Replacement Behaviors & Teaching New Skills

Clinical Use:  Replacement Behaviors

Replacement behaviors to teach and implementation plan:  All behaviors serve a function(s).  Therefore, before actively trying to remove a “functional or useful behavior” from a student’s repertoire, identify functionally equivalent and alternative behaviors, that are socially acceptable, to replace the problem behavior.  Consider these questions:

1. If we believe the student is trying to get something and/or avoid something, how can the student communicate these wants and needs more appropriately in order to have their needs met (e.g., functional equivalent behavior),
2. If the student is able to appropriately communicate his or her wants and needs, and those wants and needs cannot be immediately met, then what additional skills does the student need to learn in order to better cope with not getting his or her needs met (e.g., alternative behaviors, or self-regulation skills such as  delayed gratification, calming strategies, work ethic, social skills, etc.),
3. How would one design a teaching plan and implement supports to help the student learn these essential life skills?  Consider the fact that teaching and learning new skills (academic or social) likely requires a teaching plan, direct instruction, motivation, and practice.  In addition, students exhibiting chronic problem behaviors are often identified with one or more disabilities, which makes alignment of teaching methods and learning abilities essential.

Teaching New Skills in a Simple BIP: Simple BIPs should consider the above guided questions, as well. Informal assessment and a collaborative team approach will help a) identify priority New Skills to Teach, and b) develop a similar implementation plan to effectively teach these new skills.

Functional equivalent behaviors 

Select or design a behavior that serves the same function as the target behavior.

For example, if Ethan disrupts class to get the attention of the teacher, then proactively teach him to raise his hand and wait for the teacher’s attention and immediately reinforce him with teacher attention when he raises his hand.  Another example, if Peter crawls under his desk or runs out of the classroom to avoid reading and writing tasks, then teach Peter how to appropriately request a break from, or help with presented reading or writing tasks.

Teaching plan and motivation to practice:  Teaching new appropriate behaviors to replace target problem behaviors requires a teaching plan, motivation, and practice. Describe how the team will teach new skills to a student, methods of motivation to reward effort, when and where opportunities to practice will be provided, and how newly learned skills will be generalized and reinforced across different settings, people, and activities.

For example, a) create a visual reminder to raise a hand that will be placed on Ethan’s desk during select lessons, b) model, role-play, and practice with Ethan what the reminder represents, c) review with Ethan what the reminder represents before select lessons, d) immediately reinforce and praise Ethan when he raises his hand appropriately, and e) generalize strategies to other lessons or classrooms once initial progress is observed.  Another example, a) discuss with Peter 3 ways that a student could appropriately “get out of doing work for a few minutes” (e.g., asking to get a drink of water, asking if the teacher needs anything sent to the office, asking for a short break to work on a drawing), b) create a list of scripts that Peter can keep in his desk when he needs a break, c) model, role-play, and practice with Peter how to use the scripts in different situations and how the teacher will respond to his requests, and d) immediately reinforce and praise Peter for using these supports during all reading and writing activities.

Prompting replacement behaviors: Describe supportive prompting strategies that can be used to “remind” the student to practice newly learned replacement behaviors.  These prompting strategies are usually most effective when presented before the student becomes highly emotional or upset.

For example, if Anthony shows signs of escalation (i.e., defiant language, out of seat), then teaching staff will verbally remind Anthony of his replacement behavior choices to either a) appropriately request staff attention, or b) take space outside the classroom.  Staff will also remind Anthony that practicing his replacement behaviors counts toward his motivational reward system.

Implementation Details: Describe any details that may be essential or relevant to Replacement Behavior implementation.

Person Responsible:  Designate a lead person or persons to support implementation of BIP components. Specify Responsible Party or Role, as well as, When and Where the component should be prepared, trained, practiced, and/or implemented.

Alternative behaviors  

When a student demonstrates appropriate functional equivalent behaviors to communicate wants and needs (e.g., “Can I use the computer right now, please?” or “I don’t want to do this worksheet”), but often escalates to problem behavior when his or her requests are not immediately met, then select or design an alternative behavior that will help the student cope and self-regulate during these situations or “triggers.”

For example, Melissa initially communicates her desire to use the computer with an appropriate verbal request.  However, when the teacher informs her that computers are unavailable until 1:30 p.m., Melissa begins to argue, cry, and scream.  Alternative behaviors may include teaching Melissa specific times when computers are available using visual supports, and establishing a fun game where she is rewarded with extra computer time for waiting appropriately (e.g., delayed gratification).  Another example, Devin usually first tells teasing peers to leave him alone, but when these peers persist, then Devin shouts profanity and may become aggressive.  Alternative behaviors may include teaching Devin how to walk away and find a supportive, preferred staff member.

Teaching plan and motivation to practice:  Teaching new appropriate behaviors to replace target problem behaviors requires a teaching plan, motivation, and practice.  Describe how the team will begin teaching new skills to a student, methods of motivation to reward effort, when and where opportunities to practice will be provided, and how newly learned skills will be generalized and reinforced across different settings, people, and activities.

For example, a) create an individualized daily schedule that clearly shows available computer times, b) embed in the schedule a self-monitoring tally chart in which Melissa records how long she has “waited appropriately” for computer times, c) design a “scorecard” showing how much extra computer time Melissa has earned for waiting appropriately (e.g., 1 hour = 5 extra minutes), and d) consistently encourage Melissa and praise her efforts.  Another example, a) identify a supportive, preferred staff member for Devin (and possibly 2-3 peer supports), b) train staff member, c) develop a protocol to locate staff member, d) model, role-play, and practice different scenarios with Devin and staff member.

Implementation Details: Describe any details that may be essential or relevant to Replacement Behavior implementation.

Person Responsible:  Designate a lead person or persons to support implementation of BIP components. Specify Responsible Party or Role, as well as, When and Where the component should be prepared, trained, practiced, and/or implemented.