Behavior+Disorders

Behavior Disorders: **Characteristics:** A condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics, over a long period of time and to a marked degree, which adversely affects school performance • Inability to learn unexplained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors • Inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships • Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances • A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression • Tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems • Term includes children who are schizophrenic but not those who are socially maladjusted (unless determined to be emotionally disturbed) **Environment-** o Keep the classroom uncluttered, clean, attractive and uncrowded o Make sure necessary materials are accessible, organized, and stored appropriately o Ensure that the classroom is well ventilated with appropriate lighting o Maintain an appropriate noise level. o Establish personal physical space, desk and materials for each student o Be sure all students are easily seen and accessible to the teacher and that all students can easily see instructional presentations and displays o Provide a schedule which provides a predictable routine o Post classroom rules and consequences so students can see them o Acknowledge and reinforce acceptable behavior. o Appoint classroom committee to ensure adequate environment is maintained over the course of the year o Communicate with parents so that strategies are consistent at home and school. o Permission to leave the room (chill out zone) created in a safe, procedural manner
 * Accommodations to:**

**Teaching Style-** o Create a positive atmosphere centered in trust o Adopt the credo, “Respect the student, dislike the behavior” o Think about the language you use when reprimanding the behavior o Be empathetic o Keep students busy in purposeful activities o Explain to students why they are learning a topic, why they do an assignment and how their learning will contribute to their success as students an in the future o Reward and reinforce students for what they know and have done correctly o Enhance motivation and performance by changing activities (tasks) when student is failing o When correcting papers, point out correct responses rather than mistakes o Find opportunities for students to shine in front of the class. o Notice improvement and progress toward goals. o Social learning – observing and modeling the behavior of others. o Provide student with copy of notes for days of absence

** Learning Activity- ** o Vary groupings to give students the opportunity to acquire academic and social skills o Set up student tutoring within classroom o Provide high interest materials (i.e. a computer) o Provide alternate ways for students to complete tasks and demonstrate learning o Allow students to express their individual learning style preference o Teaching self-monitoring skills o Engage in role playing situations o Teach self-talk to relieve stress and anxiety. o Teach and provide time for relaxation techniques. o Extra set of books to be left at home o Before students submit papers ask them to look carefully to see whether they can find an error o Permit student to take test at a different time of day, depending upon time of medication and when their mood is usually best suited for test taking o Allow students to demonstrate what they know in non-test taking ways o Change test format to multiple choice as opposed to open-ended o Testing in a separate, less anxious environment o Provide word banks o Provide study guides for tests & quizzes o If the student is experiencing visual blurring as a side effect of medication, they may need someone to read the test to them and to ask as a scribe, or have the student tape record or dictate answers.
 * Assessment-**