Behavior 101 Jennifer Penzenik! 
Special Education District of Lake County !
What is Behavior? 
the way in which an animal or 
person acts in response to a 
particular situation or 
stimulus.
Communication Pain 
Discomfort Frustration 
Behavior has a Message 
Thirst 
Sensory 
Hunger 
Confusion 
Skill Deficit 
Change 
Boredom 
Overwhelmed
Finding the Function Antecedent! 
Behavior! 
Consequence
What is the function of Behavior? 
! 
Escape or Avoid! 
-Removes undesired activity or 
interaction! 
-When a task is too hard, easy, 
boring or overwhelming ! 
Attention ! 
-Access to people or interactions! 
-When socialization is desired ! 
!
What is the function of Behavior? 
! 
Tangible! 
-Provides preferred item or activity! 
-When an item or activity is wanted ! 
Sensory ! 
-Provides a sensory experience that 
feels good! 
-Occurs anytime, especially when 
alone or when anxiety is high ! 
!
Behavior Prevention 
❖ Develop a positive relationship! 
❖ Know what reinforces positive behavior ! 
❖ Set boundaries and clear, consistent expectations! 
❖ Develop engaging activities! 
❖ Teach skills necessary! 
❖ Be proactive ! 
❖ Ensure a functional communication system! 
❖ Provide a replacement behavior ! 
❖ Have fun!
What we CAN’T change… 
❖ Parents ! 
❖ Home expectations! 
❖ Co-workers! 
❖ The organization ! 
❖ The disability
What can WE change… 
❖ How information and directions are presented! 
❖ How you speak to the student! 
❖ Rate of positive reinforcement ! 
❖ How you show respect and dignity to the student! 
❖ Your relationship with the student! 
❖ The choices you allow the student to have
Behavior Strategies 
❖ Prompt Hierarchy ! 
❖ Redirection! 
❖ Planned Ignoring! 
❖ Response Blocking ! 
❖ Response Interruption! 
❖ Non-Exclusionary time-out (NETO)! 
❖ Exclusionary time-out (ETO)! 
❖ CPI; Nonviolent Crisis Intervention
Behavior Tidbits 
❖ Behavior continues because it works! 
! 
❖ Always occurs for a reason! 
! 
❖ Stops when it becomes ineffective! 
! 
❖ Most human behavior is learned

Behavior 101

  • 1.
    Behavior 101 JenniferPenzenik! Special Education District of Lake County !
  • 2.
    What is Behavior? the way in which an animal or person acts in response to a particular situation or stimulus.
  • 3.
    Communication Pain DiscomfortFrustration Behavior has a Message Thirst Sensory Hunger Confusion Skill Deficit Change Boredom Overwhelmed
  • 4.
    Finding the FunctionAntecedent! Behavior! Consequence
  • 5.
    What is thefunction of Behavior? ! Escape or Avoid! -Removes undesired activity or interaction! -When a task is too hard, easy, boring or overwhelming ! Attention ! -Access to people or interactions! -When socialization is desired ! !
  • 6.
    What is thefunction of Behavior? ! Tangible! -Provides preferred item or activity! -When an item or activity is wanted ! Sensory ! -Provides a sensory experience that feels good! -Occurs anytime, especially when alone or when anxiety is high ! !
  • 7.
    Behavior Prevention ❖Develop a positive relationship! ❖ Know what reinforces positive behavior ! ❖ Set boundaries and clear, consistent expectations! ❖ Develop engaging activities! ❖ Teach skills necessary! ❖ Be proactive ! ❖ Ensure a functional communication system! ❖ Provide a replacement behavior ! ❖ Have fun!
  • 8.
    What we CAN’Tchange… ❖ Parents ! ❖ Home expectations! ❖ Co-workers! ❖ The organization ! ❖ The disability
  • 9.
    What can WEchange… ❖ How information and directions are presented! ❖ How you speak to the student! ❖ Rate of positive reinforcement ! ❖ How you show respect and dignity to the student! ❖ Your relationship with the student! ❖ The choices you allow the student to have
  • 10.
    Behavior Strategies ❖Prompt Hierarchy ! ❖ Redirection! ❖ Planned Ignoring! ❖ Response Blocking ! ❖ Response Interruption! ❖ Non-Exclusionary time-out (NETO)! ❖ Exclusionary time-out (ETO)! ❖ CPI; Nonviolent Crisis Intervention
  • 11.
    Behavior Tidbits ❖Behavior continues because it works! ! ❖ Always occurs for a reason! ! ❖ Stops when it becomes ineffective! ! ❖ Most human behavior is learned