Michael is a 5th-grade student with autism who often struggles with transitions between activities in Ms. Greene’s class. When it’s time to switch from math to reading, Michael becomes upset, shouts, and sometimes runs out of the classroom. His behavior is disruptive and causes him to miss important instruction. Ms. Greene, recognizing Michael’s challenges with transitions, asks Sarah, the classroom paraeducator, to use the Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) approach to help support Michael during these moments.
Step 1: Prevent (Proactive Strategies) Sarah begins by observing the triggers for Michael’s outbursts. She notices that transitions are difficult for him, especially when he feels rushed or unprepared. To prevent the behavior from escalating, Sarah provides clear, visual cues before transitions. She creates a visual schedule for Michael, showing him a picture of the math activity, followed by the picture of the reading activity, and then a “break” symbol, to show him what to expect. She also uses a calming strategy, such as deep breathing, before transitions, offering Michael a moment to relax.
Step 2: Teach (Skill Building) Sarah works with Michael on skills that will help him manage his emotions and transition more smoothly. She teaches him a “stop and breathe” strategy: when he feels overwhelmed, he is encouraged to stop, take three deep breaths, and then look at his visual schedule. Sarah practices this strategy with him during calm moments, modeling it while guiding him through the steps. They also practice role-playing transitions during less stressful times, such as at the beginning of the day or after recess.
Step 3: Reinforce (Positive Reinforcement) When Michael successfully uses his “stop and breathe” strategy during a transition, Sarah immediately reinforces this behavior by offering verbal praise, saying, “Great job using your breathing technique!” Additionally, Michael is given a token for his calm behavior, which he can later exchange for a preferred activity, like extra computer time or a favorite book. By reinforcing these positive behaviors, Sarah helps Michael associate transitions with positive experiences and rewards, encouraging him to continue using his new coping skills.
REFLECT:
What do you think the outcomes of this work will be for Michael? What about the outcomes for Sarah?
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This unit of study is based on the work of Dr. Dunlap and colleagues on the topics of Prevent-Teach -Reinforce to support positive behaviors and change childhood outcomes for the better. The process of Prevent-Teach-Reinforce is well researched and has shown evidence to support it as a proactive approach for behavior management. It can be varied based on the student you are working with (young and school age children). The authors have detailed the step by step processes and implementation of these approaches in their book, and we will cover a few parts of their work in this unit. The main goal of the PTR model is to ensure that everyone is on the same page on the behavior management team, and they are all implementing the supports with the most accuracy and regularity so that the student thrives, and the data taken can show that progress.
- Teaming is a key part of this work.
- Goal Setting helps lead the work.
- Collecting Data on the behavior improvements and changes is key.
- This work can lead to the design of a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and the implementation of sufficient interventions.