Academic and social behaviors are inextricably linked, and a lack of school-appropriate social behaviors can severely impact students' ability to enjoy academic success (Fleming, Harachi, Cortes, Abbott, & Catalano, 2004; McIntosh, Chard, Boland, & Horner 2006). Scott and Barrett (2004) found that every disciplinary referral "costs" students an…

Educating children with disabilities in community-based programs alongside children without disabilities is supported by professional organizations in early childhood education and early childhood special education (e.g., National Association for the Education of Young Children [NAEYC] and Division for Early Childhood [DEC]) in an effort to…

Most teachers can quickly name at least one student they clearly remember as challenging their classroom management skills. Most likely, the memory conjures up recollections of inappropriate outbursts, defiant remarks, enticing other students into negative interactions, and even physically harmful or injurious behaviors. These behaviors are…

Students' leaving a designated area without permission or supervision is referred to as "elopement," and such behavior clearly presents a unique set of challenges for educational professionals. Elopement is seen in children and youth with a variety of developmental disabilities, including those with intellectual disabilities or autism, as well as…

Schools implementing school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) at the high school level face the same challenges as elementary and middle schools, but also encounter an additional set of barriers all their own. To name but a few, these barriers include the need to focus on dropout prevention, postsecondary outcomes,…

Good teachers are lifelong learners and want to meet the needs of all of the students in the classroom. Yet, they never have all the answers. Many teachers have found themselves in a predicament of uncertainty and have become apprehensive about their own practices. They can benefit from professional development and supports. Through collaborative…

Students who frequently engage in problem behavior tend to disrupt teacher instruction and impede others' learning, and they can seriously limit their own opportunities for academic and social success. The view that negative student-teacher interaction adversely impacts classroom climate is well documented. A positive and engaging classroom…

Maintaining a positive classroom environment that will encourage learning is a challenge, particularly in classes that require frequent interventions due to students' disruptive behaviors. Punitive disciplinary reactions are generally ineffective when responding to students who are frequently disruptive. More importantly, negative teacher…

The term "data-based decision making" (DBDM) has become pervasive in education and typically refers to the use of data to make decisions in schools, from assessment of an individual student's academic progress to whole-school reform efforts. Research suggests that special education teachers who use progress monitoring data (a DBDM approach) adapt…

Many classroom teachers are faced with challenging student behaviors that impact their ability to facilitate learning in productive, safe environments. At the same time, high-stakes testing, increased emphasis on evidence-based instruction, data-based decision making, and response-to-intervention models have put heavy demands on teacher time and…

Easy-to-use progress-monitoring and intervention techniques are attractive because most teachers are crunched for time and teacher instructional time is often consumed with paperwork, especially for progress monitoring and discipline. Some studies indicate up to 50% of a special educator's time may be spent on paperwork. Methods that serve a dual…

Recent trends toward the inclusion of students with disabilities mean that a majority of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) now spend at least 40% of their day in general education settings. With this change in location, teachers in general education settings are now asked to perform tasks that were not given much emphasis…

One simple and naturalistic strategy shown to have positive effects on both academic and behavioral outcomes is teachers' use of praise statements. Praise statements can be broadly categorized as general praise and behavior-specific praise (BSP). In a general praise statement, a teacher delivers verbal praise without describing the behavior for…

The "No Child Left Behind Act" mandates that teachers employ evidence-based practices (EBPs) in the classroom in order to improve student performance. For students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) to be successful, particularly in inclusive settings, the most salient practices would probably be those promoting classroom organization…

Committed teachers and administrators often look for strategies and practices to better support students struggling to negotiate the academic, social, and behavioral demands of the classroom setting. Such practices may include modifications to how they deliver instruction or manage behavior for their entire class. Other strategies may include more…