Curriculum Guide

Instructional Interventions and Strategies for Students With EBD

 

Introduction

Characteristics of effective teachers are the same in classrooms with or without students with disabilities. As previously discussed, those basic effective principles include dealing with problem behaviors directly and rapidly. However, they should also involve specific, more in-depth approaches for academic instruction. Effective teachers participate in ongoing professional development by keeping current with the newest research, associating with other professionals, and attending educational conferences.

 

Principles and Instructional Plans

Lesson plans need to be made with the student's individualized education plan (IEP) goals in mind along with their academic level and learning style, social skill and behavioral assessment. Lesson plans provide a combination of what to teach and how to teach it. There exists a wide variety of skill levels present in the classroom. How to teach includes incorporation of the principals of effective teaching, which include:

 

1.      Maximize Academic Engaged Time. Efficient use of time, positive reinforcement, and allowances for learning style preferences can increase retention.

2.      Ensure High Rates of Academic Responding. Increasing student involvement with responses also increases time on-task and decreases problematic behaviors.

3.      Maximize the Amount of Content Covered. Teachers can designate more time for areas they deem problematic for the students.

4.      Match Assignments to Student Ability. To reduce avoidance-type behaviors, learning tasks must be commensurate with students' levels of ability.

5.      Teach Academic Content Explicitly. Teachers are active in showing the students through demonstration, examples, and visuals, and allow students more practice.

6.      Scaffold Student Instruction. More support is provided while the student is learning the concept or skill.

7.      Use Direct Instruction. Researched-based practice has been shown to improve achievement of skills and knowledge.

8.      Monitor Student Progress. Ongoing progress monitoring ensures proper pacing and increments of instruction, thus improving acquisition and mastery of skills.

 

Cooperative Learning and Peer Tutoring

Typically, positive, proactive teaching techniques can deter unwanted behaviors in the classroom. Allowing students to work in groups or with another peer can encourage positive behaviors and academic success. However, this approach can also promote inappropriate responses, so it is vital that the teacher is well aware of the behavioral limitations of each student. The best cooperative learning environments depend on the teacher's knowledge of each student's strengths and weaknesses, behavioral patterns, and social skills. Overall, cooperative learning environments create a varied and positive learning experience for children. However, there may be times that the student will be more successful working independently.

 

Peer mediation techniques are referred to by several different names such as peer monitoring, peer tutoring, peer partners, etc., and can be effective in most academic settings when implemented correctly. For example, it can be effective to have a somewhat older student come in from another classroom to work with younger or lower-performing students.

 

Conclusion

Emotional and behavioral disorder (EBD) students with primary characteristics often face lower academic success and social failure. Yell, Meadows, Drasgow, and Shriner (2009) suggest a systematic, empirical approach to instructional design combined with effective teaching principles to help ensure student success. Successful teachers who endorse effective instructional techniques and take opportunities to improve their repertoire of knowledge and teaching techniques have a better chance of having academically successful students.

 

References

Yell, M. L, Meadows, N. B., Drasgow, E., & Shriner, J. G. (2009). Evidence-based

 practices for educating students with emotional and behavioral disorders.

            Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Pearson.

 

 

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