The need for an environment conducive to achievement for diverse learners is especially challenging at the middle and high school levels, where more students with learning challenges are included in the general education program, but teachers tend to be less tolerant of disruptive and distractible behaviors. Thus, students who do not conform to…

Speaking out without raising a hand, interrupting conversations, refusing to complete work or to follow directions, becoming aggressive toward peers or teachers with the slightest provocation, and generally having poor peer relations are only some of the myriad of problematic behaviors presented in classrooms at any given time. The historical…

Oral reading fluency is defined as the combination of accuracy (i.e., words read correctly) and rate (i.e., number of words read in a specified time). One strategy that addresses oral reading fluency is repeated reading of passages. Repeated reading can improve students' reading skills by building reading fluency linked to specific performance…

Research has suggested that the use of effective instructional strategies could be increased through direct intervention. One possible intervention is performance feedback, a simple yet effective method of consultation for influencing teacher behavior. Mortenson and Witt (1998) defined performance feedback as "a method of providing information or…

The educational trend toward including students with disabilities in classrooms has been on the rise over the last 30 years. Supporters of inclusion state many expected benefits of inclusion such as: (a) a reduction in the negative feelings toward labeling; (b) an increase in friendships between disabled and nondisabled students; and (c) the…

Classroom teachers know that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," therefore putting much time and energy into proactive strategies such as appropriate praising of desired behaviors or using proximity and precorrection to encourage behavior suitable for a good learning environment. Teachers also know that even after they use…

Self-monitoring is used to increase on-task behavior of students by encouraging them to monitor their own behavior (Hallahan, Lloyd, & Stoller, 1982). According to Daly and Ranalli (2003), there are many benefits of self-monitoring: (1) It is an effective tool for changing behavior; (2) It promotes generalization of the appropriate behavior to…

In today's classrooms, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish the special education students from the regular education students. With the accountability imposed by the No Child Left Behind Act and the increased expectancy for inclusion of all students in the regular school population, teachers are finding themselves in classrooms of…

Many terms have been used to describe the perseverative behavior displayed by children with autism, including "circumscribed, narrow, obsessive, restricted, or special interests." Past researchers have focused on the punishment of such perseverative behaviors by individuals diagnosed with autism, and many parents and teachers also may be inclined…

Teachers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) understand conceptually, emotionally, and legally the importance of using research-based procedures as well as positive behavioral supports. One way to provide positive behavioral support for students with EBD is constant time delay (CTD). CTD is an instructional delivery procedure…

When older students fail to gain rapid and accurate decoding skills by the third or fourth grade, they not only struggle with reading comprehension, but they also fall behind their average reading peers in academic performance and achievement--and they rarely catch up. When presented with academic tasks that require reading, these students often…

Increasing numbers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) are completing high school with standard diplomas, and it is imperative that educators explore all of the available postsecondary settings in which these students may be successful. Although college settings may not be the focus of transition efforts for many students…

Asperger Syndrome (AS) is a developmental disability marked by impairments in verbal and nonverbal communication, socialization, and behavior. This article provides an introduction to the difficulties experienced by students with AS and six strategies that can be easily implemented by teachers or parents to help students acquire the skills needed…

Transitions between activities can be difficult for both young children and their teachers. Multiple strategies may be used to decrease the likelihood that children engage in challenging behavior during transitions. This paper will describe strategies teachers may use to decrease or prevent problem behavior during transitions. Particular attention…

Schools have been given the challenge to become better partners with not only families of children with emotional behavioral disorders but also with local community organizations that serve children, youth, and families. These partnerships are a necessity because current school and stand-alone community programs fall short of meeting the mental…