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Other Helpful Interventions

INDIVIDUAL DAILY SCHEDULE

Predictability is one of the most impactful antecedents that educators have control over. Research shows that downtime precipitates problems so having a schedule in place for struggling students will prevent many problem behaviors to begin with. Students also thrive with consistency. Establishing a schedule will help them know what to expect so they can accurately pace themselves throughout the day. The schedule should be reviewed and referenced throughout the day. This helps students feel successful when they are able to finish the scheduled activities to completion.

Student’s Daily Schedule w/embedded (15 minute response cost) times:

Time

9:00

9:30

10:00

10:15

11:15

12:30

12:45

1:30

2:00

2:30

2:45

3:10

3:25

Activity

Resource

Math

Recess

Resource Reading + Writing

Rotations

Response Cost Activity Time

Lunch + Recess

Math

Resource Reading

Recess

Resource Math

Response Cost Activity Time

Dismissal

Student’s Daily Schedule w/embedded breaks (5 minutes):

Time

9:00

9:25

9:30

10:00

10:15

10:40

10:45

11:15

12:45

1:30

1:55

2:00

2:30

2:45

3:25

Activity

Resource

Break

Math

Recess

Resource Reading

Break

Resource Writing

Rotations

Lunch+Recess

Math

Break

Resource Reading

Recess

Resource Math

Dismissal

CHECKLIST OF DAILY ASSIGNMENTS

Students who struggle with work completion benefit from having a visual checklist of daily assignments that need to be completed by the end of the school day. This allows them to see clearly what the teacher expects them to have completed on the designated date before going home for the day. It also allows them the autonomy to check off assignments as they go and feel a sense of accomplishment when they complete each task and move on to the next. Lastly, having a checklist of assignments eliminates any potential power struggles between educators and students when clear expectations are made in advance and outlined for the student.

Example:

Student____________________ Date___________________

  1. Journal Assignment #4
  2. 30 minutes of Lexia
  3. 20 minutes of Imagine Math
  4. Chapter 3 Math Practice Test Questions 1-10
  5. 5 Reading Comprehension Questions
  6. 1 Spelling word review game on Chromebook
  7. Classroom job- line leader
  8. Science activity participation
  9. Social skills class with Mrs. K (School Psychologist)

TRANSITION TASK

This strategy can be used to facilitate smooth transitions within the school building and to prevent behaviors such as running in the hall, touching others while in line, touching bulletin boards or other objects in the hall. Create a transition task for walking from any point to another in the school building:

→Bus to classroom and classroom to bus

→Classroom to restroom and back

→Classroom to computer room and back

→Classroom to recess and back

→Classroom to media center and back

→Classroom to assemblies and back

Example:

  1. Fill a large tote or small laundry basket with items that are heavy enough to require the student to use both hands to carry it, but light enough that he can easily manage the weight. This is physically stabilizing and decreases the risk that the student will attempt to throw it.
  2. Assign the task of carrying the container during every transition, in order to provide an alternative to touching items or other students, and to prevent running behavior.
  3. Reinforce the student for carrying out the task when he or she arrives at each destination.
  4. Pair praise with a mark on a point card for compliance with the task and, in the beginning, with a small edible that is carried in the tote, if that is a preferred reinforcer.
  5. Refer to the transition tote task as the student’s ‘job’ during transition. Prior to leaving a setting, say “(Student name), get your job, please”.