Question:

"Linda" is a fourteen year old student who has Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome).  She refuses to come back into class from the playground with my aide after lunch unless I go get her, even after all the other kids have come in.  Other recesses and P.E. do not usually present problems.

Answer:

• Interaction - (Linda gets you to spend extra time with her)

• Relief - (She avoids returning to work after a long break)

• Material - (She gets something; not likely the function in this case)

• Excitement - (There's a whole lot of reaction to Linda's behavior)

3. Determine the primary need this behavior is meeting for Linda.  My guess would be interaction but you know her and perhaps you think relief from the afternoon tasks is primary.

4. Look at what she gets out of this behavior:  For example, your undivided attention.

5. Then look at different ways she could have this need met.  If we go with interaction as her primary aim, you could:

• Change the Environment:  For example, could Linda work as an aide in the office, library, or cafeteria during lunch?

• Change the Activity:  Could she have a general ed peer (rotate this role) spend the last 10 minutes of lunch recess with her and then walk with her back to her class?

• Change the Consequences:  Instead of going out to get her, have your aide say:   "Linda, time for class.  Let's go see Ms. Goldsmith."  Then walk in that direction without looking back.

• Offer Choices:  Before Linda goes to lunch, say "Would you like to help in the kindergarten or go to the playground?"

• Teach New Skills:  Teach Linda how to play one of the games that girls her age play at recess.  This is likely to take some time and she may need modifications.  Introduce her into a group that plays this game.  When recess is over, peers can reinforce that they're all going into class.

• Focus on the Positive:  When Linda returns in after the other recesses and P.E., make a BIG deal of it.  Praise, reinforce with 5 minutes of a favorite activity; make her in charge of calling the other students to choose a library book.  When she comes in late from lunch, ignore her.

• Involve the Student:  Take Linda aside and tell her about the problem you are having and involve her in creating a self-management program (see below) in which she records the number of times a week she comes in at the expected time from lunch and when she meets a (very easily attainable) goal, she rewards herself with a (reasonable) reinforcement.

All this is not easy but neither is putting up with things the way they are now.  And, you get to teach Linda a new skill.  This objective can be added to her IEP.  It is a very important skill for future employment.  At age 14, discussion of transition services language is mandated.

Web Links:

http://maxweber.hunter.cuny.edu/pub/eres 

(Click on EDSPC715_MCINTYRE; Click on why_web_page)
Identifies the functions of behavior differently, but the idea is the same.

Additional Resources:

Dunlap, L.K., Dunlap, G., Koegel, L.K., Koegel, R.L. (1991) Using self-monitoring to increase independence. Teaching Exceptional Children, Spring 17-22.
***Classic!  http://www.cec.org

Zimmerman, Barbara F. (2000) On our best behavior: Positive behavior management strategies for the classroom. LPR Publications PA.
Brief, cheap, helpful.
http://www.lrp.com for LRP publications