Academic and Behavioral Interventions

Are you looking for hacks to help students lower their unexcused tardies? If so, keep reading.

1. Make sure the student is properly placed according to capacity and ability level in those classes in which they are enrolled (e.g., the class is not too complicated, the class is not too easy).

2. Minimize the emphasis on competition. Repeated failure may cause the student to be tardy or absent to avoid competitive situations.

3. Include the student in extracurricular learning activities.

4. Talk regularly with the student positively throughout the day.

5. Provide the student a responsibility to be performed at the beginning of each learning experience.

6. Provide open communication with the student’s family to make sure that the student is leaving for school at the designated time.

7. Do not force the student to interact with others or do things that make them feel awkward and cause the student to want to be absent/tardy.

8. Begin each day with a fun learning experience that should cause the student to want to attend and be on time for class.

9. Connect with the parents(e.g., notes home, phone calls, etc.) to disseminate information about the student’s progress. The parents may reinforce the student at home for school attendance/promptness.

10. Draft an agreement with the student stipulating what behavior is required (e.g., coming to school/ class on time) and which reinforcement will be implemented when the agreement has been met.

11. Praise the student for arriving at a learning experience within a given period. As the student becomes more successful at being punctual, slowly lessen the amount of time the student has to arrive at a learning experience.

12. Praise those students in the classroom who come to a learning experience at a specific time.

13. Create classroom rules: • Complete every assignment. • Complete assignments quietly. • Remain in your seat. • Finish tasks. • Meet task expectations. Examine rules often. Praise students for following the rules.

14. Talk with the student to explain(a) what the student is doing wrong (e.g., coming late to a learning experience) and (b) what the student should be doing (e.g., arriving at a learning experience at a specific time).

15 Praise the student for arriving at a learning experience at a specific time: (a) give the student a concrete reward (e.g., privileges such as leading the line, handing out learning materials, 10 minutes of free time, etc.) or (b) give the student an informal reward (e.g., praise, handshake, smile, etc.).

16. Select a peer to model arriving at a learning experience at a specific time for the student.

17. Consider using a classroom manageme

nt app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

18. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

19. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

20. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.

Are you looking for ways to help students lower their tardies? If so, keep reading.

1. Select a responsible peer to escort the student to school/learning activities.

2. Make sure that the student is successful in school-related learning activities. The student will be more likely to be present if they experience success.

3. Make the student a leader of the learning experience or group.

4. Make sure that other students do not make it unpleasant for the student to attend learning activities.

5. Make sure the student has all the appropriate learning materials for learning activities.

6. Record attendance/promptness with the student.

7. Begin the day or class with a success-oriented learning experience that is likely to be highly reinforcing for the student.

8. Give the student as many high interest learning activities as possible.

9. Give the student many chances for social and academic success.

10. Give the student academic learning activities presented in the most attractive and exciting manner possible.

11. Provide the student a schedule of daily activities to be signed by each teacher to document promptness.

12. Gather anecdotal information on the student’s absences/tardies. If a trend can be determined, remove the student from the situation, modify the situation, or help the student create the skills to be more successful in the situation.

13. Get the student to document personal attendance at the end of each learning experience.

14. Consider using a classroom management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

15. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

16. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

17. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.

Are you looking for strategies to help students who have excessive unexcused tardies? If so, keep reading.

1. Give the student a schedule of daily activities so they will know that learning activities to attend and at what times.

2. Make sure that the student’s daily schedule follows an established routine (schedule).

3. Restrict the number of interruptions in the student’s schedule.

4. Make sure the student has sufficient time to get to a learning experience.

5. Make sure that the student knows how to get from one learning experience to another.

6. Utilize a timer to help the student get to learning activities at specific times.

7. Provide the student a responsibility to be performed at the beginning of each day or each class (e.g., feeding the classroom pet, helping to get the classroom ready for the day, etc.).

8. Give the student oral signals when it is time to change learning activities (e.g., “It is time for the red group to have reading.” “Now it is time for the red group to put away learning materials and move to the next learning experience.” etc.).

9. Ascertain why the student is not arriving at learning activities at a specific time.

10. Ask the student the reason for not arriving at learning activities at a specific time. The student may have the most accurate perception as to why they are absent/tardy.

11. Assist the student in understanding that it is permissible to leave work unfinished and return to it at a later time.

12. Ascertain if there are aspects of learning activities that the student dislikes. Remove, lessen, or modify the unpleasant aspects of learning activities to urge the student to be on time for and participate in learning activities.

13. Make the student responsible for time missed (e.g., if the student misses five minutes of a learning experience, they must make up the time during recess, lunch, or other desired learning activities ).

14. Consider using a classroom management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

15. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

16. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

17. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.

Are you looking for ways to help students lower their unexcused absences? If so, keep reading.

1. Set a time for the student to leave their home in the morning.

2. Require that time spent away from class/school be made up at recess, during lunch, or after school.

3. Make sure the student is properly placed according to capacity and ability level in those classes in which they are enrolled (e.g., the class is not too complicated; the class is not too easy).

4. Minimize the emphasis on competition. Repeated failure may cause the student to be absent to avoid competitive situations.

5. Assist the student in creating friendships that may encourage their attendance in school/class.

6. Provide open communication with the student’s family to make sure that the student is leaving for school at the designated time.

7. Do not force the student to interact with others or do things that make them feel awkward and cause the student to want to be absent.

8. Make sure the student and parents are aware of the laws involving attendance in school.

9. Connect with the parents(e.g., notes home, phone calls, etc.) to disseminate information about the student’s progress. The parents may reinforce the student at home for school attendance.

10. Draft an agreement with the student stipulating what behavior is required (e .g., being in attendance) and which reinforcement will be implemented when the agreement has been met.

11. Praise those students who attend school/class.

12. Praise the student for coming to school/class or arriving at a learning experience at a specific time: (a) give the student a concrete reward (e.g., privileges such as leading the line, handing out learning materials, 10 minutes of free time, etc.) or (b) give the student an informal reward (e.g., praise, handshake, smile, etc.).

13. Create classroom rules: • Complete every assignment. • Complete assignments quietly. • Remain in your seat. • Finish tasks. • Meet task expectations. Examine rules often. Praise students for following the rules.

14. Talk with the student to explain(a) what the student is doing wrong (e.g., being absent from school/class and (b) what the student should be doing (e.g., being in attendance).

15. Consider using a classroom management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

16. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

17. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

18. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.

Are you looking for strategies to help students who have unexcused absences? If so, keep reading.

1. Connect with parents, agencies, or appropriate parties to tell them about the problem; identify the cause of the problem; and discuss potential solutions to the problem.

2. Get the student to document personal attendance at the end of each school day (e.g., have the student keep a record of attendance in the library, office, etc., and fill in the data at the end of each day).

3. Begin the day or class with a success-oriented learning experience that is likely to be highly reinforcing for the student.

4. Give the student a responsibility to be performed at the beginning of each day or each class (e.g., feeding the classroom pet, helping to get the classroom ready for the day, etc.).

5. Praise the student for getting on the bus or leaving home on time.

6. Assess the degree of task difficulty in comparison with the student’s capacity and ability to perform the task successfully.

7. Give the student as many high interest learning activities as possible.

8. Include the student in extracurricular learning activities.

9. Give the student many chances for social and academic success.

10. Give the student academic learning activities presented in the most attractive and exciting manner possible.

11. Have the student’s attendance documented by their teachers (e.g., have teachers sign an attendance card).

12. Talk regularly with the student positively throughout the day.

13. Gather anecdotal information on the student’s absences/tardies. If a trend can be determined, remove the student from the situation, modify the situation, or help the student create the skills to be more successful in the situation.

14. Get the parent to bring the student to school.

15. Select a responsible peer to escort the student to school/learning activities.

16. Consider using a classroom management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

17. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

18. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

19. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.

Are you looking for genius tricks for teaching students not to disturb others? If so, keep reading.

1. Urge the student to realize that all behavior has negative or positive consequences. Urge the student to practice behaviors that will lead to positive consequences.

2. Provide visibility to and from the student to keep their attention when oral questions/instructions are being delivered. The teacher and the student should be able to see each other at all times. Make eye contact possible at all times.

3. Minimize learning activities that might cause the student to interrupt or talk out (e.g., announcing test score ranges or test scores aloud, emphasizing the success of a particular student or students, etc.).

4. Teach the student to recognize an appropriate time to speak (e.g., when the teacher has finished speaking, after raising their hand, to make remarks within the context of the situation, to make remarks that are a follow-up to what has just been said, etc.).

5. Do not let the student interrupt you by letting them talk to you at the time they interrupt. Inform the student that they will need to wait until you are finished talking. Allowing the student to talk after interrupting reinforces the behavior and may increase the number of times they interrupt others.

6. Do not criticize when correcting the student; be honest yet compassionate. Never cause the student to feel negatively about themselves.

7. Make the student aware of the number of times they interrupt the teacher.

8. Urge the student to model the behavior of successful peers at not interrupting the teacher.

9. Provide the student with frequent chances to join conversations with others by allowing him/ her time to talk, asking them to repeat an experience, etc.

10. Talk regularly with the student to lessen the need for them to interrupt.

11. Attempt to give equal attention to all students in the classroom.

12. Make sure that the student knows the relationship between unacceptable behavior and the consequences that follow (e.g., others ignoring him/her, hurting others’ feelings, etc.).

13. Show the student an appropriate way to get someone’s attention without interrupting.

14. Do not interrupt the student when they are doing something, talking to someone, etc.

15. Make the appropriate adjustments in their surroundings (e.g., lessen peer pressure, academic failure, teasing, etc.) to prevent the student from experiencing stress, frustration, or anger.

16. Do not let the student use ADHD as an excuse. Hold the student responsible for their actions. However, accept the problems that ADHD brings into the student’s life while they are learning to make accommodations.

17. Make sure the student knows when it is acceptable to interrupt others (e.g., in an emergency).

18. Consider using a classroom management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

19. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

20. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

21. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.

Are you looking for hacks for teaching students not to disturb others? If so, keep reading.

1. Get the student to practice waiting for short periods for a turn to speak. As the student shows success, slowly increase the duration of time required for a turn to speak.

2. Take the student away from the learning experience until they can demonstrate appropriate behavior and self-control.

3. Ask the student a question when they are most likely to be able to respond correctly.

4. Urge the student to remind himself/herself to wait when they feel the need to interrupt (e.g., “Stop. Count to 10.”).

5. Teach appropriate social rituals (e.g., say, “Excuse me,” before interrupting; wait until someone stops speaking to begin talking, etc.).

6. Provide directions, explanations, and instructions in a clear, concise manner to lessen the student’s need to ask questions.

7. Train the student on how to interrupt for an emergency. Make sure they do it in a way that conveys the urgency (e.g., “I’m sorry for interrupting.” “May I stop you for a minute?” etc.).

8. Show the student why it is unacceptable to interrupt the teacher (e.g., impolite, unfair to other students, others cannot hear what the teacher is saying, etc.).

9. Get the student to make a list of consequences associated with regularly occurring behaviors (e.g., by disrupting others, I will be perceived as unmannerly; by behaving aggressively, I will cause people to avoid me.).

10. Make sure that reinforcement is not provided for unacceptable behavior(e.g., the teacher responds to the student after they have interrupted).

11. Make sure that you do not interrupt others. If you interrupt others, the student will continue to do so.

12. Recognize the student’s presence and/or need to talk with you (e.g., by saying, “Just a minute”; putting your arm around the student; smiling and nodding your head; etc.).

13. Create rules for conversing with others (e.g., wait for your turn to talk, stand quietly by the person with whom you want to talk until you are noticed, excuse yourself when you interrupt others, etc.). These rules should be consistent and followed by everyone in the class. Talk about the rules often.

14. Give the student a predetermined signal if they begin to interrupt.

15. Praise the student for raising their hand to be recognized.

16. Get the student to find the situations in which they are most likely to interrupt. After they have identified these situations, have them think of ways to minimize their occurrences.

17. Assist the student in improving concentration skills (e.g., listening to the speaker, taking notes, preparing remarks in advance, making remarks in an appropriate context, etc.).

18. Be firm, fair, and consistent, expecting the student to behave properly during class lectures. Do not let the student interrupt one time and expect them not to interrupt the next time.

19. Draft an agreement with the student stipulating what behavior is required (e.g., waiting for a turn to speak) and what reinforcement will be made available when the terms of the agreement have been met.

20. Always treat the student with the utmost respect. Talk objectively at all times.

21. Consider using a classroom management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

22. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

23. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

24. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.

Are you looking for strategies to teach students not to disturb others? If so, keep reading.

1. Connect with the parents to disseminate information about the student’s progress. The parents may reinforce the student at home for waiting their turn to speak at school.

2. Provide sufficient chances to respond (i.e., enthusiastic students need many chances to contribute).

3. Organize the student’s surroundings to limit chances for interrupting the teacher (e.g., keep the student engaged in learning activities, have the student seated near the teacher, etc.).

4. Train the student to carry a notepad with them at all times and to write information down to help them remember.

5. Provide a full schedule of learning activities. Keeping the student occupied should prevent interruptive behavior from happening.

6. Teach yourself and others about ADHD to increase comprehension and accommodation of interruptive behavior.

7. Urge the student to create an understanding of themselves and those around him/her. Get the student to periodically step back and ask themselves, “Am I interrupting others?”

8. Teach the student about ADHD and the need for developing skills to self-monitor behavior.

9. Give constant, positive reinforcement for appropriate behavior. Ignore as many unacceptable behaviors as possible.

10. Teach the student to use techniques such as crossing their arms and legs, clinching their fists, and webbing their hands when they feel the urge to interrupt.

11. Inform the student when they are interrupting your conversation with someone else and tell them that they may talk to you in a few moments.

12. Converse with the student before starting a learning experience and remind them of the importance of listening and not interrupting.

13. Praise those students in the classroom who wait for their turn to speak.

14. Give the student an easily grasped list of consequences for unacceptable behavior.

15. Minimize the emphasis on competition. Competitive learning activities may cause the student to become overexcited and interrupt others.

16. Select a peer, paraprofessional, friend, etc., to signal the student when they interrupt others (e.g., the person can touch the student’s hand as a signal that they are interrupting).

17. Talk with the student to explain(a) what they are doing wrong (e.g., interrupting the teacher) and (b) what they must be doing (e.g., waiting until it is appropriate to speak, waiting to be called on, etc.).

18. Make sure that the student’s feelings are considered when it is appropriate to deal with their interruptions (i.e., use remarks that do not diminish the student’s enthusiasm for participation).

19. Praise the student for waiting for a turn to speak based on the duration of time the student can be successful. As the student shows success, slowly increase the duration of time required for reinforcement.

20. Praise the student for waiting for a turn to speak: (a) give the student a concrete reward (e.g., classroom privileges, passing out learning materials, 10 minutes of free time, etc.) or (b) give the student an informal reward (e.g., praise, handshake, smile, etc.).

21. Consider using a classroom management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

22. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

23. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

24. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.

Are you looking for ways to teach students not to snatch things from others? If so, keep reading.

1. Teach the student acceptable ways to express displeasure, anger, frustration, etc.

2. Do not assume the student is being treated nicely by others. Peers may be stimulating unacceptable behavior.

3. Teach the student to ask for things positively. Teach keywords and phrases (e.g., “May I borrow your pencil?” “Do you mind if l play with your ball?” etc.).

4. Teach the student the concept of sharing by having the student borrow from others. Require them to ask permission before doing so.

5. Teach the student to take turns sharing possessions (e.g., each child may use the markers for 15 minutes; one child bats while the other throws the ball, and then players change places after three hits, etc.).

6. Give the student enough things that sharing will not be appropriate. As the student learns to share, slowly lessen the number of things.

7. Teach the student to think before acting (e.g., they should ask themselves, “What is happening? “What am I doing?” “What should I do?” “What will be best for me?” etc.).

8. Draft an agreement with the student stipulating what behavior is required (e.g., not grabbing things away from others) and which reinforcement will be implemented when the agreement has been met.

9. Praise those students in the classroom who demonstrate appropriate behavior in reference to others’ belongings.

10. Take the student away from the learning experience until they can demonstrate appropriate behavior and self-control.

11. Praise the student for demonstrating appropriate behavior based on the duration of time the student can be successful. As the student shows success, slowly increase the duration of time required for reinforcement.

12. Create classroom rules: • Complete every assignment. • Remain in your seat. • Finish tasks. • Meet task expectations. • Raise your hand. Examine rules often. Praise students for following the rules.

13. Connect with the parents to disseminate information about the student’s progress. The parents may reinforce the student at home for appropriate use or consideration of others’ belongings at school.

14. Talk with the student to explain(a) what the student is doing wrong (e.g., grabbing things from others) and (b) what the student should be doing (e.g., asking to use things, borrowing, sharing, returning, etc.).

15. Praise the student for demonstrating appropriate behavior: (a) give the student a concrete reward (e.g., privileges such as leading the line, handing out learning materials, 10 minutes of free time, etc.) or (b) give the student an informal reward (e.g., praise, handshake, smile, etc.).

16. Consider using a classroom management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

17. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

18. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

19. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.

Are you looking for strategies to teach students not to snatch things from others? If so, keep reading.

1. Organize the student’s surroundings to limit chances for unacceptable behaviors (e.g., keep the student engaged in learning activities, have the student seated near the teacher, etc.).

2. Teach the student the concept of sharing by having the student lend things and requiring them to return things taken from others.

3. Find those things the student have been grabbing from others and give the student those things as reinforcers for appropriate behavior.

4. Minimize the chance to take things from other students by restricting students from bringing unnecessary things to school.

5. Provide visibility to and from the student. The teacher should be able to see the student; the student should be able to see the teacher. Make eye contact possible at all times.

6. Observe the student to monitor behavior.

7. Urge all students to monitor their own belongings.

8. Make sure the student has their own appropriate school-related things (e.g., pencil, ruler, paper, etc.).

9. Utilize a permanent marker to tag all property brought to school by students and teachers.

10. Securely store all school things of value (e.g., lab learning materials, industrial arts, and home economics supplies, etc.).

11. Make sure the student knows the logical consequences of unacceptable behavior(e.g., the student must make compensation for taking things that belong to others).

12. Connect with the student’s family to create procedures whereby the student may earn those things they would otherwise take from other students.

13. Teach the student to share (e.g., schedule learning activities daily that require sharing).

14. Assist the student in building or creating a prized possession to satisfy the need for ownership (e.g., this can be done in art, home economics, industrial arts, etc.).

15. Address the grabbing of belongings privately rather than publicly.

16. Give multiples of the things that are being taken to have enough for all or most students to use (e.g., pencils, erasers, rulers, etc.).

17. Intervene early and often when there is a problem to prevent more severe problems from happening.

18. Teach the student to respect others and their belongings by respecting the student’s belongings.

19. Make sure the student does not become involved in overstimulating learning activities when playing with others.

20. Select a peer who will be an excellent influence (e.g., someone younger/older, of the same gender, of the opposite gender, etc.).

21. Consider using a classroom management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

22. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

23. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

24. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.