Positive Behaviour for Learning

1. Positive Behaviourfor Learning Belonging, Being, Becoming: Connecting PBL in Early Childhood Settings Presented by: Ann Eckert - PBL Project Officer Ruth Garlick - Early Childhood Consultant

2. Impetus for change • Difficulties in using the EYLF for implementing behaviour guidance practices that work. • Supporting a cultural shift in thinking (critical reflection what is behaviour guidance??) • Extending the whole school PBL framework into preschools to support behaviour guidance.

3. What the researchers are reporting Data from longitudinal studies reveals: • That 10% of kindergartners arrive at school with problematic behaviour and children living in poverty appear to be especially vulnerable exhibiting rates that are higher than the general population” ((West, Denton 7 Germino- Hausken, 2000, Qi & Kaiser, 2003) e.g. Head Start sample – problematic behaviour 10-23% children (Kupersmidt, Bryant and Willoughby 2001) While in a recent Australian study : • Between 4 and 14% of children aged from one and a half to three years of age had externalising or internalising behaviour problems. (Bayer et al 2008)

4. What researchers are reporting “….young children who have persistent challenging behaviours are highly likely to continue to have problems with socialisation and school success, and mental health concerns into adolescence and adulthood” (Dunlap et al., 2006, cited by Lise Fox)

5. Behaviour guidance: what does it mean?? “Guiding children's behavior is one of the biggest challenges many child care providers face. Choosing and using the most appropriate guidance and discipline practices focus on ways to encourage and strengthen positive behavior, ways to preventmisbehavior, and ways to managemisbehaviorwhen it occurs” National Network for ChildCare NNCC How do we do this??

6. Discipline From same Latin root as disciple: Discipere “to teach or comprehend”

7. Starting Points…. • We can’t “make” students learn or behave • We can create environments to increase the likelihood students learn and behave • Environments that increase the likelihood are guided by a core curriculum and implemented with consistency and fidelity

8. Western Sydney Region (Feb 2013)

9. Towards a solution PBL

10. What is the shared vision for Preschools in schools? Strong parallel systems of support: Preschool, school and PBL Shared knowledge and understanding of positive behaviour for learning

11. Intended Outcomes for PBL in Preschool For children • To be supported in their social development • To be engaged in learning environments that support emotional growth • To experience universal positive experiences around social behaviour. • To be engaged in life long learning For preschool and school staff • To build connections between school and preschool that support a positive learning environment • To build capacity knowledge and skills around behaviour guidance • To promote the preschool being supported as part of whole school context

12. Introduction to EYLF The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) is a nationalframework which will ensure quality and consistency in the delivery of early childhood education programs across all early childhood settings. It will cover birth to five years and support transition to formal schooling.

13. What is it? The framework forms the foundation for ensuring that children in all early childhood education and care settings experience quality teaching and learning. It has specific emphasis on play-based learning and recognises the importance of communication and language (including early literacy & numeracy), and social and emotional development

14. Elements of the EYLF

15. Children’s learning

16. EYLF outcomes in relation to social skills and behaviour • Educators promote identity: • Acknowledging and being responsive • Being emotionally available • Providing children with strategies • Mediating and supporting negotiation • Modelling explicit strategies for productive relationships • Educators promote connection: • Sharing decision making about rules and expectations with children • Drawing attention to issues of fairness

17. EYLF outcomes in relation to social skills and behaviour Educators promote well-being: • Supporting emotional regulation and self-control • Mediating and assisting in negotiations • Involving the children in guidelines around safety • Supporting children who may be subject to aggressive or bullying behaviour Educators promote learning: • Responding to learning dispositions by Intentionally scaffolding children’s understandings • Plan for a time and place for children to reflect on their learning and behaviour • Provide opportunities for engaged and meaningful learning Educators promote communication: • Responding sensitively to children’s efforts to communicate

18. Overview of PBL for Early Childhood Acknowledgements: A program-Wide Model for supporting Social Emotional Development and Adressing Challenging Behaviour in Early Childhood Settings Lise Fox Mary L. Hemmeter 2009 Implementing Positive Behaviour Support Systems in Early Childhood and Elementary Settings Tim Lewis, Melissa Stormont, Rebecca Beckner, Nanci W Johnson 2008

19. Multi-tiered system of support Intensive Intervention Individualised, functional assessment, highly specific for few Intensity of Supports Targeted Intervention Supplemental, some students, reduce risk Universal Prevention Core Instruction, allstudents, preventive, proactive Students within Schools

20. Social Competence and Academic Achievement Positive Behaviour for Learning OUTCOMES Supporting Decision Making Supporting Staff Behaviour SYSTEMS DATA PRACTICES Supporting Student Behaviour

21. Where does preschool fit? Classroom Setting Systems Non-classroom Setting Systems Individual Student Systems Family Setting Systems School-wide Systems

22. Activity - Connections Match the statements from the EYLF with the PBL practices PBL

23. Connections

24. Multi tiered system of support for preschool Tier Three Intensive, Individual Interventions • Individual Students • Assessment-based (FBA) • Intense, durable procedures 1-5% T2 targeted social emotional supports Tier Two Targeted Group Interventions • Some students (at-risk) • Individualised • Explicit teaching 5-10% T1 classroom preventative practices Tier One Universal Prevention • All settings, all students • Preventive, proactive T1 positive relationships with children, families and colleagues 80-90%

25. Features of PBL in preschool – Tier 1 • POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS • Foundation for all other practices across the tiers • Responsive and positive interactions with children • Partnerships with families • Collaboration and teaming with staff “When educators establish respectful and caring relationships with children and families, they are able to work together to construct curriculum and learning experiences relevant to children in their local context. These experiences gradually expand children’s knowledge and understanding of the world.” Early Years Learning Framework EYLF 2009

26. Features of PBL for Preschool Tier 1 Classroom preventative practices – considerations for a high quality supportive learning environment Intentional teaching • Social emotional skills for all children

27. Features of PBL– It’s about play Play is a child’s work!

28. Features of PBL for Preschool Tier 2 Tier 2 targeted social/emotional support: • Indivdualised systematic instruction to teach social emotional skills • For children who have challenges in social interaction or emotional regulation • Includes partnership with families to teach skills at home.

29. Features of PBL for Preschool Tier 3 Tier 3 Intensive Individual Interventions: • For children with persistent challenging behaviour • Assessment based behaviour support plans • FBA process • Involves a collaborative team – staff ,families, behaviour support (school), external agencies if applicable

30. Critical elements for success Building supportive systems: leadership/ state, region/community of schools, school and preschool Build a proactive teaching environment: supports adults, builds teaching capacity Build supportive learning environments: support academic and social learning outcomes

31. School/ Preschool Teams • Essential systems component to implementation • Team representative of key stakeholders Responsible for: - Determining priorities and time frames - Data collection needs - Supporting Professional Development - Introducing PBL to children and families

32. Preschool PBL Implementation Pre school PBL implementation Essential Features: • Choose behavioural expectations. • Develop teaching matrix to support common language. • Teach social behaviours. 4. Support appropriate behaviours. 5. Define and respond to problem behaviour. 6. Data based decision making.

33. Implementation: Choose behavioural expectations • Three or less • Visible – consider literacy level – words and pictures • Link with school wide expectations

34. Implementation: Develop teaching matrix Determine appropriate behaviours for each expectation across all settings: Agreement by > 80% staff Settings – include points of time and routines Observable Measurable Positive Understandable Always applicable

35. Settings 1.Expectation 3. Behaviour examples

36. Implementation: Teach Social Behaviours • Focus on instruction- behaviours are taught Focus on well planned intentional teaching, use incidental teaching moments to practise and reteach Intentional teaching “moves beyond the provision of well planned environments and supportive interactions. The instruction of social and emotional skills requires a systematic and comprehensive approach using embedded instruction within planned and routine activities” (Fox & Hemmeter 2009)

37. Intentional Teaching • Teach in natural setting • Planned groups and incidental moments • Pre-corrects, active supervision, feedback, reteach as needed. Intentional teaching considerations:

38. Implementation: Teach Social Behaviours Social skills for success: • Getting along with others • Following directions • Identifying and regulating emotions • Thinking of solutions to conflict • Persisting on a task • Engaging in social conversations • Engaging in cooperative play

39. PBL Implementation: Support Appropriate Behaviours Provide supports to increase the likelihood that children will use the replacement behaviours they have been taught. Consider supports such as: • Prompts/Cues • Setting factors • Verbal feedback

40. PBL Implementation: Support Appropriate Behaviours Prompts and cues: • Auditory – music, verbal prompts, attention signal • Visual – task/activity schedule, reminders • Proximity – active supervision, interactions

41. PBL Implementation: Support Appropriate Behaviours Setting Factors - environmental practices that contribute to high quality learning environment. • Example • Providing adequate materials • Defining play centres • Schedule of developmentally • appropriate activities • Structuring transitions • Providing individualised support • Engaging activities

42. Terminology – verbal feedback • Acknowledgment • Encouragement • Recognition • Reinforcement • Reward • Positive Feedback • Praise

43. PBL Implementation: Support Appropriate Behaviours Verbal reinforcement:a form of social reinforcement that provides information on successful behaviour while reinforcing or increasing the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated.

44. PBL Implementation: Support Appropriate Behaviours

45. PBL Implementation: Define and respond to problem behaviour To ensure consistency in staff response three factors to consider: • Problem behaviour clearly defined • Problem behaviour clearly documented to drive decision making (data based) • Problem behaviour guides implementation of corrective consequences

46. PBL Implementation: Define and respond to problem behaviour For discipline methods to be considered effective: “they must not only end a disruption but also preserve children’s sense of safety, teach them skills to use in the future, ensure that they continue to want to relate to adults, and promote healthy attitudes to authority” Louise Porter 2011

47. PBL Implementation: Define and respond to problem behaviour A continuum of responses to guide and teach Prompt Redirect Reteach Provide Choice Apply logical consequence Student conference a behaviour guidance continuum 1.Calm 2.Consistent 3.Brief 4.Immediate 5. Respectful

48. An example of a response continuum1. Calm 2. Consistent 3. Brief 4. Immediate 5. Respectful

49. An Example of a response continuum (cont.) Student conference: Before Jason goes back to sandpit discuss behaviour of concern with him • Problem solve why he was throwing sand ( not able to handle spade, sensory, peer attention or avoidance) • Reteach how to play with in sandpit safely • Provide rationale of why it is necessary to keep sand low • Provide Jason immediate opportunity to practise • Provide support for Jason to be successful – scaffold, prompt, communication support, adaptive equipment.

50. Create environment for success C B P A = + Supports -School/ teacher Participation support, teach routines, physical arrangements, prompts, feedback communication, sensory relationships Student characteristics Skills, history, Family/ culture Functional desires Student success Measurable outcomes – social, emotional, communication Terry Scott Probability for Success