Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior

Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior Support Plan

Teachers at all grade levels face a growing number of students whose behavior hinders daily classroom instruction on a daily basis. Most of the time, they are able to use standard approaches for dealing with classroom misbehavior and persuading positive behavior. Frequently, classroom behavior problems stem from student academic irritation and failure, troubles that teachers can fix by making changes to the curriculum, changes to the instructional procedure, or both. Schools have a legal responsibility to kids with disabilities to provide behavioral support when needed. In certain situations, this includes a functional behavioral assessment and a related positive behavior intervention plan and services (von Ravensberg, 2012). The key is to identify what is going on with a particular student so that an appropriate plan can be put into place. This is where functional behavior assessments and behavior support plans come into play.

A behavioral intervention plan (BIP) is intended to help a specific child alter their behavior. Once the purpose of a student's behavior has been figured out, the Individual Education Program (IEP) Team can devise a behavior intervention plan. A behavioral intervention plan is a plan used to support the student in order to help them modify their undesirable behavior. Effective support plans are often made up of many interventions or support strategies and are not meant to be a form of punishment. Positive behavioral intervention plans augment the attainment and use of new substitute skills top reduce the problem behavior and make general improvements in the quality of life of the student, their family, and all members of the support team. Comprehensive behavioral intervention plans often have setting event modifications, the teaching of alternative skills, outcome strategies, and lifestyle interventions included in them (Behavioral Intervention Plan, n.d.).

Functional assessment of behavior is not a new concept but is based on longstanding principles of successful problem solving. Even though these methods are relatively new to many educators, research supports the use of these strategies in order to provide a better understanding of student behavior in educational settings and to determine the factors that lead to students' behavioral troubles. Used mainly with students identified for special education services, functional behavioral basements and behavioral intervention plans can play a key role in explaining and redirecting the academic and social behaviors of all students and in preventing the acceleration of problem behaviors (Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavioral Intervention Plans, n.d.).

A functional behavior assessment is a process for developing a functional understanding of how behavior relates to the environment. By knowing the function or purpose that behavior serves for the student, one is able to develop an intervention that also serves that same purpose, but does so by way of positive student behaviors. Intervention strategies may include successful prevention, remediation, or development of alternative or replacement behaviors. Consequently, similar behaviors should not regularly be treated with identical interventions, as the functions of the behaviors may be very different (Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavioral Intervention Plans, n.d.).

When students have difficult behavior that interferes with their capability to learn schools can use Functional Behavior Assessments (FBA) to gather information about the student and their behavior. This information gathering is the first part of the process of providing positive behavioral support to the student. Once the purpose of a challenging behavior is understood then educators can design a behavior support plan that includes instructional supports and strategies that aid the student to get what they need in a more socially suitable way. The FBA is a team effort that requires bringing together people who know the student well like the parents, teachers, counselors, and sometimes the student themselves. This team then identifies the problem behavior to target for intervention, gathers data, and then uses the information to develop a hypothesis about why the behavior is taking place (Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior Support Plans, n.d.).

An example of a situation in which a student would require a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and Behavior Support Plan (BSP) would be that of Billy. Billy likes school and has many friends. His favorite subjects are English and math. Billy has a great relationship with his dad, who he gets to see every other weekend but his behavior at school after his weekends with his dad is questionable. On Mondays after he sees his Dad he often has headaches, has gotten too little sleep and hasn't done his homework. When asked to do multiplication & long division problems by his math teacher he frequently gets into arguments with his math teacher. He is frequently sent to the principal's office because of his behavior (Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior Support Plans, n.d.).