BEHAVIOUR DOMAIN
This domain relates to the social and behavioural aspects of a student in their learning environment. There are two interelated focus areas:
1. The student’s ability to regulate their behaviour and respond appropriately to the environment, and
2. Social interactions in a range of environments and the ability to co-operate with peers and teachers.
Functional behavioural assessment and positive behavioural support are two key approaches that underpin this domain. The focus is on clearly defining the problem behaviour and its function, in order to put in place an intervention that will address the behaviour effectively.
This domain is aimed at assisting management of individual students not whole class management. Although the process outlined here requires a significant investment of time, it is assumed that the student’s problem behaviour is currently consuming an unacceptable amount of teacher and executive time without positive results for the student.
The focus is on adults changing their own behaviour and addressing the context for the student’s behaviour, with the long-term goal of students changing their behaviour. Adults must be able to maintain their own self-control for any behavioural intervention to be successful.
Many students displaying severe challenging behaviour over the long term have experienced complex developmental trauma within their families. Our approach takes into account the effects of this trauma on children’s social, emotional and cognitive development.
This guide will follow one example through the functional behavioural assessment process to the behaviour plan.
DEFINE THE PROBLEM BEHAVIOUR
Effectively addressing and improving problem behaviour starts with building a common understanding of the behaviour itself. By defining what it is and what it isn’t, we can observe when it is and when it isn’t occurring.
Defining the behaviour in observable terms is a way of separating the student from their behaviour.
DESCRIBE THE CONTEXT
Behaviour does not occur in a vacuum – practically all problem behaviour in schools occurs within a particular social and instructional context.
Students learn to behave in ways to achieve a desired outcome or to satisfy a need.
In order to work out the purpose or function of a student’s behaviour, we must identify the specific contextual and environmental factors that trigger and maintain problem behaviour.
IDENTIFY THE FUNCTION
Effective behaviour plans are built on your understanding of the function of a student’s behaviour. Look at their behaviour from their perspective.
- Why is the student doing the behaviour?
- What is the need they are meeting from doing it?
- Why do they use this particular behaviour, rather than a more prosocial behaviour, to meet the need?
EVALUATE THE PLAN
Trialling strategies helps to work out the function of the behaviour and begins the process of designing the Social Skills-Behaviour Plan. Successful strategies can be included and unsuccessful ones discarded.
- What has changed?
- How do you know?
- Does the behaviour still require the same supports?
Behaviour Domain PDF
Download the entire Behaviour Domain in PDF format and save it to your computer.
Behaviour Domain Worked Example PDF
Click on this link to see the fictional example for Joshua Jones, a 10 year old displaying aggressive behaviour towards other students and being abusive towards staff.
The example works through the whole Behaviour Domain. The Student Profile is included to illustrate how the student’s background information is used in identifying the function of the behaviour and for designing interventions.
Students with challenging behaviour need:
- A learning environment that supports skill development and prevents challenging behaviour wherever possible
- Programs to promote social interaction skills
- Interventions that target the specific and individual areas of need
- A holistic approach including school, home and community environments