Is It Disability Behaviour or Just Disruptive Behaviour?

Day Two: The Calgary Educators' Conference

Presented by Rebecca Moyes, M.Ed.

Thursday, May 9, 2019  |  Calgary, ab

Date & Location

Both educators and parents struggle with what to do with difficult behaviour in the classroom and home. Both are often hesitant to provide consequences when a child with special needs exhibits problem behaviours because they are afraid they will be accused of punishing him/her for symptoms that are related to his/her disability. In school settings, there are certain behaviours that are not permitted, and others that impede the child’s or the other students’ ability to learn. Knowing how to appropriately address behaviours is important because any behaviour that is reinforced (either accidentally or on purpose) is likely to continue or escalate. Children with disabilities often exhibit problems with motivation, transitions, task avoidance, sensory processing, social skills, anger, defiance, impulsiveness, and behavioural inhibition, among others. Many children with autism, Asperger’s, ADHD, emotional disturbance, oppositional defiant disorder, Down’s Syndrome, and learning disability exhibit these challenging behaviours. Behind every problem behaviour is something to teach to address a skill deficit and interventions that can help to stop the cycle of difficult behaviour. This full-day workshop will empower educators with practical and evidenced-based strategies to feel competent to appropriately address difficult behaviours associated with disabilities.

Who Should Attend

Education and Clinical Professionals: K–12 Classroom Teachers, School Counsellors/Psychologists, Learning Assistance/ Resource Teachers, School Administrators, School Paraprofessionals including Special Education Assistants, Classroom Assistants and Childcare Workers. All other professionals who support students including but not limited to: Nurses, Social Workers, Psychologists, Clinical Counsellors, Family Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Addiction Counsellors, Youth Workers, Mental Health Workers, Probation Officers, Police Officers, and Early Childhood Educators.

Parents, Caregiver, Foster Parents, Grandparents, and Extended Family raising a child.

Agenda

• Difficulties presented by children with behavioral deficits and conflicts between staff and parents
• Antecedents to difficult behavior; consequences: reinforcers and “punishers”
• Functions of behaviour; types of data collection tools
• Developing a PBSP based on data collection
• Executive functions and how they impact problem behaviour
• Interventions for motivation, transition difficulties, perseverations
• Interventions for inflexibility, oppositional defiant behaviour, sensory disturbances, attention difficulties and emotional control

Learning Objectives

1. Identify the use of positive vs. negative reinforcement and positive vs. negative punishment when given behavioural scenarios
2. Describe ways to incorporate the use of reinforcement to decrease the frequency of problem behaviour
3. List particular antecedent strategies to support difficult behaviour, including strategies for students with emotional disturbance and oppositional defiant disorder
4. Describe the skill deficits that may be associated with problem behaviour and write appropriate IEP goals to address them
5. Write positive behaviour support plans to teach new skills so that children will not use problem behaviour to achieve escape or attention
6. Initiate the use of appropriate data collection tools to study behaviour objectively and learn what is reinforcing it

Your Presenter

Rebecca Moyes, M.Ed.

Rebecca Moyes, M.Ed., is a former general education teacher in public and private schools. She has served on Pennsylvania Governor Ridge’s Task Force for Autism and was a member of the PA SAFE Project for Verbal Behaviour. She is the author of six books for educators who teach students with special needs. She holds a master’s in teaching and curriculum with an emphasis on special needs children. She also holds an autism certificate in PA and advanced training in applied behaviour analysis. She now serves as consultant to four school districts in the Pittsburgh area for students with emotional disturbance.

Registration & Fees