for behavior in the
classroom. Without them, teachers will not be prepared to
incentivize positive behavior or respond to negative behavior.
• Tier 2 – For students who need more specific behavioral
supports to succeed. Tier II interventions apply to a small
group or students.
• Tier 3 - If a student is in need of Tier III behavioral supports this
is usually decided in a Response to Intervention or Individual
Education Plan meeting focused on the student’s behavior. This
meeting should include the parent, teachers and relevant
service providers. Tier III behavioral supports require
intentionality.
Check-In/Check Out
• Implemented as a Tier 2 intervention.
• Administered over an 8 week period.
• Cost-effective, efficient, readily available, and take minimal
time daily.
• Student will Check-In and Check Out with a staff member each
day to report how their day was and to see if they met their
goals for the day.
• When this program is followed to fidelity there is statistically
significant reductions on office referrals for the targeted
behaviors.
(Kokkinos, Panayiotou, & Davazoglou, 2005)
Color Wheel System Social Emotional Learning
• Can be used as a Tier 1 intervention for a whole class or as a
• Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is delivered through a
Tier 2 intervention targeting an individual students behavior.
curriculum by classroom teachers.
• Three sets of rules, represented by a different colors.
• SEL is the process through which children understand and
• Green = Children may leave seats and move about room.
manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and
• Yellow = Used to reduce distractions during work time.
Examples include raising hand and looking at teacher when
show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive
relationships, and make responsible decisions.
speaking.
• Reinforces behavior expectations, similar to PBIS.
• Red = Used to gain student attention so instructions can be
• Meta-analysis of 213 school-based SEL programs, participants
given. Examples include returning to seat, not talking when
demonstrated significantly improved social and emotional
teacher is talking.
skills, attitudes, and behavior, as well as an 11-percentile-point
• Teachers report, when properly trained, this intervention is
gain in academic performance.
easy to apply consistently and is effective in decreasing
• Children who are socially and emotionally competent have
distracting behaviors.
more connections with positive peers, and are less likely to be
rejected, isolated, or bullied.
(Sadler & Sugai, 2009)
References
Childs, K.E., Kincaid, D., George , H.P. , & Gage, N.A. (2016). The relationship
between school-wide implementation of Positive Behavior Intervention and
Supports and students discipline outcomes. Journal of Positive Behavior
Interventions, 18(2), 99.
Kokkinos, C.M., Panayiotou, G., & Davazoglou, A.M. (2005). Correlates of
teacher appraisals of student behaviors. Psychology in the Schools, 42, 79-89.
Reineke, W.M., Stormont, M., Herman, K.C., Puri, R., & Goel, N. (2011).
Supporting children’s mental health in schools: Teacher perception of needs,
roles, and barriers. School Psychology Quarterly, 26, 1-13.
Sadler, C., & Sugai, G. (2009). Effective behavior and instructional support: A
district model for early identification and prevention of reading and behavior
problems. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 11, 35-46.