Academic and Behavioral Interventions

Are you looking for inventive ways to ensure that students will understand your instructions? If so, keep reading.

1. Stand in the proximity of the student when delivering oral questions and instructions. Urge the student to keep written reminders of task sequences.

2. Get the student to ask for help when they need it.

3. Teach the student listening skills (e.g., stop working, clear desk of nonessential learning materials, pay attention to the source of information, write down essential points, ask for clarification, and wait until all instructions are received before beginning).

4. Get the student to orally repeat or rephrase the instructions to the teacher.

5. Get the student to practice group listening skills (e.g., “Everyone, take out a piece of paper. Write your name on the paper. Number your paper from 1 to 20.”).

6. Place the student near the source of information to enable their capacity and ability to keep attention.

7. Get the student to question any directions, explanations, and instructions they do not understand.

8. Get the student to take notes relative to oral questions and instructions.

9. Urge the student to create an understanding of themselves and their surroundings. Train the student to periodically step back and ask themselves, “Am I listening and paying attention?” “What is the question?”

10. Get the student to take notes when instructions are being given following the “What, How, Learning materials, and On occasions where” format.

11. Select a peer to model answering oral questions and instructions without requiring repetition for the student.

12. Train the student to ask people to repeat portions of a conversation they were unable to follow.

13. Train the student to keep attention to the source of information by keeping eye contact, keeping hands free from other learning materials, and reducing other distractions.

14. Get the student to do those things that need to be done when they are discussed instead of procrastinating (e.g., organize needed learning materials for a task to be finished later).

15. Talk regularly with the student to help the student follow instructions for a learning experience.

16. Provide a consistent manner in which oral questions and instructions are delivered.

17. Provide mobility to assist the student.

18. Get the student to practice listening skills by taking notes when directions, explanations, and instructions are presented.

19. 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.

20. Make sure that all instructions, questions, explanations, and instructions are delivered in a clear, concise manner; at an appropriate pace; and loudly enough for the student to hear.

21. Consider using a classroom management app to help the student learn to respond appropriately to instructions. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

22. Consider using Alexa to help you with classroom management. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

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

Are you looking for a guide to giving clear instructions to your kids? If so, keep reading.

1. Do not talk to the student from across the classroom. Go to the student, get their full attention, and then speak to him or her.

2. Urge teachers, coaches, paraprofessionals, school officials, etc., to give the student written instructions along with oral instructions.

3. To enable comprehension, urge the student to ask for clarification of any directions, explanations, and instructions before starting a task.

4. Urge the student to avoid ingesting any substance (e.g., drugs, alcohol, cold remedies, etc.) that might further alter their capacity and ability to direct or keep attention.

5. Give recorded information from lectures and seminars. Create questions from these recordings for the student.

6. Urge the student to create a 30-second definition of their goal to help them remain on-task and focused (e.g., “I will listen carefully.” “The better I listen, the better I will perform”).

7. Urge the student to create an understanding of the consequences of their behavior by writing down or talking through problems that may happen due to their need to have oral instructions and questions regularly repeated (e.g., not focusing on instructions may cause misinterpretation of a task that could lead to a lower grade and losing their place on the soccer team).

8. Select a peer to model excellent communication skills for the student.

9. Urge the student to say a mantra to themselves when entering a situation where they will receive instructions/instructions (e.g., listen carefully, listen carefully, listen carefully).

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

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

12. Create rules for listening (e.g., listen to instructions, ask questions about instructions if they are not grasped, follow the instructions, etc.). These rules should be applied consistently and followed by everyone in the classroom. Talk about the rules often.

13. Assess the appropriateness of requiring the student to respond to oral questions and instructions without needing repetition.

14. Assess the visual and auditory stimuli in the classroom. Ascertain the number of stimuli the student can tolerate. Remove the unnecessary stimuli from their surroundings.

15. Provide a signal to gain attention prior to delivering instructions orally to the student.

16. Provide instructions in a straightforward, specific manner.

17. Provide the student instructions to follow with no more than two or three steps (e.g., “Please open your text and turn to page 28.”). Instructions that involve several steps can be confusing and cause the student to have difficulty following them.

18. Provide the student one task to perform at a time. Present the next task after the student has followed instructions and successfully finished the prior task.

19. Get a peer to help the student follow oral questions and instructions.

20. Train the student to ask for clarification if he/ she does not understand oral or written instructions.

21. Consider using a classroom management app to help the student learn to respond appropriately to instructions. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

22. Consider using Alexa to help you with classroom management. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

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

Are you looking for a guide to giving clear instructions to students? If so, keep reading.

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

2. Assess the degree of task difficulty to ascertain if the student will require additional information, time, assistance, etc., before assigning a task.

3. Provide oral questions and instructions that involve only one concept or step. As the student shows success, slowly increase the number of ideas or steps.

4. Use the student’s name to gain their attention prior to delivering oral questions and instructions.

5. Connect with 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 answering oral questions and instructions without requiring repetition at school.

6. Show the appropriate way to listen to oral questions and instructions (e.g., look at the person who is talking, ask questions, etc.).

7. Provide instructions and requests in a compassionate rather than a menacing manner (e.g., “Please repeat the instructions,” rather than, “Tell me what I just said!”).

8. Provide instructions, explanations, and information using vocabulary that is within the student’s level of comprehension.

9. Provide information to the student on a one-to-one basis or use a peer tutor.

10. Provide oral instructions prior to handing out learning materials.

11. Refrain from placing the student in situations that require listening for an expanded duration of time, such as lectures, seminars, etc. Give information for the student through a recording or lecture notes.

12. Provide questions and instructions in written form.

13. Show directions, explanations, and instructions as they are presented orally (e.g., use the smartboard to work a problem for the student, begin playing a game with the student, etc.).

14. Think carefully about the student’s capacity and ability level when expecting them to respond to oral questions and instructions.

15. Ascertain if the student heard what was said by having them repeat it.

16. Talk with the student about the consequences of their behavior (e.g., if you begin a work task before all instructions are grasped, you may do things incorrectly).

17. Do not accept “forgetting” to listen as an excuse. Make the student responsible for missed information.

18. Urge the student’s parents to take advantage of dinner and other family-gathering times to converse and practice keeping attention.

19. Do not punish the student for asking questions.

20. Jot down essential information for the student (e.g., the school assembly begins today at 1:40 p.m., math test tomorrow, early dismissal on Friday).

21. Consider using a classroom management app to help the student learn to respond appropriately to instructions. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

22. Consider using Alexa to help you with classroom management. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

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

Are you looking for ways to help students remember to remain in their assigned areas? If so, keep reading.

1. Make sure the student knows where they are required to be at all times.

2. Make the student remain in designated areas for short periods. As the student shows success, slowly increase the length of time.

3. Make sure the student knows the locations for all designated areas .

4. Make sure the behavioral requirements are appropriate for the student’s abilities (e.g., capacity and ability to find locations of designated areas, capacity and ability to tell time, capacity and ability to interact with peers appropriately, etc.).

5. Make sure the student is actively involved in a learning experience in the designated area to enable their capacity and ability to remain in the designated area for a specific period.

6. Assign the student a responsibility to perform in the designated area to keep them actively involved (e.g., supervision of others, responsibility for learning materials, group leader, etc.).

7. Give the student a timer to help them remain in the designated area for a specific period.

8. Display the times the student should enter and leave designated areas (e.g., one clock face indicates time to enter, another clock face indicates time to go, etc.).

9. Get the student to carry a hall pass on which teachers will indicate arrival and departure times for designated areas .

10. Provide a predetermined signal (e.g., ring a bell, turn lights off and on, etc.) to indicate when to enter and leave designated areas .

11. Establish physical barriers or boundary markings to help the student remain in a designated area.

12. Designate areas that are off limits with signs such as “Danger” or “Keep Out,”etc.

13. Give sufficient supervision in designated areas . As the student shows success, slowly lessen the amount of control.

14. Give the student many chances for social and academic success in designated areas .

15. Require time spent away from an assigned area to be made up during break time, lunch, free time, etc.

16. Designate a peer to remain in an assigned area with the student for a specific period.

17. Make sure the student can tell time to increase the likelihood that they will know how long to remain in designated areas.

18. Minimize stimuli in the designated area that would cause the student to be unable to remain in the designated area for a specific period.

19. Praise the student for staying in designated areas (e.g., free time areas, student lounge, leisure areas, etc.).

20. Teach the student ways to deal with stimuli or problems in designated areas that may cause the student to leave the area (e.g., talk to a teacher, move to a quiet space in the designated area, avoid confrontations, etc.).

21. Consider using a classroom management app to help the student learn to stay in their assigned areas. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

22. Consider using Alexa to help you with classroom management. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

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

Are you looking for strategies to help students remain in their assigned areas? If so, keep reading.

1. Praise the student for remaining in the designated area for a specific period: (a) give the student a concrete reward (e.g., classroom privileges, such as leading or passing out learning materials, 10 minutes of free time, etc.) or (b) give the student an informal reward (e.g., praise, handshake, smile, etc.).

2. Converse with the student to explain (a) what they are doing wrong (e.g., leaving the designated area) and (b) what they should be doing (e.g., staying in the designated area for a specific period).

3. 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.

4. Assess the appropriateness of the task to ascertain (a) if the task is too easy, (b) if the task is too complicated, and (c) if the duration of time scheduled to finish the task is sufficient.

5. Praise the student for staying in the designated area for a specific period 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.

6. Draft an agreement with the student stipulating what behavior is required (e.g., staying in designated area for a specific period) and which reinforcement will be implemented when the agreement has been met.

7. Connect with 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 staying in a designated area at school for a specific period.

8. Praise those students in the classroom who remain in the designated area for a specific period.

9. Select a peer to model staying in a designated area for a specific period for the student.

10. Get the student to question any directions, explanations, instructions they do not understand.

11. Assess the appropriateness of requiring the student to remain in a designated area for a specific period.

12. Create rules for the school grounds (e.g., remain in designated areas , share school equipment, use appropriate language, use school property with care, etc.).

13. Require the student to question any rules that they do not understand.

14. Separate the student from peers who stimulates their unacceptable behavior in designated areas .

15. Get the student to carry a point card with them at all times so that they can be reinforced for staying in designated areas in the school building and on the school grounds.

16. Notify other school staff members of any behavior problems the student may have so that supervision and assistance may be given in the designated areas before, during, and after· school.

17. Be firm, fair, and consistent applying consequences for behavior (i.e., appropriate behavior receives positive consequences; negative behavior receives negative consequences).

18. Give organized learning activities for student in designated areas before, during, and after school (e.g., board games, softball, computer games, puzzles, checkers, flash cards, etc.).

19. Find an area of the school grounds to be used as a “time-out” area when the student shows unacceptable behavior on the school grounds.

20. Get the student to assume responsibility for a younger student in designated areas.

21. Consider using a classroom management app to help the student learn to stay in their assigned areas. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

22. Consider using Alexa to help you with classroom management. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

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

Are you looking for ways to help students appropriately respond to classroom signals? If so, keep reading.

1. Get the student to observe and mimic the responses of peers to environmental signals to increase success in learning environmental signals . (For example, as the student is learning to respond properly to doors identified as “In” and “Out,” the student can mimic the behavior of peers who use appropriate doors to enter and leave areas of the educational environment.)

2. Praise the student for asking the meaning of environmental signals not grasped (e.g., bells, signs, etc.).

3. Give the student simulation learning activities in the classroom to teach successful responses to environmental signals (e.g., responses to words, symbols, instructions, etc.).

4. Select a peer to escort the student and act as a model in teaching appropriate responses to environmental signals as the student moves throughout the school building.

5. Separate at several points throughout the day (e.g., when the lunch bell rings, when walking by restroom signs, etc.) to point out the various signals to the students.

6. Give the student oral reminders or prompts when they miss an environmental signal.

7. Examine the environmental signals that are essential to the student (e.g., bells, signs, etc.).

8. Utilize vocabulary that is within the student’s level of comprehension when delivering instructions, explanations, and information.

9. Connect with parents (e.g., notes home, phone calls, etc.) to disseminate information about the student’s progress. Parents can reinforce their child at home for responding properly to environmental signals at school.

10. Draft an agreement with the student stipulating what behavior is required (e.g., responding properly to bells, rules, point cards, reminders, etc.) and which reinforcement will be implemented when the agreement has been met.

11. Praise the student for responding properly to environmental signals based on the number of environmental signals the student can successfully follow. As the student shows success, slowly increase the number of appropriate responses to environmental signals required for reinforcement.

12. Praise those students in the classroom who respond properly to environmental signals .

13. Converse with the student to explain (a) what the student is doing wrong (e.g., failing to respond properly to bells, signs indicating restroom instructions, etc.) and (b) what the student should be doing (e.g., responding properly to bells, signs indicating restroom instructions, etc.).

14. Praise the student for responding properly to environmental signals : (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.).

15. Consider using a classroom management app to help the student learn to respond appropriately to classroom signals. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

16. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to respond appropriately to classroom signals. 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 ways to teach students how to find their way around the school campus? If so, keep reading.

1. Get the student to create instructions for discovering places in the school building.

2. Let the student move from one place to another in the school building only at specific times (e.g., if the student has difficulty discovering places in the school building when other students are in the halls, let the student move from one place to another when others are not present.)

3. Get the student to move from one place to another with a group of students until they develop the capacity and ability to find the places independently.

4. Get the student to find several landmarks throughout the school building that can help in discovering various places in the school building.

5. Make sure the student is paying attention to the source of information (e.g., eye contact is being made, hands are free of learning materials, etc.) when instructions to specific places in the school building are given.

6. Get the student to review instructions before leaving the classroom to find specific points throughout the school building (e.g., have the student repeat instructions back to you, or have the student look at a map, etc.).

7. On occasions where giving the student instructions to specific points throughout the school building, use concrete clues such as the drinking fountain, restrooms, lunchroom. (e.g., say, “Go to the room that is just past the lunchroom, ” or “The bathroom is on the left side of the drinking fountain.” )

8. Teach the student instruction-following skills (e.g., stop doing other things, listen carefully, write down essential points, wait until all instructions are given, question any instructions not grasped, etc.).

9. Utilize images, diagrams, the smartboard, and gestures when delivering information.

10. On occasions where delivering instructions, explanations, and information, be specific and use vocabulary that is within the student’s level of comprehension.

11. Assess the appropriateness of the task to ascertain (a) if the task is too easy, (b) if the task is too complicated, and (c) if the duration of time scheduled to finish the task is sufficient.

12. Connect with 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 discovering appropriate places in the school.

13. Draft an agreement with the student stipulating what behavior is required (e.g., going to and from the restroom in a sensible amount of time) and what reinforcement will be available when the terms of the agreement have been met.

14. Praise those students in the classroom who demonstrate the capacity and ability to find appropriate places in the school building.

15. Converse with the student to explain (a) what the student is doing wrong and (b) what the student should be doing.

16. Praise the student for demonstrating the capacity and ability to find appropriate places in the school building : (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.).

Are you looking for strategies to help students appropriately respond to classroom signals? If so, keep reading.

1. Pair their environmental signals to the student’s capacity and ability to respond (e.g., visual signals are used for students who cannot hear, symbols or auditory signals are used for students who cannot read, etc.).

2. Get the student to question any environmental signals not grasped.

3. Select a peer to model appropriate responses to environmental signals for the student.

4. Give compassionate information to assist the student in responding properly to environmental signals (e.g., “On occasions where the bell rings, it is time for lunch.”).

5. Give repeated practice in responding properly to environmental signals.

6. Make the student responsible for identifying environmental signals for peers (e.g., bells, rules, reminders, etc.).

7. Give the student universal environmental signals (e.g., symbols for male and female, exit signs, danger symbols, etc.).

8. Pair environmental signals with oral explanations and instant reinforcement for appropriate responses.

9. Prepare the student in advance of the delivery of environmental signals to increase successful responding.

10. Make sure the same environmental signals are used throughout all places in and outside the school building.

11. Create environmental signals that the student is required to follow (e.g., bells, rules, point cards, reminders, etc.).

12. Assess the appropriateness of the environmental signals the student is required to follow to ascertain (a) if the signal is too complicated and (b) if the duration of time required to respond to the signal is sufficient.

13. Embody appropriate responses to environmental signals for the student to mimic.

14. Get the student to master appropriate responses to one environmental signal at a time, prioritizing environmental signals in order of importance for mastery, before introducing additional signals.

15. Consider using a classroom management app to help the student learn to respond appropriately to classroom signals. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

16. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to respond appropriately to classroom signals. 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 ensure that you and your students are on the same page? If so, keep reading.

1. Make it pleasant and positive for the student to ask questions about things not grasped. Praise the student by assisting, congratulating, etc.

2. Minimize distractions to enable the student’s capacity and ability to listen and follow instructions.

3. Make instructions important to the student. Attempt to relate instructions to past experiences.

4. Praise the student for answering oral questions and instructions without requiring frequent repetition: (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.).

5. Praise those students in the classroom who respond to oral questions and instructions without requiring repetition.

6. Jot down oral instructions. Train the student to cross each step off as it is finished.

7. Reward other students for listening, following instructions, and answering oral questions.

8. Give instructions/directions that will accommodate various learning styles (e.g., visual, auditory, etc.).

9. Create a written list of procedures the student is to follow (e.g., how to tag papers, format for mathematic tasks, etc.).

10. Reward the student (e.g., a break, visit briefly with a peer, etc.) for keeping eye contact and listening for a specific length of time.

11. Plan essential learning activities /tasks/ lectures at times when the student is most likely to keep attention (e.g., one hour after medication, 45 minutes after lunch, first thing in the morning, etc.).

12. Utilize images, diagrams, the smartboard, and gestures when delivering information.

13. Converse with the student to explain (a) what they are doing wrong (e.g., needing oral questions and instructions repeated) and (b) what they must be doing (e.g., answering oral questions and instructions without requiring repetition).

14. Inform the student what to listen for when being given instructions, receiving information, etc.

15. Record the tasks and let the student listen to instructions/instructions as often as appropriate.

16. Teach and practice “active listening” skills. Train the student to listen to what another person is saying and respond based on the information received.

17. Teach and practice efficient communication skills. These skills include listening, keeping eye contact, and maintaining positive body language.

18. Inform the student that oral questions and instructions will be given only once.

19. Give instructions/instructions on a one-to-one basis before assigning a task.

20. Praise the student for answering oral questions and instructions without requiring repetition based on the number of times the student can be successful. As the student shows success, slowly increase the number of times required for reinforcement.

21. Teach the student instruction-following skills (e.g., listen carefully, write down steps, etc.).

22. Separate at several points during the presentation of directions, explanations, or instructions to check the student’s comprehension of the information given.

23. Utilize a timer to help the student know how much time they have to follow through with instructions.

24. When ideas are presented, have the student listen and takes notes for “Who, What, Where, On occasions where, How, and Why.”

25. Draft an agreement with the student stipulating what behavior is required (e.g., following instructions with one signal) and which reinforcement will be implemented regarding when the agreement has been met.

26. Consider using a classroom management app to help the student understand what is expected of them. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

27. Consider using Alexa to help you with classroom management. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

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

Are you looking for strategies to help your students improve their memory skills? If so, keep reading.

1. Get the student’s hearing reviewed if it has not been recently reviewed.
2. Get the student to question any directions, explanations, and instructions they do not understand.
3. Get the student to be a messenger. Provide the student a verbal message to deliver to another teacher, secretary, administrator, etc. As the student shows success, increase the length of the messages.
4. Examine the schedule of the morning and afternoon learning activities with the student and have them to repeat the sequence. As the student is successful, increase the length of the sequence.
5. Get the student to take part in concentration game learning activities with a limited number of symbols. As the student shows success, slowly increase the number of symbols.
6. Praise the student for remembering to have such learning materials as pens, pencils, paper, textbooks, notebooks, etc.
7. At the end of the day, have the student recall three learning activities in which they participated during the day. As the student shows success, slowly increase the number of learning activities, the student is required to recall.
8. After a field trip event, have the student sequence the learning activities that occurred.
9. After reading a short story, have the student find the main characters, sequence the activities, and report the outcome of the story.
10. Get the student to deliver the schedule of daily activities to other students.
11. Utilize several modalities (e.g., auditory, visual, tactile, etc.) when presenting instructions, explanations, and instructional content.
12. Designate a peer tutor to take part in short-term memory learning activities with the student (e.g., concentration games, following instructions, etc.).
13. Record a message. Get the student to write down the message after they have heard it. As the student shows success, increase the length of the message.
14. Have the student engage in learning activities to enable short-term memory skills (e.g., deliver messages from one place to another; act as group leader, teacher assistant, etc.).
15. Get the student to practice short-term memory skills by participating in learning activities that are focused (e.g., delivering messages, being in charge of room clean-up, acting as custodian’s helper, operating equipment, etc.).
16. Assess the student’s auditory and visual short-term memory skills to ascertain, which is stronger. Utilize the results when presenting instructions, explanations, and instructional content.
17. Get the student to practice repetition of information to increase short-term memory skills (e.g., repeating names, telephone numbers, dates of activities, etc.).
18. Teach the student how to organize information into smaller units (e.g., break the number sequence 132563 into units of 13, 25, 63).
19. Utilize sentence dictation to develop the student’s short-term memory skills. Begin with sentences of three words. As the student shows success, slowly increase the length of the sentences.
20. Present the student an item or an image of an object for a few seconds. Ask the student to recall specific attributes of the item (e.g., color, size, shape, etc.) after it has been removed from view.

21. Consider using an education app to help the student enhance their memory. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.